Make an impact with your website

The look and feel of websites has changed over the years.  Gone are the days of long copy for the search engines and pages that look like articles.  Today’s websites are colourful, video-rich with short, punchy copy and informative blogs.

As a writer and someone who has studied readability (what stops people getting your message), there are some elements of modern websites that I dislike.  I still look at most sites on a desktop screen, but when you take into account how websites are viewed on a mobile device, the new designs come into their own.

These are some of things that you should consider if you’re giving your website a make-over.

• If you start with a big colourful image – make sure that it’s relevant to your business and has one compelling headline visible above the ‘fold’ (i.e. on the first screen that is presented).  No message means you’re making your visitor work too hard to find out more.  Too many messages can confuse them – resulting in them thinking ‘let’s go somewhere easier’.
• If your image is one of a series, get your web designer to make the transition from one picture to the next a slow fade in and out.  When the image changes abruptly it is distracting, especially if part of the image is still visible when you’ve scrolled down a bit to read the message below.  Effectively, you’re putting a barrier in front of your message.
• Make sure that the next item on your home page is an introduction – but don’t head it up ‘Introduction’!  Give it an interesting headline and then you need 2-3 short paragraphs focused on the benefits your visitor can experience or the problems they can get solved from exploring further.
• On the subject of headlines, every page needs one.  ‘Services’ is not a headline, it’s the page title.  Yes, the search engine needs that on the page, but the human visitor has clicked on that tab or a button that has told them that’s where they’re going, so they don’t need to be told where they are.  They do need a reason to start reading so the biggest headline on the page needs to be the hook to pull them in.
• Every page also needs images.  They give the page energy and life and encourage the reader to stay put and find out more.  However, they must be relevant to the page content, so choose carefully.  Be creative, you can use simple diagrams, models, charts or video clips.
• If you have text alongside an image the text goes to the left, the image to the right.  This ensures people read towards the image, rather than scan down and start reading underneath it.
• Use short paragraphs – 3-5 lines – and plenty of white space.  Ask your web designer to wrap paragraphs around 100 characters (at 12 point) to make reading easier.  Very long lines make reading uncomfortable as the reader has to move their head to scan the line – and finds it harder to pick up the next line.
• Don’t forget to include a call to action at the end of every piece of text.  What do you want your reader to do when they’ve read this bit?  Call you, complete an enquiry form, visit another page, read your blog, sign up to your free download?  Tell people what to do – and make it easy for them to do it (the phone number in the call to action or a link to the next place you want them to go).

These are just a few things that will make your website engage your visitor – and help to turn them into an enquiry.

Delete, delete, delete

That’s what most people do when faced with a full inbox populated by random newsletters.  Most people’s experience of marketing email and newsletters is that the majority are sycophantic or just plain boring.

If your strategy for growing your marketing list is to ask people to sign up for your newsletter on your website, don’t be surprised if very few people actually accept the invitation.  Let’s be honest, you don’t want any more newsletters in your inbox, so why should anyone else?

How to get people to read your newsletters

Start with a great subject line.  Acme Widgets Newsletter October 2017 is the fastest way to get deleted.  But something more intriguing will trigger curiosity in the reader and, at least, get them to open it.  How about

Are you the loose nut in your machine?

The peculiar tale of the widget that got lost.

Did you know that ...

Once you’ve got them to open your email, keeping them engaged depends on telling them something they want to know (not something you think they need to know).

How many newsletters have you read that kick off by telling you their latest company news?  New staff, new premises, even new products are more about you than me, your reader.

The best newsletters start with a hook relating to something your audience is really interested in. 

• What can you tempt them with?  
• What will get their attention?  
• What problems are they suffering from – that you can solve?

If you know your audience well (in other words you know your ideal client inside out) finding these subjects won’t be a big step. 

Then write a chatty newsletter, as though you were writing to a friend, and you’ll engage your reader. 

Don’t ramble on, chatty doesn’t mean long-winded.  Talk directly to your audience as though they’re right in front of you and they’ll keep reading.  Best of all, they’ll want to read the next one you send out.

How social is your social media?

If you have a Facebook personal account, you’re probably using it for social activity; keeping up with family and friends in far flung places, letting people know what’s going on in your life (and sharing cute cat videos – no?)  However, if you have a Facebook business page how social should you be?

And what about Twitter?  Is that intended for social interactions or is it just a means of sending text messages to the world?

Then there’s LinkedIn – but isn’t that a business platform?  So why is it categorised as social media?

That’s just the tip of the iceberg.  What about Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, Tumblr ... the list is endless.

If you’re running a business social media is an important marketing tool, but don’t be fooled into believing that, when you’re in business mode, it’s not social.

It’s all about you

People buy people.  You can’t have a conversation with an organisation and you’ll notice that the large corporates that do social media well, identify who you’re talking to. 

Your social media content will work better when you talk as though you’re a human.  Yes, they are marketing tools, but the less personal they are, the less people will engage with you.

Tell your network what you’re doing (without breaking any client confidentiality, of course).  Give them a picture of your world, help them to get to know you.  If you’re really smart you’ll find a way to share your expertise while you’re doing this so you are building relationships and educating your audience at the same time.

Do you have a LinkedIn company page, but focus your effort on your personal profile.  The information you share will be shared under your name, not your company.

Facebook is a different animal and your Page will work well if you’re chatty and engaging.  Share what you’ve discovered today, whether it’s a great article, something you tried out and didn’t work, a revelation that came to you in a flash, or what you’ve done to combat writer’s block.

If you’re launching a new product or service it’s fine to get excited about it – as long as that’s not the only time you talk to your audience.

Just in case you were wondering – don’t give in to the urge to share cute cat videos on your business Page – unless you’re a vet, of course!

What’s the point of a blog?

If nobody reads it – nothing.  But how do you get a following like some of the well-known bloggers who make millions from writing blogs?

Most of these bloggers are young in their 20s and have a massive following around a specific subject. They earn their money from the ads that appear on their blog and from promoting other people’s products or services that are allied to what they write about.

These are the exceptions – but that doesn’t mean you should give up before you even get started, or abandoning an existing blog.

Firstly, let’s get one thing straight – a blog is not a sales platform.  If you keep selling at your readers, they’ll quickly stop reading.

Secondly, if nobody knows about your blog it will get very few views.

Create a plan

I find it helps to have a list of subjects to start with (you might find this blog useful on this), but even better is a list of problems you solve for clients.  

If you want to write these as case studies that’s one way of doing it, but sharing your expertise to help other people so you’re not just giving the results, but how to get them is even better.

Decide where to post your blog.  Clearly on your own blog, but where else could it go where potential clients might see it.

If you post it and promote it on social media, more people will know about it, but how often do you post about it?  On the day the blog goes live?  During the week it goes live?  What about a month later, three months later, a year later?  If a blog still contains good information there’s nothing wrong with reminding people about it long after its first post.

What about your list?  If you’re writing good quality information your clients, suppliers, former clients, networking contacts and others might find it useful too.  As long as you have permission to email them, send it out as an html email.  This is a great way to remind former clients how good you are!

Be consistent

Don’t think you can post one blog and then sit back and that will be it.  Aim for a minimum of two a month, ideally one a week if you really want to gain traction.

Use a social media management tool like Hootsuite to schedule your social media posts, so it doesn’t fall off your to do list.

Keep track of the blogs you write so you find it easy to cross reference and check what you’ve written about before – I use a simple spreadsheet.

So what is the point really?

A good blog is a testament to your expertise.  It also gives a flavour for the kind of person you are, your approach to life and business.  It’s an important cornerstone or your reputation.