Building eCommerce Websites that work - Part 3

  Copyright 2005 Richard Keir

An interesting eCommerce success factor that isn't precisely overlooked, but which is often thought about more in terms of being a way of feeding the search engine spiders has to do with providing content. In a very real sense the customer's job is to consume. That's why you're in business.

Think in terms of providing the information your customers need to do their job of consuming. What does that mean? Consider what you sell. The content on your site needs to focus on your products - whatever they happen to be. Reviews and comparative information on the items available through your web site can help focus and direct your customer to what they need, want and can afford.

Too often eCommerce sites use only marginally relevant information as content - or content that may match the general theme of the site but has nothing to do with what's being sold, promoted, etc. That could be more or less adequate as spider food, but it isn't going to help your customers do their job of consuming your products.

The better you combine these two goals - informing your customers and feeding the spiders - the better you'll do at both. Irrelevant search listings are pretty much a waste of your bandwidth. What you want is highly targeted customers interested in what you're offering and since the search engines love focused content and integrated sites, make that work for you.

And I'm not suggesting blatant repetitive hyped up sales copy. You want to inform, compare, offer added information that will help focus your customers. Use your content to develop desire and provide comparative information on similar products at varying price levels. Remember: desire not need.

While we all need things - and while you may be convinced everyone absolutely needs your product - we mostly buy based on desire - because we want it. The better you do at turning that need into immediate desire, the better your site will perform.

Again, not a fevered sales pitch. That's likely to turn off a large number of customers. Examples, stories and carefully chosen (and real) testimonials can support the process, too. Using video and/or audio can have a dramatic impact. Let your customers draw the obvious conclusions.

Along with providing plenty of comparison and review data, good search facilities are essential for a large eCommerce site. This also means that if you use a searchable product database that your keys and descriptions must be well-chosen and the links from search results to pages work smoothly and easily.

While we've talked earlier in this series about the importance of providing various ways to enhance the social aspect of your site, it's also important that customers be capable of using it without assistance. Never over complicate your site or your processes to the point that it's no longer obvious what to do to buy something (or complete whatever desired action you are focusing on).

A typical customer should be able to go from front page to product page to order page to thank you page easily and without hesitation or confusion. The simpler and cleaner the process, the better for you.

If you can manage it, test with 4 or 5 basically internet illiterate people. Watch carefully what they do, where they hesitate, what seems to cause confusion - but don't talk or help during the process. Then go over everything with them in detail working with your observations and their thoughts and feelings. Your site may be obvious to you, but is it obvious to anyone else?

And when you think you've covered anything, a few pairs of new eyes (or checking out your competitors' sites) can give you a whole new to-do list.

Your eCommerce site is an intentional business creation. Every aspect should be organized around what you want the site to do, what kind of visitors you want and what you want them to do. Everything on your site should be there for a specific reason that contributes to your goals for the site. And everything should be tested to be certain that it actually does contribute.

It's your site and your business so never take anything for granted, never assume something works if it can be tested. And never stop testing. With careful attention to detail and on-going testing you'll be able to make incremental improvements over time that will vastly improve the productivity of your eCommerce web site.

About the Author

Richard writes, teaches and consults on business presentations, eCommerce, site building and programming. Visit http://www.Building-eCommerce-Websites for eCommerce resources and links and check http://www.Building-eCommerce-Websites/blog for opinion and ideas.

 Richard Keir

More Articles 

Simple Ways To Increase Your Ecommerce Website Sales - Robert Michael
One of the best business marketing opportunities ever available, the internet is the gateway to a strong financial future. With the ecommerce website leading the way in the web of cash ventures, it is no surprise that many individuals have become...

Oscommerce A Viable Ecommerce Solution ! - ravi chamria
Ecommerce has become the buzz of the day !! The Internet success stories revolving around Ecommerce, Online selling or shopping has been increasing day by day and the late thinkers are losing a huge market. The advent of online payment...

Benefits Of SEO For Ecommerce - BizAtomic
The purpose of any business website is to promote a product or service online. The purpose of an ecommerce website is to take it one step further and to allow your visitors to purchase your products or services directly from your website. The...

eBay Or A Web Site? The Optimal eBay Strategy For Launching A New Ecommerce Web Site. - Jerry Work
I am a professional Internet marketer. I deal with the issue of driving traffic to web sites and converting that traffic into customers. My wife runs an eBay-based business selling vintage clothes. She likes using eBay. It has a...

An eCommerce Primer - John Jantsch
Copyright 2006 John Jantsch Many small business owners will find the need to accept credit card payments for products and services offered on their website. When I set up my first ecommerce website I found the information surrounding...

The No. 1 Ecommerce Solution Tip For You - Robert Roy
The number one ecommerce solution you need to be a success on the Web is learning to write for the internet. You will be able to capture your visitors attention and hold it, otherwise it's click and off to another site. You need to be able to put...

eCommerce: Installing and Configuring your Shopping Cart - Veronica Bendersky
You decided you're going to sell your products online. Or perhaps you don't want to sell them yet, only display your catalog. So how do you go ahead and implement your virtual shop? The answer is short: you need to install a shopping cart in...

Ecommerce Store Owners : Want Visitors? Here’s How. . . - Robin Porter
Have you recently opened an online store, and waiting for those customers to drop by and start shopping? In cyberworld - unlike the real world - you just can’t pick a good location and rely on passing trade. You’ve got to work hard to get visitors...

eCommerce development for Microsoft Great Plains: tools and highlights for programmer - Andrew Karasev
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, former Great Plains Software Dynamics and eEnterprise was designed in earlier 1990th as ERP, which can be easily transferable to the winning Database and OS platform and it was originally available on...

Professional Web Hosting And Ecommerce - Ken Marlborough
This article provides useful, detailed information about Professional Web Hosting And Ecommerce. In the fast-changing scenario of today\'s world, the Internet has become a major tool for commerce. In order to make a...

eCommerce Website Design - Warren Baker
eCommerce websites have their own unique character that is designed to lead the visitor to one simple task - make an online purchase. A web designer needs to consider a variety of online selling principles while designing an eCommerce website....

Why You Should Use Turnkey Websites To Jumpstart Your Ecommerce Activity - Mark Kenny
Most people looking to do business online have heard of turnkey websites. They seem to be a one stop solution to getting an online business going without all the usual hassles associated with an online startup. Take a look thought the business &...