Building a website can be stressful. It can take a lot of work, a lot of money, and a lot of time. However, people now more than ever understand the importance of having an online presence. In fact, at the moment I am writing this post, the average number of new websites published per minute is 175.
The sad part is, many worry too much about the looks of the site, rather than the message. Don’t get me wrong, every website should be pleasing to look at, but more important is having your message be clear. You have to know that the people visiting your site know what you have to offer. That is why marketers use a test called “The Grunt Test.”
What is the grunt test?
It is a quick analysis to know if your website does the job or not. All you have to do, is show your website (home page or landing page) to random people that have never heard of your business for only 10 seconds. After this, they should be able to answer the 3 following questions:
- What is it you sale?
- Whether you offer a service or a product, there should be no confusion for what it is you provide. The human brain is designed to dislike confusion, so the answer to confusion is always “no”. Always find ways to clarify your message.
- How will your product or service make my life better?
- Let’s imagine your company offers pest control. Someone should be able to say that through your company, they can have a bug free home, enjoy their yard, and have more peace of mind.
- What do I need to do to buy?
- You would be surprised about how many people get this one wrong. Beautiful websites that never invite to action. Buttons like “Buy Now”, “Claim Offer”, “Call Today”, “Book Appointment”, and others are not pushy. They are essential to drive sales.
Ideas for you to run your own grunt test.
Share it with strangers to your business. If all of your family and friends know what you offer, go to a coffee house and ask strangers. Pull up the website on your cellphone and time 10 seconds. Then ask the 3 magic questions and see how you did. Like every test, do it multiple times and see if you find any patterns.
Also, make sure you test this in multiple devices. The responsive design must allow the same understanding whether people look at your website in a mobile phone, or a desktop computer, or an iPad.
