How Effective is your Blog?

Your blog is your “storefront.” You should put as much into your virtual storefront as you would to the front window display at a traditional store on Main market. Your blog is effective if it attracts customers and keep them coming back for more. We have gotten a lot of comment about how Make Money Online Nigeria is attractive and the truth is, at the moment of writing this post, we are in version one.

 
How Do I Make my Blog Effective?

Open up your blog and pretend you are a new visitor and ask yourself the following questions. Or better yet, find someone who has never seen your site before and ask them to answer these questions:

 
1. Where do your eyes go first?

A visitor to your website typically has an attention span of only a few seconds. That means your website must “hook” them in that amount of time. Make sure the first thing they see/notice is something interesting enough to buy you more time.

 
2. Do you know immediately what the blog is about?

Again, you have limited time to get your message across. If there are too many distractions, a site visitor may not ever know what you are selling. State what your blog is about where visitors can easily see. This should be placed on the header whether as an image or a text.

 
3. Is the important information “above the fold?”

Most site visitors want to know the details without doing a lot of work. If they have to scroll down to find the main idea, they will likely leave earlier than you’d like. Make sure that your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is clearly spelled out. This is a piece of information that says in one sentence or less why someone should do business with you. Make it clear and prominent on your site.

 
4. Can you easily find the benefits of the product/service?

A visitor to your site wants to learn as much as possible about the benefits of your product or service. Features are important, too, but the most important thing a visitor can take away is a sense that this product or service will make an impact in their life…for the better.

 
5. Is there a clear call to action?

If customers like what they see, it is important to move them along quickly. There should be a prominent, clear call to action on your Your website is your “storefront”. Your call to action may be to buy now, start a free trial, learn more or something else. Make sure that you are not sending mixed messages with too many calls to action. Choose the one or two that matter most and make them easy to find.

 
6. Are the colors and images aesthetically pleasing?

If your website is too busy or jarring, you will lose visitors. Take a little time to coordinate colors and to implement high quality images that add to your message.

 
7. Is the font easy to read?

Make sure your font is easy to read and is not distracting. Don’t get fancy; just stick with a simple, sans-serif font in a contrasting color to the background.

 
8. Are there bulky sections of writing anywhere on the page?

Long, bulky paragraphs are likely to get skipped. Try breaking up your copy into smaller sections that get the point across quickly.

 
9. Do the menu items clearly tell you where they will take you?

Site design and usability are important considerations that often get overlooked. Think about what information you would want to find if you visited this site, and plan your menus accordingly. There should almost always be an “about us” and “contact us” page.

 
10. Is there an easy way to contact the business?

If your website does its job, you will likely have interested prospects who want to learn more or simply have a few questions. Make sure they have an easy way to find you. Potential customers also want to know that they will be able to get a hold of you if needed in the future, whether for warranty service or support.

 
11. Do you feel personally connected?

Visitors who feel personally connected will be more likely to stick around and/or become a customer. Tell your story, and tell them why you are the right choice. You can personally connect with your visitors by being honest, using a conversational writing style and including real testimonials from other customers.

 
12. Are there links to social media?

Social media allows you to communicate with your prospects, and it allows them to communicate with each other. Include links to your blog, Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts. Make it easy for everyone to find you on social media…even if they don’t fill out your web form, they may .

 
Once you determine the areas of your website that need improvement, develop a plan to start implementing changes. You don’t have to do them all at once – do a few at a time until you have a website that you can be proud of (and one that is effective and consistently brings in traffic).

 
So, go ahead and make the necessary adjustment to your blog so that it can become effective and a attractive. If you love what you read, subscribe with your email address to get updates on more. Also, share this post with your friends and those who you think should improve their blog’s effectiveness.