If you build it, they will come. This slogan used to be the mantra of website publishers and they were right! However, this was true only during the infancy of the world wide web. Nowadays, all sorts of gimmicks and strategies are deployed by website publishers to be able to capture the interest of visitors.
Capturing a visitor’s interest is the overriding goal for all web site publishers. They are aware that if they are unable to capture the interest of prospective clients in a span of thirty seconds or less, then most likely, the prospective clients will simply click away on to another website.
In this short span of time, web site designers and publishers have one common goal – get the visitor’s attention. How do they do this effectively?
They use flash modules to give their websites the animation some people are looking for; some opt for bold color combinations or use music for the introduction. Still others prefer the deployment of a squeeze page – either as a landing page or as a pop-up!
During this initial period of contact, customers will make their decision whether your website is worth their time and effort and gauge its user-friendliness as well. These strategies are add-ons to the regular FAQ pages, About Us, etcetera navigation bars or buttons.
Dome website owners swear by the effectivity of using a squeeze page. It is designed in such a way using a screaming headline and bullet points regarding the customer’s problem and how you propose to solve or remedy his situation. Sometimes squeeze pages even offer visitors a free report, eBook or newsletter. The main purpose of having a squeeze page is to be able to get a prospective customer’s name and email address for marketing purposes.
Being able to get the customer’s name and e-mail address legally gives you a verified and legitimate opt-in list – something that almost all website owners would give an arm for! Since spamming has been declared illegal with the surge of e-mail marketing campaigns, website owners are now taking extra care not to be reported to authorities since they will lose their websites once they are found guilty of committing spam.
So when planning to create your website, plan it accordingly and take into consideration the navigation layout, colors to use, user-friendliness, the use of squeeze pages and stunning landing pages. Keep in mind that some people go for less while there are those who prefer the bells and whistles.
A well-designed website uses all of the above judiciously by creating harmony among the various elements in use. Never design a website that would overwhelm your prospective clients – they would see it as a hard sell tactic you would lose more customers this way.
It all depends also on the product or service that you are promoting via your web page so it really is a matter of finding the right balance before you decide to publish what you have designed.
