Online content often refers to other online content, especially in a blog like this. Linking to other sites, videos, or photos is how we share our interests. In my case, I often refer to other content as an example on what to do or not do. However, two things need to be considered when we do this: user action and reader comprehension. Continue reading »
Mar 232009
A simple post, Action on Your Home Page, turned into a three part post about getting action out of your home page. This is part three, and I will be using A Service Master Company site again, American Home Shield, as the third example.
Layout is Old
The first two examples, Terminix and TruGreen, were great example on how to build a successful home page. They quickly catch your attention, create interest, desire, and action. When I took a look at A Service Masters Company’s third site, American Home Shield, I knew it was it was a little more dated than the others. Besides looking at the copyright in the footer, here is what tipped me off.
What’s Wrong
Looking at the home page, I didn’t see the winning layout I had seen in the previous sites. It looked nice, it had a large action item, but there was nothing compelling about it at all.
The main content was just some basic information about getting a home warranty, boring. Next box, action, already? Third bit of content, here is our phone number, call of for service…NOT. Well, maybe if I was a customer already. Fourth major content, explanation and reasoning for a home warranty. Simply put, the home page didn’t sell. There was no attention grabbers, interest, and at that point, action.
Clear Purpose
The other failing point of the home page here is the fact that it didn’t have a clear purpose. Is the page designed to get prospects to fill in the quote information, or is it to help current customers by offering customer service information? The purpose has not been clearly defined, and it will fail to convert (whatever the primary goal is) like its sister sites. They did have a few pages that were a little more goal oriented though, and I am wondering if they were what lead to the new designs with the other sites, see Home Warranty Inspection for an example.
Having A Plan
Having a plan is often the hardest part of web design. There is so much we can do, so much we want to do, and thanks to the internet, so much we can do. Stopping to think about what exactly a page is for can be the hardest part. Hopefully your site has a plan, it’s pages are well planned, and that you have understood what I have been talking about over the past three posts.
Mar 202009
You want visitors on your website to do something, right? It may be to read your post, sign up for something, or to simply look at another page. Whatever it is that you want your visitor to do, it really boils down to sales. You need to “Sell” your visitor on completing the desired task.
So what makes a sale? First, may I say, sales are easy. If a customer wants or needs your product they will buy it. What makes a job hard for a sales person is that the customer may not know they need or want your product. It’s your job to create that need or want. This is a webmasters job as well when developing a site.
AIDA
A.I.D.A. is a sales acronym/technique to create that need or want rapidly.
- A – Attention
- I – Interest
- D – Desire
- A – Action
As a salesperson/webmaster you need to first get the prospects attention, then you spark interest (this can work into a customers need), then you work on creating desire (customers want product now), and then you get their action.
Here is a website that does this wonderfully, Terminix. Terminx is probably the biggest pest control company here in the United States. If you visit their home page you will see AIDA in full action. The first get your attention by the use of flash video, you see where bugs could live, yuck.
They then create interest using a couple of methods. The flash offers an interactive way for you to see where pests could be living. They also have the “Termite Swarm” report. This is a great method because it can draw you for curiosity purposes, and also create some desire by using the “Fear Factor”, another common sales technique.
Creating the desire is the termite swarm fear factor followed up with something that has worked since the invention of the word “Sale”. Discounts, and freebies are near magical in their effectiveness. Using them will often create a desire, even if there is no need for the product.
Then the most important item is the visitors action. Well placed, their action item, “Get a Quote” is prominently displayed top left, and additionally takes up a large amount of screen space. You probably wouldn’t click on it first, but you certainly saw it, and know it’s there. Action will kick in when the want and need are put to work using the AIDA plan.
Don’t Give Up
So here is something else this termite company is doing well in regards to getting the action to occur. They didn’t give up if the action didn’t occur on the home page. They keep asking on other pages, and the AIDA technique is used on several of their pages. See example: Termite Control. Attention, interest, desire, and action can all be found.
The Biggest Problem
Regardless of your technique, if you have a specific goal for a visitor you a head of the game. As someone who has been building sites for small business companies over ten years, the biggest problem I often find is most business owners have no real idea why they want a website, other that the fact that they need one. It is a good idea to have a site, but define a clear reason on why you want it, and what it is supposed to do. Designing for it then becomes a lot more effective.
Part II
Jan 212009
Should I say “Call to Action” or “FOUR”? Check out this Discount Golf Equipment site. When you visit you will quickly notice that it is a e-commerce site, and that they sell golf equipment. When visiting one of their product pages the call to action is very obvious. There are product details, pictures, product options, and an obvious method to make a purchase. What about the home page though? Are you compelled to do anything?
Getting Action Out of the Home Page
One of the big problems with a sites home page is that fact that they are usually designed for a general audience. We often design them trying to reveal everything we have to offer, and not really consider what the next action would be.
Here are your options, hope you do something.
So how do you get action out of a visitor without reallying knowing what they want, and without displaying your entire sitemap on the home page? You let them search.
Zappo Into Action
One of my favorite e-commerce sites usability wise is Zappos, the shoe store. What is their major call to action on their home page? It’s their search function. Comparing both sites they are both very similar in content. They both have: a search function, categories of products, and products that you can buy right from the home page. What gets people moving though is the very obvious search box Zappos has. It’s compelling, and once a visitor hits that search button the sale is half way done. Zappos knows the visitor wants shoes, they just don’t what kind. What should the visitor do? They should find it. What should the major call to action be? Make them search.
Not an e-Commerce Site
Not all sites are their to sell, but having a call to action on the home page is still just as important. Imagine if you site was just about golf tips in general like the Golf’s site blog, Golf Equipment Blog. Emphasis needs to be created to why a visitor is there, and what the valuble parts of the site are. Establish specific values, and specific actions will follow.
Aug 222008
On my quest for improving my new visitors time on site I found yet another site that really asks for action. Check out this site, Round Table Insurance. On this site, the author, Ronald Belham offers free unbiased answers in regards to life insurance.
The format of the site is a simple question answer type site. The problem with most sites like this is though, is that its hard to get people to ask. Well it shouldn’t be a problem on this site. It has an obvious, giant ask form that almost begs to be filled out. The site author really, really wants you to ask a question, and they have really, really, made it clear. Great Job!
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