Best Practices for Designing a User-Friendly Website Navigation and Layout
Make your site easy to navigate and you’ll see more conversions, improved SEO, and stronger relationships with your audience. Here are some best practices you can implement today to create a website with user-friendly navigation and layout.
Keep It Simple
Prioritize and organize site elements by relevance
Minimize clutter and unnecessary design elements
Consistent Design
Maintain design consistency across all pages
Ensure uniformity in navigation elements
A Clear Hierarchy
Establish clear visual hierarchy for content and navigation
Use visual indicators and drop-down menus for primary options
Breadcrumb Navigation
Use breadcrumb navigation for user location tracking
Represents categories, subcategories, filters, tags, user path
Copywriting Essentials: 4 Myths That Keep You from Writing Compelling Copy
You’re stuck. You’re not seeing the leads you want for your business. You’re offering quality products and great services but only a few people are buying from you.
You might be tempted to believe that the problem is that your platform isn’t big enough or that your website isn’t interactive enough. But for many small business owners and solopreneurs, these problems are usually the result of poor copywriting.
The good news is that persuasive copywriting is an essential skill that can be learned. But first, you have to understand that some things you might believe about copywriting are actually myths that are harming your business.
Myth #1: Copywriting is all about selling.
Some small business owners believe that copywriting is the equivalent of going to a cocktail party and screaming “Buy my product!” to every person you meet. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Copywriting is about so much more than selling your product or program.
Copywriting is about serving your audience. You can use persuasive copy to address your customers’ concerns, help them make smart buying decisions, and offer solutions to their needs.
Myth #2: Copywriting is all about action.
Many small business owners and solopreneurs think that every piece of content they create has to have a call to action, but that’s not true. Most of the time, you’ll be creating content to increase your customers’ awareness of your business. . This can be called the “know, like, trust” factor.
The ‘know, like, trust’ factor is about guiding your potential customers through the buying stages. In the first stage, the know stage, you’ll give potential customers content that informs them. In the second stage, you’ll share content that makes your brand likeable. The third and final stage is known as trust. It’s the point where your customers will decide whether they should purchase your productive or service.
Myth #3: Copywriting is all about you and your business.
Copywriting isn’t focused solely on you or even your customer. The best copywriting strikes a balance between “about you” and “about your reader”.
You want your copy to show your understanding of and compassion for your ideal clients’ situation. Your copy should highlight that your business cares and why your brand is the best one to choose.
Myth #4: Copywriting is all about making your brand look perfect.
Persuasive copywriting isn’t about positioning your brand as perfect. It’s about connecting with your reader on both an intellectual and emotional level. Your potential customers want to know about your expertise, but they also need to know that you understand them. One simple way to do this is to share stories about your brand. Don’t be afraid to include stories about your business’s failures.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your copywriting is set in stone. Even expert copywriters create several drafts before they find a version that truly connects with their readers. The important thing is to keep testing your copy until you find what works best for your business.
Journal Your Thoughts
Which of the copywriting myths do you struggle with the most? Why?
What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to copywriting?
Do you tend to make your copywriting all about you or all about your reader? How can you strike a better balance?
5 Steps to Reach Your Readers on an Emotional Level
When it comes selling yourself and your brand, it’s essential that you understand that your potential customers want to do business with people that they know, like, and trust. This is even more important if you’re a coach or service provider. Your potential clients may wonder if they’ll enjoy working with you, how you can help them, and if they’ll get their desired results.
This is where persuasive copywriting can help you. Copywriting will allow your ideal client the chance to know, like, and trust you. It also gives you an easy way to answer their questions before they even ask them. But before you start writing your copy, there are a few steps you’ll need to take.
Step #1: Identify Your Client
Describe your ideal client as detailed as you can. You need to be specific about their fears, frustrations, and feelings. Use forums and social media groups to see what words your ideal client uses to talk about their situation. Knowing how your potential clients describe what they’re dealing with will allow you to create copy that connects with them.You also need to think about what your potential client’s desired end result would look and feel like. For example, if you help overwhelmed working moms find time to prepare nutritious food to feed their families, then the end result might be less dinner time stress, more family time, and healthier bodies.
Step #2: Focus on your qualifications.
Next, think about how you’re uniquely qualified to help your potential clients. Describe why you’re qualified as a professional (education) and/or as a person (experience). You’ll want to offer proof of your qualifications in the form of diplomas, testimonials, and endorsements. These qualifications can be placed on the ‘home’ or ‘about’ page or a dedicated ‘testimonials’ page on your website and blog.
Step #3: Describe the milestones.
When you have a clear picture of what results your clients can expect from you, then you’ll want to think about the journey they’ll take. Try to describe the milestones your ideal client typically encounters during their journey. For example, if you’re a weight loss coach, one milestone might be losing the first ten pounds.
Don’t focus on just the good milestones. You’ll also want to consider the setbacks clients may face as well as the emotional aspects of their journey. For example, a setback might be gaining three pounds one week.
Step #4: Think about your clients’ objections.
Once you’re confident that you understand your potential clients’ journey, you need to take a moment to consider their objections. What hesitations might your client bring up when they’re ready to hire you? What are they afraid of if they take that first step? For example, if you’re a fitness coach that helps obese patients lose weight, you might find that potential clients are worried about visiting a gym for the first time.
When you understand these objections, you can offer solutions. Keep in mind that solutions don’t always have to be complex. You might simply tell clients that the first gym session is all about coming in and getting comfortable with the equipment, no workout required. Now, you’ve subtly eased a potential client’s objections to taking that first step toward fitness.
Step #5: Describe the action steps your reader would like to take.
Now that you know the journey your clients are on, it’s time to guide them to your product or services. You can do this by thinking about the action steps readers need to take when interacting with your content. For example, you might have a call to action at the bottom of your blog posts for joining your email list.
When you send emails to potential clients on your list, you might have a call to action at the bottom of each email that invites your subscribers to set up a free consultation with you. You want to continually invite your community to keep taking action. By doing this, you’ll have a list filled with valuable leads.
Understanding your client is the first step toward creating more persuasive copy. When you genuinely care about your clients’ journey, it will shine through in your copywriting efforts.
Journal Your Thoughts
Who is your ideal client? Why are you passionate about serving this client?
How will you be helping your ideal client? In what ways will you accomplish this (one-on-one coaching, webinars, etc)?
How will your clients’ lives be different after working with you and your brand?
Getting Started With Persuasive Copywriting: The First 3 Pieces of Content to Give A Makeover
When you’re ready to create some persuasive copywriting, you may be overwhelmed and wonder where to start. There are three places where your copywriting skills really matter and this is where you should start. Once you’ve mastered these three elements of your website, you can go on to tackle other areas of your site.
1. Your ‘About’ Page
The ‘about’ page on any website is usually the most visited one. That’s why it should be clearly labeled. Don’t use a cutesy name in the hopes that more people will click on it. You’ll just confuse your website visitors.
Your ‘about’ page should share your journey and cover why you’re qualified to help potential clients. Spin your journey into a story format that readers can relate to. For example, if you’re a business coach, you might share how you struggled to get your own business started for several years before finding success. By sharing your story, you’ll make it easy for your potential clients to relate to you and show them that you’re qualified to help.
2. Your ‘Services’ Page
Your ‘services’ page is your chance to stand out from other solopreneurs that offer similar services. But don’t cram every single service you offer on the same page. That will overwhelm visitors and they may leave your website before reading through all of the services you perform. That’s why it’s smart to have each service listed on a separate page of your website.
You want your service pages to show that you understand your ideal client and can deliver what they need. Then you should explain how you work and what end result your ideal client can expect. For example, if you’re a social media strategist, don’t tell potential clients that you can handle their Facebook advertisements. That’s vague and doesn’t describe what you can do. Instead, you might tell potential clients that you can increase Facebook ad conversions by 20%.
Now, include an easy next step, like joining your mailing list. Direct your visitors to your freebie sign up page with a helpful link, like this one: ===> Add Your Download Link to Your Free Report <===.
By doing this, you stay connected to potential clients that are interested in working with you but aren’t ready to hire you quite yet.
3. Your ‘Home’ Page
When it comes to your home page, you have less than seven seconds to make your first impression. You want that impression to be a good one.
When someone visits your home page, they should be able to tell immediately if they’re your ideal client or not from your copy. If you’re a social media strategist that works only with small businesses, then your copy shouldn’t be aimed at large corporations. It should be focused on small businesses and how you can help them.
Your home page is also your chance to state why you’re uniquely qualified to help. Don’t use the same wording you did on your about page. Instead, keep your qualifications to one or two sentences on your home page. If a visitor is interested in knowing more, they’ll click on your ‘about’ page for the full story.
Next, offer social proof on your home page. If you’ve guest posted on several popular blogs, share their logos. If you have testimonials from prominent clients, post those on your home page, too. If you’ve been interviewed in a magazine or podcast, be sure to add this information to your home page as well.
Before you post your new copy on your website, be sure to have a professional editor or proofreader look at it. An extra set of eyes can help you avoid embarrassing typos and make sure that your copy shines.
Journal Your Thoughts
How are you uniquely qualified to help your clients? Is this information on your about page?
How can you put more of your personality into your website or blog so that you stand out from other solopreneurs offering the same services?
What’s the story behind your brand? Does your copy showcase it or do you need to give some of your copy a makeover?
10 SECRETS TO A BESTSELLER: AN AUTHOR’S GUIDE TO SELF-PUBLISHING
Written by Tim McConnehey
McConnehey provides all the essentials for the budding author. He writes in an easy-to-follow style that is more readable than most how-to books.
The author states exactly what he will be covering at the beginning of the book.
Can you turn your great idea into a book? What are the steps you need to take, and in what order? How do you complete your book? What resources do you need: a cover designer? Editor? Fact checker? How do you distribute your book, and how do you make sure people know it’s out there? How much should you sell it for?
He also suggests using his company, Izzard Ink, as a hybrid publisher for those who find the process too arduous a task to tackle alone.
I would have found this book extremely useful at the outset of my writing journey and would recommend it as a good tool for the new writer.
SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG FOR BOOK REVIEWS EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY.
A nice primer for first-time and newbie authors. Every author needs to decide not only who they are writing for but what problem they are solving for that reader. Before putting pen to paper, the new author must have an overall plan. That includes a marketing plan that focuses on the needs of the audience. She should prepare them with blog articles, videos, and free resources or tools. How will the author sell the book once published?
The book itself needs a great cover, title, book description, categories, and keywords that will gain online traffic and eye appeal when placed in a bookstore. An author needs credibility with reviews and, if possible, testimonials. Ask for reviews inside the book. Give readers a call to action. If possible, place links to additional resources inside the book. Give more than you get.
If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
How to Sell a Rock: A Fun Kidpreneur Story about Creative Problem Solving
Written by. J.K. McCoy
Illustrated by Umair Najeeb Khan
Sebastian wants a skateboard, but his father says they don’t have extra money. Does Sebastian give up? No! He decides he will earn the money by selling something. But what? After deciding against his mother’s meatloaf, he comes up with the idea of selling rocks. He is disappointed when none of his neighbors are interested. So he paints them. Still no interest.
Sebastian refuses to give up. A mailman gives him an idea. Will Sebastian get his skateboard? Read about this amazing kidpreneur in this fun picture book. Recommended for readers five through eight.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
Today I would like to share this handy reference tool that you can use when you are looking for content you can use for a quick post when you don’t have a lot of time to research and scour the internet. Who doesn’t want to save time? We are all constantly multitasking. This little guide will point you in the right direction.
100 + Free Tools to Create Content for Social Media & Web: 2021 (Free Online Tools Book 2)
Written by Anita Nipane
Nice resource to keep when you need a quick reminder and don’t want to take out time to research and find exactly what you need. It will help you to design simple book covers and find quality photos that can be used without paying for them,
I appreciated the section on videos and animations. as well as how to edit with free tools. The author teaches how to create an attractive logo online with templates and where to find attractive fonts that are free.
I predict that I will be referring to this handy reference many times in the future.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
Guerilla Publishing: a sleaze-free guide to publishing and marketing
Written by Derek Murphy
I have read quite a few books offering publishing advice to independent authors. This one filled in some of the blanks about my still unanswered questions.
Most new and independent authors worry incessantly about marketing and spend too much time on it. I will admit to being guilty on that count. Murphy believes authors should spend more of their time and resources writing. He believes the only two things an author should worry about are visibility and conversion. Getting your book in front of the right readers is more important than spinning your wheels using every available marketing tool available.
Before writing authors need to do preparation. Rather than write about what they want, do research, and find genres that will sell. Of course, one still needs to balance that with the need to enjoy writing in that area. Answering who, what, when and where to find your target readers and how to write the best story that appeals to their needs are the next steps.
Murphy discusses the kinds of errors authors make and how to fix them. Then he provides links to problem solve embedded in the text. This allows the reader to go straight to the source and find information about how to fix them. Practical advice on layout, formatting, book covers, and options for distribution are clearly presented. The necessary skills of locating the best keywords, categories, and book reviewers are explained and examples given. Finally, launching the book and getting the sales you need are handled, as well as editing and making changes.
There is a free download to a companion workbook to implement strategies and an invitation to join The Guerilla Publishing Facebook Group in which authors share problems and offer solutions to each other as they come across them.
I would highly recommend this book to fledgling authors as well as experienced authors. After seven years in publishing, I still have much to learn. This book will become part of my toolkit.
If you enjoyed reading this post, please subscribe by clicking on the word Follow or by hitting the orange RSS FEED button in the upper right-hand corner of this page.
July 14, 2023
bamauthor
Comments Off on IS YOUR WEBSITE UP TO SNUFF?
Barbara Ann Mojica's BLOG 
You must be logged in to post a comment.