Attention is the most valuable commodity in the online world. But it’s like water. It can flow over your site like a roof in the rain, or it can settle on your site and create a pool that will be a fresh source of moisture for your entire business.
But how do you achieve this?
Simply. You need to adapt your site to how people’s attention works.
I don’t have any magic tips. However, I do have principles that have worked for me and I believe could work for you.
Principal Thinking
Many of the sites I’ve helped create have solid traffic. They generate leads and appeal to visitors and owners alike.
I could easily show you screenshots of the site, advise you to “creatively plunder” it, and maybe it would work.
At least until it would stop working. That’s why I won’t do it.
To paraphrase African wisdom, “It’s not about the fish. It’s about learning to fish.”
So let’s look at the principles that good websites (in my experience) follow. These are not commandments. If your site doesn’t follow all of the tips below, don’t despair. Quite possibly it’s not a disaster.
If, however, you have sections on your site that are downright inconsistent with the tips below, I highly recommend you consider making a change. A quick one.
1. Principle – not having a goal is the surest way to not reach it
If you have a site, you have it for a reason:
- Sell
- Have a nice online business card
- Generate email inquiries
These are all legitimate goals. And often you’ll have multiple goals. But it’s extremely important to know 1. what your main goal is, 2. what other goals you’re going to ignore a bit because of that main one.
On the web, as in life, it’s always a quid pro quo. There are trade-offs to be made and choices to be made. There is no avoiding it.
Only when you have a good idea of the main goal of your site can you monitor, evaluate and assess its success.
Yet most people have no idea what the main goal of their site might be or have.
2. Principle – people want to buy a ticket, not watch a video about the history of your transit company
No one cares about you. Sorry. That’s right. But neither do I. We’re in this together. No need to hang your head.
The important thing is that people come to your site out of their own selfish need, and they need to fulfill that need on your site:
- They want to contact you
- They want to buy your book
- They want to find out where your store is and if it’s open (even on Sundays and public holidays?)
- They want to find out if you have what they’re looking for
- They want to find out how much it costs
Hundred people, a hundred tastes. However, not everyone comes to your site… Individuals come to your site, however, individuals who often have a lot in common, most often:
- problem/concern
- desire
- curiosity/interest satiated by a specific reason
So you should always get a rough idea of who and why they come to your site. Try to keep this mental model in mind at all times and see the site through its eyes.
I promise you’ll see a lot of things differently. Clearer.
3. Principle – people don’t have time for a family lunch, let alone to render your opening animation
People don’t have time. Or at least they are fiercely convinced of it. The result is the same.
- Slow loading time,
- Unclear graphics,
- Navigation in an unusual place
These are all ways to effectively banish today’s online person from a site.
Every site owner should then realize that any unusual invention, embellishment, or non-intuitive functionality that needs to be understood does exactly that: drives away visitors.4. Principle – people don’t read on the internet, they search
People don’t read, they scan. Adapt your website to this reality. Don’t fight it.
Short punchy sentences. Visual differentiation. Good hierarchical structure.
If I can’t tell what your site is about within 5 seconds on your homepage, you have a problem.
Imagine your site is a merch booth (promotional and giveaway items) at a festival:
- From a distance I can tell what you sell
- I can find my way around your offer in seconds
- If I’m interested in something, you’ll answer me immediately, let me try it out, direct me…
Even if I’m drunk, with only my credit card on me, and I have no idea what size t-shirt I’m wearing, if you’re good salespeople, I’ll walk out of your booth 4 minutes later in a new shirt, happy.
This is exactly the experience you want to give people on your site.
Text is one of the most effective ways to achieve this.
Achieve it.
These were the 4 basic principles I try to keep in mind for every project. What do you think about them? And would you add any?
