Web marketers need to know these facts about online marketing:
1. Website visitors relate the professional quality and usability of your Website to the credibility of doing business with your company. Is your Website building trust or turning people off? Therefore, slick looking Websites that look like online advertising have low credibility with the user. None of your Website graphics or content should look like an ad, unless it is an ad. This includes the Website itself.
2. The most important links should be found in your navigation system; that is where the user will look for them. Usability tests show that the navigation system is a very important part of your Website and users go to it for direction. Use link titles that make sense to the site visitor.
3. The visitor’s first impression is critical as they scan the overall look and feel of the site and decide in a few seconds whether to leave the Website or stay. Users also need to be clear that they are on the home page of your site. We have seen trends lately for the home link on the home page to be a popular click. Always use the term “official Website” in your home page content so visitors know they have come to the right place.
4. Content is very valuable on a Website and will be scanned by most users. Users find it difficult to read a lot of text on a computer screen and will print important content. Try it yourself by printing this article and you will notice it is much easier to read.
5. Conversions are often spontaneous and impulsive on a Website based on key pieces of information that draws the user to buy or make contact with your business. Design your site for impulsive online conversions.
6. Users do not trust Websites whose main objective is to sell you something and look for sites that become resources and help Website users do their job better or improve the quality of their lives.
7. Do not assume people know anything and write in simple and clear language. In fact, it is best to assume they know nothing about your company when they visit your Website.
8. Twenty-five percent of Web users visit blogs and ten’s of millions of people use iTunes, which allows you to set up free podcasts on iTunes.com. Are you missing opportunities to distribute content about your products or services? These numbers are growing as more video and audio based content moves to the Web.
9. Over half of Website users have not heard of pay per click or search engine advertising. Less than 20% of companies use this form of advertising. It is an emerging field with great potential and very strong ROI.
10. Twenty-five percent of people will not use a credit card online and 60% of users read privacy and security content on Websites. These key areas cannot be ignored, especially on ecommerce Websites.
Bonus tip number 11: Email works if content is valuable. Junk email gets deleted and important emails are saved, read and sent along to other people. Fill your emails with quick tips and valuable content that pushes your customer’s hot buttons and moves them to action.
Thomas Young is CEO and President of Intuitive Websites, a Colorado Springs based Internet marketing, Website design and usability firm. To learn more about Intuitive Websites contact Tom at 719-481-4040 or [email protected].
