On your website– Pictures Are Good But Words Are Essential
Your website can survive without pictures. It cannot survive without words. It will not thrive without exactly the right words.
This page from a computer sales site becomes completely meaningless when you strip away the words. Yet, the power of words eludes most web developers.
In a recent post by Bret Gilbertson of the ConversionRate blog, he discusses the fact that most web developers with whom he competes place little or no emphasis on providing relevant content. They are all about flashy design and technology. He notes why they are completely missing the point:
When we are selling a new website in a competitive situation, we usually find that our competitors are only offering a web design and a content management system. Most don’t take any interest in actually creating the content and the copy for the website. Strange really, because it’s the words that actually make the website work.
By way of illustration he refers to a blog post by Jeff Sexton that shows the Amazon.com pages above without words. It becomes obvious that the missing words make all the difference. To reinforce the value of words, he references the design masters at Apple who more than 20 years ago turned a cliché on its head by saying, “A word is worth a thousand pictures.” This insight came when they realized that graphical icons without descriptive text really confused and irritated computer users.
When you are building or rebuilding your website, make certain that your web developer understands that word driven content is the most fundamental component of a successful website. And, if your web developer cannot help you to develop great written content, be sure to work with a copywriting professional who can make it clear to each and every visitor how your company can deliver solutions to the problems they face.
These prospective customers come to your website looking for answers. They won’t find those answers in flashy graphics. Of course, relevant graphics greatly enhance your written message. But, without persuasive content, you will almost certainly lose those potential customers forever.
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[...] In another post today, we focused on the importance of words versus pictures. Not just any words will do. You need to be certain that the words, sentences, and paragraphs connect with your customers. (Click here to read that related post) [...]
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