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Introduce Your Vanilla
Website To A By James Martell I recently held a live Q&A and coaching session for members of my SUPER BootCamp that addressed the issue of ‘vanilla’ flavored websites. You know the ones: boring, uninformative, and lacking personality. It's my experience that without a little coaching new affiliates have a tendency to fall into the trap of creating nameless and faceless websites. Yet, the most appealing and effective sites reflect the personality of the owner. If you suspect that your website has taken an extended vacation to vanilla town, it’s time to revamp your strategy. Creating a website that appeals to visitors is easier than you think. To help give your website that added boost, I’ve developed a list of five tips to help you inject your personality and bring your site to life. 1.) Add Your Photo To Your Header Graphic
The photo doesn’t have to be huge, just large enough for visitors to link a face to your expertise, services, or products. It’s all about the personal touch. Use a nice head shot of yourself, and don’t forget to smile. Add the picture to your header (or ask your graphic designer to do so), so it appears on every page. 2.) Add Name & Photo To Every Article
I don’t know about you, but I would be very hesitant to read a book with an unnamed author. The same goes for you when adding to your site's content. Be sure to post your entries using your name and not the ‘admin’ account. Nobody want to read an article written by "admin". 3.) Add An 'About the Editor' Page To Your Website
In my case, on the kit car site I created a page called "From the Driver's Seat" to help visitors get to know who is behind the website and why it was created. I would suggest following suit with your own website and thinking through why you started the site, what its about and why your excited to share it with your visitors. 4.) Add Content That Shares Real Experiences
And the problem is bigger than you might think because vanilla flavored content will not rank at the search engines, especially Google. Obviously, a big problem for those wanting to gain the free traffic that's available. The good news is this type of content is easy to identify because it lacks a real story. For instance if a mom was writing an article about setting up a nursery for her new baby it would be easy for her to share her story. The article would talk about her baby (by name) and the real events and experiences surrounding her in the process of organizing the special room for her little one. It's a real story and would include the 5W's of story telling being the Who, What, Where, Why and When of the story. The 'vanilla' flavored content is easily spotted because lacks and mention of real experiences, places, names, events and dates. 5.) Add Your Voice Last but not least, embrace every chance to add audio to your website. Whether through a simple introduction or lengthier report or guide, the human voice is the ultimate clincher. Visitors are sure to appreciate your noble effort and subsequently become much more likely to return to your site. There's no room for insecurity or shyness online. If you’re still feeling anxious about using your image on your website, remember that the purpose of the exercise is to build your visitors. No one wants to do business with a nameless, faceless owner. Dive in head-first and don’t look back. It just doesn’t get anymore personal than a photo and a voice, both of which are sure to work to your advantage. Be confident. Be yourself. Have fun. All the best,
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When
you’re designing your header,
be sure to include your photo
and your name. I know, I
know, right now, you’re cringing
in your seat. But it’s not that
bad. Take a look at the header
graphic for my kit car site. By
including a simple photo of
ourselves in the header, it's
easier for us to connect with
our visitors.
In
addition to the header, if you
outsource your content to
professional writers who submit
blog posts or article regularly,
be sure to credit their work
accordingly by including the
writer's name and photo.
In
addition to creating vanilla
flavored websites that lack
personality, another trap
affiliates fall into is the
creation of 'vanilla' flavored
content.
