Add “Wow” to Your Website: A 21 Step Guide

You don’t have to be a techno-wizard, and it doesn’t take rocket science to create a killer website.

It takes 21 steps.

Here are those steps, as I spelled them out in my recent tele-seminar entitled “21 Keys to a Killer Website:”

1/ Keep it Simple. The average website visit is 4 seconds and two clicks. Get your message across fast.

2/ Make it Easy to Use. If visitors get lost, you are the Big Loser.

3/ Speak to Your Specialness. What’s your USP(unique selling proposition)? Your Only? Your Brand?

4/ Sell Yourself. “You” are the one thing prospects can’t get elsewhere.

5/ Describe All Your Services and Products. Under-educated prospects don’t buy.

6/ Solve Problems on Each Page. Visitors have questions. Does your site have the answers?

7/ Get Them to Return. Don’t stagnate, update! Offer fresh articles, tipsheets, links, client profiles, etc.

8/ Make it Interactive. Q&A columns, surveys, and search boxes get visitors involved.

9/ Choose Killer Keywords. Track down the words others type in to find you.

10/ Use Killer Keywords. Put the right words in the right places: the title bars, atop pages, at  the front of paragraphs, etc.

11/ Think Links. They increase your visibility, credibility and search engine rankings.

12/ Call for Action. Give visitors a “next step:” call, buy this, download that, give your contact info, etc.

13/ Make it Easy on the Eyes. Steer clear of busy backgrounds, fancy fonts, animation and flash.

14/Make Photos Work For–not Against — You. Small photos of big rooms don’t work. Large photos of small details do. And remember: little captions can say a lot.

15/ Make Your Home Page “Rock.” It’s all 50% of your site’s visitors ever view. It’s gotta be great.

16/ Create Credibility. Include testimonials and your physical address.

17/ Make it Measurable. Monitor numbers of visitors, page views, when people visit and for how long, what sites send you traffic, etc.

18/ Keep it Current. What’s new? What’s now? Update us on your services, staff, awards, clients, etc.

19/ Spread the word. Promote your site via email, ezines, postcards, voicemail, news releases and other ways.

20/ Pick to Click. Among the best interior design industry websites I’ve come across: KeystoneInteriorDesign.com. Check it out.

21/ Hire a Propellerhead. Tap a technie to handle the website tasks that you can’t — or don’t want to  –do.