Most entrepreneurs are constantly upgrading and changing web site content and design. But how accurate and professional is the content as a whole? A great way to find out is to apply for a site award. .No Kidding! You’ll be amazed at the information you may not have. This includes a broad range of items consistent with site design.
I started my home business eight months ago and finally tried for an award about two months ago. I was rejected of course and the reason was lack of contact information and a lottery link, plus an affiliate program not consistent with their idea of a professional, quality web site. I did not reapply for this particular award again. I continued to upgrade and change my site content and design until a couple days ago when I noticed an award of excellence on a web site and decided to try again. This time,I was rejected again, but for a new reason, in addition to no contact information or hours of operation,I had NO PRIVACY POLICY! This time I took things a little more seriously.I went to their qualifications site and read them.I do not know how I went this long without a policy. The contact information was in my newsletter for eight months and yet I failed to put it on my web site because I was skeptical about viewers seeing my personal information! I immediately went to my site and added the required information and then reapplied…My site now carries a banner for the Award of Excellence for a Pennsylvania business!
Now if indeed I have held your interest to this point, hold on for some very important information that will give you the prestige and your visitors will feel confident at your site.Take this list the next time you update or do any changes to your site.
1] Be sure your contact information is on your main web page.[Company name, your name, address, telephone and /or fax, and e-mail address.
2] Add your hours of operation.If you are a home-based business, set the hours to the time you are available. I set mine from 9am-3pm.EST. [Include the time difference.]
3] Compose a Privacy Policy.I will share mine as a sample to view. http://www.homebizandmore.homestead.com/privacy.html Include your sincere promise to protect your potential customers from SPAM. Keep their information confidential!
4] Always proofread and edit your content for common errors: spelling, punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure, etc.
5] Check to be sure all links work.Links sometimes need upgrading or a mistake may be made when they are entered.
6] Background and font design are as important as the content itself. Be sure the background is compatible with the font color. Never use fluorescent or brilliant font color, or background. These shades of color often blind the eyes and make reading difficult.
7] Although banners are becoming the “IN” thing on the Internet, they have their down side.Load time of a page is considerably slower if the page has many banners. Visitors will leave the site if load time is slow..thus losing potential customers.Sites are often rejected for having a “Banner Farm.” Instead, try writing an interesting paragraph or two about the link and then link to the site.More often, than not,a short description will prompt the visitor to click. Overload of graphics, and clip art are also related.
8] A vital part of any web site are the meta tags, title description and key words. the search engines will never find your site, unless you put in these key words. Take a look at each page and identify these words. You will need many of them, take your time to assemble the list of up to 150 words, or related words that are used most often.
9] Be careful of the content on the site, such a lottery games, adult content only, if you wish to apply for an award. It might come to getting rid of this type of content.
10] Free hosting can often be a downfall as well. You should have your own domain available at minimal cost if you are well established. I am still using free hosting, but will upgrade in the near future.
This list of ten qualities is by no means all that some ask for when you apply for an award. Some of the tips are not required, but are necessary for a quality web site.
@Copyright Dec. 1, 2000 By Donna Sweat Publisher/Editor donna@sosbbs.com Dee’s Helpful Info.Newsletter http://www.homebizandmore.homestead.com This article my be reproduced as long as the content and resource box remains intact.
