4. Include a 'Privacy' Link.
Viewer’s like the reassurance that you have a policy that follows privacy guidelines. They want to know that you will not sell or give away their information. In these days of rampant sp@m, your privacy policy needs to be prominently displayed. Many viewers and business partners won’t do business with you unless you have it.
5. Always Keep Your Links in Blue.
Why does that matter you might say? It's an expectation that viewers have along with the links being underlined. There's certainly no law that says they need to be as such but people spend a lot of time on the Internet and it's good practice to keep your navigation consistent and recognizable. If it's not, you may be losing clicks.
6. Keep Navigation Consistent.
Keep your site's navigation consistent. What you do on your index page should be done the same way on the rest of your site's pages. Keep the colours consistent as well. Don't force your viewers to relearn each page of your site. Keep your navigation bars and links the same for each page.
7. Understandable Buttons and Links.
Title your links appropriately. Don't use cute or misleading names. For example, if you have a link to sports equipment don't label the link 'Great Outdoors', call it 'sports equipment'. If you have a link to 'cameras' don't label the link 'hotshots’, label it 'cameras'. Your viewers don't want to waste time figuring out what things are. Be clear with your labelling.
8. Focus on the 'You', not the 'Me'.
Make it obviously clear to your readers that you are there for them. What can you do for your reader? What benefits are there for your viewer? How can you make their life or business better or more profitable? Request feedback on their success. Find out what they want to know or how you can offer them what they need.
9. Make Sure Your Page Loads Fast.
If viewers have to wait for a page to load they will go elsewhere. If a page doesn't load in 8 seconds you forfeit 1/3 of your visitors. Here's a great free tool to help you test your website's load time: Time-checker
10. Use a Site Map.
A site map will give visitors a "guide" on viewing your site and also eliminate confusion, especially with larger sites. It's a road map for your visitors to follow while they are on your site. Sitemaps will also increase rankings and placement within the Search Engines.
About The Author
Elizabeth McGee has spent 20 years in the service and support industry. She has moved her expertise to the World Wide Web to help businesses find trusted tools, enhance customer service, build confidence and increase sales. You can contact Elizabeth at mail@pro-marketing-online.com
or visit her website at Pro-Marketing-Online.com.
