Re: Bulding Traffic

From: Loren Baker <lorenbake_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Mon 09 Jun 2003 08:00:06 -0500

Simeon,

At first glance of the Washington Times's web site my
first critique is that the main news stories and
features are located below the fold. The page is too
narrow and only one story is in clear view (the
Ashcroft one).
 
The AP links give no enticement for me to click on
them, with no summary of the stories. In addition, I
am only served the headline and first sentence of the
Arafat story.
 
Now, take a look at your competition's homepage,
WashingtonPost.com serves SEVEN to EIGHT main
headlines and intros to stories above the fold.
 
While both of the WashingtonTimes.com's main stories
deal with politics/MiddleEast/terror (which all are
the same genre in many minds of spoon fed media
Americans), the WashingtonPost serves several stories
of several news categories:
 
Timely/Sports- Belmont Horse Race and the chance for a
Triple Crown winner
Political- Republicans in trouble
World- Isreal/Palestine summit
Domestic- Jobless Rate hits 6.1 Percent
Environment/Health- Few fines for polluting
Military/War- Troops to leave DMZ
Local- Prince Georges County
Commentary
 
This drives users to various parts of the site.
Readers may be used to checking out the
Nation/Politics section on a daily basis, but click
over to the Maryland, Sports, Redskins, or Cooking
section because of an interesting story they see on
the home page.
 
The reader can then navigate back to the homepage or
directly to the Nation/Politics page via the side bar.
 
Several of these main stories have related story links
located underneath them. Giving the Post about 9 to 10
MAIN stories above the fold. And the Times- one or
two.
 
Your top AP stories look like a list I can find on any
web site. The Washington Times is a respected news
source in the DC area. The webpage should reflect
this. I believe the Times could offer its users more
than simple AP links.
 
There are also many other tools we can discuss which
can keep users on your site for a longer time. Forums
is one no brainer. Give readers the option to discuss
or argue stories or points. Serve samples of those
arguments at the bottom of the stories. Get your
readers INVOLVED!
 
Once you do so, you won't have to worry about using
your in house ads to promote sections of your site.
Instead, you can use them for what they're for;
generating revenue.

Sincerely,
Loren M. Baker
Senior Marketing Executive
 
WebAdvantage.net <http://www.webadvantage.net>
Part Interactive marketing. Part Technology. Pure
Results.
mailto:loren_at_webadvantage.net
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traffic and
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Received on Mon Jun 09 2003 - 08:00:06 CDT