Thursday, October 04, 2007

 

Does Your Website Radiate Energy

Have you ever noticed how you feel after visiting a
website? Most of us don't realize how we react
emotionally. We might feel a little bored. We might
find ourselves reaching for the mouse to click away.

Or conversely we're drawn in to the website. We want
to stick around: we feel good while we're there.

In my experience, when your website radiates energy,
readers hang around. They want to stay, just as they
want to hang out with vibrant people. And they're more
likely to click through to sign up for your offerings
and page through your articles.

Five tips for energizing your website:

(1) Use strong verbs that carry emotional charges and
communicate energy: : Smash, Hammer, Develop, Master,
Triumph, Crush.

Use strong verbs in your headlines as well as opening
bullet points and even lists. But strong verbs are
like cooking spices: use sparingly and creatively to
create flavor. And be natural: readers notice when
their copywriter seems to be grasping for novelty.

(2) Create a show room, not a tea party.

Phrases like, "Welcome to my site," and "Please look
around my website" will signal, "I'm not really
comfortable with marketing."

Let's face it. Your visitors know they're welcome.

After all, you bought a domain name and paid for
hosting! And of course you want them to look around:
you've provided at least one menu bar. Like, duh.

That said, I know a few people who violate this
guideline, yet attract lots of business. I would
encourage them to run a test, comparing the
"welcome" site with a more direct
marketing site. Some markets respond to gentle.

(3) Paint word pictures.

We've all heard "perfect life," "take it to the next
level," and even "boost your business." Instead, let
your readers put themselves in the picture.

"Imagine yourself in a bookstore, standing next to
your published book..."

You can be even more vivid:

"Imagine yourself signing your first published novel
in the Miracle Mile Borders Bookstore..."

(4)Choose photos and images that supplement your copy.

Photos of sailboats, mountains and rivers. Woodland
scenes. Sunset over the Golden Gate bridge. If you're
a scenery photographer, include them all. If you're a
sailing instructor, definitely include photos of
sailboats, preferably with yourself in your
instructor's role.

But if you're a business consultant, use photos of
yourself working with clients. If you use stock
photos of people, dig for photos you won't find on
every site. There's one photo of a young woman with a
laptop that seems to show up everywhere we look.

(5) Quote yourself -- not Chopra, Gandhi, Kennedy,
and other iconic figures.

Don't get me wrong. These folks are worth quoting.

But for your website, use your own words to share your
message. You'll come across as more authentic and
convincing. Your readers stay focused and, yes,
feel energized by your words.

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