Many companies sell online these days. Some are very successful at what they do, and can make a large profits based on their web sales alone; others fail at this. There are few things to avoid in particular if you are considering setting up your own online business:
Poor Navigation
You want your customers to be able to find exactly what they need and fast. The more confused they become on your site trying to find a certain product, the more likely it is they will go to another website who can provide the same or a similar service.
Keep your website clear, and easy to follow. Make sure you categorize your products so they can be easily found. Ask friends and family to try your website, maybe test them to find certain products, and see how easy or hard it is for them to locate them on your site. Listen to your feedback, while some is opinion and might not be something you agree, there could be some good ideas that apply to your site.
Cluttered Website
Some websites can become cluttered with too many images of products, links to here, there and everywhere, advertising banners splashed all over the home page, several different coloured fonts, and font styles.
Whatever you site is, make sure it is clear straight away for visitors. If you are selling goods, show what you do and tell them about your business. Make it clear where the online shop is, if you have one.
People will judge a lot by your homepage. Make sure you keep your website visitors attention; it is easy for them to navigate to another website with a click of the mouse. Get across your message in a clear concise way so you don’t leave them confused, wondering what it is you actually sell, or what service you provide.
Keep your colours and fonts simple and planned, by this you will be finding a sense of a brand. Make this brand and these colours and fonts suit your product.
Poor photography
If your website has poor sloppy photography you will not convince your customers to buy from you. How can your products be judged fairly if all you provide is a small grainy image which isn’t really clear?
Make sure your photographs are big enough to be seen, a zoom button feature can help here. They need to be of good quality, and the angles must show in detail what you are providing. Wording and photography is all have to achieve sales. Make sure they are correct and will serve their purpose. A professional photographer is expensive, but if you want to sell online successfully, then you need to invest and look professional. You might have a fantastic product, but if it can’t be seen in a way that gives it justice, then it won’t come across in the way it deserves.
No content
Your content is what is written on your website. This could be ‘about you’ sections or product descriptions. Google will list your page in a search if it finds it to be relevant to a particular search entered. It does this by reading your site and picking out these keywords that the searcher is looking for. It is therefore important you really describe your products well. Write down the details, what is it? What it’s made from? Provide dimensions etc. The more information you provide, the better, but remain clear and clutter free.
Some websites are built using templates where you upload your images. If you don’t have actual text on your website, and your text is in the form of an image, Google will never rank you for anything, it won’t be able to read your website. Make sure your content is actual text which can be found in searches so you can attract new customers.
Poor graphics
Your graphics can let you down. This relates back to colours, fonts and brand. Your graphics need to be professional. Not all of us are professional Photoshop users. If you aren’t then seek help from somebody who can help you make your artwork look good. People won’t trust your company if your artwork looks old fashioned or unprofessional. Really think how you are presenting yourself to the public. Would you purchase goods from your website?
