Web Design Buyers April 2010
Web design Sunshine Coast
We can read reams on getting visitors to your web site which I agree is the first step. However the focus of this newsletter is getting those visitors to buy.
At Web design Sunshine Coast we have followed the ROI process (Return on Investment) and guarantee to convert visitors into buyers.
We need to attract visitors who are interested in your products or services. Next, we need those visitors to take an action. Ultimately it is to convert them into buyers or at least get them started / interested. This is often called a “call to action”. The “call to action” may be to build an email list, a quotation request or signing up for a Weimar.
Web design for sales
In previous editions, we have covered branding and web design for customers. If a website is designed with style sheets, it may be changed easily to accommodate the whims of our customers.
It is important that your web site will be memorable and that stands out from the crowd. You don’t have to design the next greatest “artwork”. It only means that you must have a style that your visitors will like and remember. The design should be appropriate to your industry.
Remove the noise; the clutter; the blinking images; focus on clear information and prices. Potential customers are searching the internet for answers to their questions. They are looking for information to a problem they might have. Make it quick and easy for them to find the information that they are seeking. Have a clear writing style, links and formatting.
Web design for buyers.
Guide your visitors on the steps they should do next. Grab their attention, build their trust and then get them to take an action (call to action). Your best selling sequence should be built into your website. Always give the right information to your visitors before you take them through the call to action.
A common mistake in e-commerce web sites is that they are not revealing the shipping costs until the payment step. We also advise against using your home page as your entire "About Us" spiel. By all means add that as a link. More on professional web design.
Web design layout
The displays at the end of the supermarket aisle are considered prime locations on the shopping floor. In fact, manufacturers pay stores, or provide other incentives, just to get their product displayed there. The store sells more, the manufacturer sells more and you've got a happy customer. Use this to display your specials, stock you’d like to move.
Marketing experts also know that products at eye level sell more than products on the bottom shelves and, again, eye-level shelf space comes at a premium. The next time you're in the supermarket, notice where the Coke is shelved. It's at eye level and the Coca-Cola Company knows it and offers stores a better wholesale price to get that shelf space.
When customers select a product, show them what other customers have purchased in relation to that product. More on web design layout.
Web design checkout
A secure checkout is also a must, preferably with a number of options including credit card, Pay Pal and more traditional forms of payment.
Online buyers are looking to buy securely and you should provide a secure SSL certificate i.e. the locked padlock.
Your site should make it easy to shop with a shopping cart that can be changed with a click, a fast secure checkout and an invoice in the e-mail box (with a confirmation number).
Do this and you're building a base of buyers who'll be back because you had the goods and you made it easy, convenient and fun. In 2003 we wrote an online shopping guide which will guide you through the "nuts and bolts" of ecommerce.
Web design communication
Unlike a physical shop, checking out in an online shop can take time to complete.
We let our visitors know how far they have gone, by breaking the steps up and showing a progress bar. A huge element of communication – (the 2 way street) is trust.
People are cautious to buy online. Always make it easy for them to contact you by providing your address and phone number on your website.
Post your shipping procedure, privacy and refund policy so that your visitors can read them.
Web design improvements
Be prepared to make changes to your web site based on actual experience. Measure the bounce rate of your website. The bounce rate is the number of visitors that visits a particular page and then leaves without going on to the other pages. These are then divided by the total of visitors to the page.
Other key measurements include visitor counts, traffic sources and conversion rates.
Disclaimer
12website.com has prepared the supplied information as a voluntary service to the online community. The information is necessarily web design and small business in nature and is not intended to be relied upon other than as general background material. This should not be used as specific advice, recommendations or guidance, and specialist assistance should be sought by anyone in need of such help. 12website.com accepts no liability under any circumstances for any loss, expense, damages or costs whether direct or indirect (including loss of profits / damage to business) which may be incurred by any person as a result of relying on or using in whole or in part any of the supplied information.