Know-How Exchange : Website Critique

I took a quick look at your page and the copy length does not appear to be an issue.

The layout of the copy however makes it extremely difficult for my eye to focus on your message. My recommendation would be to do the following:

*Change the two-column copy layout to one column.
*Narrow the width of the text to 80characters or less
*Left justify the bullet points and indent them as they are very difficult to read in their current form
*Make use of headlines, bold, etc.
*Break up paragraphs into short, uneven lengths.

Your copy needs refinement as well. Consider hiring a professional copywriter. Some recommendations:

*The world doesn't want to see how "small" your firm is - it kills confidence. They do want to know how your "boutique" style "attentiveness" gets the job done quickly and effectively without the client being ignored.

*Focus on your core message. Your firm saves your clients resources (time and money) and enables them to reach unthinkable new levels because you are able to "filter" out undesirable candidates. What you do is to provide them with the best possible talent pool and you do that quickly and efficiently. You save them time and reduce the likelihood that they will make the wrong choice thereby helping to ensure their success.

*Talk more about your process and how it enables the above.

*Your call to action is invisible. Place a form on the page and put a strong call to action above it. "Contact us today for a free no-obligation consultation". Make sure the phone number is there as well.

*It's OK to have a message from you as president but I would eliminate your personal email address from the page and I would also remove you as a contact. It makes the firm appear very small. Only small companies tend to like to work with VSBs.

I hope this helps.

-Greg Hill
Trinity Search Engine Marketing

After quickly reading your home page a browsing some others, I do not know why I would want to use your company.

You need to do a better job of telling potential clients what is in it for them. What problem do they have that you can help them with:
Do you save them time? Make sure hiring is done legally, upholding fair employment practices? Do you organize the process? Do you save them money? Do you find them better candidates? Do you find them the right candidates? Do you offer them support through the process.
My point is you need the client to see that they need your service as it will benefit them greatly. Spend more time focusing on their needs.

You have some pointers for interviewees. How about something for interviewer's as this is who you are really trying to get as your client.

You have some titles that are underlined which makes me think that I can click on them as your links are underlined. Think about changing the color, size, etc on titles instead of underlining them.

I think you might need a few more images to spruce up the site. Be sure to find ones that pertain to the content. www.istockphotos.com is a great place to find inexpensive high quality stock photos.

From an SEO stand point you should have more meaningful page titles. "Welcome" does not give search engines much to go on.

I agree with Greg that you need a bigger call to action. Have a form where people can request more information or get pricing for your service. Something that causes them to provide you more information.

Hope this helps,
Mike

My immediate reaction to the site is that it is very hard to focus.

With the copy all laid out in two columns and no clear separation of headings or sections, it is very hard for the reader to even know where to begin. I would imagine that most users do not get past your homepage, as the site is not very welcoming, and there is no clear call to action.

As an initial starting point, my suggestions for cleaning up the content and delivering an impactful message would be:

1) as mentioned in comment above, reformat to a single column, and streamline the copy. Currently, there are sections that are out of line with the columns, which makes the eye gloss over them and gives an impression of sloppiness.

2) build in a clear and impactful Call to Action. You should be telling the reader what you want them to do, make it clear, and make it noticeable (ie: call today for a free consultation, download our informational newsletter, contact us for a free 10-day trial, etc.)

3) use headings, bullet points, call-out sections, subheadings, and summaries of content on the homepage to streamline the copy and ensure your reader has a good overview of your services, enough information to spur them to continue reading, and/or a reason to call. If you are unsure of how to do this, I would suggest hiring a freelance copywriter or marketing consultant on an hourly basis to help. Or you may want to check out Marketing Sherpa's case studies and informational materials at www.marketingsherpa.com for tips on writing copy with a marketing purpose.

4) work on the overall design. While I do not think you have too much information on each page, or on the site in general, I do think that the way it is designed gives the appearance that there is an overwhelming amount of copy. By incorporating images, colors, and a paragraph-based single column format with clear headings, you will be able to streamline the content, and avoid overwhelming the reader.

5) revise the current page titles to focus on the user of the site, not the company itself. Titles such as "potential clients" and "candidates" can alienate the reader, making them feel like another number. All copy, titles, and descriptions should speak directly to the reader, and focus on what you can do for them, not on the features of your organization.

I would be happy to speak with you in further detail about this if you would like more information. Good luck in your project.

Your home page is very hard to read. Instead of attracting the eye to the bold words, they actually make it harder to focus. You have way too much copy. Break it down to more digestible bites.

Why is there an email address at the bottom of the page?

Testimonials are a huge selling tool. Move that link up from the bottom of the page to the navigation on the left - as a separate button, not hidden under the "Why Our Firm" button.

Your template is very blah. You need a better color scheme, and a more polished look.