| When new website visitors click on your opening | | | | might be wondering. |
| page-commonly called the index-it's a lot like a first | | | | "What do you do for a living?" |
| encounter in person. Within a half-minute, they form | | | | That's one of the first questions in the dating game, |
| an impression of you, positive or negative, that's not | | | | even if the person you're meeting is too smart to |
| easily offset. As the saying goes, "You never get a | | | | ask it immediately. The web visitor is under no such |
| second chance to make a first impression." | | | | constraint and will want the answer within the first |
| That impression, unfortunately, is largely based on | | | | paragraph of the opening page. It should explain |
| looks. Website visitors are quick to notice whether | | | | succinctly and precisely what the site is for and what |
| the page is appealing, eye-catching, clean, and free of | | | | types of services are provided. |
| annoying mannerisms like frenetic animations, | | | | "Where did you go to school?" |
| backgrounds that make your text hard to read, | | | | Does a paragraph on the opening page of the site |
| frames, or fussy fonts. They're seriously put off by | | | | briefly explain the background this person brings to |
| signs of illiteracy or carelessness-misspellings, typos, | | | | their work? Do they have licenses, credentials, and |
| clunky sentences, and bad grammar-so use the | | | | experience that fit them for the work I want? |
| spelling checker and have others proofread your text | | | | These mini-bios should be no more than a paragraph, |
| as well. | | | | linked to an "About Me" page with more details. |
| Take a fresh look at your site to see how the | | | | "Are you friendly and personable?" |
| design measures up. Go to the internet, and click on | | | | How approachable and accessible is the person behind |
| the site as if you were a stranger viewing it for the | | | | this site? Does the site reflect a distinct personality |
| first time. Gaze at the screen for a moment-does it | | | | and tone, and is that person likeable? Is the writing |
| please the eye? Is it too busy? Is it hard to read or | | | | approachable and user-friendly? Or, does the site |
| navigate? If you're not happy with what you see, | | | | have an off-putting hard-sell approach? |
| maybe you've got a starter website, and you might | | | | "Are you interested in me, or is it all about you?" |
| consider a new design. Dress for success applies to | | | | Does the site show concern for my needs and |
| the internet too! | | | | wishes and empathy for how I feel? Or is the person |
| Questions your Visitors are Asking Themselves | | | | egotistical, pretentious, and self-centered? |
| The questions website visitors ask themselves in | | | | "Do we speak the same language?" |
| evaluating your site aren't that different from the | | | | Is this person a good communicator? Is the language |
| ones in the mind of someone who meets you in | | | | on the page easy to understand, or is it full of |
| person for the first time. Your presentation of | | | | unfamiliar jargon? Does the person anticipate what I |
| yourself and your services on the internet is as | | | | might not understand or might want to know, and |
| crucial as the way you present yourself for a job | | | | then provide the information I need? Does the site |
| interview or a blind date, except for one thing. The | | | | answer my questions, maybe with an FAQ page for |
| response happens in moments, not in the course of | | | | unfamiliar territory? Is there a clearly marked place to |
| an hour-it's more like speed dating or those | | | | send my questions if they're not answered on site? |
| five-minute book pitches to agents at a writer's | | | | "Are we on the same page?" |
| conference. | | | | Does the writing reflect the values that lie behind the |
| Your visitors come to you through a search engine. If | | | | services or products on this site? What seems to |
| they don't relate to what they see on your site right | | | | motivate the person's work practices? Do we share |
| away, they'll hit the back button and go on to the | | | | a common orientation and similar beliefs? Are our |
| next URL on the list. I don't mean to create more | | | | goals compatible? |
| pressure; I'm just trying to emphasize how crucial the | | | | Not all of these questions will be answered fully on |
| index page is to success in marketing services on the | | | | the index page, but the visitor's main concerns need |
| web. Fortunately, by knowing what the usual visitor is | | | | to be addressed by what you do put there. For |
| looking for, you can easily correct anything that | | | | more complete explanations of your methods, |
| might put them off. Apart from looks, here are more | | | | services, background and philosophy, create links to |
| of the questions they'll be asking themselves-not | | | | other pages on your site, such as the About Me, |
| unlike what that blind date or potential employer | | | | Services, and Articles pages. |