With all the talk of how
to make a great website and ways to keep visitors, it is important
to also understand the other side of designing an Internet
business.
Every day, thousands of websites
are finding unique ways to turn away visitors and potential
customers. Although many webmasters know about the obvious
“turn-offs”, there are many little details that
annoy visitors and make them leave.
We have found that there are
13 vital things that can make or break a website. To avoid
having your visitors “click- away” from your site
make sure that you include the following:
1)
A Professional Appearance:
Most websites don’t need flash effects or dazzling visuals.
But, your Internet business should be perceived as legitimate
site, built by someone who cares about the content and appearance.
In other words, the colors and graphics should blend well
with one another. In addition, all web-copy should be dynamic
and devoid of grammar or spelling mistakes. Finally, any images
on the page should enhance the experience for your visitors
without distracting them.
2)
Proper Navigation:
The pages on your website should be easily connected. To do
this, every section should connect to the main page, with
a clear and concise menu. Don’t make your visitors spend
a lot of time looking for different sections. Help them by
ensuring that the navigation of your site remains constant
throughout all pages.
3)
An Obvious Theme:
Your index page should immediately let the visitor know what
you are selling or promoting. Usually the best way to do this
is by briefly describing the purpose of your website and include
product photos that can help people understand your purpose.
4)
A Logo: One
of the best ways to “brand” your site and remain
unique is to have a logo for your Internet business. By having
a logo, your website is more likely to make an “impression”
with your visitors and develop a following. Any logo used
needs to be consistent with the theme and color scheme of
your site.
5)
FAQs: There
will be times when your visitors have a question that is not
covered by the standard descriptions or sales pages. To help
them out, it is important to have a section that is devoted
to answering common questions. By creating a FAQ page, your
prospects can easily find the answers to their questions and
will be more likely to order from your site.
6)
What’s New Section:
With repeat visitors, there will be times when you want to
update them with current news or promotions. The best way
to do this is to create a “What’s New” section.
That way, you can inform old visitors, while making sure that
they know about all current marketing campaigns.
7)
Contact Information: Eventually, your website
visitor will have a question for you. Because of this, it
is vital that you list all possible ways that they can reach
you. By creating a contact page, you will be able to answer
questions and reinforce the fact that there is an actual person
behind the website.
8)
Feedback Forms: The best websites always change,
catering to the needs of the visitor. In order to find out
what your customers need, it is important to solicit feedback
from them. A common way to do this is by creating a feedback
form on the site, which includes questions that will help
improve the overall quality of the Internet business.
9)
Privacy Policy: With the problem of spam,
many people are afraid to give out personal information such
as their email address and credit card numbers. To help alleviate
this fear, you need to include a “Privacy Policy”
section. Basically this page will let them know how all information
is used and if they will be contacted in the future. It is
better to upfront about your practices than to be accused
of mishandling information.
10)
Email List:
Top websites work on developing an email list of prospects
that can be contacted in the future. This should go without
saying, but your email list subscription area should have
a prominent position on your web page. In addition, include
a quick blurb about any incentive that you offer to visitors
for joining the list.
11)
About Us: Most
website visitors appreciate knowing that a business is run
by an actual human being. To help personalize your website,
you need to include a little information about both you and
your online business.
12)
Sales Page:
Even with the best product descriptions, it is important to
create a dedicated page that describes how your products are
superior to your competitors. This section should be a summary
of all your key features written in a dynamic tone. Basically,
you want your visitors to read this page and immediately buy
from you.
13)
Refund/Return Policy: On the other side, there
will be times when a customer is not happy. To help alleviate
any fears that they might have about purchasing online, there
needs to be a section where potential customers can read your
rules on accepting returns and refunds. Carefully list how
and if you accept refunds. If you do not, then be upfront
about it.
Because there
are over a million websites on the Internet, it is now vital
that you give your visitors what they need. Unfortunately,
they will never tell you what is necessary. But, by including
these 13 items in the design of your website, you can assured
that you will have a distinct advantage over your competitor’s
Internet business. |
