We are a looks driven society whether we like it or not. A person with the best personality in the world will often get overlooked if they don’t appear attractive, and the simple fact is that this subconscious reaction is just as prevalent on the Internet. Even the most seasoned online marketer would not have a high sales ratio if his page looked like it was designed by a 12 year old.

Does your website need a makeover?

Take a good objective look at your site. How well does the look and feel of the page match the interests and style of your target audience? For online marketers, this is such a crucial question that you simply cannot afford to overlook the answer.

Let’s look at an example: If you’re trying to market grills, a fluffy pastel site isn’t going to appeal much to the people who buy grills the most. Avid grillers are the types who eat Hungry Man dinners and a beer every other night of the week. They want bold, strong colors and a matter-of-fact tone to the content. Soft and frilly may work if you’re selling pedicure kits, but not for grills.

It is important that visitors feel comfortable and at ease from the first moment they land at your web site. How well you establish that comfort level can eventually make or break a sale, and in the dog-eat-dog world of online marketing, every sale counts.

I am not implying in the least that your content is less important than the appearance of the page, but the truth is that if visitors are turned off by the way the page looks they are less likely to spend enough time there to read what you have to say.

Changing Clothes

If your site is blog-based and uses software like WordPress, you can change the look of the entire site almost as easily as you can change your clothes. A quick Internet search for “WordPress Themes” will yield literally hundreds of choices.

If your site is more basic, it may be time to bite the bullet and invest in a professional designer. There’s an old saying that says “you have to spend money to make money”, and whether you like it or not there are times when it is true. If money is particularly tight, you can improve the looks of your site by investing some of your time in learning a few HTML tricks that can give your site a new look in minutes.

While online marketing doesn’t have to be an expensive investment, it is an investment nonetheless and if you aren’t willing to spend a little to make a lot, then it may be time to concentrate on your day job.

Michael Nolan
IM Rookie Contributing Writer

For more internet marketing tips & strategies: IMRookie.com

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