Not every website sells widgets. But that doesn't mean every website doesn't need an effective home page.In this column, we chose an information portal as our subject. So instead of addressing questions like what the site is selling, and how to make a purchase, our focus was on the proper display of content, use of colors and communicating the benefits of registration.Our … [Read more...]
Home Page Makeover Unleashed
In this first installment of Revenue Magazine's "By Design Makeover," I worked with my team at Sostre & Associates to choose one site and give that lucky winner a visual redesign of its home page. After reviewing more than 50 submissions from readers like you, we finally selected - drum roll, please - OriginalDogBiscuit.com.We chose this site because it serves as a prime … [Read more...]
Pedro Sostre: Follow Your Passion
Pedro Sostre is all about art and good design. And he's not afraid to voice his opinions on either subject."Most websites suck in terms of design," he says, though he also admits there are many design-oriented sites that are extremely well-done and that he'd be hard-pressed to single out just a handful of them.When it comes to art, he's fond of the impressionist style of … [Read more...]
Know Your Audience
When designing a Web site, you must take the intended audience into careful consideration. Whether the Web site is business-to-business or business-to-consumer, the design will require a format that caters to the desired type of visitor, and it must also guide them through the intended process as comfortably and efficiently as possible.First, take into account whether the … [Read more...]
Coupon Hoopla
You've been there. You're at the grocery store to buy one single item. You have your groceries on the counter, your cash in your hand. But the person in front of you has a never-ending stash of coupons. The cashier enters in code after code. You start looking for an open clerk, cursing the customer ahead of you.Well, coupons aren't nearly as annoying online. Frugal shoppers can … [Read more...]
Keeping Design Simple
When building a Web site to convert sales, one must make the visitor very comfortable and try to avoid the frustrating pitfalls that commonly plague online merchants.It's important to remember that keeping visitors on a Web site and guiding them through the sales process is just as important as getting them there in the first place. Here are several simple tips for attracting … [Read more...]
The Color of Success
Color is often a forgotten factor in online design. Online merchants spend millions to hone their Web site designs, but they sometimes forget to research their color choices as well. That interferes with their attempt to build a brand relationship with their customers and also affects purchasing behavior. Color invokes a physical reaction in the human brain. These reactions can … [Read more...]
First Impressions and Beyond
What's worse than a poor shopping experience? Rank it down there next to a really bad haircut, or waiting in line at the bank on Saturday morning. It's not fun.Affiliates and merchants should take note. Just because you have a Web site instead of a retail storefront, doesn't mean that you have it easy. In fact, some would argue it's more difficult to sell online than offline. … [Read more...]
Profits By Design
Link all you want, but unless your site helps visitors find what they want while enjoying the process, they won't stick around long enough to buy anything. The big secret is creating a well-designed Web site. That's easily said, but difficult to accomplish. Quality sites have fresh, interesting content; easy-to-understand organization; visual appeal; and affiliate links that … [Read more...]
Databasics 101
Most small business operators have dabbled with databases, but relatively few use them to their full advantage. So here's a crash course call it Databasics 101 on why you need them, how they work and what they can do for you.Businesses live and die on the information they collect and how they put it to use. For example, at my company, we send a reminder for unpaid ads on the … [Read more...]