Keep page size manageable
to ensure speedy downloads
Online visitors’ patience is
measured in milliseconds and
not everyone has hi-speed or
broadband Internet
connections. So, keep page
sizes within reasonable
limits to ensure that they
download quickly. Optimize
graphic size and avoid
putting an image on a page
unless it adds something for
the visitor.
Ensure your site’s
content reflects its purpose
If yours is a sales site for
example, ensure that your
content concentrates on
selling. Stay focused and
avoid the temptation to
upload content that is not
relevant to your web site’s
purpose.
Enable quick and easy
location of information
Quite simply, most customers
will quickly leave your site
if they cannot locate the
information they are
seeking. Internet users
increasingly require
information to be instantly
available and there is no
shortage of other sites
eager to take business from
you. Think what information
customers are likely to want
and do not hide it away.
Make sure content is
relevant, accurate and
up-to-date
Provide accurate and
relevant content and keep it
up-to-date. Failure to do
this will make your company
look inefficient and
reflects badly on your
customer service levels.
Search engines also
appreciate content that is
updated regularly.
Encourage interaction
Get visitors to interact
with your site and spend
more time on it. Make a
visit an interesting
experience for them by
including useful online
tools, etc. Just make sure
they are relevant to your
site.
Personalize your site
Depending on the technology
you have available to you,
it may be possible to greet
visitors to your site by
name and serve up content
tailored specifically to
their needs. If you can do
it then do so.
Invite dialogue
Give your customers the
opportunity to contact you
via email, online forms, a
call-back/call-me facility,
web chat, etc. Ask for their
feedback via online surveys
and feedback forms. Invite
them to subscribe to a
customer newsletter.
Acknowledge customer
contact
It is common courtesy to say
‘thank you’. Very little
effort is required to set up
an email auto-responder.
When requiring customers to
complete and submit a form,
make sure there is a ‘thank
you’ page or pop-up. It
reassures the customer that
you have received their
communication and does not
leave them wondering whether
or not your site is working
properly.
Make it a ‘seamless’
experience
Aim to give customers the
same level of service online
as you give them offline.
Your goal should be to
facilitate the customer’s
interaction with your
company and allow them to
choose how to do business
with you. You know that
customers are your most
valuable asset and that
retaining them is vitally
important.
Give your customers
support
Reassure visitors to your
site by providing elements
such as help pages, FAQ’s, a
site map, terms of use and a
privacy policy. They will
appreciate it.
Inspire confidence
Ensure that your site works
properly and its content is
up-to-date. Check error
messages make sense and
forms and data entry fields
are logical. Get someone to
proofread your site and spot
any grammatical and spelling
mistakes. The quality of
your site tells customers a
lot about the quality of
service they can expect from
you.
Get to know your
customers
Learn as much as you can
about your customers and the
way they use your site (and,
if you can, find out how
they use your competitors’
sites). Then use this
learning to improve your
site and increase your
return on investment.
The number of web sites is
growing every day and now
just about anyone can create
one. If you want your site
to stand out from the rest,
plan it carefully and design
it with your customers in
mind. Far too many web site
owners just do not bother.
We hope this article
provided you with valuable
information, which will help
you to make more informed
decisions. Please get in
touch with us at
sales@webesolution.com if
you are interested in our
service, or even if you
would just like to find out
more.
