How does someone get to your website? Traffic You Control, Traffic You Don't Control

Have you ever thought about the traffic that comes to your website… not everyone came from the same place or for the same reason.

Perhaps they did a search on Google (or other search engine) and something from your website caught their attention in the "organic search results" in Google – you know, where the search results appear on the left side of the Google Search Results.

I call that traffic you don't control. Google "spidered" your website, indexed whatever it found, and listed you in their giant database. Interested people will click on the search result and go wherever Google sends them.

This is Traffic You Don't Control.

However… if you send out a tweet with a link to somewhere on your website, send out an email with a link embedded, or publish an article with a specific link embedded in the article, this is Traffic You Control.

NEVER send Traffic You Control to the head of your website: ALWAYS send it to a specific location INSIDE your website so that the interested person will go EXACTLY where s/he intends to go. You will eliminate much confusion this way.

What Are Most People Looking For When They Search Google?

They want information like why their heart is racing, how to fix their computer, what's the best fertilizer for their home-grown tomatoes.

They do NOT search for "how can I spend money?"

That's not to say that people don't buy on the internet… clearly they do. But let's see how you should best approach people who find your website and visit.

Dynamic vs Static Websites

I cringe when I see the "old-style" websites – you know, those places where you arrive at the front page, have no idea what the site is about, and they expect you to know which button to press to learn enough about them so you can make sense of what is in front of you.

And most of them are static, hardly ever change, and though they may be graphically appealing, they don't help the visitor and they don't encourage Google either.

Google LOVES dynamic information on a website, so keep yours active and refreshed.

What's The Biggest Problem With Most Websites?

Most websites are created by graphic designers who don't know marketing. But even that isn't the biggest problem with most websites.

Most websites are created without a Clear Goal In Mind.

What do you want your website to DO?

With most of my clients, they generally are building an email list, so THEIR goal is to capture the name and address of the visitor. Period.

Not convince them you are a genius. Not sell them three of your best products. Not to amuse or entertain them.

All of those are FINE goals, but YOU must define the ONE goal of your site and then be sure you meet it.

What Should You Do To Hold A Visitor?

Here is a quick list that should help your visitors once you get them to your site (getting them there is a whole other topic!).

• Always have a headline that calls out to your visitor. The NAME of your site or YOUR name means no more to any of them than Joe's Bar and Grille means to you. Give them a statement in a headline to tell them why they are at your site and what you want them to do.
• Offer something immediately – and it's best if it's free. A free downloadable audio. A free report in pdf. A free with shipping offer. GIVE something so you get their name and email address. THEN let them see more of your website. Most people search the internet for information, not something to spend their money on… so show them that YOU have that information and give it to them – when they want MORE, they can get it from you (and by then you will have their name and email address so you will be staying in front of them). NOTE – If you are a site where people go already expecting to buy something (like QVC, Staples, Amazon, etc) the rules are different because people DO want to purchase – give them a chance with very few clicks!
• Ask for as little information as you really need. JUST getting an email address is easier than and email address and name. And email address and name are easier to get than email address, name, physical address. Start where you know you want to begin, and that is, at a minimum, getting their email address.
• Take as small a step as you can when someone first comes to your site. Think of it as a conversation between two attracted people. Clearly you wouldn't see the person of your dreams and say, "Will you marry me?" But that's what LOTS of people do to people first coming to their sites: they want TOO much information and they ask the visitor to take a big leap of faith, trust them, and buy from them. Hey, it's not IMPOSSIBLE to sell to someone the first time s/he visits your site… but it's MUCH more difficult.
• Be different, stand out from the crowd, have people remember you and your site. Be sure not to use the same template that everyone else in your industry uses – people want to work with people, not a carbon-copy of someone else.
• Have a Welcome and a Welcome Video. Say hi to people when they join your site. Realize that lots of people view your website at work and often work does not allow speakers, so you need a text message there too. But welcome people, tell them quickly what your website is about and how they can use it, and then get their name and email address.
• And one more thing: check how your website looks in a variety of web browsers. For my OWN websites, I find that close to 40% of the viewers still use the very old Microsoft Internet Explorer 6… and with today's advances, that old browser doesn't correctly process all the new advance techniques. So check to see how you look to avoid any bad curb appeal.
• Once you get people onto your email list, be sure to stay in touch with them. Contact them immediately to thank them for joining you and then stay in touch regularly. Once a day may be too often for most people and once a month may not be enough. Set their expectations right up front by saying, "thank you for joining me for my weekly newsletter" or however you will contact them. You never want someone to ask, "who is this who is contacting me?" Stay in touch often enough so that when it's time for you to present an opportunity for them to buy from you, they will know, like, and trust you and follow your lead. To start out… contact them with a newsletter (can be a simple short email) weekly… and be consistent!
• And remember this: since most people found you by searching for information, continue to GIVE them information in the form of free teaching and coaching. You'll have plenty of time to sell them something, but build a relationship first and get them to see you as the expert you are. And use video and audio often as well.

There are SO many more things you can do… but these are a good beginning. And if you want to turn your words into gold, see my Say It So They Buy It information in the right side bar.

Hope this helps.

And then see the top of my blog by clicking HERE! See how I approach my passions with this website.

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad since 1983, succeeding in this economy

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

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Keep this with this article, please:

Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

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Website Design – Turn Your Words Into Gold

Do you want your website to be beautiful or successful for your business – don't let the design rule you

Ahhhh, beautiful design: it's pleasing to our eye, it's fun to look at, it often inspires us to higher levels of thinking and creating.

But is it good for business?

Believe me, I have NOTHING against art, photography, theater, and great website design. As a pro photographer (as ONE of the things I do) for high end family portraits, weddings, and bar mitzvahs, I always create the most emotional, beautiful work I can.

I'm creating the heirlooms of tomorrow today.

• The bride and groom just after their wedding but before her diagnosis of MS.
• The mother and son two days before his Bar Mitzvah (the last time he rested his head on his mom's shoulder, she says).
• Three children on a common summer chaise in their backyard, but "painted" in the computer to enhance its beauty and make it a lasting memory before they grew up and moved away.

Website Design – Beauty or Business?

What is the purpose of YOUR website?

• Are you attracting art lovers to see how great your site looks OR are you creating a business?
• Do you use lots of images and flash or do you focus on guiding the visitor to leave his or her name and email address so that you can build your business?
• Are you so creative in the look of the site that people forget why they found you and what they are doing on your site?

Is your site lost in Google's shuffle or does the coding of your site enhance the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) automatically?

Are you asking the viewer to do several things while visiting your site and then they get confused (A confused mind always says NO) or do you have ONE purpose for your site?

What Is The Difference – How Can I Tell If My Site Is Set Up For Business?

Here are a few websites that are GORGEOUS. Look how creative they are. Look how up-to-date they look. Look how clever the designers have been. See A Beautiful Showcase of Popular Web Design Trends, Click Here!

So, what is missing?

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What is the purpose of each site?
2. Are they capturing names and email addresses right up front so that they can build a list to build their business?
3. Are they asking the viewer to do too many things, confusing him or her?
4. Are you so fascinated by the design that you forget what you are doing there?
5. Can you imagine selling a product from this site?

How Can You Learn More About What Your Site Needs To Do?

Perhaps my earlier blog post can help you learn about your business and how you need to set things up. To Learn More, Click Here!

And soon I'll be releasing Say It So They Buy It: 15 Direct Marketing Musts When Your Salesmanship Is In Print^TM. If you sign up for my Ezine here on this site, I'll be sure to tell you when this is released.

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad, succeeding in this economy

Friends, if you like this post, please leave a comment, join our email list to get updates sent to you, and retweet it. And I've made it easy to retweet – just click on the icon below. Thanks!