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There are numerous articles and sites that advise on how to improve websites for
search engine optimisation. SEO is, of course, vital for increasing the number
of visitors to a website. However, never forget that it is visitors that turn
into customers and make the money. Remember to keep visitors in mind at all times
when building and designing a site. With this in mind, here are some pointers…
Professionalism
A site should look professional and has had some time and effort put into it
rather than give the impression that it has been put together in someone’s
bedroom in their spare time. This immediately gives visitors a good impression
of your business and the confidence to make a purchase.
Images
Use images relevant to your product. At www.primaryinsurance.co.uk we use travel
images’, as travel insurance is our main product. Using images that contain
people rather than graphics works in this industry but might not be right for
all.
Colour Scheme
Select a colour scheme that reflects the product you sell. For example our pink,
blue and yellow scheme, together with the images, is designed to remind customers
of their holiday and think positively when purchasing travel insurance, which
is essentially a commodity product. The white space and surround provides subtly
and prevents the colours from being too overpowering.
Navigation
Make sure the site is easy to navigate and your main products are in a prominent
position on your homepage. Secondary or complementary products can either be
listed further down the page or on a separate page. This ensures visitors are
drawn to the products that you want them to buy.
Effective copy
Again there are numerous articles on writing effective copy. The key point to
remember is that it provides the customer with information about who you are
and what you sell whilst containing a reasonable amount of keywords. If the
copy reads well, the number of keywords should be acceptable. Always remember
to update regularly as customers and search engines love up to date content.
Feedback forms
Feedback forms are a useful way to get ideas for improving your site in a way
that benefits your customers. Once implemented conversion should start to increase,
meaning you get a greater return on advertising investment.
Contact details
Having a phone number and an address where you can be contacted gives customers
confidence that you are an established business and are happier to transact
online. Don’t hide away your contact details in the hope no one will use
them.
Links
Links in and out of the site should be for the benefit of visitors as well as
search engines. Remember you can be selective when obtaining links and make
sure all links are relevant to the product you are selling and the industry
you operate in.
About the Author:
Karl Norris is the E-Commerce Manager for Primary Insurance, www.primaryinsurance.co.uk.
As a finance professional he focuses on generating and increasing profitability
from online business activities. |
