Your website is one of your best sales channels or not! I have been involved in hundreds of web projects and a lot of those websites are revenue generating machines. Over the years, I have compiled my list of do’s and dont’s to increase sales through your website. Here are my top five for 2012:
1. The Primary Action Belongs on the Home Page – Ask yourself “what is the primary action I want the visitor to take?” The primary action must generate sales so be clear on what leads to sales. If you sell a service visitors can’t buy on your site but they buy in response to your monthly email, the primary action should be getting them to subscribe to your fabulous emails. The design, copy and structure must drive them to take the primary action.
2. Write copy that Influences your Target Market to Buy – If you understand why people buy, you can communicate why you are the right choice. Testimonials, displaying results and addressing their pain points will generate sales because you will connect with your target market. The visitor should read your copy and think, “I must work with [insert you] because [the results they desire] or [insert pain you will alleviate]. Your design, copy, images and layout must work together to trigger those emotions in your visitor. This assumes you researched your market and selling a viable product/service at a marketable price. I recommend asking your customers why they buy from you and using that language in your copy. But that is another topic!
3. E Commerce Sites = Great Pictures – You must have great pictures if you sell products. Enough said!
4. Optimize for Search Engines In A Human Way – You need visitors to make sales; therefore, search engine results must be a goal. Don’t sacrifice search engine results for a cool design that is not search engine friendly. Use proper on-site search engine optimization techniques and use Google Analytics. Create a blog because it’s great for search engines. Insert search terms in your copy without sacrificing the appeal to your target market. See #2 above.
5. Keep Improving Your Website – From day one, I keep a list of specific results I need to increase sales. For example, 100 email subscribers a month, 50% conversion rate, 40% repeat visitors to my blog, show up on the first page of Google for xyz search term. Check your on-site goals regularly and begin testing different variables to improve your website. Minor changes can increase sales. Here are some simple changes that lead to an increase in sales:
– Test different blog titles
– Change your opt-in offer
– Reword your packages
– Change your photos
– Update your title tags for the search engines
Don’t let your site get old and irrelevant. Always test and look for ways to make your website a better sales channel.
What are your favorite ways to increase sales through your website?
About Gina Nieves:
Gina is a sought after speaker for conferences, workshops, webinars and with WordCamp. Her most recent presentation “$20, 5 Minutes, First Page of Google” at Transform Your Business! in LA received rave reviews. She is preparing to teach her techniques in an upcoming virtual class. For more details contact info@marketnetgroup.com.
About Marknet Group Inc:
MarkNet Group is a full-service Website Design and Internet Marketing company in Putnam County, New York. Since 1998 we have impressed our customers with our integrity and commitment to their success. Our team’s experience in Internet Strategy Consulting, Graphic Design, Web Programming, and Search Engine Optimization enables us to deliver our customers’ needs with efficiency and effectiveness.
