Article DetailsHow to Continue Turning a Profit in eCommerce in Tumultuous Times |
| Date Added: November 26, 2010 12:35:53 PM |
| Author: Jeff Wallace |
| Category: Internet and Web Services: Guides |
| During tumultuous economic times, businesses are seeking ways to increase revenue from online ventures. Online ecommerce has the potential to reach millions of customers if the marketing is targeting to individuals who are interested in the product. The goal of online marketing is to locate and entice interested customers to the website. These visits may eventually convert into sales for the company. Businesses are challenged to entice customers to purchase the product once they have arrived to the website. To increase sales, companies must create an enticing and compelling web site and then generate traffic to increase the likelihood of a sales conversion. Methods of achieving these goals will be explored. Creating a Compelling Website When a customer visits the website, it must be appealing to the audience targeted. For instance, if the company is promoting servers, the tone of the website should be professional and contain technical information. However, if the company is promoting Halloween costumes, the website may be creative or whimsical while still presenting the product in a professional manner. The copy or written content on the website should be brief, well written and possess a call to action. Too much information may cause the browser to navigate to another website. The information presented should be compelling. eCommerce websites should possess the least amount of steps from product selection to product purchase. This will minimize customer frustration, maintain customer interest and capture the sale. Any graphics may slow this process and result in lost business. Multiple payment options such as credit cards and Paypal are also encouraged to increase sales conversion. Creating a compelling and functional website is instrumental in sales conversions. Social Networking Sites Social networking sites, such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook may also be a source of sales leads for the business. This resource also requires a minimal investment compared to other forms of advertising. Consider using social networking as a marketing tool for the company’s eCommerce business as well. Drive Traffic to the Website There are multiple ways to drive traffic to an existing website. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click campaigns are among the popular methods for driving traffic to a site. Incorporation of SEO techniques often require a professional, but many manage to accomplish this feat with the help of a website administrator. This method involves using keywords in the copy, as well as, Metatags, URLs and other methods to increase a business’s ranking in the search engine. Experts have proven that sites ranked within the top three are likely to receive more traffic than sites ranked lower. Searchers typically select one of the top three rather than searching the entire list. Rankings are, therefore, very important for business. To maintain a top ranking, copy must be changed frequently to encourage the algorithm to select the site during a search. Experts suggest that sales conversions are more likely to occur from search engine traffic than Pay-Per-Click. Pay-Per-Click possesses more immediate results. Simply sign up for the service, and select relevant keywords for the advertisements. Immediately, the links will appear. Customers viewing the links in the margins or in banners will select the link and be led to the company’s website. The company has the opportunity to impress the customer through the sales pitch presented on the website. A website, in this instance, serves as a 24 hour sales force. As mentioned before, the website must be compelling and convincing to convert a visit to a sale. Theoretically, SEO techniques are free and Pay-Per-Click campaigns require an investment. In reality, most businesses hire a company to perform the tasks. SEO experts charge a fee for a certain number of services that they will perform to achieve this goal for the business. Before hiring an SEO consultant, check their references to determine if they can achieve the desired goal of the business. This is important to ensure that you maintain a competitive edge during tumultuous times. The investment is minimal considering the revenue the business could gain long term. If executed properly, the campaign could reach millions or billions. Be certain that the company gives its best impression when meeting customers online for the first time. |
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