There are literally billions of Web pages, as well as users, and today, having Internet marketing fit somewhere in your budget is a given. But if you are going to go to the lengths of spending money advertising or marketing your website, shouldn’t you make sure that it has a high conversion rate once the people get there? Of course you should!

The Eyes Have It

You have probably spent time surfing countless websites over the years; we all have. But it is doubtful that you have ever given much thought to the way you view the page or read the content. If you did, you would know a lot more about the habits that most people share when it comes to using websites in general. Knowing this information gives you a leg up in helping to convert users into customers.

Experts have determined through research that there is indeed a pattern that most people follow when reading over websites. As it turns out, that pattern tends to form an “F” over and over again. While it may not be representative of everyone, there were enough people tested in order to see that most of us do the same thing every time we access a site, which is:
– Our eyes go across the top of the page to form the first part of the “F.”
– Next, the eyes move right on down the left side of the page, forming the next part of the “F” and gaze.
– Finally, we tend to gaze across the center of the page, to give the “F” its final piece.

Knowing this information, we can use this to our advantage in creating our website to not only be user friendly, but to also boost our bottom line. Most of the content on your site is overlooked, so it is important to do what you can to make sure the important things are not.

Additional Pieces

Along with the all important “F” pattern that our eyes make on a website, it is important to note a couple of extra points. You may already know some of these, but it is still worth the refresher. For example, it is important to break up your content with information carrying bullet points, including using headings and subheadings, and you should avoid fancy fonts.

Also, remember how getting something “above the fold” in the newspaper was so important? Well, the same rule applies to websites. Something that is above the fold is what the person sees on the site without having to scroll. Let’s face it, you often have only seconds to capture a reader and try to convert them to being a customer. Often times, you have lost them before they ever even make it to their first scroll down the page.

Putting it Together

Now you have a better understanding of where the prime real estate is on your site. So take a look at it and see if there is something else that would be better in that position in order to achieve your business results. Since our gaze goes in an “F” pattern, and we don’t always tend to want to scroll, it is important to make sure that your “call to action” is on the left and is above the fold.

Whether it is a form, checkout, signup, or link to additional content, you need to have it in that area to get the most bang for your buck. While we all know that it is important to for every entrepreneur to have a website presence, we also know how important it is to convert from that site, especially when you consider the amount of money people are spending today to bring traffic to that site. Just remember the “F” pattern when setting up your site, and you will be doing Fine.