3 Steps to Better Results From Your Website

Why do you need a website? If your prospective customers use the internet, you need to be 'there', but the good news is that the internet is a gateway to valuable business leads for your business, generated by your website, and technology available to do this today is inexpensive.
How does one attract customers to one's site? The answer is 'give them something they need or what they want'. What do your customers need, and want? They want information, tips, advice, trade secrets, products and services for free. They like to download 'how to' documentation, and useful business information. The technology to deliver what the customer wants today is relatively uncomplicated and low cost.

Converting a prospective customer into a paying customer is the primary purpose of your website. Payback is critical. A business colleague of mine and SEO expert, Mark F., describes most websites as "giant billboards (100m high and 1500m across) in the middle of a desert" i.e. where no one will ever see them. Being found is the single most important aspect of a website. So in terms of website decisions this has to be number 1.

Unfortunately many websites are not designed with SEO in mind, so my advice to anyone reviewing their business objectives for their websites needs to start with this aspect. In my experience it is amazing how many so-called professionals actually do not know how to cut it in the world of SEO. I have attended many SEO seminars where well educated and qualified professionals have told me theory which, in practice, seldom works.

For example, Google currently makes over 400 algorithm changes a year - that is over one a day, so the goal posts are constantly changing.

CarSpareFinder, an internet business I presently own, as a market contender is one of the top 6 vehicle parts location services in the UK. Over the course of summer 2008 the site lost over half its pages. Prior to this, it had held the position of 'No1 on Google UK' for the previous 18 months, for search terms 'car parts' and 'used car parts'. Did you know that the term 'car parts' is searched for 6m times a month in the UK? This 'fall' from grace may have been the result of just one Google algorithm change. In response the site was overhauled, and optimised in a way that the original 'fall' should hopefully not reoccur. However it supports the needs to build a flexible robust website platform, and to constantly review it.

If you want a successful eCommerce website what are the steps you need to take?

Step 1

Seek professional advice on how to be found on the Internet i.e. for search engine optimisation (SEO). Using professional advice is always cheaper in the long-run. Make sure the adviser is competent, you have protection (indemnity insurance) in place, and that there are
guarantees/agreed outputs. Where is the best place to look for business support professionals and organisations? New services like Business Service Finder or your local Regional Development Agency consultants register are very good resources for outsourcing.

Web 2.0 applications now offer tons of functionality, and make websites a powerful eMarketing tool. It is important that a website is not merely a marketing brochure.

Step 2:

Seek professional advice (eCommerce/eMarketing) on what to do with the traffic once it arrives at the site i.e. conversion from a visit (browsing - the internet window shopper) to an enquiry, which hopefully will generate a sale. There are various simple processes and techniques to encourage a response from a consumer on the internet. A specialist, from a good source as suggested above, will be familiar with these.

Step 3:

Implement the action plan, which means investing in the website development, with a clear cost-justification and set objectives and revenue targets. It is a good idea to get the support professional to accept some of his earnings from the payback, and it helps spread the risk to the business. It also acts as an incentive to the consultant to give 100% of his ideas and efforts to the project.