Optimize Your Country Music Web Site - Look Like A Pro
In this day and age, a country music artist who does not have their own web site is missing a vital business tool.
A web site provides information about you, a way to sell your CDs and merchandise, a way to connect with your fans, and a way to connect with potential business partners.
When designed properly, a web site makes you look like a pro and is an amazing tool in helping you achieve your goals.
When designed badly, the site could be driving away potential fans and business opportunities.
I research every artist that goes into my web site, the International Country Music Database, so I've been to A LOT of country music artist sites over the last few years.
Some have been exceptionally well-developed while others have been, to be honest, nightmares.
Indecipherable navigation, slow-loading graphics, and lack of contact information make it extremely difficult to get the information I need.
Because I need the information, I try harder than the average surfer to figure out a site.
Most people probably just leave, never to return.
The goal of your site should be to provide your visitors with what they're looking for.
You want them to spend time on your site because they have found the information they're looking for and find it useful, not because they can't find it.
In order to attract visitors to and keep visitors on your site, you need the following:
Remember, you want to look like a pro and let people know you're serious about your career.
For more ideas on how to create your site, see the next article in this series, Optimize Your Country Music Web Site: Part 2 - What to Include.
A web site provides information about you, a way to sell your CDs and merchandise, a way to connect with your fans, and a way to connect with potential business partners.
When designed properly, a web site makes you look like a pro and is an amazing tool in helping you achieve your goals.
When designed badly, the site could be driving away potential fans and business opportunities.
I research every artist that goes into my web site, the International Country Music Database, so I've been to A LOT of country music artist sites over the last few years.
Some have been exceptionally well-developed while others have been, to be honest, nightmares.
Indecipherable navigation, slow-loading graphics, and lack of contact information make it extremely difficult to get the information I need.
Because I need the information, I try harder than the average surfer to figure out a site.
Most people probably just leave, never to return.
The goal of your site should be to provide your visitors with what they're looking for.
You want them to spend time on your site because they have found the information they're looking for and find it useful, not because they can't find it.
In order to attract visitors to and keep visitors on your site, you need the following:
- A professional look - I'm not saying this has to be boring or designed by a high-priced expert.
What I'm saying is that it can't look like you just threw it together in a day.
Also, avoid cutesy animations and graphics.
You want the site to express who you are, but you also want it to indicate you're a pro (even if you're just starting out!). - Easy/intuitive navigation - If I can't figure out how to get to other pages on your site, how will I learn more about you?
- Clean design - Make it easy for me to read the text that you have on your site.
Use colors that contrast well (black on white, for example).
If I want to know about you, I need to be able to read what's been written! - Easy access to the information I'm looking for - This ties in with navigation, but is also about what information you include on your site.
What are your fans or potential business partners looking to get from your site?That should drive what information goes on your site.
Remember, you want to look like a pro and let people know you're serious about your career.
For more ideas on how to create your site, see the next article in this series, Optimize Your Country Music Web Site: Part 2 - What to Include.
