Give Your Website A Chance

I often wonder how serious people are when itcomes to their websites. I thought that mosteveryone knew that the phrase "Build it and they will come" no longer applies on the internetbut I'm not sure how many people really believe it.

I look at sites everyday as part of my salesstrategy and I can't tell you how many of themviolate the obvious elements of good websitedesign and submission.

What even amazes me more is that they can't figure out why they don't get sales or visitors.

Do yourself a favor and attempt to apply the following tactics to your site. They won't costyou a thing except a little time and effort toapply them.

** About Page **

Always include an about page on your site. Don't be afraid to tell your story and letpeople know who you are and how you arrivedwhere you are.

Opening yourself up and letting people knowwho you are adds an element of trust. Itexposes your personality, capabilities andknowledge. All factors that let your readersknow you are genuine.

** Include all your contact information **

Let your visitors know that you are available. Encourage questions, email and phone calls. Include your name, address and phone number. If you can, it's also helpful to place a photo on your site. Familiarity is key and it can add one more link in the ladder of trust.

** Headlines **

Create compelling headlines. Peak the interestof your readers. This is your chance to grabtheir attention and incite them to read on.

Don't be flashy or obnoxious. Simply tell it like it is. Capture their attention with descriptive, informative words. Get your readers involved in your information. Ask questions. Make them think.

You might be surprised to learn that just one compelling headline can bring instant sales almostovernight.

**Create your meta tags **

This is the first place I look when people tellme they aren't getting visitors. I often seesites that have no title or description tag orthe tags don't follow the suggested guidelines for proper setup.

Here's an example of how the tags might look fora site that sells hummingbird feeders:

Hummingbird Feeders: Shop For Hummingbird

Feeders Online

You will need to do this for each page of your site.Each page needs to have it's own set of tags. I also recommend focusing on one keyword per page, two at the very most. Too many keywords can confuse what your page is about.

Always make sure that your keywords are scattered throughout your text as well, however don't sacrificegood content for nonsense. Your text should be easyto read and should not sound redundant. Make your pagesat least 250 words.

** Testimonials**

Solicit feedback from buyers you've had. Askthem to write a small testimonial that you canplace on your site. This goes a long way to help convince your visitor that your productsand services are sound.

** Linking **

Reciprocal linking is a common and effectivetactic for obtaining search engine status andpage rank but it's also the most time consuming.It requires making contacts, following up withcontacts and updating your website.

While reciprocal linking is an excellent way ofestablishing page rank it's not the only way. Page rank can also be established by submitting your site to directories, writing articles and setting up blogs.

Don't underestimate the power of websitelinks. Take the extra few hours a day andget your site noticed.

** Offer Guarantees *

Always offer your products with a guarantee.This is often the extra boost a buyer needs to make the purchase.

A good site will offer 100%, no-questions-asked,money-back guarantees. People rarely take advantage of such guarantees but it's this statement that may tipthe scales in your favor.

** Submit Your Site **

Last, but not least, don't neglect to submit your site to the search engines. Many of them are no longerfree but the fees are nominal and worth theexpense. Google still offers a free submit and it'seasy, simply type in your URL address, however make sure your meta tags include a title and descriptiontag first.

For the free search engines I don't recommend using automated submissions. Submit them yourself taking care to compose accurate titles descriptionsand keywords.

Elizabeth McGee has spent 20 years in the service and support industry. She has moved her expertise to the world wide web helping businessesfind trusted tools, enhance customer service, build confidence and increase sales. You can visit Elizabeth's sites at:http://www.pro-marketing-online.comhttp://www.homenotion.com