Why Pop-Ups are Pop-BadWritten by Lauri Harpf
Not too long ago, seeing a pop-up ad appear meant that you were either on a page that distributed illegal software or looking at something that isn't suitable for eyes of under 18-year-olds. Back then, pop-ups were seen as an annoying but inseparable part of Web's dark side. However, encountering them while visiting larger and more reputable Web sites was something that only a small amount of people could even dream about.Nobody could have believed it at that time, but these yesterday's dreams have become reality of today. In eyes of many advertisers and webmasters, pop-ups have shaken off their dirty past and are now considered to be quite acceptable and harmless. Rather than result of general Internet population starting to see pop-ups in a better light, this change in attitude is more a case of making a virtue out of a necessity. As everyone knows by now, large dot-com's are in trouble and need cash. The continuing decrease in click-through rates of banner ads has reduced demand for banner space, and it is clear that sites that live off advertising need something to replace this drying income stream. At same time, an increasing amount of evidence seems to indicate that pop-up advertisements are more likely to be noticed and generate more sales than banner ads. Thus, it is no surprise that pop-ups have been able to break out of dark side into mainstream. Follow leader? ================== After pop-ups started to appear on major websites, many webmasters of small- and middle-sized sites have begun to consider following in footsteps of big guys. After all, we've all heard countless success stories, and users have probably already become accustomed to pop-ups and... While it is certainly true that pop-ups can really work, it should be remembered that using them does also have multiple negative consequences. According to several sources, pop-ups do draw more attention than banners, but users are also very hostile towards them. For example, a Statistical Research report from last spring [1] claimed that pop-ups are 50% more likely to be noticed than banners, but also 100% more likely to be considered intrusive. Thus, by having pop-ups on your site, you're increasing effectiveness of your advertising, but you're also hurting reputation of your site and driving your visitors away.
| | Your Web Copy is Too Skimpy to Work!Written by Keller Flynn
Almost every day I hear from somebody with a web site that isn't selling well. "Can you please take a look and let me know what we're doing wrong?" they ask. Sometimes their product isn't very good. Other times their price is wrong. But more often than not, problem is with their web site copy.People have really gotten hang of creating fine graphics. Many sites have killer logos, delicious product photos, and clever drawings. But where is copy? Most sites that aren't doing their job have a complete lack of good, clear, easy-to-understand copy. While Internet has lots of eye-catching graphics, it's still media that delivers its messages through writing and reading. Use these tips to make your web copy effective and your web site sell: 1. Start with a headline that talks about THE VISITOR. Your headline should include something in customer's life. That is only way to get their attention. Once your headline gets attention, it's a snap to get people to read deeper into your copy. "YOU Can Save $1000's With This Simple Improvement" "Stop Hurting! Affordable Supplement Reduces Discomfort" "When Will You Have Enough Money To Live Right?" These headlines talk directly to a pressing concern target reader has. If you need to save money before you can earn a profit, or your back is killing you, or you're tired of scrimping by every month... these headlines would get your attention and make you READ. 2. Use one easy-to-read paragraph at top of your page to simply explain what you do and who you do it for. I'm blown away by number of sites that make you guess what they do. You have to read through three links before you find out, and even then you aren't sure.
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