Huge Mistake #1: Creating a Website with Flash — Did you know in a recent study, top internet marketers discovered that having a website created with Flash, actually DECREASED the response from prospects and customers by as much as three-hundred-and-seventy percent?

Here’s why: Your prospects and customers are most likely visiting your website using all types of different computers, connection speeds and internet configuration settings…

What may look GREAT to one visitor, may not even appear for another! You could very easily have shelled out hundreds or even thousands of dollars to have a website created using the Flash technology, only to find out that some of your visitors will never see it! (not to mention the loading times can cause your visitor to close your site, never to return again.)

Huge Mistake #2: The “Internet Catalog” Approach — You see this everywhere. Good, honest and hardworking businessmen and women get online to sell their products or services, and have a site created for them that contains a link to just about everything they offer on one page. Their thinking goes along the lines of, “…well, I don’t want to leave anyone out. If they come to my site, I want to make sure I have what they’re looking for…” — This way of thinking could not be further from the truth.

Here’s why: There’s an ancient rule that goes back to the very beginning of direct-marketing on the internet, taught by the richest, most legendary and well-respected internet marketers of all time…

“When you give your prospects too many choices, they become confused and aren’t sure what to do next. Confused people never buy anything.”

Huge Mistake #3: Optimizing Your Sales Site for the Search Engines — You’ll see this taught in nearly every “internet marketing” course, manual or eBook out there… “You must optimize every page of your website for the search engines!” — In fact, this false teaching is accepted as ‘gospel truth’ so often, that most web designers will offer to do this for you at no, or little extra cost…

What they DON’T understand is that certain words and phrases must be either re-worded (to make it “keyword rich”) or taken out completely, just to be looked upon highly by the mighty search engines — and this could KILL your sales, literally overnight.

Here’s why: When you or a hired web designer optimize your SALES page (i.e. any web page designed to sell your products and services) to get a higher listing in the search engines, you’re going to have to sacrifice the pulling-power of your sales copy (i.e. written sales material) just to get those higher listings. Sure, this can bring you more traffic — but what good is all the traffic in the world, if your visitors arrive at your website and aren’t compelled enough to read why they should order your product?

For years, it has been taught that you should always try to find a “balance” of SEO (Search-Engine-Optimization) mixed with promotional copy designed to sell your products and services…

WRONG AGAIN! — The truth is that you should NEVER optimize your sales page for the Search Engines. Instead, you should create tiny “entry pages” for each keyword related to your product or service, (highly optimized for the Search Engines) and have them link to your main sales site! (we can show you exactly how to do this quickly and easily and get *massive* targeted traffic from the Search Engines - without ever *touching* your sales site!)

Huge Mistake #4: Having a “Graphics-Based” Website — Sure, graphics can certainly help us to visualize a particular situation or circumstance, product or service… But did you know that having a graphically-driven website can actually DISTRACT your visitor away from your sales message?

After all, your sales message (or “web copy”) is THE #1 most important factor in a website that makes money. If your visitors are paying more attention to your “professional graphics” than your sales message… you’ve just lost another sale.

Here’s why: You’ve got approximately seven seconds from the time your visitor arrives at your site, to the time they decide whether to buy your product, get more information or LEAVE. If you’ve got a graphically-intensive website, your website will most likely still be loading past your seven-second time limit.

That’s a “customer-killer” in and of itself - however, the real reason lies within the fact that the bigger, brighter and more beautiful your graphics are, the more they will distract your visitor from your sales message. And if your visitor is distracted even for one second, it could mean the difference between getting a sale, and losing a customer.

Huge Mistake #5: Designing a Website with ZERO Marketing Experience — Most web designers have no idea how to make money on the internet, with anything other than their design services. It’s not their fault - they simply have no or very little marketing and sales experience. After all, they’re just website designers…

However, having your website designed by someone with ZERO internet marketing experience is like buying a street-car without an engine… it won’t go anywhere, and it’ll just waste your time and money!

About The Author

Jason Mangrum is CEO of ImmWebDesign.com, a Joint Venture specialist, contributing author to such #1 bestsellers as “The E-Code”, “Desperate for Money”, “30 Days to Internet Marketing Success”, author of “The Path of Manifestation” and creator of the “Instant Marketing Miracle - Automated Joint Venture Software.” He has also been a featured speaker at prestigous events such as Marc Goldman’s “Joint Venture Summit of the Century” and the world-famous “Spiritual Marketing Super Summit.”

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Web development for the SEO (search engine optimization) expert includes using copywriters to generate SEO articles. Writers are tasked with generating copy based on lists of keywords. The challenge for the SEO expert is to find a writer that is capable of generating informative, interesting and at times entertaining copy that also meets the requirements of needed for SEO web development.

SEO experts use web copy to generate page ranks from search engine spiders that tabulate searchable terms and assign rank based on algorithms that remain a closely guarded secret. The use of copywriters by SEO experts in web development is the difference between a tastefully decorated and attractive storefront versus one with a single door facing a back parking lot.

Web development requires the designer to take into account the many facets that make up a web site and the best ways to generate traffic. Traffic generation is the SEO expert’s area. While the use of an SEO expert may not jump a site from a 100 visitors a month to a 1,000,000, it can and does improve the opportunities for search engine visitors to find the site. That increases click-through and traffic.

Subcontracting the copy writing to professional or freelance writers is one of the tools of the SEO expert. The generation of copy can be at time-consuming task requiring dozens of pages of copy to be generated in very specific formula that neither plagiarizes nor appears to be anything less than professional. Since this is a tool and a style, it’s important for the web development team or lead to know what to look for in good web copy.

The following is a list of ideas that will help the SEO expert and web development team narrow their requests to the copywriters. When everyone is on the same page, the work will be better for it.

When it comes to form and style, web copy needs to be sharp and focused. Long paragraphs with few breaks are tedious on the eyes. Spacing, short sentences and bulleted lists can bring the points home in a crisp format that the average web reader can scan and absorb in a glance.

Bulleted Items Should Be:

Short, to the point.

Informative.

Descriptive.

Inviting.

Bold Headlines let people know when a new bullet is being talked about or that a new idea is being offered. Bold lettering or italics are strong visual clues to alert the reader about specific issues, points or names. The reader wants this information. They want it boxed up and delivered in a quick, easy to digest format. The copywriter needs to be able to present their articles in this format and still make the SEO expert’s list of terms appear in their copy.

While web copy can be used for marketing, SEO expert articles are not generated for marketing purposes. The articles help the site achieve a page rank. They inform visitors. They build consumer confidence. They might even entertain. They shouldn’t be layered with heavy-duty terminology discussing the articulation of the message to be disseminated by the visitor with a handy thesaurus or a Master’s Degree.

Web copy is not written for stupid people either.

It’s written for the person on the go. It’s written for the mom who needs to find a recipe or a quick diagram on how to change a tire. It’s written for the Dad looking for blue prints to build a tree house or a source for a special drill bit. It’s written for the student who needs to get the research paper done tonight. It’s written for the shopper who needs to compare products and has no idea what one is.

It’s written for everyday people. Those are the audience the SEO expert is targeting with their web copy and supporting materials. They are using the copywriter-generated articles to achieve a page rank that brings these everyday visitors into the site that matches their search terms.

SEO expert web development generates page ranks. SEO expert web development brings the visitors who want to be there a way to find it quickly and efficiently. In the end, everyone involved when the job is well done shares the reward.

Copyright 2006 Mark Nenadic

Mark Nenadic
Mark is the director and face behind FifteenDegrees-North http://www.15dn.com , where you will find articles and resources to help with SEO, marketingand Web design.

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New to Web Design, or wondering why your site is not generating more interest? Here are 10 misconceptions to avoid.

1. I need to put everything I can think of on my homepage because I’m so excited to share all my information and knowledge and I’m afraid you won’t click on any other pages!
Too much content leaves the homepage cluttered, unfocused and can cause frustration. Readers want quick, concise information so use the homepage as an introduction to your product or services Summarize what can be found on the rest of the site and use it to “tease” the reader about “new” products/services or special offers. Your homepage should never look like a bulging, over-stuffed closet!

2. I’m sure I spelled it rite the first thyme
Typos leave a really bad first impression. Proofread your text carefully. Even our friend, Spell Check, can let us down by not seeing typos such as “there” for “their”, “here” for “hear”, etc.

3. People will understand that I’m an amateur photographer
Bad photos placed on a website will kill first impressions and sales. Do you have an extraordinary product, amazing vacation destination or cute, cuddly puppies? Blurry, dark, poorly staged photos will hurt sales and your business image. A bad photo is worse than no photo. Technology has enabled the average consumer to purchase reasonably priced digital cameras that produce beautiful photos. Take your time, stage it properly and your efforts will pay off. If a professional photographer is needed, rest assured the cost will often be easily recouped through a professional business image and improved sales.

4. I need a really complex, cool navigation bar to make my site stand out
Having to “figure out” or learn how to move around your site is cause for quick exits. Titles on the primary navigation bar should be short and descriptive. Highlight with color or graphics for interest. Keep in mind that visitors like familiarity and navigation should be instinctual. Allow visitors to know what page they are on at all times. Make the trip around your site enjoyable through sensible navigation.

5. Once a link, always a link.
Links to quality outside sites are a great way to offer more relevant information. However, links on the internet come and go and should be checked on a regular basis. Broken links lead visitors to believe your site is not current.

6. Since I took the time to put up a website, you trust me right?
Well not exactly. Take the time to explain who you are, list your credentials and why you are an authority in your area. List your contact information in an area that is easy to find. Add testimonials from satisfied clients. Stand by your product or service with guarantees.

7. What’s the hurry?
Unless you’re a teenager, people have limited time and want information quickly. Organize your website so that information is easy to locate. Use bold text, underlines and different colors to help direct visitors to key locations. Make sure your site loads quickly. Slow sites are painful and a recipe for failure! You have between 4 and 9 seconds to make a positive first impression. Use your time wisely.

8. I feel the need to impress you with all my industry specific terminology
That might make you feel smart and sound educated, but can anyone really understand you? Speak in terms that the average consumer can understand. Remember, the website was built to educate and please others, not yourself.

9. I didn’t want to spend the time or the money so I found “stuff” on the net to use
Internet users and consumers are savvy, so that brings us right back to first impressions.
If you and many related websites are using the same graphics, what makes you stand out from the rest? Custom logos and graphics can be made using a simple graphics program or by a professional.

10. My website is finished, it feels so good to be done!
Um.. Hardly! You’ve had your site built, you’ve had it submitted to the search engines but there is still much work to be done. With millions of sites on the internet, just being listed in the search engines is not enough to bring your site satisfactory traffic. Help people find your website by using traditional methods of advertising such as handing out business cards, newspaper ads, TV ads, donations of product or services to local non-profit organizations, business/holiday fairs, etc. Spend time placing your website in online directories suited to your products or services. Advertise on websites that have like content and high traffic. Having a website is only one part of a “marketing plan”.

Websites should be constantly evolving. Fresh content is the only way to keep visitors coming back on a regular basis. Frequent visits build consumer confidence and trust which in turn will benefit your bottom line!

About the Author

Linda Chadbourne, an experienced web designer since 1998 with a specialty creating websites that are functional works of art and working with novice web design clientele. http://www.maine-lyweb.com
copyright 2006. This article may be reprinted freely as long as all links remain active.

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