The fatally familiar “newbie” reason too many mini sites turn you into a “one-trick pony” (with one-time-only sales…)
Mini sites are not known for being flashy. And there's a good reason for that. Too much flash and splash detracts from the message you're trying to get across. And when your site is made up of only one or a few pages, your message must get through quickly.
But as we all know, a page full of plain old text isn't particularly appealing. And even if formatting is used to make certain things stand out, a bright and prominent graphic does a much better job of drawing our attention. So even though graphics should be used sparingly on a mini site, it's crucial to make sure that the graphics we do use are effective.
The first graphic people will see when they visit your mini site is your page header. It stands to reason that it should be attractive and captivating. It doesn't have to be a complex work of art, but it should be brightly colored and include the name of your product. A few more words might be in order, but don't go overboard. The headline will provide more detailed information about what you have to offer.
Most mini sites have a bulleted list somewhere on the page. They are bulleted because they contain important information, such as your product's key benefits or what's included with it. So attention-getting bullets in bright colors are good things to have.
And then there are your buttons and boxes. Boxes are used to bring things like testimonials and calls to action to the reader's attention. The most commonly used button is the order button, and that should definitely stand out.
A mini site is not the place for a graphic design exhibition (unless, of course, you're selling graphics). The graphics used should be prominent and professional looking, yet not so fancy that they take the visitor's attention away from the text.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Multimedia and Mini Sites
It's hard to believe that only a couple of decades ago, the Internet was a land of nothing but text. Today, it is filled with graphics, animation, audio and video. These things have not only made the World Wide Web a more entertaining place, they have also brought forth new ways of sharing information.
Improved hardware and software, along with websites such as YouTube, have made it easy for any webmaster to utilize multimedia on his website. But not everyone agrees that this is a good thing. Some employers have banned the use of certain sites in the workplace because of it, citing decreased productivity. And some Internet users are not fond of music or video popping up without warning.
This has led some mini site owners to shy away from using multimedia on their sites. They worry about turning their visitors off, so they stick with text and graphics. But is that really necessary?
Audio and video are great educational aids. They can also make an impact in a way that the written word just can't. And these days, most Internet users are accustomed to being greeted with sounds and moving pictures when they visit a website. Those who need to keep things quiet for one reason or another usually keep the volume turned down or muted.
If you're still worried about upsetting visitors with multimedia, there's a simple compromise you can make. Just adjust your code so that the audio or video doesn't start automatically when the page is opened. Those that want to listen can click the play button, and those who prefer not to can leave it be.
Audio and video can inject personality into your site. It brings your words to life and makes it much easier to illustrate certain things. Don't be afraid of it. Use it to make your mini site more attractive and useful.
Improved hardware and software, along with websites such as YouTube, have made it easy for any webmaster to utilize multimedia on his website. But not everyone agrees that this is a good thing. Some employers have banned the use of certain sites in the workplace because of it, citing decreased productivity. And some Internet users are not fond of music or video popping up without warning.
This has led some mini site owners to shy away from using multimedia on their sites. They worry about turning their visitors off, so they stick with text and graphics. But is that really necessary?
Audio and video are great educational aids. They can also make an impact in a way that the written word just can't. And these days, most Internet users are accustomed to being greeted with sounds and moving pictures when they visit a website. Those who need to keep things quiet for one reason or another usually keep the volume turned down or muted.
If you're still worried about upsetting visitors with multimedia, there's a simple compromise you can make. Just adjust your code so that the audio or video doesn't start automatically when the page is opened. Those that want to listen can click the play button, and those who prefer not to can leave it be.
Audio and video can inject personality into your site. It brings your words to life and makes it much easier to illustrate certain things. Don't be afraid of it. Use it to make your mini site more attractive and useful.
Why a Mini Site?
Visit almost any restaurant, and you'll see evidence of the increasingly common belief that bigger is better. Fast food restaurants zealously encourage their patrons to upsize their drinks and fries, and upscale dining establishments pile food high on their customers' plates.
Many websites have taken the “bigger is better” theory to heart, too. Superstores like Overstock.com and Wal-mart have websites consisting of thousands upon thousands of pages. And they are doing quite well for themselves.
When there are so many large sites online, it may seem futile to try to get a piece of the pie. The average person doesn't have the time or money to set up such an operation, let alone maintain it. But you don't have to. A mini site can flourish in a land of Internet giants.
The reason mini sites work is because they do not directly compete with the big guys. Instead of trying to be all things to all people, a mini site simply seeks to do well in a small niche. In this case, in a sense, smaller is better.
The most successful mini sites go after a small but underserved niche. They find a need that isn't being filled, and they fill it. This puts them into a position to get better rankings in the search engines, because the keywords that people would use to find their offerings are not often targeted by webmasters of larger sites. With some good SEO, they can get targeted traffic at very little expense.
Once the visitors are at the mini site, the sales letter grabs their attention and, hopefully, convinces them to make a purchase. Those who are on the fence may sign up for a newsletter or free course. This provides the opportunity to maintain contact and persuade them to buy later.
A mini site can hold its own, even with millions of other web pages online. You just need a good niche, a quality product and a strong sales pitch.
Many websites have taken the “bigger is better” theory to heart, too. Superstores like Overstock.com and Wal-mart have websites consisting of thousands upon thousands of pages. And they are doing quite well for themselves.
When there are so many large sites online, it may seem futile to try to get a piece of the pie. The average person doesn't have the time or money to set up such an operation, let alone maintain it. But you don't have to. A mini site can flourish in a land of Internet giants.
The reason mini sites work is because they do not directly compete with the big guys. Instead of trying to be all things to all people, a mini site simply seeks to do well in a small niche. In this case, in a sense, smaller is better.
The most successful mini sites go after a small but underserved niche. They find a need that isn't being filled, and they fill it. This puts them into a position to get better rankings in the search engines, because the keywords that people would use to find their offerings are not often targeted by webmasters of larger sites. With some good SEO, they can get targeted traffic at very little expense.
Once the visitors are at the mini site, the sales letter grabs their attention and, hopefully, convinces them to make a purchase. Those who are on the fence may sign up for a newsletter or free course. This provides the opportunity to maintain contact and persuade them to buy later.
A mini site can hold its own, even with millions of other web pages online. You just need a good niche, a quality product and a strong sales pitch.
Pros and Cons of Pay Per Click Advertising
Pay per click advertising (PPC) such as that offered by Google Adwords has long been hailed as an economical way to get traffic to mini sites. It allows webmasters to pay only for actual visits to their sites rather than paying for each impression. But is it really as great as the PPC gurus would have you believe?
There's no doubt that PPC can bring results. But there are certain disadvantages that every webmaster should be aware of. Here's a rundown of the good and the bad.
Pros
PPC campaigns allow you to target the keywords of your choice. If you do your research and choose descriptive keywords with a low level of competition and a reasonable search volume, PPC advertising can bring you highly targeted traffic.
Prices are determined by bidding. For keywords with little competition, you can often get great placement at a very reasonable price. And you don't necessarily have to place the highest bid to get a good amount of exposure.
Search engine optimization can take some time to get traffic coming in. But with a PPC campaign, you can begin to see results immediately.
Cons
Finding the right keywords can take some work. If you choose the wrong ones, you might get traffic that will not convert to sales. And that results in money lost.
Some Internet users have developed what's known as “ad blindness.” They have learned to ignore the paid search results in favor of natural ones. That means that people who could potentially become customers might overlook your link.
If you're concentrating on PPC, you might neglect search engine optimization as a means of getting free traffic. This could prove to be a costly mistake.
Every mini site can benefit from a good PPC campaign. But don't fall into the trap of thinking that's the only way to get targeted traffic. While it's a good way to supplement your SEO efforts, it is no substitute for good organic search rankings.
There's no doubt that PPC can bring results. But there are certain disadvantages that every webmaster should be aware of. Here's a rundown of the good and the bad.
Pros
PPC campaigns allow you to target the keywords of your choice. If you do your research and choose descriptive keywords with a low level of competition and a reasonable search volume, PPC advertising can bring you highly targeted traffic.
Prices are determined by bidding. For keywords with little competition, you can often get great placement at a very reasonable price. And you don't necessarily have to place the highest bid to get a good amount of exposure.
Search engine optimization can take some time to get traffic coming in. But with a PPC campaign, you can begin to see results immediately.
Cons
Finding the right keywords can take some work. If you choose the wrong ones, you might get traffic that will not convert to sales. And that results in money lost.
Some Internet users have developed what's known as “ad blindness.” They have learned to ignore the paid search results in favor of natural ones. That means that people who could potentially become customers might overlook your link.
If you're concentrating on PPC, you might neglect search engine optimization as a means of getting free traffic. This could prove to be a costly mistake.
Every mini site can benefit from a good PPC campaign. But don't fall into the trap of thinking that's the only way to get targeted traffic. While it's a good way to supplement your SEO efforts, it is no substitute for good organic search rankings.
Choosing Profitable Mini Site Topics
It's easy to see why a mini site is called a mini site. Many are only one page, as opposed to some websites that have more pages than an unabridged dictionary. But there's something else about successful mini sites that's small: their focus.
A good mini site targets a group of people that shares a very specific need. This is called a niche, and it's an important asset to a mini site's success. Your niche is what keeps you out of competition with those sites that claim to have something for everyone. There's no way a mini site can have something for everyone, but it can have just the thing for some people.
Choosing a good niche topic is essential if you want to have a successful mini site. Choose one that's too broad, and it will be so saturated that you can't break in. Choose one that's too narrow, and there won't be enough demand to make a profit.
Here's an example. Let's say you want to sell a recipe book. A general recipe book might appeal to lots of people, but there are countless general recipe books already on the market. Another one wouldn't get much attention. So you decide to get really specific and write a book of Mexican scrambled egg recipes that contain habanero peppers. No doubt some people would like such recipes, but they would probably want a book that covered a little more ground. Mexican egg recipes might be a happy medium.
When it comes to choosing a topic for your mini site, you don't have to rely on guesswork. You can investigate any topic you're considering using some free online tools. One such tool is the Google Adwords keyword tool. It will tell you the search volume of any keyword, and it will give you a general idea of the amount of competition among advertisers for that keyword. The higher the search volume, and the lower the competition, the more profitable the keyword.
Mini sites may be small in size, but they have big moneymaking potential. Taking the time to choose a good niche topic will maximize your profits.
A good mini site targets a group of people that shares a very specific need. This is called a niche, and it's an important asset to a mini site's success. Your niche is what keeps you out of competition with those sites that claim to have something for everyone. There's no way a mini site can have something for everyone, but it can have just the thing for some people.
Choosing a good niche topic is essential if you want to have a successful mini site. Choose one that's too broad, and it will be so saturated that you can't break in. Choose one that's too narrow, and there won't be enough demand to make a profit.
Here's an example. Let's say you want to sell a recipe book. A general recipe book might appeal to lots of people, but there are countless general recipe books already on the market. Another one wouldn't get much attention. So you decide to get really specific and write a book of Mexican scrambled egg recipes that contain habanero peppers. No doubt some people would like such recipes, but they would probably want a book that covered a little more ground. Mexican egg recipes might be a happy medium.
When it comes to choosing a topic for your mini site, you don't have to rely on guesswork. You can investigate any topic you're considering using some free online tools. One such tool is the Google Adwords keyword tool. It will tell you the search volume of any keyword, and it will give you a general idea of the amount of competition among advertisers for that keyword. The higher the search volume, and the lower the competition, the more profitable the keyword.
Mini sites may be small in size, but they have big moneymaking potential. Taking the time to choose a good niche topic will maximize your profits.
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