One of the things people look for when they search for you online is your personal website. For anyone who wants to create a strong personal brand, a website is essential. It’s where people will get to know you, what you stand for, what niche you’re focusing on, and what products and services you’re offering.
You want the people who visit your personal website to stay in it for while, browse around, read and look through the pages. If people aren’t going to stay in your site, then how is it going to help you?
So the question to ask yourself now, “Is your site good for your brand?”
For most people, first impressions count. And if a visitor’s first experience of your site is not to her liking, then it’s very likely that she’ll simply turn away, and no one gets to read and see the fabulous content you’re offering.
So how do you know that your site is good for your brand? What are some of the things people look for in a personal website?
Color Scheme
In a website, color is important. You want to have colors that are good for the eyes and achieve the effect you want when someone visits your site. As you know, most colors are associated with different emotions, so ask yourself, what emotion do you want to evoke in people who go to your site? It’s a good way to help you choose your color scheme.
Of course, make sure to avoid colors that clash, as well as the excessive use of different colors. Remember, simple is best, especially when it comes to your website. And when you find a good color scheme to represent your brand, stick to it. This will make visitors remember you and your brand better.
Website Layout
Does the content in your layout mix well together? Do you offer a good browsing experience for your visitors? Is your name and logo at the upper left portion of the site, and in a good size? Is your layout clear and neat, not jumbled and confusing?
No one likes visiting a cluttered site, so your website’s layout is really important. You want something that flows well, and that’s easy to navigate. You want your name and logo at the uppermost left portion of the site, where it stands in prominence at a good size.
Also, if you have advertisements in your page, make sure they don’t appear too prominently. A good idea is to have them on the right corner of the site, where they can all be grouped together. And don’t fill your website with too many ads, as this is incredibly unattractive to your visitors.
Again, remember that people like neat and simple.
Consistency
A good brand is a memorable one, and how do you make your website memorable? Simple – be consistent. Make sure your web design offers consistency among the different pages of your site. Use the same font, the same colors, and of course, the same logo for your brand.
It’s also a good idea to make sure you offer consistent content – make sure you have a good niche that you can really stick to. Concentrate your efforts on that, and don’t lose sight of your objective. You don’t want to confuse people by suddenly offering content that’s far off-topic.
How You Get Your Message Across
An important part of branding is getting your message across to your audience. And an essential part of this is using the right tone to set the mood of your website. You want to add character to your site to keep your audience’s interests, and a good way to do this is to infuse your personality into your content.
For example, if your target market are the young and fashion forward, then make sure that your tone of voice in the videos or content you write appeals to them. If your target audience is more mature and serious, then it’s a good idea to be more formal in your tone of voice, as you don’t want to end up offending anyone.
Images and Flash
It’s okay to add images and flash to your website, as long as it’s relevant to your content. Remember this. Don’t just add images for the sake of adding images. You want something that meshes well with the content you’re offering, and relevant to the audience you have. And though having Flash intros may sound appealing to you, they don’t really have mass appeal – and sometimes, they can even ruin your website’s experience for a visitor because of the loading times. So if it’s not really essential, skip the Flash and animation.
Make sure your site is good and relevant to your brand. You don’t want to turn your visitors away, because how else will they be able to see what you’re offering? Remember these tips, and make sure your website and brand are memorable to your audience.