Splash or not?

Splash or not?
Question: is it better to have the web page open on this week’s scope, the teaser entry, or is it better to have it go to a splash page with a link?

What should be on the splash page?

Conventional, current best practices, suggests — I can’t answer — yet.

Example of a splash page – www.astrofish.net/mrx

That page has a single goal, sell a copy of the book, “The Portable Mercury Retrograde,” in one form or another, eBook, Kindle, or even conventional hard copy.

Hard copy would be almost archaic but I’m in love with the cover art, a personal favorite.

http://www.kramerw.com/2009/08/07032009/

http://www.kramerw.com/2009/09/09192009/

Current best thinking concludes that a splash page would have certain, bulleted points.

https://astrofish.net/travel/barefoot-astrology/

The site’s tamed version.

http://www.barefootastrology.com/

A serious splash, or, to be more precise, a squeeze page.

What elements are in most important, what are the bullet selling points?

Wacky, urbane, literate, unwashed, able to combine diverse elements like Shakespeare’s Richard III and and old Ford truck, and have it make sense?

www.astrofish.net

High brow ideas in a more relaxed low brow setting?

So far, I’ve labored to make this easier for the paid-up subscribers. Some advertising and extraneous side bar material is stripped out of the pay-per-view, further capturing my minimalist yearnings and leanings.

It’s all slightly restructured, prices have finally crept up, but still on par with a gallon of gas. Got rid of the weekly price but offered the first month for a dollar.