[vc_row row_type=”row” type=”grid” text_align=”left” padding_top=”120″ padding_bottom=”4″ ][vc_column width=”1/3″]
Here are some common-sense measures that will improve the quality of your E-Commerce website:
The website design should reflect your target market.
Your site design should suit the demographic (age, economic or cultural characteristics) of your customers.
The site design should complement your offline branding
Your website is an important marketing tool, and as such should reflect the branding of your business such as colours and logo. A consistent“look and feel” is important within the site.
Make the site interactive: Make use of the unique features of the Internet by incorporating interactivity into your site, encouraging customer feedback wherever possible. Remember to use interactivity that is appropriate to your audience and don’t assume they have the latest technology or a fast Internet connection.
A few examples of the many interactive features which can be incorporated into a website:
Personalizing the site so that returning customers are greeted by name
Questionnaires which return results based on submitted answers
Simple games
Searchable databases of information
Message boards and discussion forums.
Make the website easy to use
“Usability” is a prerequisite for E-Commerce success. If people cannot shop, then the site won’t sell a thing; it doesn’t matter how cheap the product are or how good the site looks if people can’t find the products or if they get stuck on a step in the checkout process.
There are many ways to maximize the usability of your site such as:
Provide intuitive navigation Consistent navigation placement
Include a search facility or site map for larger sites or sites with product catalogues Avoid inappropriate animation and inappropriate content that may require extra “plug-ins” to be downloaded by your end-users.
A good web developer will understand the principles of usability and how to implement them in your site design.
If you’re developing your own site, research the subjects of website accessibility, website design standards and information architecture.
Update your site regularly: Keep your content current and relevant in order to encourage repeat visits to your website. Outdated information will lose the trust of visitors and may prove to be a legal concern as well. Your website must protect personal details If you collect or store personal information your website must comply with the National Privacy Principles . Your Web developer should have an understanding of these and the impact of these laws to your website. It pays to develop ‘consumer friendly’ sites which display information that will reassure consumers about doing business on your website. This information includes ACN number, physical address (es), phone and email details, and your policies on privacy, refunds, deliveries, handling complaints etc.
You should set up your consumer-friendly website and do Business with Consumers .
Website Essentials
Writing for the Web
Legal Issues
E-Commerce Marketing
Search Engines.
Content Quality:
Well designed website:
The well designed website will not hold a visitor’s attention unless it contains quality content.
Here are some helpful hints for authors when writing Web content.
Communicate effectively: The reader should easily understand the information on your page. Keep your audience in mind.
Write in a style appropriate for the general community.
Think about the questions your reader may ask.
Don’t assume prior knowledge.
Make each web page independent.
Do not assume prior knowledge on a topic.
Provide any background information necessary.
Keep the language simple.
Be clear, factual and concise.
Avoid jargon and worn-out metaphors and sayings.
Explain terminology.
Use short, simple words.
Avoid slang unless it is appropriate.
Use active language.
Use the present tense if possible and use the “active voice”, as this is easier to read—for example “Our clients need this information” is better than “this” information is needed by our clients”.
Avoid capitals and italics.
On the web using all capitals is like shouting and is difficult to read.
Similarly using only italics is difficult to read.
Keep Paragraphs Short. Most people “scan read” on the Web.
Write clearly with one idea per paragraph and use short paragraphs.
Remember Accessibility Issues.
Apart from legal implications of making content accessible to all there are also commercial and usability issues to be considered – remember your messages will be more powerful (and sell more products or services) if more people can access them.
Consider multilingual options where appropriate. Consider graphical / multimedia alternatives if the content or audience is appropriate.
More on writing for the Web Here are some sites with advice about writing for the Web audience: GoodDocuments.Com UseIt.Com – Writing for the Web Writing for a Web Audience (IBM DeveloperWorks)