Why Ugly Sites Sell More Than Pretty Sites

What the heck is going on lately? Most internet websites I goto now, all I see are pretty graphics everywhere. I see moving images,I see crazy JAVA, things flying around.

Don't get me wrong, someof these graphics are truly amazing - I love to see them! But, that'sthe problem! I only love to look at them, when I'm done looking atthem, I LEAVE! Lately, there's been a disturbing trend of everyonespending huge amounts of money on web graphics. The problem? There isNO proof that this really helps your sales!

As a matter of fact, one of my biggest money makers is a consulting service...

www.SingalMarketing.com/consultingte.html

...Iput that page up in 5 minutes (after writing my copy). Believe it ornot, but even being such a high priced service - that page convertsabout 2.5% - of course I get very targeted traffic...

LOOK AT HOW UGLY IT IS!!!

BUT,it has content! It has great copy, it's got my face, my voice and agreat service - the ACTUAL key ingredients to making a website thatsells...Now, the problem is that most people are very logical - youwould THINK that a good looking site should sell more - it makes senseright?

You expect that a good looking site probably increasesyour credibility - I mean, come on, it shows your visitor that youREALLY mean business, yadda yadda yadda...But, again, look at MY site -I'm selling a high priced consulting service to business owners - I'mactually selling my expertise in the internet business world. Yet, thesite design (or lack there of) seems to have NO influence.

Justso you know, I DID try a nice fancy design for that page. You want toknow what happened to my conversion? It plummeted down to 1.4%! Now,that I've got your attention, let's look at why it is that a prettiersite probably sells less:

1. More graphics take longer to load.

Not everyone has fast internet yet - actually, most people don't. No one wants to wait for hours for a site to upload!

Why Ugly Sites Sell More Than Pretty Sites

2. More graphics distract your visitors from your message.

Yourgraphics can actually work against you because your visitors spend moretime focusing on them than they do focusing on your copy! Remember,it's your COPY that sells - so if the visitor isn't reading the copy -he/she is NOT going to buy. Period.

3. Some visitors may not like the colors, you may be sending the wrong message to different cultures.

Justbecause YOU love the colors of your graphics and you love the colorscheme of your website does NOT mean that your visitors do too. Thereit is, those are the three MAIN reasons to keep your website AS neutralAS possible.

So, remember, PRETTY does NOT always equal more sales!

Uglysites DO sell and will continue to do so. What matters is what you'reselling, your own expertise, and your copy writing. In the end, thebest way to know what works best for your visitors is to TEST, TEST,and TEST some more!

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