8.4 seconds is all you have to attract and keep your prospects online.
So, if anything else, be sure to collect some initial lead information off your site. Even 8 seconds gives you enough time to start building a relationship with your prospects.
Were all aware of the following statistics:
- 70% of the U.S. population regularly use the Internet
- Over 1 billion people in the world are online
- The average adult spends 3 hours more a day online than watching T.V.
These are all encouraging statistics for small business owners doing B2B and B2C. It means you have a very large target market. As long as you have a website, you have a better chance of being found online than in a phonebook, brochure, or any other advertising.
But…
- There are over 400 million active websites and
- The average person only gives a website 8.4 seconds before deciding whether the site is worth their time.
Which means, you’ve have to be able to:
1) attract the viewer (drivers to the website)
2) declare your message (drive the right traffic to the right message)
3) get them to take action!!!!
A challenge for sure! But it’s not impossible. To make the most of your website, you simply need to know a few basic strategies and tactics. Here are some of them.
Clear Message: Online viewers only focus on one thing at a time. However, they scan a page and don’t read so intently. You may have some great things to offer on your site, but you need to make sure it’s declaring your message loud and clear.
Make the Message Count: If it takes 2-3 seconds to read a sentence, that sentence or headline better matter to the reader and relate directly to the needs/wants of your target market? Don’t be clever, elusive, or try to reach everyone. Focus on your target market and speak directly to their needs.
Call to Action: We often focus on the content, as we should, but we must add an action for the viewer TO DO. Provide them with widgets, blogs, coupons, and other ways to connect with you and like-minded consumers. And don’t forget to offer something free in exchange for their contact information.
Give Them a Reason to Return: Keep your site up-to-date and full of interesting, valuable information. When your viewers realize that you are constantly updating your site, they are much more likely to return.