Many companies put entirely too much information on their homepage because they have heard that it is good for Search Engine Optimization. Unfortunately, it is not only a bad SEO practice, but it also scares away any visitors that reach their website.
People go to the web looking for easy access, speedy and to-the-point information. The internet has become a time efficient alternative to visiting the library, pulling numerous books off the shelves and reading through pages and pages until a person finds that one paragraph they need. With this shift in culture and the ease of access to information, the attention span of the average person has decreased significantly and the design of your website should bear this in mind.
To retain a web visitor’s attention, keep them on the page, and make them want to take the next step by reaching out to you, you must keep it simple, stupid! If you put too much information on your page, the visitor is going to get full and jump off your page. Remember – the back button is always just one click away. You really want to tease the web visitor with the highlights that your company can offer, which will encourage them to act now for more information.
It’s just like the beginning of any kind of relationship–you wouldn’t tell your whole life story on the first date now would you? If you did, I guarantee your date would feel so overloaded with information, not remember anything you told them and probably never call you again. You have to communicate your key messages and if you present it in the right way, they will keep coming back for more! Closing the deal will be a piece of cake with the right tools.
So, please, please avoid information overload on the web and of course in your dating life as well ;).
