Websites: Can't I Just Do a 1-Page Web Site?
Q: Diane, I just bought my domain name with a company that says they'll set up my 1-page web site for free. Is this something I want to do?
A: Well, it's worth it if the fine print includes amenities to go along with the "1-page web site." Programmers don't think of "pages" like we think of "pages. As an example, a page with your domain name and a descriptive of what you do is ONE page. Many "freebie" web sites will include an email address that prospects can click to email you. And that's about it, folks.
If you're going to do any kind of decent marketing around this web site you're building, it needs to have at LEAST – at a minimum – four pages. Once past your landing page that should give people the general idea why you're there, here's what should be a requirement:
Page #2 - The fill in form.
As you probably know, I'm a very big NON-fan of email address links on web sites. This allows people to contact you without giving you much of the info you need to further contact your prospect. Remember, if someone emails you, this does NOT give you permission to put this person's email address in your blasting list of future emails. They MUST opt in to a FORM with a check box to SAY they want info from you. If you don't give them a box to check, you have no legal right to contact them. This is the sort of thing SPAM police are on the lookout for, and they don't mess around.
Further against simple emails - when someone sends you an email, this means you've got to try to enter whatever info they've sent you in your own database manually. If you offered a fill-in form, instead, all the info you're really looking for goes directly into your own online database. (Not bad for safekeeping prospect info, either.)
So, if you decide to do a fill-in form with a submit button, that form creation is actually considered PAGE #2 by programmers. The form could be a Contact Us form . . . a form for a free bonus report . . . whatever it is, it's a PAGE. If you do multiple forms, count an EXTRA PAGE for every form.
Page #3 - Confirmation you received their info.
When your prospect fills in the form and submits, it's much nicer of you to tell your prospect that the form was received. "Yep, thank you got it! You don't have to re-fill in the form another 91 times."
This form of communication is called a CONFIRM page, and it's PAGE #3 according to programmers.
Page #4, 5, 6, etc - Your selling information
So, what if you want a button on your site . . . something other than your home page of text? Maybe you want to offer case studies of your successes . . . testimonials from clients . . . a more descriptive page of the different products you offer? These are all phenomenal ways to further sell your prospect on this wonderful thing you offer . . .
You COULD throw it all into the single page - the landing page of your site, and some people do. But, if you prefer to not run on and on, forcing people to scroll and scroll . . . then every "button" you add is a NEW PAGE.
Sketch your blueprint first.
This is why it's so important to know what you want to do before you start putting that web site into play. Sketch what you WANT, then start minimally if you have to. At the least, put your home page copy together with a Contact Us form and a confirmation page once the prospect fills in the form. Start there. Negotiate THAT with your "free web site" folks.
A: Well, it's worth it if the fine print includes amenities to go along with the "1-page web site." Programmers don't think of "pages" like we think of "pages. As an example, a page with your domain name and a descriptive of what you do is ONE page. Many "freebie" web sites will include an email address that prospects can click to email you. And that's about it, folks.
If you're going to do any kind of decent marketing around this web site you're building, it needs to have at LEAST – at a minimum – four pages. Once past your landing page that should give people the general idea why you're there, here's what should be a requirement:
Page #2 - The fill in form.
As you probably know, I'm a very big NON-fan of email address links on web sites. This allows people to contact you without giving you much of the info you need to further contact your prospect. Remember, if someone emails you, this does NOT give you permission to put this person's email address in your blasting list of future emails. They MUST opt in to a FORM with a check box to SAY they want info from you. If you don't give them a box to check, you have no legal right to contact them. This is the sort of thing SPAM police are on the lookout for, and they don't mess around.
Further against simple emails - when someone sends you an email, this means you've got to try to enter whatever info they've sent you in your own database manually. If you offered a fill-in form, instead, all the info you're really looking for goes directly into your own online database. (Not bad for safekeeping prospect info, either.)
So, if you decide to do a fill-in form with a submit button, that form creation is actually considered PAGE #2 by programmers. The form could be a Contact Us form . . . a form for a free bonus report . . . whatever it is, it's a PAGE. If you do multiple forms, count an EXTRA PAGE for every form.
Page #3 - Confirmation you received their info.
When your prospect fills in the form and submits, it's much nicer of you to tell your prospect that the form was received. "Yep, thank you got it! You don't have to re-fill in the form another 91 times."
This form of communication is called a CONFIRM page, and it's PAGE #3 according to programmers.
Page #4, 5, 6, etc - Your selling information
So, what if you want a button on your site . . . something other than your home page of text? Maybe you want to offer case studies of your successes . . . testimonials from clients . . . a more descriptive page of the different products you offer? These are all phenomenal ways to further sell your prospect on this wonderful thing you offer . . .
You COULD throw it all into the single page - the landing page of your site, and some people do. But, if you prefer to not run on and on, forcing people to scroll and scroll . . . then every "button" you add is a NEW PAGE.
Sketch your blueprint first.
This is why it's so important to know what you want to do before you start putting that web site into play. Sketch what you WANT, then start minimally if you have to. At the least, put your home page copy together with a Contact Us form and a confirmation page once the prospect fills in the form. Start there. Negotiate THAT with your "free web site" folks.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home