When it comes to any website, the number one ingredient that you must have for your website is the answer to the question: ‘what do I want the visitor to do when they come to my site? In other words, what action do I want them to take now that they have taken the time to come to my site – given that I have probably five seconds to grab their attention.
I am always amazed when I look at many websites. I know they have spent lots of money. I know they have a lot tied up in it. But still, I don’t actually know what they want me to do.
I often run a session called ‘pimp my site’ with a group where they critique (in a nice way!) somebody else site. The number one result that always comes up is ‘Nice looking site, but I am not sure what they want me to do?’ If the action on your site is: ‘read my corporate stuff and know more about me’, then so what? You just spent all this time and effort to tell them something that is highly likely to be totally uninteresting to them.
You must know what the ‘action’ is required once they visit the site. You need to work out – in advance – what this is. Do you want them to…..?
- Give you their email address?
- Call your number?
- Buy online, or take advantage of a free offer such as a free report?
Whatever it is, it should be very clearly actionable – immediately.
The number one action – by far – by a country mile is to make sure that you gather the email address for each and every visitor to your site. By any means necessary.
Why? They are your future – all at the touch of an opt-in box.
