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MARKETING Your Voice Over Website Stinks! But Here's What To Do About It  By Paul Strikwerda Voice Actor Are you happy with your website? Does it represent who you are and what you do? Does it convert visitors into customers? How do you know? I’ve had my website for a few years now, and to tell you the truth: I think it’s just okay. And "just okay” doesn’t cut it. That’s why I am in the process of rebuilding it from the ground up. It turns out that I’m not the only one. Whether you’re redesigning or starting from scratch, there are some important do’s and don’ts to keep in mind. I will assume that you have your own domain name. If you don't own the name, you don't own the site. First, let’s talk about what makes a website work. Number One: In times of microwave meals and high-speed Internet, people have become impatient. An effective website is easy to find, easy on the eyes, easy to navigate and it loads fast. Number Two: A website is as effective as its landing page. If the window to your shop doesn’t catch people’s attention and isn’t inviting, it’s time for a make-over. That was the good. Now it’s time to look at the bad and the ugly. MISTAKE #1: Designing a site based on what you want to share instead of on what the client wants to know. A winning website is not about you. It’s about your customers:
MISTAKE #2: Not making a value proposition. A value proposition answers the question: Why should your ideal prospect buy from you rather than any of your competitors? If you can’t explain why clients should hire YOU, you’re encouraging them to shop elsewhere. It’s vital to describe the benefits of hiring you from the viewpoint of your clients. Remember: you are a solution to their problem and the pleasure to their pain. MISTAKE #3: Having static content. Having a website is one thing, but search engines have to learn to like it. Don’t stuff your site with strategic keywords just to please Google. That is so yesterday. Think of your visitors first. Give them a reason to spend time on your site and come back for more. Web crawlers love fresh, relevant content that drives lots of traffic. There’s a reason why my blog is an integral part of my site! MISTAKE #4: Having a site that’s not mobile responsive. More and more people access online information on mobile devices. Ineffective sites are designed for computer screens and can be hard to navigate on smart phones and iPads. If you decide to use a template to build your site, make sure that it automatically adapts to allow your visitors to view your content - whether from a desktop, laptop, smart phone or tablet. MISTAKE #5: Not establishing credibility and professionalism. In order to hire you, the client has to have faith that you can handle the job. But how do you get someone who doesn’t know you to trust you? The way I see it, you have two options:
On one condition: Don’t make
things up. If you fake it, you won’t make it.
Everything you put out into the world is a reflection of your professionalism: your demos, your pictures and your website. First impressions matter. If your site looks unprofessional, you look unprofessional. MISTAKE #6: Too much text and uninterrupted paragraphs. Do you know the difference between writing the next Great American Novel and a few webpages? Yes, you want to answer your client’s questions, but you must leave something to talk about. Don’t you want them to contact you? People don’t read anymore. They scan.
MISTAKE #7: Make clients jump through hoops to get to important information. Easy does it. Things like "Client list and testimonials upon request” require busy visitors to do extra work. Not a good idea. Are you still secretive about your rates? Isn’t that one of the first things clients want to know? Don’t make them fish for it. Why don’t you tell your client where you’re located? If that French director wants you to come to his Paris studio, shouldn’t he know that you live near Montreal? Visitors expect contact information at a prominent place. By the way: a Gmail or Yahoo email address does not look very
professional. Get a business email address, but use a spam-proof contact
form on your site. An email address on a website is an open invitation
to spammers.
Can clients download your demos or do they need to ask you to send them to you? We’re creatures of convenience. If you were a producer and you needed a demo NOW, what would you do? Would you go to talent A and take a few seconds to download it from her website, or write an email to talent B and ask for it? MISTAKE #8: Flash landing pages and automatic audio. Flash animation slows down the loading time of your site and if forces people to watch something they might hate. What a way to greet your customers! The same can be said about background music or an automated welcome message. I have a message on my landing page, but visitors have to click on it to hear it. People want to choose. Another no-no is a Doorway Page. You know, the one with a button that says: ENTER. It might as well say LEAVE. MISTAKE #9: No call to action. Do you leave your visitors all dressed up and nowhere to go? That’s a big blunder. You put all that effort into crafting a core message in a neat online package. For what purpose? What do you want your visitors to do ...
MISTAKE #10: You can’t update the website yourself. There’s a testimonial you’d like to add. You have a great new demo that needs to go on your site. Your latest audiobook is on the shelves. Do you want to wait a few weeks until your webmaster gets his act together? I have three words for you: DIY! With a platform like WordPress, there’s no need to learn complicated codes anymore. There’s a wealth of templates that can be easily customized to create a unique, clean look:
I’m not saying you must design your own website, but you should at least learn how to update your virtual store. There’s no reason why your online presence should have a sign saying: SITE UNSEEN! So, what have you done to kick your website up a notch? What has proven to be most effective? What are your clients looking for? ABOUT PAUL ... Paul Strikwerda is a 25-year veteran of the voice over industry whose Nethervoice
service features German and Dutch voice overs, translation and
evaluation services. Born in Holland, he has worked for Dutch national
and international radio, the BBC and American Public Radio. Although 90%
of his work is in English, Strikwerda also records in Dutch, German and
French. Clients include Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, and the
Discovery Channel. He also publishes an informative and entertaining
blog, Double Dutch.
Email: paul@nethervoice.com Web: www.nethervoice.com |
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You're right! My voice-over website stinks. But now I know what to do about it.
On with the show...
Bob Chappell (http://www.musicarta.com/Bob_Chappell_AV.html)
Really great article and it gives me a lot to think about. I'm pretty new in the VO industry and I put my own website together using Go Daddy web design products. For me it was a real learning experience but because I wanted to have full control of my site in adding updates anytime on my own, I thought it was important for me to learn the whole web design process as challenging as it was. Is my website functional....yes, could it be better.......yes, though I do feel as I gain more experience in the industry, my site will get better as well. I read many of your articles and you always get me thinking so thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Take care,
Ronn Garcia
I am just in the midst of getting things together and brainstorming for my website. This is great stuff and sound advice. Thank you.
Judy