When running an online business, it can be easy to fall into the trap of prizing traffic above all else. Obviously attracting visitors to your website is vital but overall this means nothing unless they are buying. There are many guides out there for boosting traffic, in fact the entire SEO industry is based around the idea of attracting more online visitors. However, transforming visitors into customers can require a different approach. The following are just some of the ways in which you can achieve this.
Design
The design of your website can have a significant effect on visitors and their decision to buy. The overall layout should be simple and stylish with intuitive navigation. The design of your product pages is just as important, if not more. Clear and attractive product images should be included, with important details such as prices, features and delivery information. Try not to bombard your consumers with too many options on the one page as this has been shown to discourage some buyers. It should also be noted that your ‘Buy’ or ‘Add to Cart’ button should be strategically placed and in a contrasting colour in order to attract attention. Most importantly, don’t be afraid of designs which are unique or bold, these can help you to stand out from the crowd.
Encourage
Encouraging a customer to purchase from you, over another vendor can be difficult. It’s for this reason that companies can benefit from offering incentives such as discounts, offers and free delivery. Online shoppers have become incredibly savvy and will often search for offer codes in order to grab a bargain. Offers can also be targeted towards customers, whether via social media blasts or emails sent to subscribers. This way subscribers are given an early warning of a sale or other promotion and this works as a kind of loyalty scheme.
Review
Customer reviews have become a fixture of many online stores, most notably Amazon. Showcasing these reviews will allow consumers to gain a personal insight into the products they are looking at and this can be influential in the overall purchase decision. Many companies are now asking their customers to complete reviews in exchange for entry into competitions.
Another way that customer reviews can help boost sales is through search engine recommendations. Positive reviews on your products can place your website higher on search results and therefore more visible to customers.
Remind
Online window shoppers will often plan to make a purchase, even going as far as placing an item within their trolley and then change their mind. Many companies are now using this phenomenon as a way to boost sales by reminding consumers that they wanted to purchase an item. You can do this in a number of ways. Some stores will email a customer who has left an item within their basket and remind them of this fact. Others will even offer a discount if the customer decides to make this purchase.
The other method of reminding shoppers of a potential purchase is more subtle. A customer may be visiting a product page and then move on to other websites. When they visit social networking sites or those using Google AdWords, they could be targeted with an ad featuring an item they have previously viewed. This technique has the same effect of prompting the customer to think about the item and therefore consider buying it.
These are just some of the techniques which can help businesses to transform their traffic into revenue. With so much competition out there, the best way of attracting businesses is to offer something that nobody else is, whether that be products, services, promotions or customer service.