Whether you’re a seasoned website designer or a novice web developer with the hopes of launching an impressive web presence to make your competition envious, it’s quiet easy to fall into the trap of making careless mistakes that could potentially cost your online business venture loss profits but also your company’s reputation.
Issue #1 – Missing Contact Information
Perhaps one of the most annoying experiences when visiting a website is not being able to locate the relative contact information. Whether an e-mail address, physical address, driving directions or a toll-free telephone number, information should be readily available to share with website visitors. Doing so could potentially mean the difference between a strong sales lead and an actual purchase. Ideally, contact information should be placed above the fold in a conspicuous location with at least three different methods of contacting the company for various inquiries.
Issue #2 – Slow Server Download Time
In today’s fast-paced world – time equals money. Ask anyone viewing a website connecting via a 56k modem that takes longer than 10 seconds to download pages and see exactly how long they will wait around for the rest of the site to download at the speed of molasses.
When developing a website, it’s important to keep in mind that every website visitor may not have access to high-speed Internet connections, therefore, it’s always a good idea to keep graphics and data files small so web pages have the ability to download at a much quicker rate. It’s easy to test the download speed of your website by simply connecting on a 56k modem, and then start your stop watch to determine exactly how long it takes for the entire site to download.
Issue #3 – Usability
Along the lines of efficient webpage download speeds, website visitors also appreciate usability features incorporated into the website. Features such as skip navigation, title bars, site maps, Contact Us page, driving directions, hours of operation, and so on and so forth goes a long way when accommodating an array of needs for various website visitors seeking pertinent information.
Other useful information that you may consider advertising is product or service guarantees, customer support features, and a website privacy policy. Although such usability features may not seem much on the grand scheme of the overall website, however, website visitors are sure to appreciate the extra time and devotion spent addressing their individual needs.
Issue #4 – Requiring Website/Newsletter Subscriptions
As a website owner, keeping track of a subscription base is considered a good way to keep website visitors in the loop as to special promotions, discounts and other exclusive offers. On the other hand, website visitors being prompted to first subscribe to a site or newsletter before actually turning the golden key to access what lies beneath the cyber gates of splendor is a sure bet of turning away the masses of visitors and potential sales leads. Although some website visitors may not mind subscribing to your website, however, the choice should always be left up to the individual as to whether or not they wish to divulge personal contact information. Leave the reigns of control in the hands of the website visitors.
Issue #5 – Hassel-Free Checkout
Just as shoppers in a grocery store expect a quick and speedy checkout when purchasing items, online shoppers don’t expect anything less when making an online purchase transaction. The online storefront should be neat and clutter free, with no more than three or four up-sell items in the attempts of trying to sell a related item a shopper has dropped in the shopping cart. Shoppers shouldn’t be bombarded with non-relevant items or services just in the hopes of making a sale. Additionally, all items and services should be described in great detail along with any money back guarantees, preferred payment methods, shipping and handling charges, sales tax, special promotional discounts, return policies, and any other relevant information beneficial to the customer.
Conclusion
With a little thought and consideration when developing your website, it’s simple to implement strategies to help retain website traffic and keep them coming back to visit often!
