Ecommerce Website - Great Design and Vigorous Promotion are Critical for Success
http://www.iwebdevs.net/articles/1209/1/Ecommerce-Website---Great-Design-and-Vigorous-Promotion-are-Critical-for-Success/Page1.html
Daljeet Sidhu
Daljeet Sidhu is co-founder at TradeSeam, world's first Small Business Network and B2B Marketplace. Visit our B2B" title="http://www.tradeseam.com/smallbusiness/business-resources/view-resources\">B2B" target="_blank">http://www.tradeseam.com/smallbusiness/business-resources/view-resources">B2B marketplace to compare price quotes for goods and services for your business including " title="http://www.tradeseam.com/smallbusiness/business-resources/get-free-quotes/929/Graphic+Design+Services\">" target="_blank">http://www.tradeseam.com/smallbusiness/business-resources/get-free-quotes/929/Graphic+Design+Services"> price quotes from multiple Graphic Design services. By Daljeet Sidhu
Published on 07/27/2010
E-commerce websites can boost sales of a business. E-commerce offers the tremendous opportunity of expanding your clientele while reducing expenses. This appealing combination cannot be realized by just setting up an e-commerce website. An internet site will deliver expected results only if supported with well calculated, and bold advertising and marketing.
E-commerce websites can have a huge positive impact on a business' revenue. E-commerce offers the tremendous opportunity of extending your customer base while saving costs. This appealing combination requires a lot more effort than just putting up an e-commerce website. An internet site will not improve your business prospects unless backed with well calculated, and bold marketing.
The success of an e-commerce solution depends on how successfully you attract prospects, get them to stay, convert their visit into a sale, and encourage repeat visits. These details are covered in greater detail below.
Grow website traffic
Directing traffic to your e-commerce website is an important first step. A few effective strategies for receiving more hits on the web site are:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of the website
SEO refers to the optimization of website content by including significant keywords that are popular amongst internet surfers on search engines and making the website search engine friendly by planning good navigation and meta tags. SEO of your e-commerce website will bring it up higher in search engine results.
Strategic placement of internet advertisements
Internet ads can be strategically placed in industry related websites. You may also pay to have your advertisement come up in related search results.
Cross promote with the physical store
Businesses that have both a brick and mortar and an e-commerce solution can apply cross-promotional tactics. Customers that shop at the store should be encouraged to use the e-commerce outlet to save or to make further purchases. By introducing them to your e-commerce solution, you are also guarding your business against competing e-commerce businesses that can attract your customers.
Keep the interest of website visitors
When a user is on your e-commerce website, its design and content should keep her interested and want her to linger on the site. This can be achieved by:
Interesting headlines
The website content should be easy to understand and succinct. Interesting headlines should be used to entice shoppers into exploring the products and services on the e-commerce website.
Display offers prominently
Offers and promotions should be showcased prominently on the website so that they get immediate attention. Use deadline driven marketing to make customers act faster.
Encourage prospects to buy
The main purpose of an e-commerce website is to sell products. You can funnel prospects towards a sale by:
Make value offers
It is tough to resist combo offers and discounts that promise value for money. Offering gifts and deals on a minimum purchase also propels customers towards more purchases.
Make products easily accessible
The design of the e-commerce website should make access to products simple. Shoppers should be able to easily browse, quickly add items to the shopping cart, and pay without any pain or wait.
Make checkout smooth and fast
Boring forms and time-consuming checkout processes make customers leave the website halfway to making payment. This can be avoided by rectifying the checkout process by requiring minimal information to enter and clicks to complete a purchase.
Encourage customers for repeat visits
Customers need a reason to make a repeat purchase at your website. Following are some motivators to make it happen:
Reward points for regular customers
Customers who purchase from the e-commerce website regularly should be rewarded with reductions and faster deliveries.
Excellent delivery service
E-commerce websites should provide good quality delivery services. They should also promise timely assistance and support to customers, swiftly handle customer issues and any problems connected to purchases.
Efficient marketing and website design are influential factors in the success or failure of the e-commerce solution. Every company should follow the aforementioned guidelines to increase sales and enhance customer relationships.
The success of an e-commerce solution depends on how successfully you attract prospects, get them to stay, convert their visit into a sale, and encourage repeat visits. These details are covered in greater detail below.
Grow website traffic
Directing traffic to your e-commerce website is an important first step. A few effective strategies for receiving more hits on the web site are:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of the website
SEO refers to the optimization of website content by including significant keywords that are popular amongst internet surfers on search engines and making the website search engine friendly by planning good navigation and meta tags. SEO of your e-commerce website will bring it up higher in search engine results.
Strategic placement of internet advertisements
Internet ads can be strategically placed in industry related websites. You may also pay to have your advertisement come up in related search results.
Cross promote with the physical store
Businesses that have both a brick and mortar and an e-commerce solution can apply cross-promotional tactics. Customers that shop at the store should be encouraged to use the e-commerce outlet to save or to make further purchases. By introducing them to your e-commerce solution, you are also guarding your business against competing e-commerce businesses that can attract your customers.
Keep the interest of website visitors
When a user is on your e-commerce website, its design and content should keep her interested and want her to linger on the site. This can be achieved by:
Interesting headlines
The website content should be easy to understand and succinct. Interesting headlines should be used to entice shoppers into exploring the products and services on the e-commerce website.
Display offers prominently
Offers and promotions should be showcased prominently on the website so that they get immediate attention. Use deadline driven marketing to make customers act faster.
Encourage prospects to buy
The main purpose of an e-commerce website is to sell products. You can funnel prospects towards a sale by:
Make value offers
It is tough to resist combo offers and discounts that promise value for money. Offering gifts and deals on a minimum purchase also propels customers towards more purchases.
Make products easily accessible
The design of the e-commerce website should make access to products simple. Shoppers should be able to easily browse, quickly add items to the shopping cart, and pay without any pain or wait.
Make checkout smooth and fast
Boring forms and time-consuming checkout processes make customers leave the website halfway to making payment. This can be avoided by rectifying the checkout process by requiring minimal information to enter and clicks to complete a purchase.
Encourage customers for repeat visits
Customers need a reason to make a repeat purchase at your website. Following are some motivators to make it happen:
Reward points for regular customers
Customers who purchase from the e-commerce website regularly should be rewarded with reductions and faster deliveries.
Excellent delivery service
E-commerce websites should provide good quality delivery services. They should also promise timely assistance and support to customers, swiftly handle customer issues and any problems connected to purchases.
Efficient marketing and website design are influential factors in the success or failure of the e-commerce solution. Every company should follow the aforementioned guidelines to increase sales and enhance customer relationships.