Flash Or Bang - Which Would You Prefer?

If you had to choose, would you want a site that looks pretty, or one that makes you lots of money?

Of course you want a nice looking website, but isn’t money the real motivator here? I mean you are running a business, right?

Flashy graphics and top-notch sound effects make for an awesome video game, but frankly aren’t very effective as marketing tools. In fact, too much of these elements will greatly decrease your site’s ability to convey it’s message.

Look at sites like Amazon.com and Buy.com. They’re friggin’ ugly, but they rake in an absolutely terrifying amount of revenue month after month.

Or look at any website by Mike Filsaime, Gary Ambrose, and other big name marketers. These sites are clean-cut, simple, and to the point. No extravagant visual effects of any kind, and yet these guys make a killing with just about every site they roll out.

Your content, your message, is by far the most important aspect of your web presence. Of course you want a nice appearance, attractive colors, and a sleek overall look; but don’t get side tracked by focusing on the aesthetics.

Moreover, you should focus on getting your main point across immediately. Your site's headline should literally grab a visitor by the eyeballs and make them want to read more, and the text following your initial headline should keep the momentum going and pull the reader down the rest of your page and deep into your sales message.

People rarely spend money because they were impressed by an animated header. In most cases, we decide to buy because the information presented exceeds our expectations, offers the solution to our problem, or creates a strong emotional desire.

I’ll take a site that converts visitors into customers over a site that makes people say “wow” before they click away any day of the week.