…rather than sending them scrambling for the back button

So what’s the difference between a link that makes you say to yourself: “I… I have GOT to check this out!” (and even causes you to forget why you got on your computer) and the link that inspires a scowl, followed by the words: “I think my computer might catch a disease from this site…”? These may be extreme examples, but all of us have had these moments of intense interest or sharp distaste while surfing the virtual super highway that is the World Wide Web. As an online service, here are a few tips to consider when seeking to inspire a profitable response from potential site traffic:

1.       Does my product or service meet needs? And do I make that clear?
People only leave the “beaten path” for vague suggestions of fulfillment in horror movies, and we all know how that ends. People want to know what they are getting into, so title your links accordingly.

2.       This may seem contradictory to number one, but title your links in a way that will inspire curiosity: Are my links interesting? You can attract curiosity and preserve an enticing guarantee of fulfillment by presenting a conflict (this as opposed to this), using humor (irony and illicit excitement can inspire emotional curiosity), or defining what something isn’t (contradiction is a great way to get attention).

3.        “Keep it real.” Seriously though: make your links relatable and tangible. Use words and imagery in your links that appeal to the human senses (the user viewing your link may be looking to experience something a little more interesting than the blandness of his or her keyboard). Remember to make sure that your “tangible-ness” is related to the service you offer though: Remember how annoyed you were after you saw that tire commercial that consisted of teenagers running on a beach? Let your links “foretell’ the joy a user will find in using your services or buying your actual product.