Last issue, Marcus Sheridan and “They ask. We answer.”

Did you watch the story of Marcus Sheridan and how he exploded his pool business? He answered customer questions on his website and blog. Simple. So effective. If you missed it, here’s the link to his Ted Talk.

And Marcus also states, “What’s the goal of your website’s home page? To get a visitor to the next page.”

Let’s dig into that home page question

Studies have shown the average adult attention span is between 2.8 and 8 seconds. I lean towards the 3 to 4 second max … for billboards, packaging or website home pages.

What’s essential to move visitors past your home page?

• At a glance, the viewer can see this site delivers what they’re searching for
• He or she can quickly scan for more info without being lost in clutter or complexity
• There's are clear next steps, calls to action, or "learn more" links or buttons

You may have noticed many new websites have an open look, bigger pictures, larger type, a longer home page, more visuals and white space. Why?

• One dominant picture tells a story at a glance better than words
• A long home page with sections or “stripes” reads quickly for impatient visitors
• It delivers layers of information — and more reasons to go deeper — without requiring searching dropdown menus (also much easier on mobile, where more than 50% of searches happen)

(Here’s an example, one of our clients … johnsonglaze.com)

3 critical elements to make this work for you

1. Build a strong visual system with photos, badges and infographics to tell your story at a glance
2. Create key messages that resonate with your audiences, in their words, to respond to what they’re looking for
3. Use great design to communicate clearly and draw your viewer through without clutter or distraction

Those first two points are your positioning — communicating who you are and what you stand for — your visual and verbal brand. The last point? Well … you need a great designer, right?

Here’s where to start: Explore websites and messages of your competition. Evaluate what’s working, what’s not, how they're different. What defines their brand? Then use our positioning worksheet to clarify, focus and define your unique position in your market and your category.

Then call us. We’ll discuss your brand and website from a marketing point-of-view — how to reach the people who want what you offer and lead them past the home page. Not ready to talk? Visit our resources page for more worksheets and guidelines.

Keep in mind, today your website performance drives your business. If a new website doesn’t focus first on your audiences — what they're searching for and how you deliver — you’re sabotaging your results.