As a former instructor of online classes that taught how to create and build an author online presence, of all the lessons, the most popular one, and the one that sparks the most questions, is how to create an effective author website.
While some marketers still lean toward the effectiveness of long copy, especially for sales pages, some heavy hitters like Mike Volpe of Hubspot.com say that simple works best.
And as time passes, this ‘simple’ strategy is gaining more and more ground.
Why is this so?
The answer is time.
Have you landed on pages, especially sales pages that go on, and on, and on? I have, and it actually kind of annoys me. If it’s a product I’m interested in, I’ll scroll down, skimming, looking for highlights and the price in particular.
Have you scrolled down these pages and still not found the price?
As crazy as it sounds, there are landing pages out there that you have to click on the BUY button to find out how much the product you’re interested in costs. This takes additional time. And, it makes the potential customers feel like they have to jump through hoops to get the product.
You and everyone else are strapped for time today. We live in a world that’s faster and faster and faster, a world that never sleeps. This causes us to work more and more and at a faster and faster pace.
According to the latest statistics, you have around FIVE seconds to grab a visitor, to convince or motivate him to pause long enough to move past the title and read your first and, hopefully, your second paragraph.
Time matters. Give the reader what she wants up front. And, what does she want?
The visitor to your site wants to know who you are and what you have to offer. Again, give the reader what she wants.
Keep your site simple, easy to read, and with a clear call to action.
And, if you have a product or service for sale, make the cost visible. Don’t make your landing page a hide-and-seek game. The visitor won’t appreciate it.
Okay, now that you have the reasons for keeping your site simple and call to action simple, here is one reason marketers may use the Hide-and-Seek strategy.
There is a marketing philosophy that uses a succession of Yeses to trigger the the potential client or customer’s mind. It’s to motivate him, to say YES to the offer. According to pro marketer Clay Collins, this is considered ‘micro commitments’ or the YES ladder. Each time the visitor responds to the request, the conversion possibility increases.
While this might be a useful strategy for high-end products, for lower-end products like your books or products under $50, it could backfire, especially with time is factored in. It’s not a good thing to make visitors jump through hoops to get the information they need.
So, bottom line, keep your author website simple and to the point.
MORE ON WRITING FOR CHILDREN
How Do You Build a Successful Writing Career? (3 Tips)
Ingredients for a Perfect Picture Book
Writing a Book – To Traditionally Publish or To Self-Publish
I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, rewriter, and former online author platform instructor. I can help turn your idea, outline, or manuscript into a book you’ll be proud to be the author of, one that’s publishable and marketable.
OTHER HELP I OFFER:
HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN’S FICTION BOOK
A 200+ book that will help you write your own children’s book.
Creating an Author Online Platform
4-week e-course with former WOW! Women on Writing instructor.
WRITERS ON THE MOVE SELF-PUBLISHING SERVICE
Self-publishing help for children’s authors (picture books and chapter books)
You can contact me at kcioffiventrice@gmail.com.
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