Certain web design principles apply specifically to e-commerce websites. While some web stores may be clean and pleasant to look at, and may even attract a select group of visitors, if they suffer from poor usability or an inappropriate or weak marketing signal, then their owners are leaving money on the table.
A well-designed e-commerce site is vital to selling your products online, and key to a strategy that does not needlessly leave extra money on the table. Here are a few web design principles to increase sales and foster long-term customer relationships by providing a positive online experience.
Clean User Interface
A cluttered or confusing interface drives potential customers away. On the other hand, a clean, well organized, and visually attractive interface draws the viewer's attention to important calls-to-action, which, in turn, drives conversions and profit. A clean, carefully planned website design communicates both efficiency and professionalism. Instead of trying to impress viewers with bells and whistles, turn their attention to the shopping path you wish them to follow.
Creating a clean interface also means limiting the number of calls-to-action on a page, keeping category and navigational elements structured, and using readable fonts. These elements can work together to hold the viewer's attention and focus the browsing and shopping process.
Speed and Uptime
E-commerce thrives on 24/7 demand and availability, allowing customers to conveniently shop any time of the day or night, and, with smart phones and other portable devices, from virtually any location. A great user experience requires fast information retrieval, including text, graphics, and videos. Find a reliable, high-speed e-commerce web hosting provider and hosting plan. You'll save time and money by avoiding server downtime and slow website performance, both of which can drive customers away and harm your search engine rankings. Your web design and e-commerce strategy should include providing the best possible customer experience, and speed is a critical element of that strategy.
Visible Sign Up and Checkout Process
Easy-to-understand and well-placed call-to-action buttons and boxes are also important considerations. Your sign-up, "buy now", and add-to-cart buttons are perhaps your most important calls to action. A results-oriented web design plan includes forms and buttons that elicit a positive response from shoppers and visitors, so make them clear, convenient, and direct. Avoid requiring customers to fill out long sign-up forms when all you really need are a few basic details and an email address. De-emphasize phrases like “more details” and “learn more” and place greater emphasis on “buy now” and “add to cart”.
Effective Use of Colors
Another important web design element is the use of colors that work well with your web design theme, yet emphasize your calls-to-action. Use contrasting colors for you calls-to-action to help them stand out. Consider using standard colors like "Amazon yellow" for your "Add to Cart" and "Check Out" buttons, as they are likely to feel intuitive and familiar to your shoppers.
An Intuitive Product Page that Lets Users Control Their Shopping Experience
Personalized shopping drives the growth of many e-commerce websites. Offer your visitors tools that allow them to customize their shopping experience. Let them search for and sort products by category, price, feature, release date and other relevant variables. It’s also important to provide a large, detailed product image (typically as a separate click), description, and product availability.
SEO Counts for E-Commerce Too
A winning e-commerce web design strategy includes a smart search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. Besides optimizing the visual aspect of your website for your customer, it's important to optimize your content (text, video, images, etc.) for the search engines. High-ranking websites feed the search engines with content that is well defined and well structured from the headings down to the footer links. Use proper heading tags and meta data and, most importantly, do your keyword research for each product and product category, and use those keywords in your page, category, and item descriptions, and in your other meta-data.
Create a Positive Experience for MOBILE Shoppers
Shoppers are increasingly turning to mobile devices to perform their online shopping, and trend-watchers are predicting that that m-commerce will overtake desktop and laptop e-commerce in the near future. Suffice it to say that your website should be designed to automatically reformat the navigational buttons, images, shopping experience, and check out process specifically for the small screens common to mobile devices. For more on this topic, please see our m-commerce blog posts.
In summary, it's wise to leave no part of your e-commerce web design plan to chance. Everything must be well planned and executed if it’s online business success you’re after. Following these steps will increase your likelihood of creating an experience that rewards your shoppers with a pleasant experience, and rewards you with repeat business.
If you would like to stay abreast of these and other issues to help your business succeed in today's online world, please subscribe to our blog (see column to left). If you would like help in creating an online marketing strategy for your business, with our without e-commerce, please contact us.
Alan Robezzoli is the founder of Power Marketing International, LLC, located near Reading, PA. PMI's mission is to provide high-value, results-oriented Web Design, Web Marketing, and Social Media Marketing services to Reading Pennsylvania, and the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown, Harrisburg, and York PA.
Survey Says ...
Based on survey results reported on Google’s Mobile Ads Blog, we can conclude that customer expectations for mobile-friendly websites are sharply on the rise. The results may surprise you.
Here are some highlights of Google's mobile web design study:
- 2 out of 3 consumers are more likely to buy from a mobile-friendly site
- 61% abandon poor mobile sites
- 96% of consumers report discovering websites that were obviously designed for mobile
- 74% who have visited a mobile-friendly site are more likely to return
- Per Google, “The fastest path to mobile customers is through a mobile-friendly site. If your site offers a great mobile experience, users are more likely to make a purchase."
- Non mobile-friendly websites damage a company’s reputation: almost half surveyed felt that a site that functions poorly on mobile devices suggests that the company does not care about their business
Google sums it up this way: “Having a great mobile site is no longer just about making a few more sales. It’s become a critical component of building strong brands, nurturing lasting customer relationships, and making mobile work for you.”
We can only conclude that mobile web design formatting has become a must for those looking to create or re-design a commercial website. Is a mobile website in your plans?
For Google’s full post, click here
Alan Robezzoli is the founder of Power Marketing International, LLC, located near Reading, PA. PMI's mission is to provide high-value, results-oriented Web Design, Web Marketing, and Social Media Marketing services to Reading Pennsylvania, and the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown, Harrisburg, and York PA.
No Time Like Present to Start Building or Optimizing for Mobile
If your business web site is only viewable in the standard display formats used for desktops and laptops, then now may be a great time to upgrade.
Consider the benefits of creating a pleasant experience for those viewing your website on smart phones and other mobile devices. Consumers and business people alike are purchasing and using mobile devices at an unprecedented rate. Your business is in danger of being left behind on this tsunami-like web marketing trend unless you get on board and get ahead of your competition.
On the Go and No Time to Waste
Mobile shoppers and viewers are often on the go, with little patience for a viewing experience that slows them down or makes them work too hard to find the information they are seeking.
The primary goal of formatting web pages for mobile media centers on creating a pleasant user experience that does not require the user to manually expand pages to view information, to navigate the menu system, or to fill out online forms.
It also includes not forcing the entire page width of the standard website onto the mobile version, but instead breaking it down into smaller, more readable chunks and single columns suited to smaller mobile viewing formats.
Goodbye Yellow Pages, Hello Search
Ever since the de facto death of the Yellow Pages caused by the ease and power of online searches, a solid website design has become a prerequisite for doing business, or at least for getting found by those unfamiliar with a firm's services and products.
Instead of operating in relative anonymity, even small businesses today can become global concerns by leveraging the power of web marketing in its various forms. And now the website prerequiste is expanding to mobile websites.
Take the Right First Step: Hire a Pro
When creating a mobile web site for your business you have two main options: one option is to create a stand-alone mobile version, the other is to modify your existing website to detect mobile devices and to automatically re-format each page for mobile viewing. The latter spares you the hassle of maintaining two versions, which can otherwise become a considerable long term cost.
For the stand-alone option there are off-the-shelf packages that allow the do-it-yourselfer to muddle through the process of creating a mobile website. In many cases that is a serious mistake because most novices lack the online marketing and graphic design skills needed to create a well-designed mobile version.
High Stakes
When it comes to optimizing your site for mobile devices, the stakes are high because your business is competing with others for the time and attention of a rapidly growing number of mobile viewers and shoppers. Therefore, hire someone with true mobile media marketing and web design expertise, saving you lots of time and effort, and providing a much greater chance of yielding impressive results.
The Future Belongs to Mobile Media Marketing
Today's trends are clear: mobile media marketing and formatting websites for mobile viewing are among the keys to online marketing success. Still not convinced? Take a moment and look around you when in public or when picking up your teenager after school. Chances are you will see lots of people engrossed with their smart phones (and we've all seen distracted drivers as well, further proving the point that people are driven to use their mobile devices!).
The Biggest Players Have Adapted Their Pages for Mobile Media, and You Can Too
Some Smart Small Business Have as Well. Check out the popular social media sites like Facebook, Google Plus, Linked In, Twitter, and others -- they all have mobile versions. Want to see one of the best mobile shopping sites? Check out Amazon from your mobile phone, then download their mobile app - it's flawless. The best part is that the technology to accomplish this is now within reach of even very small businesses, thanks to website technology leaders like HubSpot, so there is no reason to hold back if you think it may be right for you.
The Bottom Line
The list of social sites and other mobile sites from informational to e-commerce that are 'must-be-ons' will only continue to grow. All these sites and many more are optimized for mobile media marketing, and the trend is growing rapidly by the day. Now is the time to develop your mobile media marketing plan, including your mobile-optimized website.
Need help in creating a great mobile website or crafting a mobile media strategy for your business? Ask us about a free, no-obligation initial consultation.
Alan Robezzoli is the founder of Power Marketing International, LLC, located near Reading, PA. PMI's mission is to provide high-value, results-oriented Web Design, Web Marketing, and Social Media Marketing services to Reading Pennsylvania, and the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown, Harrisburg, and York PA.
Know Your E-Commerce Options
Are you aware of the latest options for versatile and innovative online payment processing for your e-commerce or m-commerce (mobile commerce) website? The rates and other features can vary significantly, so it's wise to do your homework before jumping into a solution.
Here's a summary of the latest information provided by Website Magazine. A link to the full article appears at the end of this post.
SQUARE
Accepts m-commerce payments from mobile devices through a square-shaped reader. Retailers sign up for the free iOS and Android-compatible reader, and then install the free Square app. Merchants pay 2.75 percent per swipe for Visa, MasterCard, Discover and AmEx credit cards. Also features a loyalty program and ability to use an iPad as a register, and to add inventory, process payments and print receipts. For more info> Square.
PAY PAL HERE
Uses a triangular card reader to accept m-commerce payments from mobile devices. Pay Pal Here also can issue invoices, track cash payments, process checks and, accept PayPal payments. Processing checks and issuing invoices are free, plus 2.7 percent for card swipes. Merchants can download the app and apply to obtain the card reader for free. For more info > Pay Pal Here.
INTUIT GOPAYMENT
Allows merchants to accept m-commerce payments. The app and card reader are free, plus 2.7 percent credit card transaction fees for Visa, Mastercard, Discover and AmEx. Text or email receipts to consumers, sync GoPayment transactions with QuickBooks, and manage transactions from the Merchant Service Center. More info > Intuit GoPayment.
PAYANYWHERE
Can turn a mobile device into a credit card reader. Features a free app and free card reader to accept credit cards on iOS and Android devices, plus a 2.69 percent fee for swiped credit cards. Features real-time and heat map reporting for credit cards and cash transactions, plus a free merchant consumer insights portal. Earn extra income by referring PayAnywhere to other merchants. More info > PayAnywhere.
LEVELUP
Accept payments and create a loyalty program using a mobile device. Works on iOS and Android devices. Allows consumers to link a credit or debit card to their account, which features a unique QR code used to make purchases. Accept payments by downloading the merchant app or by using the LevelUp dock for their counter. Features a cost-effective 2-percent transaction fee, loyalty program, purchasing analytics, email receipts, weekly reports and more. More info > LevelUp.
VERIFONE
VeriFone offers 2 m-commerce payment processing solutions: 1) PAYware Connect is a cloud-based solution enabling merchants to accept transactions on mobile devices and online. 2) Sail works on both iOS and Android mobile devices in 2 plans, both of which feature a free card reader. The Pro plan features a swipe rate of 1.95 percent, plus a monthly fee of $9.95. The Go plan has no monthly fee and a 2.7 percent processing fee. More info > VeriFone.
GOOGLE WALLET
Used to accept payments at brick-and-mortar stores and online. Consumers can store their credit card info inside their mobile devices and pay by tapping their phones on readers at brick- and-mortar store locations, as well as by shopping or online. More info > Google Wallet.
DWOLLA
This solution is all about low cost and not mobile. Transactions less than $10 are free, and transactions over $10 cost 25 cents. Customers can make payments online or in brick-and-mortar locations by connecting their bank accounts to their Dwolla accounts. The low cost is obtained by eliminating the middle man, transferring funds directly to the merchant's bank account. No credit cards are needed, so no credit card fees apply. More info: Dwolla.
To view the full article at Website Magazine, click here. Need help making your business e-commerce or m-commerce friendly? Contact Us for a free consultation.
Alan Robezzoli is the founder of Power Marketing International, LLC, located near Reading, PA. PMI's mission is to provide high-value, results-oriented Web Design, Web Marketing, and Social Media Marketing services to Reading Pennsylvania, and the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown, Harrisburg, and York PA.
Based on a recent study of the top 500 Internet retailers, mobile commerce shopping activity via smartphones is projected to overtake desk-bound PC’s and laptops as a percentage of e-commerce traffic, according to m-commerce (mobile commerce) technology vendor Branding Brand.
The trend toward m-commerce appears to be due to a combination of smartphone adoption and growing confidence in using mobile devices for online purchasing: “Consumers are getting more confident and used to the idea of researching products and making purchases on mobile devices” according to Chris Mason, co-founder and CEO of Branding Brand, as reported by Internet Retailer magazine.
Is your e-commerce or informational website optimized for viewing on smartphones? If not you run the risk of getting left behind and missing out on a significant and rapidly growing trend toward smartphone usage and m-commerce. Please contact us for a free no-obligation consultation to learn how easy and affordable it can be to get ahead of your competitors by converting your current website for easy mobile device viewing and m-commerce success.
Alan Robezzoli is the founder of Power Marketing International, LLC, located near Reading, PA. PMI's mission is to provide high-value, results-oriented Web Design, Web Marketing, and Social Media Marketing services to Reading Pennsylvania, and the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown, Harrisburg, and York PA.
This is a quick summary of a helpful M-Commerce post appearing on Mashable.
Mobile commerce, or shopping online using a mobile device, is growing at an incredible pace. Here are some things you should know when considering a mobile ecommerce strategy:
1. Customers Spend More Time Per Visit on Their Mobile Devices Vs. Desktops
- Mobile shoppers spent an average of 2% more than non-mobile shoppers based on a study of 20,000 ecommerce sites for 2011
- A similar study by Adobe indicates the average tablet user spent approximately 20% more per shopping visit than non-mobile shoppers
2. Mobile Shoppers Complete Their Transactions More Quickly
- Mobile shoppers use longer, more specific search strings when searching to buy an item, indicating they are more task-focused and specific in their shopping
- 88% of mobile shoppers conducting a purchasing search will complete the transaction within 24 hours
3. E-Commerce Click-Through Rates are Higher for Mobile Users
- Consumers are roughly 30% more likely to click through from ads when using a mobile devices vs. desktops and laptops
4. More Mobile Shopping Gets Done at Night
- During the day mobile users are more focused on email and social media
5. Go Beyond the App – Make Your E-Commers Website Mobile Friendly
- Apps are great for repeat customers who know and love your product or service, but your site must be mobile friendly to attract new mobile customers
Need the details? Click here for the full post on Mashable.
Is your website mobile friendly? Whether or not yours is an e-commerce site, your website should be formatted to be easily read and navigated on smart phones and other mobile devices. Doing so will put your company ahead of most competitors. Contact us if you need help or have questions on creating a new website with a stronger mobile presence for your brand.
Alan Robezzoli is the founder of Power Marketing International, LLC, located near Reading, PA. PMI's mission is to provide high-value, results-oriented Web Design, Web Marketing, and Social Media Marketing services to Reading Pennsylvania, and the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, Lancaster, Allentown, Harrisburg, and York PA.
Larger online merchants are rapidly adapting their web design and web marketing strategies to include e-commerce websites that are optimized for use on iPhones, Droids, iPads, and other mobile devices. For those who are paying attention, the momentum toward mobile e-commerce (M-commerce) is unmistakable. It is only a matter of time before the trend filters down to medium and smaller sized businesses. It’s not too soon for smaller firms to begin preparing to optimize their main site and especially their shopping sites for mobile use.
Internet Retailer Conference, San Diego:
I recently attended the Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition (IRCE) in San Diego, June 14-17, in search of the latest in m-commerce and other new technologies. I’m happy to report that there is good news for small and mid-sized businesses: the cost of creating a shopping site optimized for mobile shoppers has come down – way down! This is a great time for smaller businesses to take the leap because for the first time the technology is truly affordable even for very small operations.
Here are some online and mobile media trends that may surprise you:
- Mobile internet access is expected to exceed traditional desktop access as early as 2014 (KalioMobile, June 2011, IRCE)
- US mobile commerce sales doubled in 2010 to $3.4 billion, and are projected to account for 12% of global e-commerce by 2015 (ABI Research, per PayPal Merchant Services, IRCE - June 2011)
- In 2010 PayPal processed $750 million in mobile payments in 2010, 4x the mobile payments of 2009 (IRCE, June 2011)
- There were over 5 million PayPal mobile users in 2010, which is expected to double in 2011 (IRCE, June 2011)
Still not convinced? Check out these stats published by HubSpot and the Marketing Data Box, Q1, 2011:
- Mobile Ads are expected to Increase 60% in 2011
- Online ads reach 45% of US population (comScore, January 2011)
- Ecommerce spending hit a record $43.4 billion in 2010 Q4 vs. $39 billion in 2009 Q4, up 11% despite the sluggish economy
- ComScore predicts double-digit US e-commerce spending growth throughout 2011
- Harris Interactive predicts US youth e-commerce spending to increase roughly 9% in 2011 to $123.5 billion (ages 8-21)
- The online news audience was up 17% in 2010 over 2009, but every other medium was either stalled or down, according to Pew Research
- For the first time, in 2010 more people reported getting their news online than from newspapers (Pew Research)
- Online ad revenue now exceeds print ad revenue (online ad revenue is up 13.9%, vs. print down 6.4%)
- 2010 saw an average 179 million US video online viewers per month, up 12% from 2009.
2011 is promising to represent a golden opportunity for nimble smaller businesses to overtake their larger peers in the mobile marketing arena if they act swiftly. Why? Because sophisticated shopping cart systems are more affordable than ever, and some include mobile cart optimization in the standard monthly fee! If you can’t bear the thought of converting your highly customized shopping cart to a standardized system just to get the benefits of mobile optimization, you can purchase a stand-alone mobile cart system for a monthly fee of approximately $100 and up depending on the number of unique monthly visitors.
For a quick sense of how effective shopping can be on a mobile device, go to
www.Amazon.com from your iPhone, Droid, or other mobile device. Or, download the Amazon iPhone shopping app for an even better experience.
2011 will prove to be a great time for many firms to revise their web design strategy to include an optimized m-commerce shopping experience.
Is this your time to make the move?