- Your headline says, “Welcome.”
Hey, come on. Visitors who come to your website know they’re welcome. You created the site. You bought a domain. You’re paying for web hosting. Of course, they’re welcome! Let’s cut to the chase.
2. Your sign-up box is hidden.
at the bottom of your page and/or you don’t offer an irresistible freebie to motivate visitors to leave their contact information.
No sign-up box at all? Ouch. Read no further. You’re using the web like a billboard, not a means to interact, communicate and build relationships.
3. Your home page doesn’t communicate what you do and why you’re different.
Never mind the vague stuff like, “I help people reach the dreams their souls yearn to find.”
How about, “If you’re huffing and puffing to climb a flight of stairs, you may be climbing directly to a heart attack. I specialize in clients who think “exercise” is a 4-letter word and couldn’t tell you where to find the nearest gym. Ask me about my 90-Day Fitness With Finesse Program.”
4. You keep getting compliments on a beautiful website.
Congratulations! You’ve got a work of art, but you really need a direct response advertisement.
5. You’ve got something at the top of a page that isn’t a headline.
A nice photo? A logo? Are you making visitors scroll down to get to your message?
6. You haven’t created a path for visitors to take through your website.
Menus are great but you also need to suggest a logical sequence, from your home page to your “free stuff” and “contact” pages.
7. Your About Page reads like a history lesson: where you’ve been, what you did, and where you went to school.
Sure, those features are important. But your About Page should demonstrate why you are the best person to provide your service. Show, don’t tell.
8. Your testimonials say you’re “interesting” and “helpful.“
Get convincing, results-oriented testimonials signed by real people. If you’re a b2b, get URLs. Edit your testimonials to show how you got results.
9. You don’t include success stories.
Unlike testimonials, success stories showcase your process and need not refer to specific, identifiable people. Often this section will be the strongest client attraction magnet on your whole site.
10. You keep getting queries for the wrong service.
You’re targeting HR managers. But you keep getting calls from individuals who just got handed a pink slip or the performance review from hell.
Or you now offer marketing communication services and you still get calls about the time management service you offered five years ago.
When you overhaul your target market, mission or position, your copy deserves an overhaul, too. Most likely, you’e also due for a new story.
Copy for websites comes from a tradition of direct mail copy — those long mail pieces you like to toss. It’s called “direct response” because people either ask for more info immediately — or wander away forever. With TV and magazine ads, you can win customers through repetition: you’re in their face. with a website, you get one shot.
I offer website reviews – fast and affordable.
Free guide to planning your website makeover: http://mycopy.info/planweb
Another marketer’s free resource on website planning – https://cathygoodwin.com/wcw
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