Let's chat a bit about website branding...

How long will someone spend looking at your website before bouncing? Are you utilizing the "above the fold" to keep them interested in scrolling down to read more? How are your major elements positioned to enhance attraction?

Read below for some ideas on how to keep visitors engaged and what key elements should be placed "above the fold."

Old-timey newspaper parlance referenced "above the fold" to be the top of the newspaper where the most attention-grabbing headlines and content would be placed in order to grab the reader's attention.

The same proves true for website design. Although screen sizes are different (monitors versus laptops versus cellphones), the same principle is generally adhered to and what I advise to all my clients.

It is generally agreed that website visitors scan a website using a Z-like formation where their eye travels from the left to the right, diagonally back to the left before ending on the right, as seen in the above diagram. This is done in seconds.

My preference is to have the logo first followed by a "Contact" or "Schedule a Call" button. The box labeled "Promise" should be your brief offer/company promise. This can also be paired with a "hero shot" - an image of you or your work/product.

The bottom two points/boxes represented different Calls to Actions (CTA). The first could be another "Contact" or "Order Now" box, and the last is a Transactional Call to Action (TCTA). This could be an FAQ or downloadable guide - a resource that requires an email or sign-up to receive the free product.

A few quick changes to improve your website...

Brevity is key. Some of the best web pages have a max of 10 or 15 lines of text.

Think about limiting website colors to three: primary, secondary, and accent. Primary should make up the majority of your website theme, with secondary making up around 25% and accent (think sidebar or heading colors) making up 10%.

SEO. Don't get scared of good Search Engine Optimization! Keywords and <h1> tags are some of the most common items missing from websites that I evaluate. Both can do wonders to improve your Google rankings and help move you up the rankings.