In today’s modern world, a great way to spread the word about you or your business is through your very own website. You want to make sure that online visitors to the homepage of your site are left with a memorable first impression. One of the most important things to remember is that value is subjective. You want to let your customers know that what you have to offer them is what they want. A great way to do this is through designing your very own USP bar.
What is a USP Bar?
USP is an acronym for Unique Selling Point. It’s something that sets you and your website apart from other people who may have something similar to offer. It’s also the first thing that people should see when they visit your website. It’s right on the homepage, next to your logo.
It’s been said that if you can’t explain an idea within ten seconds, it probably isn’t worth figuring out. This means that, very often, the USP bar can even quickly describe your business as a whole to many of the visitors of your website. It can make or break your website’s success.
This may be sounding stressful so far, but the USP also gives you the chance to create something original. It only takes a little bit of direction and motivation to put your original ideas into anything. Here are a few tips on creating an appealing and fascinating USP bar for your website.
Determine What Your Website’s Purpose Is
Whether your website is for personal or business purposes, there’s always a way to find the core theme. Is your website selling office desk chairs? Perhaps a short and concise message, such as ‘Sit longer. Sit better.’ would seem desirable. Is your website mostly talking about roman history? Perhaps use a popular latin saying, such as ‘Senatus Populusque Romanus’ as your website’ catchphrase. The USP of your website should be related to the overall point. Always make sure that as soon as your visitors see your USP they know exactly why they are there. When you determine the purpose of your website, you will know what to write about for your website’s USP Bar.
Determine Who Your Audience Is
There’s also a lot to be said about who your audience and visitors are. Seventy year olds are rarely interested in their own pair of airpods, and, conversely, teenagers haven’t seemed to take an interest in walking canes as of yet. Through this common sense, by knowing what your website is offering, you can figure out who your website is potentially being offered to. It all comes down to the marketing; figuring out the demographics of your visitors.
This usually involves, but is not limited to, the gender, age, wealth, education or relationship status of the majority of your readers. These features can generally be used to figure out how to make your website appeal to that sweet target demographic, or most common type of reader (ex. single, female, middle-class, age 18 to 24, college educated). When you know what your target demographic is, based on what your website is offering, you know how to make the USP Bar of your website specifically interesting to them. In order to be a good seller, you have to understand why someone would want to be sold to.
Keep It Short
Most of us in the modern world lead busy lives. It’s often hard to sit down for a moment during the day to take a long break from the ever changing hassles in our professional environments. An unfortunate side effect of this has likely been our attention spans; they’re very short. To make an effective USP, it’s important to make it brief and get to the point.
This also goes back to the explaining ideas; if you can’t in ten seconds, then you just can’t. That certainly wouldn’t be helpful for your website. If people can figure out what the point of your website is that much faster, then it not only keeps people interested, but they can decide whether what you have to offer appeals to them right away. Everyone wins.
You might be thinking right now “Hasn’t this already been written?” Well, not exactly. While your website may have a purpose for who it appeals to, or who you are trying to sell to, that doesn’t have to be the whole story. Most people have a strong moral code or philosophy that they use to guide themselves through life with. I’m sure that you have one as well. Whether you know it or not, the USP Bar of your website is actually one of the best places to express this.
As an example of this, the USP Bar of the UNICEF homepage is “for every child.” This is a double meaning, of course. Their goal as an organization is to provide aid for children around the world, usually in the form of food, water and vaccinations. However, this USP Bar also speaks for their overall desire to make a positive impact around the world. This is outlined in their statements on child survival, education and social policy.
It’s the same thing with your website. Your goal is to attract visitors to the site in the moment, but to leave a lasting impression upon them. You may want to promote your website right away and in the moment, but it would be great to promote your website to your visitors’ hearts and souls as well.
Conclusion
Having your own website, whether for you or for your business, is a great idea these days. Augmenting that website with your own USP, your Unique Selling Point, is a surefire way to generate interest in what you have to offer. Everyone has the ability to be creative and original, and your own USP Bar will show the world how exactly you do just that.