So, why is someone at your website??
Really, that’s one of the most important questions a business could ask themselves. Exactly why is your visitor visiting your website?
I’m surprised at the number of businesses that don’t ask themselves this question. Because if they did, they’d have much better web copy. But many don’t – instead, many businesses lead their websites off with a boring company history (“in business 35 years!”…. like I give a @#$%) or some fluff flash piece extolling the virtues of… nothing (just being honest here – showing images of generic, impossibly happy multi-cultured businesspeople while words like “dynamic solutions” fade in and out says nothing.)
I repeat – it says nothing.
Ok, I’ll be as succinct as possible here – on the internet, there are generally three ways someone got to your website:
- They came from a link somewhere (likely somewhere related to what you do).
- They came from your own marketing (web address on a business card, etc.)
- They searched for your industry/product/service and you came up.
Now, in all three cases, they came with an expectation in mind. Why a company would not meet that expectation head on is beyond me.
Take my copywriting website for example… I lead it off with letting a visitor know that I’m a professional writer, and I can solve their writing problem. Know why I do that? Because I’m under the impression they came here for writing. They didn’t come to buy a set of steak knives – they came for writing (I know, it’s a stretch, but humor me… 🙂 )
So I lead off essentially telling them “Need a writer? Well my friend, look no further, cause’ here I am!” (well, I don’t say exactly that… Using “cause'” would be rather silly of a writer, wouldn’t it? But you get the point.) What I don’t do is start off with how many years I’ve been in business, my awards, a silly splash page, etc etc.
The whole reason most business websites exist is to do one of two things – make a sale, or (in cases like mine), get a contact. That’s prettymuch it. Ok, we can have directions to your company and such as well, but the general idea for the website’s existence is to get an interested party to act
Now don’t get me wrong – getting someone to take action could mean a lot of different things are needed – certainly company history, years in business, online portfolios, etc are all a part of that – I’m not saying they should not be on a business website. What I am saying is that your website should LEAD OFF addressing the frame of mind of the majority of visitors.
And you figure out that frame of mind by asking yourself the question I posed in the beginning – why is my visitor here?