What’s In Your Websites Upper Right Corner?
April 15, 2009
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What’s In Your Websites Upper Right Corner?
This post is from July 2008.
July 2008 Today, I am going to explore a common misconception of website marketing as it relates to the upper right corner of your website. This one is used extensively by marketing professionals. So let me ask you, what’s in your upper right corner of your website?
For many of you the answer is simply a graphic header. For many other website owners that area is occupied with a newsletter sign up form. This is common practice for those who use a newsletter as a part of their marketing efforts.
I recently had appointments with two clients with vibrant marketing businesses. I asked them both the same question. Why is your sign up form in the upper right hand corner of your website? The first man, Sam stated “I don’t know. It was there when I bought the website. Why do you ask?” I answered “because it makes you look desperate!”
The second gentleman, Johnny stated “that’s where marketing websites tell you to put it.” Johnny seemed surprised that I would ask. I again related that it comes off as being desperate. Johnny seemed very confused, the look on his face said “how could they be wrong?”
So imagine, if you will, that your websites home page is the front door of a retail store. How would you feel if when you walked into the store and were immediately greeted by a salesperson? Now, also imagine that that salesperson asked you for a sale right there on the spot. No, “Hi how are you.” no qualifying questions or chit chat.
You would probably turn around and leave. That’s what happens to these websites and they often have very high bounce rates. Isn’t it a little presumptive to think that a visitor will want to sign up before they have an opportunity to judge your credibility? You have to earn their respect before you can ask to sign up for a newsletter.
This approach comes off as desperate. So why does this bad advice persist? I believe that this and many other internet marketing beliefs and practices began early on and no one spoke up and challenged these approaches. Then another person with a herd mentality does it and the practice snowballs. I have heard that this is an expect able practice from other marketing professionals as well.
It is amazing that people whose business is marketing can so easily miss this fundamental marketing mistake. All good sales presentations include three elements the features, the benefits, and the call to action. When you place the sign-up form on the top of your website, you are effectively asking for the sale first and that’s the last thing that you should do.
This also hold true for many SEO practices. People never bother to challenge if what they are reading or hearing is accurate. Does the presenter actually know what they are talking about. As with SEO, things get obsolete really quickly but the practices persist for years. Companies still sell search engine submission services when only two matter these days.
Just because someone says it’s so does make it accurate.
Effective marketing requires thinking outside the box. It also often requires challenging long held beliefs.
What say you?
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Comments
One Response to “What’s In Your Websites Upper Right Corner?”
I have a personal blog for a niche product that is set up like this. I see your point. Time to make some changes. Thanks for the great post it is very insightful.