Yesterday the Professional Speakers Association ran a special session on Internet Marketing for its members in London. There were three speakers – I was one of them – but for the entire session there was almost no reference to technology or specifics of web design, search engine optimisation and so on. Instead, web profitability expert Damien Senn reminded people that their web sites need to provide free information, to meet the psychological principal of reciprocity. He also pointed out that web sites need to help your audience like you as a an individual and provide the necessary authority for people to build trust with you. Another speaker, Chris Clark also suggested that psychological factors were significant in helping you ensure your boosted your online profits. He said you should check your web site so that it doesn’t provide barriers to a reader’s involvement, for instance not having “registration” prior to purchasing anything. Apparently, requiring readers to register as users prior to buying almost completely kills of any hope of sales at all. So, at yesterday’s meeting, people will have expected me to talk about some of the principles of Internet Psychology, but to hear that two independent web profitability and Internet Marketing experts were also saying you should pay attention to the psychology of your web site, there seems to be a running theme. The technological side of Internet Marketing and web design is often over emphasised. What’s important is how you connect with your readers. Concentrate on that first, leave the design and technology aside as it is much less important.