Every business needs a website nowadays, but simply having any old website is not enough. A company’s website can tell potential customers a lot about the business, so it is undoubtedly an aspect of your business that requires your time and attention and could be more important than you think.
As a business owner, you put much of your time and effort into making your company a success. When you plow so much of your energy into your company, you need to be sure that you represent it in the right way.
If your business website looks basic and unprofessional, this can make the company itself appear amateurish and put potential customers off buying your products. If potential customers stumble across your website and notice that your homepage features articles dated two years ago, this also creates a bad impression, and they may suspect that you have either gone out of business or that you are not great at keeping on top of tasks, and each of these situations is less than ideal. In contrast, having a website that looks great and works well has an instantly positive impact and makes it simpler to convert website visitors into paying customers.
So, you know that your website is essential to your business and that it needs to look great and perform well, but knowing how to achieve this is the most challenging task. If you are keen to create a website that your customers love, why not give some of these tips a try to see if they work for you?
Look at Your Site With Fresh Eyes
When you are so familiar with every aspect of your website, it is challenging to spot any flaws and areas that need working on. Looking at your website with fresh eyes or getting a different perspective on your site will help you see it from a visitor’s viewpoint and better understand how it can be improved. Getting a friend or family member to try looking for products on your site or generally browse it searching for specific information, can help you see it from a fresh angle. Having someone else point out issues with your website can be difficult to hear, but ultimately, it is worth it if it helps improve your site.
The useability of your website is crucial, and if it is difficult to navigate and not intuitive for visitors to use, this can instantly put off potential customers. When user experience (UX) is not a focus for a website, it can make navigating the site too much effort, and your visitors are likely to return to the search results and shop with one of your competitors. So, while it is never pleasant to hear criticism of your work, listening to website feedback could be the difference between securing sales and losing them.
Speed it Up
Maybe you have the most attractive and intuitive website in the world, but if it is slow to load, your site visitors will soon lose interest and shop elsewhere. A site that takes an age to load is frustrating for your customers and is likely to have an impact on your bounce rate and lower your conversion rate. This is bad news and something you need to avoid as it can negatively impact your business. If you discover that you have lots of baskets abandoned at the checkout stage, the speed of your site could be the reason.
Of course, a slow loading site is not only bad for your customers, but it can also make life more difficult for you too. Carrying out everyday tasks for your business can take far longer than necessary when your site is slow, and this can affect your productivity levels. Choosing the best web hosting provider is an excellent way to get faster loading times and will make using your site a far more pleasing experience for both you and your customers. Changing your web hosting service by switching to a provider that guarantees speed and promises customer support when you need it, such as hosting.co.uk, will help you get the best from your website. Once your website is loading faster, your customers will benefit from a far slicker experience using your site.
Make it Easy to Shop
Dedicating some time and attention to make your website easier for customers to shop is time well-spent. The simpler your website is to use, the more likely visitors will make a purchase, and this increases the chances of them returning to buy from you again. The good news is that making your site easier to shop does not require too much work. To improve the shopping experience, you simply need to remove as many potential pain points as you can.
Providing clear product descriptions that specify all the information customers need to make an informed purchase is an excellent starting point to improve your site. As well as ensuring the written content of the product description is informative, it is also essential to use high-quality product images that show the products from different angles. The more information potential customers have about a product, the easier it is for them to decide to make the purchase. Adding a frequently asked questions page is also invaluable for your customers. Being able to get instant answers to questions makes their life easier and more likely to buy the items in their basket. Your FAQs page should include information relating to delivery charges and timescales as well as returns.
Showcase Your Brand
How attractive your site is makes a massive difference to your customers. When searching your website, it is likely that they want it to appeal to them aesthetically. Creating a solid brand that has plenty of personality is great, and this should be showcased on your website too. Giving your website identity and a style that appeals to your target audience is an excellent way to keep customers browsing your site for longer and returning to shop again and again.
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