 |
 |
 |
|
12.18.08 Making Users Confident And Comfortable On Your Site  By
Stoney deGeyter Web searchers looking to research or purchase items to buy on the web are inherently skeptical. This is especially true when they end up on a site which is new to them. Regardless of how they got there--web search, referral, advertisement, etc.--this skepticism interferes with the buying and selling process. There are numerous issues that make their way into the visitor's conscious and sub-conscious, most of which must be overcome before they are willing to seal the deal and complete the sale. Here are just a few: • I don't know who you are so how can I trust you? • What are you going to do with my precious credit card and personal information? • How can I contact you (and be assured I'll reach someone) if I have a problem with my order? • How do I know that my information will be secure? • What if the product I buy doesn't work right or there is something else wrong? • Why should I buy from you rather than another site? • I'm having trouble finding information on your Web site, how do I know I'm getting what I need? • I can't buy the way I want to. I'd like to talk to a person before placing my order • Are you a serious business or is this just a hobby site? • I need shipping options. Why don't you have more options? As the website owner it's your job to help alleviate many, if not all, the fears that your site visitors have. You have to make them confident and comfortable with making the purchase.
Any of the questions above left unanswered is a potential sale lost due to uneasiness and the visitors inability to place their complete trust and confidence in you. All things being equal, they'll make their purchase from the site that they feel most confident about. Heck, all things not being equal, they'll still choose confidence over lower prices, better branding, etc. It is often difficult for small business owners to see their websites objectively. A handful of people throw a few compliments their way and they assume that everyone thinks the same way. This then prevents them from making any changes because "we actually get complimented on that quite a lot." However when a more objective viewpoint is applied, one will often see past the few compliments and finally see the glaring omissions that may be preventing shoppers from completing their purchases. So how do you create a site that builds shopper confidence in what you offer and increases your ability to close the deal? I have a few suggestions. Risk free guarantees Continue reading this article. About the Author: Stoney deGeyter is president of Pole Position Marketing (www.PolePositionMarketing.com), a search engine optimization / marketing firm providing SEO and website marketing services since 1998. Stoney is also a part-time instructor at Truckee Meadows Community College, as well as a moderator in the Small Business Ideas Forum. He is the author of his E-Marketing Performance eBook and contributes daily to the E-Marketing Performance (www.eMarketingPerformance.com) marketing blog. |
||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||
|
|
