Why Are Authors Stuck on a Pretty Website vs. an Effective Website?

The harsh reality of the internet world is that effectiveness reigns in results. However, too often authors and writers immerse themselves in ineffective online habits that are costing them each day.

With millions of websites being loaded onto the World Wide Web, “pretty” doesn’t help authors or writers capture their targeted audiences. It was reported in June, 2007 on SoftPedia.com, approximately 100,000 websites are added to the internet every day.

Competition on the internet is fierce, and every author must remove any road blocks that may be causing them disparaging results with their websites.

More often than not, authors take time from their writing or creativity to figure out website design by obtaining a free website from the many resources available. While wearing their many hats, authors must wear efficiently the Webmaster hat, which takes time and valuable resources.

When designing or putting a website on the internet, there are key elements required to help marketing a website easier for authors and writers. Even when utilizing the services of a web designer, the author must know what to ask.

Internet marketer Tom Antion teaches his students to ask a web designer one key question: “What plan do you have to work my keywords into the design of this site?”

Mr. Antion states that 99% of web designers don’t know these things–they just know how to make websites look nice.

So many authors have fallen prey to this type of thinking when it comes to their websites. Many have become stuck on a “pretty” website verses an effective website. There are several keys to success when creating a website.

Seven Keys to a Successful Website

1. Font Size – (10 to 11 point) Allows visitors to read the site with ease.

2. Font Type – (Georgia, Arial, and Times New Roman) Standard typeset alleviates any misreading from fancy, scripted fonts.

3. Font Color – (White or Black) Keeps the eyes focused. There are times to use blues, reds, or greens on headlines and sub-headlines to draw attention.

4. Background Images – (Solid and Clear) Just like a good book, make sure to remove any distractions from the visitor.

5. Keywords – (Include 5 to 7) Use these keywords throughout the website: Content, Meta Description, Website Page Header, and Alternate Image Text.

6. Media – (Videos, Audio, and Widgets) Eliminate unnecessary videos, music, and extra photo image widgets. These are distractions and drastically slow a page’s opening.

Per USAToday.com, there is still 14% of the population with dial-up internet connections.

7. Clarity – Provide the website visitor a thorough, step-by-step, controlled process.

Authors can implement each of these seven keys to success on their very own. Creating a website presence to capture new readers, new subscribers, more traffic, and growing a following can all be done by learning simple strategies and techniques that are practical and applicable.

One thing authors or writers must keep in mind as they attend their writing workshops or learn how to market a book is that everyone lands on a search engine. The top search engine is Google.com, followed by Yahoo.com, then MSN.com. The author must be included in the results of the everyday web surfer’s search criterion in order to be found.

Just an FYI: “pretty websites” isn’t one of the search criteria.

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About The Author
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C.F. Jackson, author and website makeover trainer offers a free downloadable Website Makeover 101 Session at http://www.WebsiteMakeoverWorkshop.com. Ms. Jackson has been interviewed on Authors’ Speak Out, Urban Literary Review, Millionaire Blue Print Now and Atlanta’s WVEE (V-103) radio shows, to name a few.