Getting traffic deeper into your website.

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Strategic Advice
By Kevin and Eric Masi
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Getting people to your site is no longer enough. In fact, it has never been enough. As much as 80% of online traffic leaves from the home page. Why browsers leave from the first page of a site varies greatly. Compare it to scanning magazine covers or browsing the supermarket shelf. Confusing or inaccessible information, a long load time, inarticulate messaging, a disconcerting design, poor navigation—these all contribute to audience fall off. We had one client who ran a series of cable spots for his product. Site traffic jumped but sales barely moved. Upon close inspection, it was the lack of continuity and clarity in the site that discouraged a purchase.

To battle the finicky and hesitant nature of the online shopper/researcher, Torque is constantly introducing new tactics to garner attention and guide interest. The first and simplest method is to make the home page an information portal, almost like a news site. A simple series of navigational buttons running neatly across the top are often not enough. Introduce nuggets of call-out copy on the home page with links to the full content deeper within the site. "People need to be fed morsels, intrigued and sold on looking beyond the cover," states Kevin Masi, President and co-founder of Torque. "To get people past that home page inertia, we recommend home page features, news events or rotating internal banner ads."

Another method that's on the rise is "online chats" or live pop-up personal helpers. It's now easy to detect a confused or hesitant visitor, due to their browsing lull and click patterns. If a shopper seems reluctant to key in credit card information, an agent pops up and reassuringly walks the shopper through the process. These chat services operate on a performance basis and have an impressive record of doubling or tripling sales.

The list goes on. Providing audience-focused sections of the site gives visitors a clear path to what interests them most. People like to see themselves reflected in the navigation. Another solution is to severely limit the places a visitor can go, reducing the confusion of choice. Create a clear, singular point of focus that just demands click through. Make your promotion take over the home page.

These and a half dozen other elements help increase a visitor's time on your site, which ultimately leads to better understandings and better sales.

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Torque revitalizes
its own habitat.

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Torque News
Studio Update
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Torque exercised a little 3-D design when it revamped it's conference room and reception area. "We are all about presentation and sharing our work. Our studio space is our soap box, museum, and stage all in one," says principal and Senior Creative Director Eric Masi. With a reverent nod to the mod 1960s, Senior Designer Ian Law conceived of the conference room, crafting an aesthetic around perfect square proportions that extend from the carpet tiles to hanging square room dividers. The new HD flatscreen, surround sound and wireless presentation system takes Torque's tradition of show-and-tell to a new level. Say goodbye to flash cards and slide screens.

Here's a quick peek into the new space.





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Torque pampers a cosmetic brand.

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Torque News
Client Update
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Touch, a progressive Chicago based nail salon franchise model, was looking to launch its first stores in the Chicago area. Torque was brought on to build the Touch brand overall, including the identity system, signage, advertising, online presence and even franchise selling kits. Touch has rapid growth plans and intends to be national within the next year.

Here are some teaser shots from a recent photo shoot we directed for them.





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