A Reality Test Can Improve Your Website’s Performance
It’s hard for an author or speaker today to effectively promote their book or their speaking services without a website, even if they don’t do a lot of sales on-line. Yet, the importance of a excellent website is lost in the continued belief that purchasing a pre-made template or hiring someone cheap off Craig’s list will do the trick.
While your website need not be flashy and complex, there are a number of tests you should place your site through to ensure it makes the grade. With the Internet becoming a global nation and more and more people marketing through websites, competition is rough out there.
The first impression is the most vital on the web. And that impression can last less than a minute as click pleased page viewers come and go. How would you answer these questions about your website?
1. Do People Know Where They Are Right Away?
Does your logo have a visual meaning and describe your business? People will see before they read, so you need to grab their attention straight away. You want to make sure to use a lot of pictures and other graphics to clarify to viewers what your services will mean to them.
Words are vital as well, though, so make sure your company name is plainly visible immediately and that you have a tagline that tells people what you do. In addition, each page should include a strong title that conveys immediately where your viewer is and what they can expect to see.
While it’s okay to be creative, your website is not the place to be coy. Make sure your visitors are aware of who you are and what you can offer them straight away.
2. Have you checked out your computer on various viewing platforms and browsers?
In the world of computers, not anything is made equal. What looks fantastic on Firefox might be a mess on Windows Explorer, and even on different versions of each. Make sure you check. Question people you know and trust to view your website on at least 5 different monitor sizes, Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 operating systems, and on PC as well as MAC computers.
If you cater to customers who use mobile devices a lot, check both a Blackberry and iPhone as well. The differences in the way your site looks between different platforms might surprise you.
3. How functional is your website?
Slow loading pages are the most irritating thing a potential visitor can experience. In most cases, that potential customer clicks away before even considering what you have to offer and becomes a former potential customer before you know it.
Pretend you are your ideal customer and take the time to walk through your full site page by page through their eyes. How quickly do your pages load? Are your associations all working and pointing where they should? Are there any grammatical errors present or spelling errors in any of the make pleased? Is the contact information readily found on your website?
The ultimate goal of this Website Reality Test is to ensure that your potential customers are welcomed into your site rather than obsessed away. Make it simple for them to get around your site, find what they want (and what you’re selling) and become your customer.
Make sure to stop by ProfessionalSpeakerPromotionOnline.com to find many other resources for successfully promoting your qualified speaker career online.
