Why 8 Surprisingly Simple Graphics Increase Sales and Opt-in Rates

When I got my start in 1999, I constructed my first website with FrontPage software. Everyone I knew only had dial-up Internet and it was just tediously slow. Images took ages to load, so I was forced to keep the graphics on my site to a bare minimum.

Currently, of course, most folks are using high-speed Internet and are zipping around the Internet faster than ever. So Internet entrepreneurs have no excuse for not having the best graphics they can afford. Even the humblest site has graphics, so we all have to follow suit. The wise use of graphics is the key to outmaneuvering your competition and using freelancers to do so makes it very affordable.

If I was asked to recommend a single freelancer website to someone just getting started, I would have to say Elance. All you have to do is put all your website graphic ideas into one project (to save some dough), post it on Elance, and let Elance’s freelancers bid on it.

How the Process at Elance Works

Elance is home to professional graphic designers that know the ins and outs about making cartoon characters and other illustrations, icons, graphs, logos – whatever you can imagine.

The thing is, however, is that you have to put forth some effort up front. So in one sitting you have to sit down and focus. Brainstorm your ideas, really put your nose to the grindstone, look at some other websites for ideas, and get your project organized.

Don’t let the work involved put you off; think of it like you’re writing an exceptionally detailed email that you are going send to your graphic artist. The more details you give them, the closer their work will be to what you envision.

When the bidding process is coming to an end, you can easily shave down your list of possible choices by making sure every person on that list meets your criteria whatever they may be.

In the end, you’ll have to pick a freelancer and put the payment for the job in escrow so you can release funds as the graphic artist’s work arrives in your inbox. Soon enough, you’ll have a great-looking website and your revenue and conversion rates will be boosted as well.

Many people reading this will wrongfully believe that a simple freelancer cannot possibly handle the details of their project, but freelancers really are professionals. They are essentially small business owners (though some freelancers you find on Elance are actually composed of several individuals), and they know their chosen profession. It doesn’t matter if you need a simple set of images or the elaborate services of a professional infrared photographer you’ll find them on Elance.

My Tips for Outsourcing Graphics

Arguably, all site owners want their website to feature great graphics, but they often stop short because they don’t know where to start when it comes to finding a graphic artist or where they should focus when it comes to the various aspects of graphics. Featuring great graphics on your site, however, really does increase your websites sales and opt-in rates.

1) Header Graphic – Just about every website you go to has a header graphic that lets you know right off the bat that you are at the right place. When picking your header graphic, you should avoid one that is extremely large and flashy. Instead, you just should go for a simple graphic that serves to draw in the visitor. Personally, I always say that owners should put their smiling face on the site’s header graphic to simply let everyone know that a real person is in charge of the site.

You will see my wife Arlene in the examples provided. These graphics were created for her website which she developed specifically to provide support and assistance to mothers who are dealing with an epileptic child. I think you would agree that these graphics really help to get that point across.

2) Thumbnails - Thumbnails are cheap and easy to put together; just use your header’s headshot photo. Ask your freelancer to make different variations on your thumbnail for you to use on social media websites like Facebook and Twitter and you can also use them on blogs.

3) Banner Ads – Banner ads are the unfortunately often-irksome ads that splay across the tops and bottoms of various websites. Your banner, though, should not be display such characteristics; a friendly, polite message will be far more inviting and get you more visitors. Banners are easy to create; have your freelancer mock up a few options for you.

4) Signature File – All this is is your everyday signature in a digital file. Sign a blank sheet of paper, scan it with your scanner, and there you have it. Once you have this, you can put it below your website’s introductory message for a feel of authenticity.

5) Control Panel – Complicated control panels fall under ‘speciality graphics’ and are often the toughest graphic for any website. So before you hire a freelancer make sure they are confident in designing control panels. This interactive graphic is what lets people navigate your site, so you want one that is attractive and fully functional.

6) Promotional Graphics – You simply must have promotional graphics for your podcast if you actually want people to listen to it. No advertising equals no listeners.

I highly recommend podcasting if you aren’t already doing so. It’s a super way to get your message out because many prefer to listen to podcasts on their IPods while running on the treadmill, versus reading website text. My wife Arlene’s podcast, for example, has had over fifty thousand downloads!

7) Cover Art - A lot of Internet marketers out there have written books, some of which are only in PDF format. If your book is just in PDF form at this time, you can still have cover art created for it to get more people to take it seriously and download it.

Newsletter – A newsletter is a fundamental feature, if you aren’t already distributing one. Your freelancer can use the same graphics they used for the rest of your site to put together a consistent, attention-grabbing newsletter to send out.

Build Relationships with Good Freelancers

Don’t cut off all communication with your freelancer just because your website is up and running. Some day you may need them again. Who can say what the future holds? Some day down the road you may have to retouch a photograph in a graphic on your site. That same freelancer will probably be able to get this done for you cheaply and quickly.

I’m confident that your experience using graphics to boost sales and opt-in rates will be as fruitful as mine if you follow my advice. I welcome your questions and would love to hear about your experience in outsourcing graphics or any other job.

This is a guest post by:

James Martell has been a full-time affiliate marketer since 1999 and has been teaching his techniques and winning strategies to others since 2001. He is a renowned expert in affiliate marketing, natural search engine optimization, and outsourcing and is also a sought after speaker at industry conferences. James hosts the ‘Affiliate Buzz’ on WebmasterRadio.FM and lives with his wife Arlene and their 4 kids in a seaside suburb of Vancouver, BC Canada.