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This e-book has been written to provide information about self-improvement. Every effort has been made to make this eBook as complete and accurate as possible. However, there may be mistakes in typography or content. Also, this e-book provides information on self-improvement only up to the publishing date. Therefore, this eBook should be used as a guide, not as the ultimate source of web hosting information.
The purpose of this eBook is to educate. The author and the publisher do not warrant that the information contained in this e-book is fully complete and shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by this e-book.
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Introduction to Website
Conversion Rates
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Having an e-commerce website can be challenging. There is inventory to monitor, customers to keep happy, advertising to do, and of course security to maintain in order to protect the integrity of the site and your customers. With all of the important steps involved to make sure your business website is a success, conversion rates should be taken into account.
So what is a conversion rate? Essentially, a conversion rate is the number of visits or “hits” you receive on your website that change over, or convert to, a sale. For example, if your site were to get 100 visits in one week and one person made a sale, you’d have a 1% conversion rate.
Effective advertising is important in ensuring a higher conversion rate. Making sure your website is noticed and that the product you’re selling is very clear is essential to success. Getting the hits is important, but finalizing that sale is even more important. A good website that does a lot of business is much more involved than many people might think.
A lot of factors are involved with ensuring that visitors click on and then actually buy items they see. There are many things you can do to get the most conversion rates possible which means those website views and random clicks actually turn into cold, hard cash (otherwise known as sales).
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Here are some helpful tips to ensure that your website’s hits, simple clicks, and visits turn into actual sales.
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11. Privacy is important. Aside from the return policy, you also need to include a good privacy policy. Make sure people know their information is protected and will not be sold to a third party. A privacy policy should be easy to find and easy to read. You can use several different templates, as long as the company name is changed, and you revamp some sections of it to fit your business.
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12. Having sales creates more sales. Come up with creative sales so people will want to buy something from the website. Use promotional emails, forum postings, and banner ads to attract the attention of customers who are looking for a good deal. Forum links can encourage people to check out your website.
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13. Advertise effectively. Use banner ads, flash movies, and other forms of Internet advertising to attract new people to your website. Think of some unusual ways that will grab people and force them to click onto the site. Teaser ads and colorful flash are great ways to attract new visitors that will hopefully become sales. Talk to affiliate websites, and other businesses who sell products in the same niche as yours, and see about perhaps swapping your ad on their site for their ad on yours. Look for advertising discounts, and only advertise in places that will attract real buyers.
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14. Describe your products fully. Be sure every item you sell has a thorough description about it and good, clear, professional pictures. Every single thing you are selling should be easy for the customer to see and understand. This includes color, size, and detailed descriptions such as materials used (i.e. if you sell shirts, let customers know the material like 100% cotton, etc). The more description included with each item, the better. Remember, people cannot actually hold these items in their hand and look at and touch them, so they need to be able to get a sense of everything they look at on the site.
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15. 800 numbers really matter. Website surfers and e-commerce shoppers want assurance that they can contact anyone at any time if they have a concern with your website. Adding a 1-800 phone number can actually increase your conversion rate by a few percent each month. If customers can call and get in touch with someone if they have questions, they will most likely continue shopping and make the sale. If they have a difficult time getting a hold of someone, then they will probably move on to another website.
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16. Enlarge the photos. As previously mentioned, good clear photos can really make a difference. Having the enlarge and zoom option make it even more appealing. If people can get a clear view of the items they might buy, they feel much more confident in making that final purchase without holding the item in their hand.
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17. Add in FAQ’s. Frequently Asked Questions are a great tool to help encourage customers to get the help they need simply by clicking on your FAQ page. Come up with the most common questions people would ask, and add them on a dedicated page along with answers. Of course, people can always email or call your 800 number, but having FAQ’s really does help.
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18. Be upfront with all pricing. Don’t try to hide pricing, especially shipping. Make it easy for potential customers to know just how much their total purchase will be with shipping right from the outset. A lot of times, Internet shoppers will turn away at the last minute if the shipping cost is unexpectedly too high.
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19. Use Heat Map technology. This new technology allows you to see what your visitors are hovering or clicking the mouse on. You’ll then be able to optimize or tweak any particular area that’s getting a lot of attention and areas which aren’t. www.CrazyEgg.com is a heat map service you can use.
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20. Live chat is effective. Include a live chat option to your site if possible. The 1-800 number is great, but some people prefer to just email or chat online. Adding in a live chat feature is a good way to show your business is sophisticated, and concerned about its customers’ needs. While you probably won’t have Live Chat online 100% of the time, it’s good to have operators on staff during regular business hours, or during your particular website’s peak hours.
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BONUS TIP! Host your website at EZ-Net Sytems and receive the tools to create, promote and develop you eCommerce business. Also includes tips, techniques, videos, even full courses of study. EZ-NetSystems makes eCommerce easy.
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If you even use just a few of the tips listed here, you’re well on your way to getting a higher conversion rate. No one can do every single thing on this list, and if they did, they would be the world’s most thorough Internet company. On the other hand, just a few changes can do wonders for the sales rate of your website. By trying new things, making needed changes, and testing your results, you will be on the fast track to getting sales you expect and deserve. Look at your data on a daily basis so you can get a feel for what customers are thinking. It also allows you understand the things that are working as well as the things that are not.
Never be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to having your own Internet business. New ideas are what make people successful, and what makes them stick out to customers. Know what you want, and have a goal in mind. By writing up a mission statement and creating a realistic goal, you will have a prize to keep your eyes on. This helps to encourage success, boost confidence, and help you to continue on. If you decide to hire people such as Live Chat operators or telephone customer service reps, be sure you’re using the best people possible. Using someone you know is a good idea if you’re small and starting out. If you’re a bit more established, use clients who have a good track record that hire representatives for you.
All of the elements shown here have an impact on how your conversion rate will do. By implementing a few changes, you will be amazed at how you can turn people who just click on the site for a quick look into people who actually buy the things you’re selling. A few small changes as well as constant and thorough testing should bring some awesome results, as well as the money you expect when you own your own business. Patience is the key, as well as creativity, and a great looking website.
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