A website is your chance to make a first impression with readers. It's design, readability, and ease of use is a reflection of both you and your book. When done well, an effective website can do wonders for an author's career. Whereas a poorly crafted website can result in lost sales and missed opportunities. Here are some of the top mistakes that you should avoid:
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1. The home page takes more than 5 seconds to load
The Internet is a source of immediate gratification where people can find information instantly. People are not used to having to wait when they use the Internet, so they aren't going to wait for your website to load--especially if they don't know anything about you (they'll just determine that you don't respect their time). This is the reason why websites that primarily use Flash have poor marketing results. People are usually gone by the time the progress bar reaches 20% loaded. If your website's home page is heavy with images or software that has to load before visitors can determine if your site has information they want, then scale it back to make the page load more quickly.
2. The home page contains more than one paragraph
When people first visit a website they scan the content to determine whether the site meets their needs. You have mere seconds to communicate the value of your home page. Multiple paragraphs require a commitment by visitors that they aren't yet ready to make. The home page of your website is your opportunity to build a rapport with visitors. It must say, "I have what you want and you'll find the information easily." On the home page it is essential that people can scan your page to see if you have what they want.
3. Paragraphs with more than three lines of text
Put long paragraphs on your website's underlying pages rather than on the home page. Use the home page to let visitors know you are the right author with the right book to meet their needs. Do it in a clear and concise way that tells the visitor what they need to know right away. When people are unconvinced that you have what they are seeking they are not willing to read long paragraphs online in order to find out.
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