The Logistics of Web Site Statistics:
How to Measure the Success of your Web Site.
by Colleen Happ
Every company needs a website where customers stick around for a while. After all, studies show that the longer a customer stays on your web site, the more likely they will buy your product or call you.
This article will give you great advice on how to build a site that attracts customers and gets them to stay awhile, instead of driving them away.
Producing a sticky site is as simple as knowing what customers are looking for. Here are the top 5 needs visitors to your site will have. If you meet these needs, you will have created a great sticky site.
1. How Do I find what I’m looking for?
This is what customers asks whenever they visit any web page. It is so
important to know what your target audience will be looking for on your
site and to put that information front and center on your home page. Your
navigation should be clear, concise and consistent on each page. Information
should be no more than 2-3 clicks away. A site search function is a great
idea on a large site.
2. What do you do, anyways?
Don’t keep customers guessing about what you do. Tell them right
away. Up front. They won’t put in the extra effort to search, especially
if they have no investment in finding out more about you. They will give
up and try to find the information on another web page.
3. What’s New?
Keep your site current and visitors will keep coming back for more. If
visitors know your content changes, they will be more likely to visit
again. To make it easy on repeat visitors, highlight what is new to your
site. If you do this, however, be sure to update the “what’s
New” section often. If you have a flashing new button by the same
content for a year, repeat visitors will think you don’t update
your site (and they will be right).
4. What’s that picture supposed to be?
Pictures are a great way to personalize and showcase your products. Some
business owners without graphics training create their own graphics, and
more often than not you can tell. Potential customers will judge you on
the appearance of your website so make it look professional. You also
have to be careful not to use slow loading graphics.
5. Why would I buy from this company?
You have to give your audience a reason to call you or buy your product.
A simple way to do this is to provide references or testimonials from
past customers. This will take away some of the fear of the unknown that
visitors will have.
You can also offer a product guarantee to take the risk out of making a commitment. Providing a bio of the company or owner also puts you on a more personal relationship with your customers and increases the comfort level.
You web site should also include a call to action. People respond to “Call us today to book an appointment” or “Try one today”.
Measure, Measure, Measure
Every web site owner should track the time users spend on their site and
try to increase it as much as possible. You need to constantly adjust
and fine tune your site to make it ‘stickier’. Any reputable
web hosting company will provide web stats that will include a measurement
of the amount of time people spend at your site.
Everyone has used search engines to get information and products. If you
are lucky enough to have customers open your site but they can’t
find what they are looking for, they will get frustrated and leave.
Remember that your website will be the main point of contact with many of your customers. Your site reflects your company, so it should be built and maintained to lend credibility to your products. Keep the information that your customer needs up front and accessible and make it easy and comfortable for them to want to do business with you. You will then have a sticky site that attracts customers like bees to honey.
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