3 Ways to Make it Easier for Web Customers to Buy From You
By Pam Foster, Certified SEO Copywriter
ContentClear Marketing
Your Web site is as important to your business as your storefront, your best sales representative, the quality and reputation of your products, and your company’s brand.
If you own a retail shop, you work hard to make sure it’s attractive to customers so they instantly see what you provide. In your shop, customers can find products quickly, with clearly marked prices and several displays that help the shopper put your products together. Your friendly staff is standing by to help and to answer questions, and is always available to assist with a quick, smooth checkout.
Finally, you thank the customer for shopping your store and you offer a savings coupon toward a return visit. It all makes for a very pleasant customer experience. This means they’ll likely return to buy more, and they’ll tell all their friends.
This is essentially the same kind of experience you want to offer on the Web, and there’s a term for it: Web site usability.
Usability is about the delightful experience a customer has when they go on your site…so they’ll continue to buy from you and tell others.
A great Web site design contains the following usability considerations:
- A simple, clean design that focuses on customer needs
- Easy navigation or access to the main features, without being too busy or confusing
- Detailed information (other pages or links) with just one or two clicks
- Appropriate and helpful graphics that balance with descriptive text
- A logical information hierarchy, with menus that guide customers to what they need
The fact is, if a site’s not user-friendly (if viewers can’t find what they’re looking for) there’s no point in having it!
Therefore, your Web site must be optimized! Its functional design, graphic design and content will make—or break—your online shop success.
By paying close attention to all three of these areas, you’ll make it easier for your customers to buy from you.
- Site Design (Functional Design)
This is the structure, functionality and fundamental usability of your Web site, including the navigation, number and type of pages, menu set-up, any links or downloads, search capability, sign-up boxes, forms, auto-responses, etc.
Whether you’re building a new site or renovating your existing site, create a site plan or map to spell out these things in detail.
- Graphic Design
This is the look, feel and readability of your site, including colors, font choices, text formats, graphics and other design elements that reflect your business brand and help the viewer. The design should blend your business identity (logo, etc.) with words, product photos, charts and other visuals to help visitors recognize you and move easily through your site to find what they need.
- Content
This refers to the actual words and messages that appear on each of your Web pages. “Content is King” is STILL the rule of thumb because the content, or copy, is your online salesperson. When optimized Web copy engages customers immediately, and clearly shows them an attractive solution to their needs, the results can be very exciting.
Be sure that your Web site is optimized by including content written for your customers and what they’re looking for.
These are just some of the ways you can boost your success on the Internet.
To learn more, you’ll want to check out the C-Clear™ Method for Web Search Optimization.
Or, contact us for help with your website.
