web sites - a builder’s checklist
| Getting it right first time is critical if a company is to maximise the business opportunities the web opens up.
Making those first tentative steps onto the ecommerce ladder can be daunting. But with efficient implementation and presentation, the key to unlocking success is within grasp. For those companies already established online, regular objective appraisals are just as important, and this guide will serve as a timely website health check. It is now widely acknowledged that hurrying online may do far more harm than good. A poorly designed or unreliable website will turn customers away. Most visitors will make their mind up about your site, and by implication, your company, within five seconds of arriving at the home page. It is in these vital first moments that customers will decide whether to venture further into your site. First impressions are all. So, regard the company website in the same way you would if opening a new flagship outlet on the high street. Leaving aside the issues of fully integrating your online presence with your traditional bricks-and-mortar operation, 'cool' website design should not be at the expense of content, relevance, purpose or navigability. Lest it be forgotten, the primary purpose of any commercial site is sales. Images that take an ice-age to download are a top offender in this regard. High-resolution pictures may enhance the appearance of a website but do tend to get in the way of selling or interacting with customers, so resist the temptation to go for form over substance. Keep in mind that many of the best websites around - in terms of ease of use and sales - are often those that keep function at the forefront. From the design viewpoint, though, they may look stark and functional but this is a major part of their success. This one is a question of taste. But do you really need that particular whistle-and-bell feature, and does it add to the visitor's experience? Will it convert a visitor into a buyer? Let's imagine, then, that a visitor is at your website. What is this visitor looking for from your website? Firstly, an enjoyable experience. Selling is ultimately about winning customer confidence. Customers want to 'buy in' to your brand. In other words, the outcome should be that they are pleased they made the effort to visit your website, are comfortable with what the site has to say, and confident that it can be trusted. Sharp graphics that download quickly, clear marketing messages, unambiguous statements and endorsements by satisfied customers all inspire confidence. This means losing those overblown sales blurbs, tiny text and superfluous content that could be construed as mere padding. Be certain that the site is easy to navigate. Organise a 'test drive' of the site by someone who knows nothing of your business; they will be able to provide valuable feedback on the ease of use, and be sure to consult widely with existing customers for their insight. If visitors can find what they are looking for and leave quickly - then they will come back. Everyone loves a sales rep who leaves before being asked! Conversely, putting in a raft of adverts before visitors can find the information they are seeking may only serve to drive them away from your website. Closing in for the kill, then, the visitor who is ready to make a purchase must see all the right signals to instil the confidence to close the sale. It may be common-sense, but pay particular attention to how easy it is to select products. It must be obvious how much is being spent. And there must also be user-friendly options to allow visitors to review their order, change their minds, adjust their order and continually assess what they are about to spend. Clear information on delivery dates and costs and your returns policy are both keystones, and equally important as secure credit or debit card transactions. Giving customers a sense of total confidence in your support and security measures will go a long, long way to ensuring repeat online business. Recent research has found that the majority of online business buyers in the UK regularly abandon transactions because of an unsatisfactory online experience. Around 87 per cent abandon websites because of problems ranging from finding information through to an inability to complete the transaction. Similarly, a survey of consumer buyers discovered that 56 per cent abandoned their shopping trolleys before completing a purchase, and 25 per cent claimed they were consistently unable to find what they were looking for online. Predictably, bad web design is being fingered as the culprit. The message, then, is that web users are very goal-focussed - they go online to get something done and don't like anything getting in the way, be it technology, fancy design or gimmicks. What visitors want of your website is the means to help them achieve that goal, which, in the end, is the same as yours - a purchase. Design and usability, of course, are not only the issues that contribute to the success of a website. Regular updating of content, fulfilment of orders, solid infrastructure all play their part too. Today, in this second wave of ecommerce, businesses are rapidly realising the web is not about being cool or sexy, it is about being slick, usable and moving people from A to B. Web Design Horrors
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