Just as you need to set objectives for your traditional marketing materials, having clear calls to action on your website is also very important if it is to generate the results you want, especially from first time visitors.

Here are two common mistakes that we see:

So many web pages, and blogs start off with all the essentials – great headline, good copy, nice graphics and design – and then ….. nothing!  Unless you tell your visitors what to do next, they may view other pages on the site, and then click away, fully intending to return another day.  But will they?

It’s a good idea to give them really simple, clear instructions, like “the next step you need to take is to visit the xyz page.” Don’t worry – your visitors won’t feel insulted, they’ll be happy to know what to do!  For example, you’ll want to capture your first time visitor email address – asking them to type their details in a sign up box is a perfectly valid call to action.

Other web pages, blogs, even sales pages, are often very ‘busy’ with so many different offers and graphics that it’s a bit like being in a sweet shop as a child – you don’t know what to look at first!  I saw this on a sales page recently and found myself drawn to look at and click on other offers – which were taking me away from the product this page was selling!  While it’s nice to earn some affiliate revenue, it shouldn’t be at the expense of selling your own product or service!

There’s a great saying in marketing that goes: “the confused mind always says no.” Don’t confuse visitors to your website by giving them too many choices.  Similarly, don’t make them guess what they should do next.  Have just one objective for each of your web pages; leaving your visitors in no doubt as to what you want them to do next.