In the Art Biz Coach Website Makeover audio program, Web guru Patricia Velte shares a list of items that should be on every page of your website. It’s important to make every page presentable because you never know where people will land on your site.
While you can’t control where the search engines send people, you can control where you send people on your site. Today’s post and newsletter are reminders that if you’re trying to elicit a specific action through a link in an email, on a postcard, or in a flyer, you need a special page (i.e. a landing page) to make your case.
When you want people to take action, stop sending them to the home page of your website!
Home pages are often confusing and cluttered. People must figure out where to click – a costly hesitation that gets in the way of the desired action you wish them to take.
You need a landing page.
A landing page is a precise URL on the Internet where you send people to encourage action. The focus of the landing page is on the specific product, service or event you are promoting.
Maybe you are asking your list to:
• Take advantage of a sale offer
• Enroll in a class
• Sign up for your newsletter
• Order a commissioned piece of art or a set of holiday cards
• Attend an exhibition or event
Whatever the action you are seeking, a landing page is required.
Landing Page Format
Use and adapt this format for your landing page:
- At the top, identify the problem that your service or art will solve.
- Next, provide a solution.
- Show why you are the person to make this happen.
- Finally, ask.
21 thoughts on “Stop Sending People to Your Home Page”
Alyson,
What great timing for this post. I’ve just started creating work for a new art endeavor and decided to try a ‘sales page’ approach. The format you outline is more streamlined and succinct than the long format ‘online marketing sales letter’ approach I’ve just trotted out (which now seems perhaps a bit over the top in retrospect). Definitely has taken a big leap of faith to try out such a direct approach for selling and it’s all a bit of an experiment, but worth a try! Nice to have this direction bolstered by your post.
Best,
Sean
landing page url: http://www.PaintedGloveCollectibles.com/2011/12/hand-painted-baseball-glove-featuring.html
Alyson,
Rightly said…While longer than most of your newsletters, the message was worth more than my time….my lightbulb line…is “almost anything can be turned into a problem-solver”….now off to spend the day with that thought…
Wishing you the Best this New Year…
Sandhya
I love the whole idea of identifying a problem and providing a solution. After all, that’s exactly what we do as artists. We think ahead by observing and commenting on the culture around us, then holding a new lens up to review the information. In many ways, we provide solutions to “problems” that folks don’t even know they have. I’m going to think more about how a landing page can become a more socially active type of call to action within my own blog. I think that type of call to action is far more rewarding to me than sales, although I’m not unhappy with that either!
One of the things I also think about is the title to a post – that becomes a mini “landing page” to pique interest as well. There can be many ways to nest this whole landing page strategy within the structure of writing and your website. Hmmm….much work to do!
Thanks for always making me think a little harder, Alyson!
ohhh, Janice, if you don’t mind, I’d like to quote you on this: ” In many ways, artists provide solutions to “problems” that folks don’t even know they have.” And doesn’t it follow, then, that the artist is the perfect person to name the problem clearly, with a call to action for the solution?
Bingo! Exactly how that should follow, Ariane.
This was really useful information. I have been planning a sales campaign to draw business for my sight and had no idea about landing pages. Thanks for the great tip.
Bruce.
bruceblackart.com
The problem is too many artists use cookie-cutter websites and can’t do much with them.
You know, that is an issue when you use a template (I do, too). I’ll have to figure out if I could even construct one….
Wondering,
Karen
You bet, Glenn, I call these “Boutique” website. They are cheap, and they keep artists stuck in a structure that usually doesn’t allow for good web marketing practices. Seems as if it’s taking a loooooong time for the art world to understand that a website is not a portfolio!
I have been reading about landing pages, and trying to wrap my head around how it would work in an art context. Thank you for both the examples and the analysis! Now it makes more sense. Now to figure out how I might apply it….
Appreciatively,
Karen
Alyson, I love your clarity – always have. You are a wonderful model and under-the-radar mentor just by the work you do with this beloved tribe of ours, artists gathered under the virtual umbrella.
I was in the midst of building a page for a special sale I was beginning when I got your email. Although re-writing the text took a bit of time I really, really like the way it is presented now! Before I felt a bit like I was begging, now I feel like I’m doing people a favor. 🙂 Thanks for the tips Alyson, I look forward to what you have to share each week!
Lynne
new landing page: http://lynnemedsker.com/inventoryreduction2012.html
Alyson,
just wondering if a landing page can be done on blogger??
thanks,
Nina
Absolutely, Nina. You can make it a separate post or a static page. You’ll just note the precise URL to send people to.
thanks, Alyson! sounds like some great info in this program!
Nina
Just as I was embarking on a renovation of my art website your helpful tips about landing pages arrived. It’s not always easy to know what to include and as a newbie creating a website I have heaps to learn. I always enjoy your straight shooter approach so it’s back to the website to incorporate your advice. Many thanks.
Cynthia: I’m glad you found this helpful. And I’m glad you appreciate the “straight shooter” approach. I’m not always subtle.
Thanks for such a helpful info. It is truth and many of us are not giving importance to such tips. I was trying to make much home page interesting and informative.
Alyson, I am in the process of redoing my website (no more dark background with white text, thank you.) Presently on my site, I have a home page which I already decided was one too many clicks, and was going to have my Portfolio Page of my site as my landing page. Also, while I do have specific events at times, I have to go through my web guy to make any changes or additions- and often do that on my blog or FB.
What do you suggest for artists that might be in a similar position?
Thank you., as always.
Nanci: How about making your Events a page on your blog that you update? Then link directly to that page. ???
Yay for getting rid of the dark background!
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