You took the leap. You set up a website to display yourimportant message. Congratulations! As in life, firstimpressions are important on the web. Web researchers found thatyou have about 2 minutes to make that first impression a goodone. Visitors will judge your site in those few seconds on itsprofessionalism and appropriateness to what they are looking for.

In fact, a website can lose about one-third of its potentialcustomers due to poor design, according to a recent user studyconducted by Jakob Nielson, Ph.D., a principal of the FremontCalif.-based Nielson Norman Group.

Take a long hard look at your site. Or ask a friend to give youa brutally honest review of your site. Does it pass the test ofprofessionalism? Are the graphics of good quality and clear? Isthe formatting, font size and font colors consistent throughoutthe site? Or does your site commit design mistakes that speakAMATEUR as soon as it loads?

There are some common mistakes website owners make that maycause visitors to leave early. Correct these 5 mistakes to makesure your visitors stay long enough to read your importantmessage:

Mistake#6 They post "Under Construction" signs all over thesite.

Under Construction signs posted all over the website spellUNPROFESSIONAL in a big way. Seasoned site owners understand thepower of patience. They know that timing the launch of yourcompleted website is much more effective than doing itprematurely.

Solution: Be patient. Wait until the website is complete beforepublicizing your site. Doing it this way, your visitors will beimpressed and gain trust faster. They won't feel uneasy and runaway because they see UNPROFESSIONAL stamped all over your sitewith each Under Construction sign.

Mistake #7 They place brightly colored counters on every pageas a badge of honor.

The truth is most everyone knows counters can be set towhatever number you like. If you don't want to start yourcounter at zero, you can easily start it at 10,000. It raises ared flag of questions. Therefore, it may repel your visitorsfaster than it attracts them. Why raise the red flag ofquestions, if you don't have to.

Solution: Need to analyze your traffic? Look at your in-depthstatistics instead.

Mistake #8 They don't use copyright statements.

Some uniformed site owners don't know that their copyright iseffective the moment their creative work is set in a fixed form.So they fail to put their stamp of ownership on their work.

Solution: If you truly own your work, claim it. Post yourcopyright information at the bottom of every page.

Mistake #9 They write boring, long and sometimes complicatedcopy.

It slows your visitor's reading to a standstill if they can'tquickly understand your copy (the words on your website.) Trustme; your visitor will not stop and get a dictionary if theycan't understand something. They will leave quickly.

Solution: Invest time into getting your copy right. Keep itsimple. Get rid of passive verbs and too many adverbs that robyour copy of power. Use compelling words in short sentencesfull of action.

Mistake #10 They fail to identify the benefits of theirproducts and services.

Most visitors don't automatically know what your product orservice can do for them. The 'What's in it for me' is whatdrives most of us. If that question is not answered quickly, wemay leave before we discover you have exactly what we've beenlooking for.

Solution: Make it easy for your visitor. Place your bestbenefits in your headlines, links and even picture tags.

Mistake #11 They forget to ask the visitor to do something.

Beginner site owners leave money on the table by not askingtheir visitor to take specific action. They don't consider theirvisitor may be distracted, busy or dormant to any desire fortheir product.

Solution: Write marketing with the idea of what you want tohappen after they have read your copy. What do you want yourvisitor to do? Write with the conviction that your prospect willdo something after reading-click through to the sales page,contact you for more information, pick up the phone and order.

Don't forget the power of direct commands. Be specific in yourdirectives. Stop right now and fill in this coupon. Send forthis ezine before you forget. People love easy steps. They don'thave to decide. The work of deciding what to do is already done.

First impressions are important on the web. Follow the simpledesign techniques above and stop turning your visitors away atthe door. Use your first few seconds to impress your visitorswith simple design that delivers your powerful messageeffectively.

Article Source: http://www.articleset.com