Category: Website Design

10-Point Checklist For a Better Website

I recently came across a great article by Kissmetrics offering some guidelines for website design. Since the layout of your website is as important as any aspect of your business, I thought we should pass along this info. Here are 10 items to explore when evaluating your website. For the sake of a quick (yet valuable) read, I will just to provide the 10 point checklist. For a more in-depth illustration of these concepts, see 10 Ways to Increase Conversions by Reducing Friction by Kissmetrics.

  1. Only include sentences that will move your prospect forward;
  2. Make sure you’re talking about your prospect, not about you;
  3. Check your font size—less than 16px is too small;
  4. Don’t use reversed text: dark and light is much more readable (keep background light and text dark);
  5. Get rid of elements that distract from the natural F-shaped eyepath—especially images;
  6. Don’t let any element physically interrupt the left margin;
  7. Use regular subheads that summarize the value proposition of their sections (Use sub-headings and/or bold text on lead-in words to increase readability);
  8. Itemize major value points using bullets;
  9. Create visual interest with alternating paragraph lengths;
  10. Use captioned images to convey value clearly.
No Comments by Seth on February 2, 2012
filed in Business, Website Design
tagged , ,

Need help with your Blog Design?

You gotta love a good infographic. Check out this one illustrating a properly optimized blog design.
(click to enlarge)
Blog Design for Killer SEO Infographic
Created by Dawn Shepard for SEOmoz

For elaboration on these ideas check out the full article on SEOmoz. The article is full of good information.

 

No Comments by Seth on July 14, 2011
filed in Business, Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Website Design
tagged , ,

Landing Pages: How Effective Are They?

In short… they appear to be very effective for most businesses. As we’ll highlight below, a recent post from the Hubspot Blog illustrates the effectiveness of dedicated landing pages. This data is based on a research study performed by Marketing Sherpa.

Wait, What Is a Landing Page?

Here’s a basic definition:

Landing page – a specific page within a website, other than the homepage, that is usually configured to match its content or product offering with a user’s specific search. Landing pages are typically associated with paid ads. They are the pages a user ‘lands on’ after clicking a particular ad (or search result).

For example:

If you search in Google for hiking shoes and you click on the ad for REI.com, you will be taken to a landing page dedicated specifically to hiking shoes… As illustrated below…

 

Notice this page is specific to hiking shoes. As we’ll see below, this is much more effective than simply directing users to the REI homepage and forcing them to navigate on their own.

* side note: Depending on the type of business, marketers/business owners might want to incorporate a ‘lead form’ on their dedicated landing pages. This is a good way to capture visitor information.  Obviously, this is usually not necessary for ecommerce sites.

 

Back to the Study: The Results

In it’s 2011 Landing Page Optimization Benchmark Report, Marketing Sherpa reveals how important it is to have dedicated landing pages.

 

This pie chart is based on data from 2,673 marketers. According to the study, it’s clear as to why websites must incorporate dedicated landing pages in their online marketing efforts.

 

Furthermore, the graph below indicates the effectives of landing pages that are specifically driven by paid search or context ads.

 

As you can see 96% of the study participants claim the dedicated landing pages to by either very effective or somewhat effective. Not too shabby.

 

Landing Page Optimization

Of course, having landing pages is only half the battle. As with just about anything else involving online marketing, there are best practices to optimize your landing pages for maximum conversions.

 

For help with this, feel free to contact Clear Peach Marketing!

 

No Comments by Seth on June 3, 2011
filed in Adwords, Business, Marketing, Pay Per Click, Website Design
tagged , , , , ,

The Impact of Color on Marketing

Considering a website redesign, a new logo, or some new image ads?  The colors that you use could have a significant impact on how your audience behaves, so choose wisely.

If you’re goal is to convey trust and loyalty, then go with a nice set of blues.  Trying to create a sense of urgency and raise awareness?  Reds and yellows are the best bet.

YELLOW - Optimistic and youthful.  Used to grab attention of window shoppers.

RED – Associated with energy.  Increases heart rate and sense of urgency.  Used in clearance sales.

BLUE – Conveys trust and security.  Often used by banks and businesses.

GREEN – Associated with wealth, and is also the easiest color for the human teye to process.

ORANGE – Creates a call to action, e.g. form fill, subscribe, or purchase.

PINK – Used to market feminine products. Romantic and femininie.

PURPLE – Soothes and calms.  Seen in many beauty products.  Can also evoke royalty.

BLACK – Great for luxury products.  Sleek and powerful.

Once you choose your color utilize the Color Scheme Designer to produce stunning marketing!

No Comments by Brad on September 4, 2010
filed in Business, Marketing, Website Design
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