It goes without saying that Web site statistics should be regularly reviewed for changes in traffic patterns, but other evaluation methods should be used to ensure that your Web site is properly reaching your target audience:

• Evaluate your Web site on the newest versions of each of the popular Web browsers: Display capabilities change with each new browser version, so it is imperative that you stay on top of how your Web site appears on the latest browsers. At a minimum, test on the latest Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox, and Netscape. If you have access to a Mac, be sure to test Safari as well. Some advanced statistical packages will also tell you which browsers are being used to view your Web site. If you are getting significant traffic using an alternative browser such as Opera, be sure that your Web site works with it as well.
• Evaluate your Web site at different screen resolutions: There are several display resolutions currently being used by the vast majority of Web surfers. Change your Windows display resolution to match some of the different resolutions and visit your Web site. If you have a difficult time finding information on it at a different resolution, chances are that your visitors are too.
• Search for and compare with online competitors: Just because you’ve always faced the same competition from the same firms since the inception of your business doesn’t meant that there aren’t new competitors out in cyberspace who are taking your business. You may be pitted against many competitors that you’ve never heard of and your Web site might not be stacking up well.
• Determine what questions an interested member of your audience would be seeking answers to on your Web site and determine if the answers are easy enough to find. Many Web site owners approach their Web site as being a method of “telling visitors what I want to tell them”, but the most effective Web sites are constructed to easily allow visitors to find answers to questions that they have. After all, your visitors are the reason that the site is there. If they cannot find the information they are looking for, then your Web site is not doing its job.

Tools

There are many powerful tools that are inexpensive or even available at no cost that can help you evaluate and evolve your Web presence:

Evaluation Tools

• Google SiteMaps. This free service from Google allows you to learn a great deal about the searchability of your Web site and even allows you to “push” new content to Google instead of waiting for their spider to revisit your Web site every few months.
• Advanced search engine. An advanced search engine that shows the popularity of searches will help you determine what your visitors are looking for but cannot find in any other way than through the search engine. These results will allow you to more properly position and develop your content.
• Advanced Web statistics. An advanced statistical package will show you which browsers at what screen resolutions are being used to view your Web site, which pages are being visited (and which ones aren’t), and more. Services such as WebTrends and Web Side Story can help you evaluate the effectiveness of new marketing campaigns and edited Web site content.
• Feedback solicitations. Perhaps the best way to gather feedback about the effectiveness of your Web site is to solicit feedback on every page of your Web site. This will not only make it easy for your visitors to submit their comments, but will show them that your company is committed to delivering the content that they are seeking. Survey tools can also be used to solicit feedback.
• Link checkers. Most modern Web sites are built in such a way that internal links (links to other resources on the same domain) are always accurate, but even if yours is built in this manner, mistakes can still happen and external links (links to pages or resources on another domain) are always at risk of being broken.
• Browser checkers. There are many resources available to automatically check the appearance of your Web site in multiple browsers, platforms, and screen resolutions.

Evolution Tools

• Web content management (WCM). Web content management is a simple solution that allows your Web site to be changed as quickly as the market demands it to.
• Dynamic reorganization of content. Your Web site can be set up so that popular searches and links appear more prominently on your Web site automatically to help visitors easily find what they are looking for.
• Personalization. Each visitor has his or her own unique needs and viewing preferences. Allowing your visitors to personalize your Web site to their tastes will allow them to stay more informed about your company. The drawback to personalization is that a login is required.

NuRelm offers complimentary, personalized assessments of Web sites with no obligation. To request a free assessment, please visit NuRelm’s Website assessment page and one of our Web experts will be in touch to present a professional analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of your Web site.

1. Create primary points of focus – keep names the same. Using creative names detracts from usability. Also, avoid design that will be distracting or confusing for the user to understand and find what they’re looking for quickly.
   1. Once you figure out what parts of your website are “primary” and what parts are “secondary,” you can establish a visual hierarchy that enhances usability.
   2. Primary links are usually accessible from every page and located near the primary links. This shows the user that this information is important.
   3. The prime idea would be to design the secondary links likewise to show a hierarchy of importance.
2. Include A Search Box, typically on the right side of the website as a part of the navigation.
3. Avoid “Surprise” Drop-Down Menus. Drop-down menus  are quite prevalent in modern design because they simplify cluttered layouts.
   1. Visually indicating whether a navigation link will reveal a drop-down menu when the user mouses over it is best practice. This is most simply accomplished with a downward-pointing triangle, but whatever works for your design is fine also.
4. Before you design a horizontal navigation menu, consider link names, section hierarchy and any other factors that could affect usability.

When it comes to designing your own navigation bars though, common sense is key. What may make sense to you might not make sense to a user. Although horizontal navigation is now mainstream, having a vertical navigation isn’t out of the question if it works for your design. As long you have your hierarchy of importance set and it is obvious to the user, the sky is the limit. I personally do enjoy horizontal navigation bars and the fun things you can design to go with them;  Apple being one of my favorites for clean looks and simple navigation.  Last, who knows what the future holds for us web developers, for the internet is an ever-changing beast.

1.) No need for a B.S. in C.S. to update your site.  Programming  and markup languages  can seem very foreign unless you have studied computer science or a related field.  This can create a barrier between you and your site. With a CMS, the need to know these languages is eliminated. Content management software is tailored to the needs of non-technical people, using boxes, text ,or symbols that are easily recognized to help you update your site instantly.

2.) A professional looking site has consistency. Anyone who has surfed the Web knows that inconsistencies in Web sites can make it seem as though they were created by a 5-year-old. Design, layout,  format, and color changes that were initially created to draw attention to a page can actually serve as a distraction to the site’s initial purpose.  Content management software makes standardization easy; designs, text sizes, fonts, formats, and layouts can be created consistently throughout the site. However, standardizing does not mean your site will be generic or boring. Creative design combined with a CMS and an effective online marketing campaign will ensure your site’s success.

3.) Dynamic up-to-date sites are created. If the information is outdated on a Web page, the site will appear stagnant.  A CMS eliminates the wait time when needing to update. A CMS allows you to instantly post up-to-the-minute news and information about your company. You may also have the opportunity for rotating articles and images in your pages, so your site is constantly changing even if you don’t have time to update as often as you would like.

4.) Save your business a substantial amount of money.  In the past, the only way to maintain a professional looking Web site was to hire someone to do it for you. However, when you outsource a job such as updating a Web site, you are not always the company’s first priority and there is usually a large hourly rate or monthly retainer associated with the service. Content management software gives you the ability to do it yourself instantly, and at a fraction of the price. It also allows for several authors, giving you the ability to assign certain sections to the people that are best suited to input the information.

5.) Allows for Separation of Content, Structure, and Design. Normally, when wanting to redesign a Web site or change the structure, it is necessary to do a complete rebuild of the site, which can take a lot of time and money. With a CMS the design, content, and structure are separated. You can change the content without losing the design of the site, and you can change the design without losing the content.

6.) Work-at-home friendly. Everyone knows that you can’t plan for the unexpected, but you can be prepared. Whether it be a doctor’s visit or a sick child, neither can stop you from updating your site with a CMS. All you need to have is an Internet- accessible computer and a Web browser to make immediate updates to your Web site from anywhere.

7.) Increases consumer interaction. Content management software will give your business a greater ability to interact with your target audience. With a CMS you may choose to send out an online newsletter, which allows you to share any new progress in your business, special promotions, or general information about your company. You may also choose to create a contact form, interactive calendars of events, press releases systems, etc. A good CMS tool will enable you, the non-technical professional, to perform these and a myriad of other important (and often costly) Web site functions easily and affordably.

Technology has enabled instant communication via telephone, email, instant messaging, and texting.  Texting or SMS (Short Message Service) has exploded onto the communication scene over the last few years. Over 2.4 billion use this service today.  For local businesses in need of relaying information to their patrons and prospects, texting has become a popular outlet for instant updates.  Special offers, sales promotions, and event information are all great information to relay via text messaging.

A Pittsburgh-based company, JA Interactive, has begun working with local companies to set up text messaging systems.  The administrator logs into the system and can create custom lists to send text message updates to clients, prospects, and stakeholders.  They also have the ability to change the message going out and the auto-responding message for anyone who signs up for the service.  Since this is a hosted service, it is budget-friendly.  A low monthly fee gets the business up to 2000 outgoing text messages per month.

If you have a business that could capitalize on using technology to communicate with your patrons and prospects, join in the discuss below or give us a shout at NuRelm to learn more about the latest tools to help you get the most bang for your marketing buck.

You’ve heard the old cliché – a picture is worth a thousand words. The Internet is a visual medium – and in everyday life, on buses, buildings and through TV, we’re visually attacked. Why? Because images are effective!

Web site managers often consider their text needs when planning their Web site. They’ll perform research on keywords, revisit all their marketing materials, and even hire outside copywriters to provide a fresh outlook on their firm. But while the text presented on your Web site is important, how many of us consider these needs in images?

Images – photographs, logos, designs, wallpaper, and other graphic forms of communication are more effective in communicating general content and professionalism than text when used appropriately. So how do you choose, and how can you evaluate the pictures on your Web site?

From the perspective of the average Internet user, the Internet is a research tool. It’s a place to learn more independently. But they have to sift through the information, and so have become very adept at scanning. When people scan for information, their eyes are naturally drawn to color and shapes – because text is predictable, even dull in its appearance, it is difficult to hold a viewers attention with just text. (If you wear glasses you can test this theory by removing them and seeing where your eyes wander). When glancing at a photograph or drawing, our minds process the information faster than if we had read it. What we gather from those images is the source of many marketing tales of success and woe. So how does one choose? As always, this depends on your industry and target market, but here are a few tips to help you select the best images possible:

Products vs. Services
Does your business provide a service, product, or both? Services usually depict groups of people working together or one person engaging the viewer directly. This conveys a sense of teamwork and defines a “we’re here for you” relationship. Avoid the “tools we use” trap – while it was once popular for companies to depict the tools they use, (a hammer for construction, for example) this approach is outdated and obvious. It’s better to show people happily at work or receiving your services cheerfully.

Companies that provide products usually want to depict every product they offer, but resist this temptation! While this strategy makes sense for the commercial retail industry in an E-Commerce setting, this approach is really visually dull, and does not effectively communicate the results available with the product. A more effective solution is to depict the result of the product – better hair, happy people – try to visually answer the question, how does this make life better?

Communicating Results
Just like a good salesperson would, a well-selected image conveys a feature/benefit statement worthy of considering a purchase. Consider a cup of coffee – yum! But as one item in the center of the frame with a plain white background… kind of a boring picture, even if well done. Now consider two attractive people sitting at a table, talking over a cup of coffee. The latter suggests a relationship that visually describes the result of drinking coffee, something our subconscious responds to whether we want to or not. Your Web site visitors will see that image and understand the social benefit of having coffee with a friend before they’d bother to read about it.

Composition
Effective composition is a very important factor in selecting the right pictures for your Web site. Within the image, objects should be aligned at a diagonal or off center to be more visually interesting. Remember the cup of coffee? Even by itself, it’s much more interesting on a warm background and off center than perfectly lit like before.

Color
Colors utilized within the image need to complement your Web site colors. An image with bold primary colors looks odd on a Web site in pastels. Choose your colors carefully, and relate your images to your other marketing materials. Colors also convey mood, so be aware – what adjectives do people use to describe the mood of your selected images?

Placement
Depending on your industry and the section of your Web site, the photos you select to feature on your Web site will vary. For example, it’s appropriate for a chamber to include snapshots of members socializing at a networking event on the events section of their Web site. However, the home page should include professional pictures of the surrounding area businesses and business people working together, to indicate the services and target market of that chamber.

Take time to pay attention to the details, matching your pictures to your text and company image. Consider refreshing images at least quarterly, as people respond to images first, they’ll notice a different picture on your home page before they’ll notice new text. This can be handled through an easy to use Web application or manually changed from time to time. NuRelm offers custom and stock photography as well as Web site photo editing services. Contact NuRelm 724.430.0490 for details.

Schedule Updates
Schedule a weekly reminder to yourself to update certain pages of your Web site. Maybe the first week of the month is for events, the second for news, third for programs and last for projects. This will help you to stay organized, update your Web site, and naturally increase your focus on your marketing activities. NuContent offers database publish and expire pages so that you can plan your Web site updates in advance, making it easier to manage.

Use Your Site as a Resource
Make sure your employees know to check information on the company Web site first. This activity yields many benefits:

1. Increases employee awareness of company products and services and the way to sell those services.
2. Draws attention to the Web site. If your employee is talking to a customer and says, “Hold on, I’ll check our Web site,” that gives a cue to the customer that the Web site is informative and up to date.
3. Forces more updates to the Web site – naturally. Eventually, a customer will have a question about information not available on the site. This raises the question, should it be available? This is the best type of content to post on your site because it shows consumers that you are listening to their concerns.

Share the Fun
Why should you be the only person updating the Web site? A firm’s marketing personnel is not always the most informed about the firm’s capabilities. Handing the power over can be a little scary, but it doesn’t have to be. NuRelm’s review and approval capabilities make it easy to monitor, edit and publish other people’s changes to your Web site.

Cut and Paste Changes
So maybe your co-workers still want you to update the site for them. If they send the document to you as a Word or Text document, NuContent VX enables you to cut and paste your text directly. This reduces hassles and you’ll get direct results – just click save!

Add More Pictures
Change the pictures on your Web site from time to time. Show off current projects, events, or even just depict what your firm specializes in. Images should reflect the mood of the Web site and Web page, and send a visual cue to the site visitor that the site is fresh. NuContent makes creating and updating rotating databases to automatically provide this function even easier with automated resizing.

Keyword Rich Text
Think about keywords clients use to describe your product or service. What key terms are they seeking? Think about it, and then use it! This will make your site more reassuring, confirming that you provide what they are seeking. Also, many firms and consumers prefer to do business locally. Indicate where you are and how accessible you are in the region where your business is located.

The bad news is that these problems are currently running rampant on many small-to-medium-sized company Web sites, but the good news is that these can all be solved -  easily and inexpensively.

Problem: Multimedia Abuse

Multimedia abuse occurs when animation, video, or audio hampers the ability of visitors to properly view your Web site.  There’s no doubting the fact that the use of multimedia can engage visitors in a way that plain text and images cannot, however, poor design or improper implementation of good design can place a virtual “No Trespassing” sign on your Web site’s front door.

Your audience is vast and diverse.  Not everyone has the same browser, plug-ins, connection speed, and screen resolution that you have in your office.  What does this mean?  Your Web site needs to address the “lowest common denominator” for all four requirements.  Your main site navigation should be presented in text or simple images, not in a Flash movie.  Imagine visiting your Web site and seeing nothing but red X’s all over the screen, with no navigation provided.  Sure, downloading Flash is easy and fast – but it’s even easier to find your competitor’s Web site.

Even if the plug-ins don’t present a problem, connection speed may.  It’s very easy to turn a small animated image into a 4 or 5 MB file – meaning that anyone on a dial-up connection will have to wait 20-40 minutes for your page to completely download.

Also, make no mistake about it – video “introductions” (when a video is presented before your home page with nothing else on the screen) are not a good idea.  Even with a small “skip intro” button at the bottom of the page, these videos are better placed elsewhere.  Your main message should be presented clearly on your home page to your visitors in the shortest amount of time possible.

Solution: If you have a Web site that uses a lot of multimedia, allow the user to choose whether or not they see the multimedia.  If your main navigation is placed in a Flash movie or inside  any other element that requires a plug-in, either present a redundant text-based navigational area or re-do the navigational area in a more friendly manner.

An alternative solution would be to devise a method of detecting whether or not someone has the requirements for viewing the multimedia-rich Web site and diverting them to a second, non-multimedia Web site if they do not.  This isn’t the best solution, because unless you’re using a system that shares content, it means maintaining two separate Web sites.

If you do not yet have a Web site but want to include multimedia, consider designing it in a way that uses multimedia gracefully.  One site that NuRelm developed, http://www.harris-assoc.com, is a good example.  Notice how the video is placed in a prominent area, but does not contain main navigation, nor does it contain any of the key text on the home page.  So, if someone doesn’t have Flash, the site is still functional and engaging.

Problem: Adobe Acrobat Overuse

If most of the content on your Web site is contained in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) documents, your message is likely not getting out.  Even with a cable or DSL connection, launching Acrobat Reader and downloading an enormous file will take precious seconds.  Then, if you do not have the proper version of Acrobat Reader, it will take even longer.

Some documents will need to be in PDF, such as anything that needs to be printed out and mailed in, but most do not.  If it can be placed on a regular Web page, it should be, for speed and search-ability.  Yes, it’s true – anything placed in a PDF on your Web site will not be searchable by search engines.

Solution: Move as much content from PDF documents to plain Web pages as you possibly can.  If you absolutely must have most of your content inside of PDF’s, provide summaries of the documents along with the links to them.

Problem: Your Web Site Doesn’t Function Properly on Popular Browsers

A good Web design and development firm will make sure that your Web site looks and feels the same way on top Web browsers on both a PC and a Mac.  This may be something that you never think about – but should.  If visitors who are using Mozilla, Firefox, or anything on a Mac visit your site and can’t make out what is on your Web site, they’re going to go elsewhere – and they won’t take the time to tell you.

According to w3schools.com Firefox is dominating browser usage with 48% of the market compared to the handful of other browsers as of May 2009.  A far cry from almost five years ago when the dominating browser was IE6.

If your Web site does not function properly,  or worse yet,  looks completely garbled on one of these alternative browsers, you’re turning away approximately 10-15% of your visitors.

Solution: Download some of the more popular browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox and take a look at your Web site.  If you don’t have a Mac, find a friend or colleague who does and ask him/her to review your Web site.  If problems exist,  they’re likely easily fixed.

Problem: A Home Page with Little or No Content

Your home page may be the only page that a visitor sees on your Web site before moving on, so you need to try to capture their attention as quickly as possible.  If your home page only presents your logo and links to other parts of your Web site, you’re likely losing visitors who do not immediately understand what you do or see what they are looking for.  This falls under the category of “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”.

Solution: Find ways to add elements from each main section of your Web site to your home page.  You can even get software that will “share” text from other sections of your Web site with your home page,  so you will only have to update information on the main page and the home page will update automatically.

Problem: Stale Content

The text and images on your Web site don’t change often enough to keep repeat visitors pleased.  Most visitors won’t continue to frequent a Web site that offers the same information time and again.  With a Web site, you’re not locked into the same text and images as you are with print – you CAN and SHOULD make updates often.

Solution: Find two or three sections that you can regularly write about and publish at least one or two major changes per quarter,  such as an events calendar,  an “industry news” section, or an articles section.  The rate of change is largely dependent on your industry,  your audience,  and the purpose of your Web site.  Software that can help you make the updates to your Web site without having to pay for consulting hours with your Web developer is becoming more affordable by the day.  A popular and easy-to-use Web site content editing software is NuContent, developed by NuRelm. NuContent is highly affordable and is delivered via the Web, so no special software or technical knowledge is needed.

If you’ve read through this list and none of these problems seem to fit, there may be some other, hidden issues with your Web site that are very specific to you.  As a free service, NuRelm provides Web site assessments to anyone who asks.  Our team of knowledgable professionals will investigate your Web site and find potential problems, providing helpful suggestions based on years of expertise.  To fill out a Web site assessment form please visit NuRelm’s Assessment Page.

10 Signs that Your Web Site is Out-of-Date

Through the years, you’ve probably changed your Web site as your business evolved.  You’ve added new categories, functions, and offerings as you’ve adapted to the changing requirements of your target audience. But, as with many products, a Web site needs to be re-worked every few years to ensure that your business is not lagging behind in the eyes of millions of potential customers.

There’s no direct formula for determining the service life of a typical Web site.  Like people, some sites age better than others.  Here are ten signs that your Web site is out of date:

The Web site contains contact information, a logo, and not much else.  We refer to these as “business card Web sites”.  Ten years ago, it was “cool” just to have a Web site, and providing your contact information was enough.  This isn’t the case today, as visitors are looking for in-depth information about your company and the products/services offered.  Potential clients may become frustrated if they’re looking up your company after business hours and can’t have their questions answered immediately.

Your Web site traffic is down – way down. Getting people to visit your Web site once is great – but getting them to return again and again is the challenge.  In general, a moderate percentage of Web site traffic will be repeat visitors who feel that they received value from your Web site in the past.  Visitors like to see change, and if your Web site has remained the same for several years, they may not return.  Search engines like Google will move your Web site down the list or remove it completely if they find an unprofessional, stagnant, unchanging Web site.

Imagery, navigation, and overall layout are not consistent. Over the years, if you’ve added new pages or functionality, the new Web pages may not be consistent with the old.  Different designers may have imposed their disconnected visions on the new pages, creating layout and navigational structures that look nothing like the existing pages.  Consistency is a key element of building and maintaining a professional Web presence.

Many links are broken. Another problem that may occur when adding new pages or functions to an existing Web site is broken links.  Third-party developers may not thoroughly test the finished product, and you may be left with pages that do not connect properly with each other (floaters).

The entire site takes up only a small portion of a standard monitor. In years past, Web sites were designed for different monitor resolutions.  Now, the standard size is 800 x 600, and will be 1024 x 768 before long.  If your Web site looks tiny or stretched-out on a standard screen, it may be time to consider a re-design.

Your Web site doesn’t look or perform the same on new or alternative browsers. As the Web evolves, the standards with which Web sites must comply also  change. These upgrades are frequently incompatible with older Web sites.  Browsers determine standards, and with each new version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, your Web site may not perform the same way it did in the older version.  Also, if you’ve never heard of Mozilla or Mozilla FireFox, you will hear much more about them as time goes by.  Mozilla and Mozilla FireFox are browsers that have been created as alternatives to Internet Explorer and are not as susceptible to spy ware, viruses, hacking, and other malicious activities.  These browsers are growing in popularity and Web sites must be constructed differently to accommodate them.  If your Web site does not function properly in Mozilla, you are almost certainly losing potential customers.

You’ve got gimmicks such as counters, barking dogs, waving flags, guest books, etc. These items are OK for your personal Web site, but a modern professional business-grade Web site should be free of these outdated, tacky distractions.  Some animation is good, but stock, low-resolution animated gifs are very unprofessional and should be omitted.

You have a “Flash Introduction” to your Web site. When Flash first became popular, it was all the rage to include a super cool “Flash introduction” to wow your visitors.  Now, Flash has become quite common, and no one wants to sit through an introductory video that presents a barrier to accessing the information sought.  Even if you include a “skip intro” button, these introductions simply get in the way and provide very little value – if any – to visitors, especially those most important repeat visitors.

Your business has changed, but the Web site still reflects old practices, logos, colors, products, services, or policies. If your business evolves, your Web site should reflect the changes.  Too often, marketing literature, business cards, and everything else gets a fresh look while the Web site remains the same.  You’re selling the 2005 model of your product while your Web site is still peddling the pre-millennium version.

You deny you have a Web site. You’re not alone. Many businesses have the same problem.  Lack of time and resources have kept owners from updating the site, so they’re too ashamed to acknowledge it, unhappy with their last experience, and unwilling to spend money on a new site.  Over the years, Web sites have actually dropped in price and have more capabilities than ever.  Plus, you now have the experience behind you to know who comes to the site, why, and ideas to improve the site.  The best part about having your Web site re-done is it’s a lot easier than you may imagine.  Many companies offer services geared for busy professionals, taking much of the headache out of planning and building a Web site.

If  any of these signs apply to your Web site, you may want to consider upgrading your Web site in the near future.  More people are using the Web every day, and since your Web site is your least-expensive marketing medium, it is critical to constantly scrutinize and improve your offering.

According to Web expert Crawford Killian, there are three basic kinds of Web users – those looking for entertainment, information, or reading material.  Entertainment users go online to play games, download files and “read” about Britney Spears.  Information seekers look up recipes, read news, or research various companies.  The last type of user is a reader — someone who is often using the Internet to print off-line reading materials.  Most business Web sites strive to provide interesting/relevant information about the company, and their visitors want answers to their questions, not entertainment or lengthy text to wade through.

When a person looks at a Web site, they don’t read it like one would read a book or magazine.  Instead, they scan it for the information they want.  Web users want to speed up the process of reading from a screen, which is twenty-five percent slower than reading from paper, according to a study done by Sun Microsystems.

Learning how to write specifically for the Internet is vita to your online success.  Here are some ways to make your Web content easier to read:

Break it into chunks or make a list with bullets.
If you are copying and pasting text written for paper onto your Web site, break it into chunks.  No one wants to read long academic paragraphs (except academics, and they have their own Web sites).  Try not to go over a hundred words in a paragraph.  You can put several chunked paragraphs together in a section under a subhead.

Web copy also uses bulleted lists.  Not only are lists a great way to distill information into the smallest amount of words, lists also attract the eye and are simple to scan.

Eliminate endless scrolling.

Just like few people stick around to read long paragraphs, few will scroll all the way down to the bottom of your page.  Don’t worry about individual page loading time if you are selling to businesses – businesses use high-speed Internet connections, and even dial-up connections are much faster than they used to be. Create multiple pages of information with prominent links to relevant sections.

Write like a journalist.

Since most people won’t scroll to the bottom of your page, consider writing like the journalist who knows that readers aren’t going to follow a jump to the next page. Put all of the important information in the introduction.  Write Web copy in inverted pyramid style.  Inverted pyramid style is top heavy with the most important information, and gradually whittles down to less important information.

Also hook your readers with a solid first paragraph – a lead.  Try the occasional question, an unusual statement or a conflict to draw your readers into your Web copy.

Use subheads.
The first thing an eye goes to on a Web site isn’t graphics, it’s text – headlines and subheads.  Web users glance at headlines and subheads to see if they can find the information they want.  Therefore, write meaningful headlines and subheads that summarize what will follow.  Guide readers through the material.

Link with class.
Never use an underline unless it’s a link.  Web surfers are conditioned to click on the underlines, so even if it’s just for emphasis, they’ll click on it and become annoyed.  Try bold text instead.  Also, when linking, don’t describe the link as “click here.”  Most people on the Web know how to follow a link.  Not only is self-referencing not necessary, but if someone were to print it out, “click here” means nothing.  Instead, use the link text to describe what you are linking.

Avoid jargon.

This is a major sin on business Web sites.  Have you ever looked up a company, only to read their “about” page and still have no idea what they do?  Rather than read real language that describes what a business does, the page is full of empty words and phrases joined together to sound impressive.  What if a page dotted with “value-added” “paradigm shift” and “ROI” is translated into another language, since it is the World Wide Web?   Someone in a foreign country could get very interesting ideas about what your business does.

Beware of stale content.
Stale content will get you  black listed from the major search engines and bore your Web site visitors.  It you don’t give them a reason to return to your site, they won’t.  A good rule of thumb, although it varies from one industry to the next, is to add or change something on your company Web site at least once a month, preferably once a week or more. The more often you change your Web site text the better.

For non-technical people on a budget there are several affordable software offerings that make it a snap for you to instantly change your own Web site text without having to pay a technical person every time you want to add a few sentences.  If you do your updates the old fashioned way, many technical firms will put you in the poor house with inflated maintenance contracts and pay-as-you-go services.

By following these easy-to-adopt conventions of online writing, your Web site can become the marketing tool you always imagined it could be.  Your Web copy will better fit its medium, resulting in significantly increased Web traffic and, if you do everything (or most things) right, your extra effort will eventually pay off with increased sales.