I
would say roughly 75% of the websites I visit tick
me off in
the first three seconds. That's how long it takes
me to realize
there's nothing on the landing page that quickly and
clearly
tells me where I am, what the site offers, and how
I can
benefit from my visit. It's exasperating.
Sure,
there's a masthead, but unless you're Coca Cola, that
doesn't help. And usually there's some text, but it's
either
written in tongues (arcane industry jargon only the
writer
could understand), or so poorly presented it requires
piecing
together scraps of information over several pages
to get even
an inkling of what's going on. Sorry, no time for
a scavenger hunt.
Face
it. If your site doesn't immediately inform and excite
your
visitors, they'll be history in a heartbeat.
And
that's just one of the things that annoy the
heck out of
potential customers and ensure they'll leave as quickly
as
possible. Here
are some others:
Greet
them with an epic flash show. Give time-pressed
(and unimpressed) customers a reason to bail
out before they
even reach your landing page. And never mind the "Skip"
button.
Most skedaddle before they even see it.
Format
your copy in very wide columns that go on, and on,
and on, and on, right across the entire page. Research
has shown that wide columns are less inviting and
more tedious to read. What do you think? Newspapers
and magazines have known this forever, which is why
you'll never see them publish text in anything even
remotely sprawled out like this…only in narrow,
easily digestible columns of text.
Make
sure the font size you use is a very small one, so
people have to strain their
eyes to read it. And just to
make it even more difficult to read, use a gray color
that
blends into the background.
Have
an entire site
of light-colored type on a dark background. A
little bit here and there is okay, but when every
webpage is composed of reverse text you're pressing
your luck with your visitor's patience (and eyes).
Even worse, dark-colored
type on a dark background. See? Imagine having
to read several pages of this!
Just use common sense when displaying copy. If
it's difficult for you to read, it's going to
be difficult for others, too.
Scatter
key information about your company and products over
many different web pages when it could easily be accommodated
in one or two. Make them have to click haphazardly
and repeatedly
so they get a disjointed presentation, rather than
a cohesive,
compelling one in which you control the flow of information.
And
if all these don't work to rid of your website of
bona fide
prospects, omit an obvious call to action on each
page so even if
they want to purchase your product they won't know
how.
Your
landing page is the store window the world peers through
to
get a glimpse of what you're offering. Wipe away the
fog and display
quick, clear enticements that pull people inside.
Contact me
if you'd like a free copywriting estimate.
