Introduction to Website Conversion Rates 100+ Tips - 3
28. Check on the copyright.
Make sure the copyright at the bottom of every single page is up to date. If it’s 2009, you don’t want your copyright to read 2001. This makes the whole site look and feel outdated, even if you’ve just recently updated it.
29. Customize errors.
If your customer happens to run across an error, you can customize your 404 error pages. If there’s a problem with the server, make it look professional and give people a secure sense that the website will be back up and running as soon as possible.
30. Sorting makes life easier.
Add a sort items option to your web store. Allow people to sort by sizes, price, color, and most recently added items. This makes navigating the website much easier, and shopping a breeze. You should also allow customers to choose how many items they see per page of results, such as only 10 per page, 40 per page, or all items on each page.
31. Too many choices can be annoying.
If you’re selling blue t-shirts, and blue t-shirts only, there is no need to have a color choice drop down box. This can seem misleading and make people think other colors were once available. It is also overkill, so try to only use this when there are actually multiple colors or other options to choose from.
32. Give people estimated delivery times.
Although it’s impossible to predict UPS and the post office, adding an estimated delivery time for your customer is helpful. This keeps up anticipation, and encourages people to make a purchase since they have an idea when the item will arrive.
33. Allow for mailing list sign ups.
Create a page where people can enter their email address in to sign up for a newsletter or mailing list. That way, they can be updated when you have new sales and your conversion rate will improve. A lot of online merchants add this to the home page, but you can put it wherever works best for you.
34. Don’t get too technical.
When customers enter in their credit card number, do not use the term CVV code. Instead, explain that it is the last 3 digits on the back of their card. Avoid sounding too techie, since a lot of online shoppers will not understand the technical lingo. Show a picture of the back of a “fake” credit card, and circle the last three digits so people can clearly see and understand what the CVV code is. The CVV code is an excellent anti fraud method, so it’s recommended that you turn on this option in your shopping cart.
35. Showcase your best sellers.
Use the home page or another main shopping page to highlight the top 5 or 10 items that sell on the website. By showing people what is selling well, they will be interested to learn more. Don’t feature more than 5 to 10 items, or else it will look cluttered and the customer may think that you’re boasting that everything is a big seller. By choosing a few select items, you’re enticing people to buy these items and to check out some other things throughout the website.
36. Make your buttons stand out.
Be sure your “buy now” button and other buttons on your website look professional, colorful, and attract people to buy. Even something as small as a button can make a big difference in what people end up doing when they visit.
37. Highlight your links.
Underline and highlight all clickable links. This will entice people to click on, and it lets them know that certain text can be clicked on to take them to a new page with more information.
38. Pay attention to your keywords.
Implement good keywords into your website so people who search with them will stumble on your site. Be sure to use a good SEO service or program that can help you maximize your keywords effectively.
39. Showcase one special deal each week.
If you can, try to rotate a hot deal every week. This will keep customers coming back, and will entice new ones. This is not the same thing as the special items or best sellers, but instead one, specific item that is on sale for the week.
40. Highlight the seasons.
Make a list of all seasons and holidays, and then come up with interesting graphics and promotions for each. Don’t forget to include these promos in your email newsletters or weekly mailings for those who have signed up on the sight.
41. Look for niche groups.
Think about the products and services you’re selling, then try to find the niche groups who would be interested in them. Find forums, websites, and other sources where these people frequent, and then post some information with your link. Target groups are the way to get people who will be more likely to make a sale to come to your site and buy something. You wouldn’t add a link to your site that sells women’s clothing on a gun and ammo site, and vice versa. Be aware of who your niche customers are, and then focus in on those websites. Register as a user, and post in their forums and include your link. Many people will at least take a look at it via this method.
42. Surveys matter.
Don’t be afraid to follow up each purchase with a customer satisfaction survey. It can be completely up to the customer to fill it out, but often you will get some constructive criticism and some helpful input from others this way. The survey can be a pop up once they’ve completed an order, a link at the order confirmation page, or through an email when they are done. Survey Monkey is a
good survey client, but there are many others you can use and recruit to help compile your survey data for you.
43. Be prepared.
If you don’t have anyone at certain times to answer your 800 number or you cannot answer all customer emails immediately, it’s important to be prepared. Come up with a prerecorded message stating your hours and an alternative contact method for those who call. For emails, have an auto res-ponder set up so people will at least have a confirmation that their email was received before you answer them.
44. Make it short and sweet.
Don’t make the checkout process so tedious that it scares buyers away. Try to streamline your cart so that adding items, entering in billing & shipping information, and then paying with credit card is a snap.
45. Go above and beyond.
Do not use a generic template to create your website. Instead, design the site yourself or hire a web designer who will give your web page pizzazz. You don’t want to look like other sites, and you want to have a unique feel to your business that distinguishes you from the rest.
46. Test, test, and test some more.
Always test your site and cart to make sure it’s working properly. Feel free to make changes as you see fit, and try to eliminate website errors. By performing frequent and thorough testing, you will ensure that your website is working the way it should be.
47. Delegate duties if possible.
Depending on the size of your business, you may want to hire or utilize one person who is solely dedicated to the sales portion of your business. This person’s mission should be to market, advertise, and reach out to potential customers. As an e-commerce business owner, that person should be you, but if you’re too busy or have too much volume to handle it all yourself, you’ll want someone else to help grab the reigns.
48. Show costs as they go.
Instead of tallying up the total cost when the customer adds in their shipping information, try to tally this info. as they go along. People are very money conscious these days, so knowing how much they’re spending in total as they shop can be very helpful.
49. Be competitive.
Not only does your site need to be competitive in the Internet world, your prices should be also. Don’t overcharge people if you can avoid it. Most web savvy shoppers know a good deal when they see one, and if they feel like they could find it elsewhere, odds are they will.
50. Search tools rule.
Make sure your search box and tool work properly. Be sure to program this script so that it shows results to the customers in detail. A lot of people go to different sites just to search for a specific item, so you want that item to easily be displayed. Test your search tool often to ensure that the results are being displayed properly.
51. Place the cart in a good spot.
Make sure the shopping cart is easy to find and easy to see. The upper right corner seems to be a popular place versus the bottom of the screen. If someone updates their cart, the pop up and cart window should show this immediately, so they can track their purchases.
52. Avoid the country selection.
The odds are very likely that most of your customers will be from the United States. That annoying choose your country option is not really necessary and can be rather tedious. If you only ship to the US and Canada for example, make those the only two options to choose from.
53. Credit cards are not the only way for people pay.
While most online shoppers use credit cards, including other payment options
gives people more choices as to how they buy. Think about adding a service such as Paypal or accepting e-checks as an alternative payment. You can even offer a printable order form for those who still prefer to mail checks or money orders through snail mail. This should most likely boost your conversion rate, since the customer can pick his or her preferred payment method.
54. Speed is key.
Make sure your site loads as quickly as possible. Studies have shown that most visitors who have to wait more than five seconds for a page to load will move on to another one. Having a good web host that will display your website quickly is very important.
55. Relate your products.
Add suggestions for other products on your individual product landing pages. For example, if a customer buys a widget, add an application that says something like, “If you like this item, you will also like widget 2!” and include a photo. Often, people are not aware of what else you have to offer till you direct them to the right place.
coming Soon Next article part 4...
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