Five Ways to Improve the Visitor Experience of Your Website

No matter how good the product is that’s being sold online, if the website is not convenient for customers to use, it’s very possible they will move on to another site and never come back. It is paramount for business owners to find ways to make visiting their website a good experience for customers. Doing so does not require a major overhaul of the whole site. The main goal is to make it as easy as possible for the customer to conduct business on the website. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, but here are five that should prove to be a good start.

1. Keep it simple – Asking customers for too much information, or the wrong kind, will likely drive them away. Don’t force them to provide information when it’s not necessary, especially if it’s the type that might be deemed private. Wait until the end of the transaction to ask if they would like to set up an account for future purchases.

2. Keep customers informed – Customers like to be reassured the products they have purchased are going to be delivered, so keeping them in the loop is a good idea. This could also take quite a bit of time. One solution is to purchase help desk software that can accept the orders, automatically reply to the customer by e-mail that the order has been placed, send it to the right department and then let the customer know when the product will be shipped. Help desk programs can also help a business handle any questions or concerns a customer may have.

3. Offer payment options – Be sure to offer a variety of payment options from which customers can choose. Pay Pal and credit and debit cards are the usual forms of payment now for online businesses, but some customers will prefer one over the other. Give them the option and explore other possibilities as they become available.

4. Be organized – Take some time to look at the website through the customer’s eyes. Is the website easy to read and navigate? If products are being sold, is the “Add to cart” button prominently displayed? Think about how the visitor would want to be guided through the site. Find ways to help them make their decision.

5. Be remembered – Find ways to set the site apart from others and don’t only offer the product to be sold. Provide videos or articles on how to use or install the goods that are sold. User reviews are often sought after by customers, but don’t only show the good ones. Build trust by admitting some patrons didn’t like the product as well as others. Make sure the name or logo is memorable, also. A good website will have customers coming back for more and possibly passing the word along to their friends. The benefits of improving a customer’s experience on the website far outweigh the time and effort required to make those changes.

This is a guest post from Sarah Peterson. Sarah writes for a website that offers advice on customer support software. She believes it’s crucial for a business to keep its website visitors happy.