When I lived in Mexico and Honduras, I had access to a corporate jet to bring down any of the things I purchased online, so I quickly became a very accomplished internet shopper. I can look at a website and quickly determine whether I’m going to buy anything. Consumers are all super busy, and constantly multi-tasking, so it boggles my mind that some websites make me wait while graphics or flash intros load. As soon as I see that I’m going to have to wait, I click away.
On the other hand, there have been websites that caught my attention, and even though I didn’t buy anything, I shared the link with friends because I was so impressed.
1. Keep It Simple
The more complex your website, the less user friendly it is. If I have to click dozens of times to find what I’m looking for, I find it almost as annoying as interminable toll free helpline menus. I’m not stupid, nor am I lazy, but my time is valuable so I immediately resent a company that wastes it. Isn’t convenience supposed to be the main benefit of doing business online? Another turnoff is if the graphics are inappropriate. By that, I don’t mean vulgar, but I don’t want you to use images of cute kittens to sell me makeup just because people click on cute kittens. With Pinterest rapidly gaining popularity, a makeup site should have really fantastic images of products, girls wearing the products and video tutorials of how best to apply the makeup. All of these are things we can pin and share with friends.
2. Come Up With A Great Headline
Your headline is the welcome mat to your online business. It is the first thing your customer sees and will determine whether it drives them to continue into the site or drive them away! Come up with a compelling headline that makes visitors want to read your opening paragraph. This is your chance to really bury the hook and reel your customer in by clearly describing what you want them to do next.
3. Create An Identity
Your company website, Facebook page, Pinterest profile etc. should share a common thread so that you are using them all to create your company’s online identity, something that makes you stand out among your competition. You have to affiliate your brand with a lifestyle image in order to best take advantage of all that social media has to offer. You can also craft an identity that helps humanize your brand.Connecting on a personal level with consumers is what turns your customers into brand advocates.
4. Encourage Interaction
You want customers interacting with your site because positive interaction creates a much more memorable experience and will encourage repeat visits. Allow customers to comment and rate or review products. Whenever I am looking for a new product to try, I always read several customer reviews first.In fact, I skim through the company’s own description and head down to the ratings and reviews to get the straight goods. By creating a forum for customers to discuss your products you are developing a community. People want to have a voice, they want to rant or rave and get feedback. It is another form of social media.
5. Go Beyond Cyber
If it makes sense for your brand and the type of product or service you are selling, attend trade shows or find other ways to host events for your customers. By bringing the people who love your brand, and rave about it online, into the “inner circle” you are guaranteed to create lifelong brand advocates who will make it their business to promote you to their network.
You can read more on online marketing and SEO by the SEOMap team on this website.