Do you sell online?
You may have hired an SEO consultant or invested in a PPC campaign to drive traffic to your web site. Turning those visits into sales is critical and many web sites fail to do so or they do it at a very poor rate.
While you may have spent time refining your page titles and your copy, here are 5 more important areas not to overlook:
1. Security Concerns
If you’ve got a potential customer to your web site and even convinced them to add a product to their cart, you still have to close the deal and complete the sale. “Shopping cart abandonment” is a big issue for the e-commerce industry and is something which is analyzed heavily by all the big online retailers. To convince the customer to hand over his/her personal details and card information requires trust. You can help engender that trust by making it clear that your site is secure – invest in an SSL Certificate, display any logos or badges issued by your SSL provider and place a statement on the site confirming your commitment to data security and data privacy. It will go a long way in creating trust with your audience.
2. No Phone, Address or Social Media activity visible
Similar to number 5, its essential to create trust with your visitors. Display your phone number and address prominently. Get a proper business address and a business phone number. Most visitors won’t call, but they will be reassured that there is a number advertised just in case they need it. It shows you are real and not trying to hide. Similarly, social media connections are also a great way to establish trust – they show you are real and in a way provide live testimonials about your product or service (don’t forget to keep on top of comments posted!).
3. Checkout process
Simplify your checkout process as much as possible. Users lose patience very quickly these days. Time is money as the old saying goes. Add a “guest checkout” if this is supported by your shopping cart software. Anything which makes it easier for the user to hand over their card details and complete the transaction will boost your conversion rate.
4. Mobile traffic
Mobile traffic is growing at a phenomenal rate. If your site doesn’t work well on a smartphone and your checkout isn’t mobile friendly, you won’t convert a thing. Don’t waste mobile traffic. Use a mobile theme if your shopping cart support it or redesign your site so it’s mobile friendly. Find a web design agency with mobile development experience and don’t miss out on mobile traffic.
5. Testimonials
Testimonials, references and even comments from existing customers on social media can make or break a sale. Testimonials should of course be real and prominently placed. Don’t forget to keep on top of your social media pages and carefully manage any negative comments or unhappy customers who might drop in on your page, you can still turn it into a winner for your business.