One of the key components when designing a website is to make the flow of information and “next steps” clear. We call this website optimization. You can have all the people in the world come to your website but if it’s not professional and well laid out, you’ll get very few sales.

The first step is to make sure your website is industry appropriate. Each industry has a culture that your site should fit well into. Finance is clean and crisp, web 2.0 is gradients and bright colors, entertainment is dark and graphical. Your business can lost credibility if your image doesn’t fit your market. Explore the competition, look at the “big guys” and then decide if your site is right. It’s never too late to change it.

Once you’re happy with the design, consider what you’re trying to get people to do. Do you want them to sign-up, call, join an email list, etc. Your presentation of information should be in a very logical order:

1.) Peak interest

2.) Give details

3.) Define the value

4.) Close the deal

If you’re not giving people this information in a clear manner, most will abandon your website. I can’t stand going to a website that looks like a mess. Text all over the place, banners, graphics, with no clear direction on what I should do. 9 times out of 10, I’ll just leave the website. Even though it may have been the perfect product/service at the perfect price, I don’t give it chance.

A well designed website with a quality presentation of information can increase sales substantially.

Chavvon Smith