How To Turn Website Traffic Into Sales
No Matter what you are selling online from dresses to tools or even pet food, there are some key features that you can implement to help boost your online sales. Most people agree that the number one way to find out what works best for your business is to be willing to try out different things until you find one that skyrockets your sales. There are, however, certain proven strategies that you can try first.
Things like word choice, colors, and placement have a big effect on potential buyers. For example, orange “buy” buttons seem to increase sales. According to Dane Atkinson, a former executive of Squarespace, consumers are drawn to orange button because they may have been conditioned by those used by online retail giants like EBay and Amazon.
Another way to increase focus on the sale is to feature one product or a set of related products on the main page of your website instead of bombarding visitors with tons of information. Further increase focus by breaking up long strings of copy with things like bullet lists and by highlighting certain information by using bold or italics. This keeps visitors from getting bored and wandering away before they can get to the big orange buy button.
Word choice also plays an important role in online sales. Use active phrases instead of single words such as “claim my trial” in place of a simple “submit”. And now that we mention it, use the word “my” over “your” when ever possible. This gives customers the feeling that it is already theirs and that they should claim it says Atkinson.
Finally, give your website credibility. State that you respect customer’s privacy when you take their personal information. No one likes to feel that you are selling their email address. Try posting real customer testimonials or reviews that state how a product or a service your offer has helped them. The more detailed, the better. And do not forget to outline your credentials, especially if you are offering a service. Tell people why you are a good choice to buy from by talking about your experience or any professional training you have had. But don’t forget to highlight the website’s credentials too. Post how long has it been up for business. Buying online can be scary for some people, so try to take some of the fear out of it and you will surly increase your sales.
The world of E-commerce is complex and something that works today might not work in the future. The best way to keep on top of the game is to be flexible. A willingness to keep trying new things, changing colors or word choice, or even how you write copy is vital in finding out what works and what does not to transform window shoppers into customers.
Atkinson, Dane. “10 ways to Boost Online Sales”. http://www.money.cnn.com. 20 Mar. 2014.
Gehl, Derek. “12 Ways to Increase Online Sales” entrepreneur.com.