Even if they typically don’t make sales online, it is difficult for an author or a speaker to effectively market their book or speaking services without an effective website. Yet, the importance of a good 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.
There are a number of tests you should put your website through to make sure it is doing what it should, even if you don’t have a complicated or flashy website. Competition on the Internet can be fierce with the economy becoming more and more global and more people and companies using websites as part of their marketing strategy.
The first impression is the most important on the web. And that impression can last less than a minute as click happy page viewers come and go. How would you answer these questions about your website?
1. Do People Know Where They Are Right Away?
Do you have a logo that can be seen right away and that can visually describe the nature of your business? People will see before they read, so you need to grab their attention right away. Convey the result people will derive from your website through pictures and other attention grabbing graphics.
Words are important as well, though, so make sure your company name is clearly visible immediately and that you have a tagline that tells people what you do. Communicate immediately on every page with a strong title that tells them where they are and what they can expect.
While it’s okay to be creative, your website is not the place to be coy. Let your future customers know who you are and what you stand for right up front.
2. Have you checked out your computer on various viewing platforms and browsers?
In the world of computers, nothing is created equal. What looks great on Firefox might be a mess on Windows Explorer, and even on different versions of each. Make sure you check. Ask 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.
Check a blackberry and iPhone as well if your customers may be using a cell phone to view your site. The differences in the way your site looks between different platforms might surprise you.
3. How functional is your website?
There is nothing more annoying to a page viewer than to sit and wait for a page to load. In most cases, that potential customer clicks away before even seeing what you have to offer and becomes a former potential customer before you know it.
Make the effort to walk through your who site, page by page, as though you are your perfect customer. How quickly do your pages load? If there is a link, does it work and does it go to where you expected it to? Do you see spelling errors or other grammatical problems? Can you find the contact us information quickly and easily?
The ultimate goal of this Website Reality Test is to ensure that your potential customers are welcomed into your site rather than driven away. Make it easy 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 professional speaker career online.
Tags: authors and speakers, Internet marketing, website development, website promotion