hostbaby website optimization

8/11/2019 Hostbaby Website Optimization

1/11


2/11

Table of Contents

1. Highlight Your Site Goals ...................................................................4

2. Simplify Your Navigation ....................................................................5

3. Reduce Clutter and Noise ..................................................................5

4. Optimize Your Copy for the Web.........................................................6

5. Think Like a Designer ........................................................................6

6. Optimize Your Images for Search ......................................................7

7. Make Sure Your Website is Mobile and Tablet Friendly .....................7

8. Post New Content Regularly ..............................................................8

9. Socialize Your Website .......................................................................8

10. Add a Downloadable Press Kit .........................................................9


3/11

THE TOP 10 WEBSITE OPTIMIZATIONS YOU SHOULD DO RIGHT NOW 3

Greetings website owners, dreamers, artists, and authors! Thefollowing guide is chock-full of easy website improvements anyonecan quickly make in order to improve traffic, sales, return visits, andmore.

Today, the web is a whole lot bigger than it used to be, but its alsoa lot easier to create and manage a website. You dont need to knowhow to write or read code or use complicated programs. Creating awebsite is quite easy. The real challenge is standing out amongst themillions of websites that are competing for attention on the Web.

Thats where this guide comes in! Follow each tip in this briefguide and youll be well on your way to creating and optimized webpresence.


4/11


1.Highlight Your Site GoalsWhat is the most important thing any given visitor on your website can do? Sign up to youremail list? Buy a product? Download a file? Leave a comment?

When you ask your website visitors to do something on your website, its called a call to ac-tion. Calls to action are found everywhere on the web: Sign up here! Join my mailing list,Fill out this survey, Buy the eBook. Simple commands like these are an effective way ofletting your website visitors know what to do when they land on your website.

A website can have many different calls to action, but its important to focus on a primary callto action on your homepage (rather than confusing your audience with too many options). Sec-ondary calls to actions are fine too. Just be sure that your primary call to action gets the mostemphasis and screen real estate.

Quick Tips:

1. Before you choose your call to action, take a few minutes to write down a listof what you think your visitors are looking for on your website, and also a listof things you want visitors to do on your website. Try to choose a call to actionthat occurs prominently on both lists.

2. Use your website analytics data to determine the most popular pages andactions on your website. This can help you decide what actions to focus on.

3. Test different wordings, graphics, and placements of your call to action.Sometimes a small change can make a big difference in clicks.

4. When youve decided on your primary call to action, make sure to let yourweb visitors know how taking this action will benefit them. Ex: Join mynewsletter and get weekly news and special offers.


5/11


2. Simplify Your NavigationPeople get stressed when faced with too many options. And my guess is you dont want tostress-out your website visitors (I know I dont). Crowded or confusing navigation creates a baduser experience and discourages return visits. If you have more than six primary navigational

links on your page, try cutting it back. Also, use easily recognizable menu items. Being cleavercan confuse your not-so-cleaver visitors. Thus, Store is better than Joes eShop and Con-tact is better than Holla at me.

Quick Tips:

1. The fewer clicks it takes for a site visitor to get to where they are trying to go,the better.

2. Get rid of pages that nobody visits. You can use your website analytics toweed out your low-traffic pages.

3. Group similar pages under a single navigation item (i.e. drop down menu).

4. Combine similar pages into a single page.

5. Consider which pages are most important to both you and your visitors, andmake sure those are featured in your primary navigation.

3.Reduce Clutter and Noise

Sometimes visiting a website can be like visiting an amusement park. You walk into it for the

first time and your expectations are high. It seems like theres lots of fun stuff to do, but youmay not know where to start and you dont know what choices will bring the most fun. So, youstart scanning the landscape looking for signs, looking for the biggest or shortest lines, lookingfor something to grab your attention and say this way to the best ride youll ever experience.

As a website owner you can help direct the glazed-eyed visitors by reducing the distractionsthat do not contribute to your primary website goals.

Quick Tips:

1. Dont use auto-play on videosor audio. Theres nothing quite as off-putting

as a website that starts blaring audio as soon as you land on it. Let your visi-tors hit the play button themselves.

2. Ditch the splash page.A splash page is an introduction page that loads be-fore someone gets to your actual website. Why create a road block betweenyour fans and the great content on your website?

3. No animations especially flash animations which are not supported onmany mobile devices and tablets. Animations are fun, but they are often slowto load and distracting. Never give your visitors a reason to hit the dreadedback button.


6/11


4.Optimize Your Copy for the WebPeople scan when they read websites. They dont read every word. Its just a side effect ofour caffeine-infused, technology-addled brains. So, to make it easier for readers to quickly dis-cern what you are jabbering on about, make liberal use of the following techniques:

1. Lists.Lists are easy to read. Lists with bullet points are even easier to read.

2. Double space between every paragraph.It gives your text room to breathe.

3. Use headersthat describe what the text that follows is about.

4. Never use fancy fonts for paragraph text.Use something like Helvetica,which is easy to read.

5. Use picturesto succinctly communicate what might otherwise take dozens ofparagraphs.

5.Think Like a Designer

You dont have to be a great designer to create an awesome looking website. There are so manybeautiful and customizable web templates available that theres little excuse for publishinga poorly designed website. The web is a visual medium and if you want to stand out, your siteneeds to look great.

Sometimes changing just a few minor things on your website can improve your site design tenfold. Remember, the best design is often design that does not call attention to itself.

Quick Tips

1. Stick to a color palette. Try to keep your website colors down to just a handful of colors.Be consistent and use a site like www.colourlovers.comto pick out a killer palette.

2. Adding photosis an excellent way to add depth and interest to your website. Profession-al photos are ideal, but a beautiful iPhone pic can do the trick too.Dont be afraid to up-load panoramic background images and large banner photos. Large images will infuseyour site with life. If you dont want to use your own photos, check out a site likewww.istockphoto.comor www.shutterstock.comwhere you can buy professional imag-es for use on your site.

3. Stick to just one font.If you use two, use one for headers and one for paragraph text.There are some exceptions, but using more than a few fonts will create an inconsistentexperience and can make it hard to read. (Also be consistent with your font size).


7/11


6. Optimize Your Images for SearchWhile many website owners worry about how discoverablethey are in traditional search engine results, there aremany additional ways to be discovered online. Google

Image Search (and other image-based search engines)can be a valuable source of traffic. Best of all, Imagesearch is not as competitive as traditional search resultsso you have a better chance of ranking well.

Optimizing your images for search is easy to do.

There are three ways to describe your image for Google.

1. File Name2. Title Tag3. Alt. Tag

File Name

Before you upload your image, make sure to name your image using dashes between eachword and choose descriptive keywords.

Ex: limbo-dance-contest.jpg

Title Tag

When you upload or insert an image into a blog post or page you will be given the option to titleyour image. I recommend using a slightly different conjugation then you used in the file name.

Ex: Limbo contest winner

Alt. Tag

The alt tag is an opportunity to describe your image for the sight-impaired. Google ImageSearch also uses these, so be sure to enter something descriptive for your alt tag.

Ex: Person doing limbo

Note: It can take a few weeks for Google to index all your images once you have opti-

mized them.

File Name:limbo-dance-contest.jpg

Title Tag: Limbo contest winner

Alt Tag:Person doing limbo

OPTMIZED EXAMPLE


8/11


7.Make Sure Your Website is Mobile and TabletFriendly

Make sure your website looks great and works well on mobile and tab-let platforms. Currently over 20% of on-line traffic comes from mobileand tablet devices. If your website doesnt work well on mobile, youreneglecting 2 out of every 10 visitors to your website.

While dedicated mobile websites were popular in the past, the bestsolution for creating a website that works great on mobile devices is tomake sure your website uses responsive design. Responsive design isGoogles recommended format for handling websites on mobile de-vices. Its no joke. A responsive site will automatically resize to fit anyscreen sizeso you dont have to pinch-and-zoom just to read text.

Quick Tips

1. Test your website on the most popular mobile devices, such as iPhone, iPad, andAndroid devices.

2. Check to see if the text on your site can be easily read on a mobile device withoutzooming. Make sure you can easily navigate through the site by touch.

3. Dont use Flash graphics on your site. They wont render on many mobile devices.

Create a Responsive Website with HostBaby.

8.Post New Content RegularlyNothing says, I dont care and neither should you like a prehistoric event calendar and a blogpost endorsing Ross Perots presidential candidacy. Even die-hard fans will give up after a fewvisits to a stagnant website. If you want your audience to keep coming back you have to givethem something to come back for. Luckily, it doesnt take a lot of time to keep your websitefresh. Upload a few photos, post a funny video, add a link to an interesting article, give a briefupdate on your current project or update your calendar with upcoming events. Try to updateyour website once a week. Your fans will appreciate it.

Quick Tips:

1. Embed video. It doesnt matter if its your video or simply a video you found on YouTubeor Vimeo that you think your fans will enjoy. Video is one of the easiest ways to engageyour audience and keep your website fresh.

2. You dont have to create new content to post new content. Ask your fans to send you pho-tos, videos, essaysanything and post the good stuff on your site. You can even offerprizes for the best submissions.


9/11


3. Invite friends, fans, or colleagues to guest-post on your blog.

4. Add a Facebook or Twitter widget to your website sidebar. This way, every time you postsomething on your favorite social network you will be simultaneously updating yourwebsite.

9. Socialize Your Website

Social media is huge. Social media is how people use the Internet. If your website isnt social,you could be losing out on loads of traffic. The bare minimum you should have on your websiteare follow buttons so that people can find you on social networks like Facebook and Twitterand share buttons so people can share your content on their favorite social networks.

Adding Follow buttons

Whether you use HTML to add your buttons or use a free service, social media icons are greatway to get your website visitors to engage with you on social media. But remember: peoplehave become accustomed to seeing those generic Facebook and Twitter icons. Make sure tochoose icons that stand out and include a call to action. Instead of saying follow me on Twit-ter or follow me on Facebook Why not get more specific? For example:

Follow me on Twitter and get updates and special offersor Follow me on Facebook to getall the tantalizing details about my life on the road

Adding Share Buttons

Not to toot our own horn, but HostBaby Site Builder Websiteshave share buttons built in.

Alternatively, ShareThis and AddThisare both free services that make adding share buttons toyour website easy.

www.sharethis.comwww.addthis.comwww.niftybuttons.comhttp://www.hostbaby.com/features/


10/11


10. Add a Downloadable Press Kit

Make it easy for bloggers and journalists to write about you by providing them with the essen-tials. Create a zip folder that includes: a one-sheet, or bio (Word doc preferably), and 2 or 3high-res photos (at least 300 dpi) of yourself and or your collaborators. You can also includeany articles or reviews that might be useful to a journalist or blogger. (Links work, too.)Upload the folder and link to it on your Press or Bio page. Thats it.

Quick Tips:

1. Be creative with your photos. Avoid clich settings. Try to capture what makes youunique.

2. Keep your bio or one-sheet brief. Include only the most important facts and make sure ittells a story journalists love good stories.

Watch a quick video on creating a band or artist one-sheet:

VIDEO - How to Make an Effective Band/Artist One Sheet


11/11


Thanks!

I hope you enjoyed our guide! You should be able to deploy any or all of the tipscovered here provided you are working with a competent web host and an easy

to use Site Builder. If thats not the case, please consider HostBabys 30 DayFree Trial and build a website where you have complete control.

Questions?

Contact HostBaby [email protected]

P.S. If you enjoyed the content in this here guide, youlllove the HostBaby blog.

Check it out here: http://blog.hostbaby.com

Follow HostBaby on Facebook and Twitter and get dailyupdates about website promotion and more.

hostbaby website optimization

Documents