Marketing is all about developing trust. This is why I am always totally amazed, when I see an apparently legitimate company, using the exact same ‘toilet paper web design’ as used by online criminals, scammers and con artists!
What is a ‘toilet paper web design’?
I coined the phrase ‘toilet paper web design’ a year ago. It refers to that ugly, hard-sell design style, where web pages are fairly narrow BUT REALLY, REALLY, REALLY LONG! They just roll on and on like a long narrow roll of toilet paper (hence the name!)
Usually, these over-long pages use lots of different font colours and font sizes, plus pictures of expensive cars, piles of money or sometimes both! There’s way too much use of underlined words and highlighted text – they look like a total mess! Some even show fake copies of financial records and fake testimonials about whatever scam they are trying to fool you into signing up for.
They then end with a super, limited offer; for you to get a ‘bundle’ worth 299.99, for just 24.99! The bundle is either membership of something or a photoshop image of a box, which looks like a 1970′s soap powder box!
Legitimate businesses should use legitimate marketing!
When someone visits a website, they immediately form their all-important first impression of that website and the person or business behind it! If they see you using the same online marketing style as a scammer, you are really in trouble! Your image will be warning them NOT to go within a mile of you – that’s not good for your marketing!
Unbelievably, some of the most common users of toilet paper web design are legitimate business coaches, trainers and consultants! This con artist template is fine for con artists. However, if you have a legitimate business with a legitimate product or service, it’s crazy to try and emulate what criminals do.
Whenever I have spoken to legitimate businesses, who use the toilet paper web design approach, they always say they did it after either reading some ebook or after seeing a site that claimed to be successful, using the same approach.
An ebook can be written and posted to the Internet in minutes and a scammer will never admit their site is not working! They usually have dozens of sites and rely on each one finding enough vulnerable people to make a small profit!
If you know a legitimate business that’s using this approach – point them to this article and help them avoid being wrongly associated with Internet scumbags!
What’s even worse is “Wet Toilet Paper Web Designs!”
You know the kind that you can see by just looking at it that it isn’t going to help you one bit, so why bother!
Hi Jim,
Oh man, I can not abide those sites. What amazes me is that there are still people using that format. In one respect its useful because like the guy above said, you see them and instantly go someplace else.
What I did not know until reading your post, was that proper businesses also use that site design. Why would they do that?!!?!
Love the blog!
Andrea
Hello Tim
- Thanks for the comment. Yes, these sites are very easy to spot (and avoid!)
Hello Andrea
- Thanks for the kind words. What’s odd, is that the legitimate businesses that use the same approach as the con artists are totally unaware that people automatically link that kind of website with a scam.
Thanks for the comments!
Jim
Another great article Jim. I thought it was just me that noticed that weird kind of rip-off site design.
Is it an actual template or are these rip off dudes just ripping each other off too? That would be funny.
A well written and original post like the rest of your stuff. Just added you to my twitter feed. In light, Sol.
Hello Ray and Sol,
It’s not an actual template – it’s more of a blind leading the blind kind of deal!
See you on Twitter Sol – for everyone else, you can catch me at
@jimconnolly
Thanks for the StumbleUpon review of the post too!
JIm
The first comment here that supports the use of these get rich quick sites, will be from someone whose using one. I just wanna be the first to say that.
LOL @ Traffic Guy
Let’s see!
JC
Hi Jim,
Great post, I totally agree and am glad I’m not the only one who thinks this way. As soon as I run across these websites I’m gone in .2 seconds. Even if, by some miracle, the topic intrigues me and the product/service being promoted is legitimate and would actually do what it promises, I wouldn’t trust the site enough to purchase through it.
We just starting following each other on Twitter, I’m B2B_MarketingPR. Stumbled this post, I think we’re friends on SU too.
Hello Kim,
Thanks for the kind words. The post about toilet paper websites are certainly generating a lot of interest and traffic!
Thanks for the ‘Stumble’ and keep in touch!
Jim Connolly
toilet paper web design lol. not heard that phrase before – is very true
Hello Target ict
Thanks for the comment. I think the phrase is really appropriate too!
Jim Connolly
Never heard that phrase before Jim, but I love it!!
They might as well have a big button at the top which says “click here to go somewhere else”