Webmaster Papers








Your Website Visitors - Will They Stay?


I'm sure you've all heard the saying 'Build it and they will come'. Although that may have been true a few years ago, now we must work, and work hard, to get visitors to our websites.

You can't always control who visits, however, you can have some control over who stays.

Here are a few website no-no's that I have come accross that made me leave without even clicking past the first page.

1. Slow loading pages - For those of us still on dial-up internet access this is one of the primary reasons for not hanging around.

If you think you are going to load your page up with lots of images and javascripts to make it look nice and do great things, think again. They slow down the loading of the page. Save that stuff for later pages when you have your visitors' attention. If you offer them something they came to find they will have a little more patience as the remaining pages load.

2. Curser followers - We've all seen them, those little dots or letters that follow the curser around the page. They are so annoying that I don't even bother to read the first paragraph.

OK, so maybe there is a place for them. If you have a site based on entertaining children then perhaps you can use them effectively. However, if your site is focused on getting signups for your affiliate programs try to keep it professional looking.

3. Flash Intro - These are not as bad as they used to be due to the fact that most search engines can spider and index them now.

What is annoying though is when a site has a flash intro and does not give the visitor a way to skip it and go directly into the site. Again this is particularly bad for those with dial-up connections. If I have to sit and watch a little colored bar that says 'loading', guess what, I'm gone. Always give your visitor a means to skip the intro if they want to.

4. Colored backgrounds and printing - Have you ever had to get up close to your monitor to read the words on a website? I have and I can tell you that I didn't read too many lines before I was gone.

There are definitely some color schemes you should stay away from. For example, red letters on a black background are extremely hard to read. I'm sure you have come accross some yourself that were sure-fire triggers for the 'back' button.

Simple black letters on a white background is your best bet for easy reading. Also be sure to keep your paragraphs short and have lots of 'white space' on your page.

I'm not saying not to use colors in your site, there have been many studies that indicate certain colors trigger certain responses, however, you really need to experiment to get the right combination.

5. Animated Banners - DO NOT put animated banners on your home page.

Banners, animated or not, are images and can slow down the loading of your page. Also, animated banners are distracting and if you distract your visitor from the main purpose of your site......there goes a possible sale.

I know that many people just starting out are using Banner Exchanges as a means of getting visitors to their site. That's OK just don't put them on your home page. Put them at the bottom of all the rest of the pages if you want, just not on your index page. Remember, if your home page is strong enough to capture your visitors' interest, they will click on more pages and you will get your banner impressions.

6. Too much on one page - I've seen some sites where the owner has just about every affiliate program he belongs to on his home page.

If I type a keyword into a search engine and click on the first site that comes up, I want to be able to find what I'm looking for without having to sift through paragraph upon paragraph of other advertisements and affiliate links. If your visitors don't think they will find what they came to find, you'll lose them.

You should use your home page to welcome your visitors and tell them exactly what they want to know. If your site is about pet grooming, tell them that right from the start. Let them know the kind of information they can expect to find on each of your pages. Make sure your navigation is easy to follow by having the main navigation bar at the top left of your page and putting links throughout the text.

Your home page should lead your visitors to the rest of your site, that's where you do your selling.

Those are a few of the deterants that I have found while searching for information on the internet. I hope you will be able to use this information to make your own sites more user friendly and keep your visitors from clicking away.

Randy Justason is the Owner/Webmaster of MLM Wonders - http://www.mlmwonders.com - A website dedicated to opportunities, ideas and resources for starting a home based business on the internet. You can subscribe to the MLM Wonders free monthly Newsletter at: subscribe@mlmwonders.com

RELATED ARTICLES


Understand Your Color
Any design on a web application involves the effective input of color scheme in order to impress web surfers, instill a certain image or identity associated with the kind of web site it represents, and add impact to the web pages. However, very few possess the talent and skill of developing a harmonious color scheme. There are even very talented Web programmers who can develop just about any kind of application, but, for the life of them could not understand anything about color schemes.
6 Reasons Why A Website Is Crucial To Your Business
Since I'm a web designer, I have a tendency to think everyone understands that having a website is important. Every once in a while, I have to remind myself that some people just haven't heard yet!
Building Web Sites Using Web Templates
Gone are the days when you had to rely on a web-designer to design your websites. New technologies with innovative ideas have brought out a new variant to this trend in the form of ready to use website templates.
Using Server Side Includes to Simplify Your Web Design
An "include" file is a piece of code that can be put into a seperate file -- for example -- your navigation bar -- and then "included" in a number of other pages. This has the very useful advantage of allowing you to retain consistency over a very large number of pages, and then make changes to all of those pages by just changing the include file.
Website Creativity: Why It Matters Now More than Ever
If one more business owner tells me their website sucks because they're just "too darn busy to deal with it", I'm gonna hurl. That's like saying, "I'm doing business in my dirty underwear because I'm too busy to get dressed." Realize it or not, your website (or lack thereof) is very often the first impression your prospect or peer will have of you. Now, it's no longer a matter of having a website -- it's a matter of having a great one.
Understanding How HTML Color Codes Work
Ever wonder how HTML color codes are put together? For the beginner, it can look like lots of numbers and letters that make no sense. In reality, HTML color codes are written that way for a specific reason that we'll look at in this article.
10 seconds is all it takes? (How to grab the attention of your audience with your web site)
FACT: 30 to 60% of visitors tend to drop off and click to another site when they are forced to click their mouse more often than necessary.
Marketing Basics for the Webmaster
What is the relationship between Marketing and Web designing? How can a better understanding of Marketing help the web designer manage his business more profitably?
9 Ways to Gain Your Visitors Respect
The internet is filled with sites and they are good and bad. Some have been known for a long time and some still struggle to get the respect and fame they think they deserve.
Is Your Website?s Copy Up to the Mark?
The Internet is a relatively new medium. What works for you in your printed offline brochures and advertising materials may or may not work on your web page. If you have already invested either time or money or both in your website you should carefully scrutinize the written words on your pages to see if they can really deliver a return on your investment. Here are five important questions to ask to when making a review of your website's copy.
What Happened to My Website when I Deleted the Home Page by Mistake?
There is a widespread confusion among lots of new website designer concerning the home page.
Dont Lose The Sale In The Internets Last Three Feet
In retailing there is a saying that sales are made in the last three feet. What this means is that no matter what you have done with your marketing, the final purchase decision is made when a customer is in-store, with the product in front of them.
How To Get A Pay Raise From Your Web Site
How many of the visitors to your web site take the action you want them to take? Whether you want them to buy something from you, sign up for your newsletter, enter your sweepstakes, or give you contact information to follow up on, you want them to do something. The percentage of visitors who actually do that something is called your "conversion rate."
The Psychology of Color in Web Design
Persons engaged in website design, here's a scoop for you! Would you just like to know that by understanding the basics of cognitive psychology around color and patterns, we could further improve our Web design!
Web Design: Should You Hire Someone or Do It Yourself?
So you need a website. You are not sure if you should hire someone or learn HTML and do it yourself. Consider these points before making your final decision.
E-covers for Your Niche Market
When creating an e-cover the what's the first thought that comes to mind? How do I do it? What software do I need? How much will it cost? How quickly will I have it complete?
Effective Website Design
In this era of ultra-sophisticated internet marketing and web design, there is no excuse for an e-business to suffer with an ineffective website. Whether your goal is to present a basic business website that briefly introduces and describes your company and product, or you endeavor to develop a fully-functioning cash-cow storefront, there is a wide array of design choices to cater to all of your needs. Your website should fit your business like a well-tailored Armani suit. It should reflect exactly who you are and at the same time, instill confidence in the potential buyer that your business is solid, stable and reliable.
Eight Website Pitfalls, and How to Avoid Them
Clutter: Too much noise, too much text, and too little white space mean that customers ignore the content. Customers often scan pages quickly, only reading titles or input prompts until they reach the content they want. Be concise, break text up with headings, not too many fonts and consider the reading level of your audience.
Web-Safe Fonts for Your Site
Choosing the right typeface for your website copy is important, since it will affect the way your readers perceive your page (serious and formal, or friendly and casual). Aside from this, there are also important usability concerns. For example, some font types are more easily readable than others, and some are more widely available.
Building a One-page Website
You've designed your logo, and you're ready to print your business cards and other marketing collateral materials. You want to include your website address (also called a URL) to build your credibility. However, you're not quite ready to write and design a full website. At the same time, you don't think it's a good idea to distribute your new printed materials showing your website URL and to have only a blank web page waiting for your potential client's inquiries. What to do?