Online shoppers in the United States will spend $327 billion in 2016, up 45% from $226 billion this year and 62% from $202 billion in 2011, according to a projection released today by Forrester Research Inc.
Are you really ready to get a piece of this pie? Is your website ready and following current trends? Read this post and don’t skip the last praragraph.
Can people easily navigate and take action on your site no matter which type of device they are using?
4 out of 5 consumers use a Smartphone to shop. If you don’t have a responsive website, you are losing sales.
Forrester says that 192 million U.S. consumers will shop online in 2016, up 15% from 167 million in 2012. But the bigger factor in driving e-commerce growth is that each shopper will spend more on average, the report says. U.S. consumers in 2016 will each spend an average of $1,738 online, up 44% from $1,207 in 2012.
People are spending more time online because of their mobile devices and because they do expect better deals than brick and mortar stores.
So it really does not matter if you are an online business, a brick and mortar store or a manufacturer. For you to keep being competitive you need to improve your skills online and have a website that performs according to what people want. Brochure websites telling how great your company is are dead.
Here are a few points to consider related to your site:
1. Clean Design
A quality design is attractive and easy to read with intuitive navigation. Most importantly, a clean design helps viewers focus on the value of your brand and content instead of distracting graphics and large amounts of text. Often, customers associate website designs with the quality of a particular company or product. Hence, a clean design is vital to providing a positive user experience that encourages customers to return.
2.Effective Color Scheme
Color schemes are more important than customers realize. Different colors have the ability to evoke emotional responses, such as calm, happiness, or frustration. When it comes to using colors in your website design, it’s essential to consider your company’s niche, target audience, branding, and the elements of color theory.
3. Usability
Websites that are easy to use are more likely to garner customer interest and encourage business. Usability can be increased by displaying product and service information in a clear, concise manner. Make sure your website has all the features a customer would need for the site to be easily accessible.
4. Call to Action
Placing calls to action on your website encourages customers to contact your business. A friendly suggestion, such as “Contact us today!” demonstrates that your business wants to develop a relationship with its customers. It’s important that calls to action are appropriate for a visitor’s level of engagement with your company.
5. Active Blog
Featuring a blog on your website is a great way to connect with them, especially if your posts encourage readers to interact with your brand. By regularly providing readers with fresh, helpful, engaging content, your brand becomes a trusted resource and an industry authority.
6. Responsive Sites
95% of mobile device users count on their devices to search for local products and services. To effectively reach this growing population of mobile users, businesses need to be sure that their websites are available from any device. Business planning the launch of a website would be better served by choosing a responsive design capable of adapting to any device.
15. Integration with Social Media
Integration with social media is no longer a novelty – it’s a requirement. As technology makes information sharing more convenient, businesses lacking social media integration fail to take advantage of what has been likened to modern day word-of-mouth advertising. Social media provides a venue in which customers can promote your brand, provide reviews, and stay in-the-know about your company’s latest news.
Yes, there is a lot involved in a good website. We’ve been building websites for 12 years and as online consultants we know what makes a site work.
For only 3 days we have a super offer for you: We will build a responsive website, migrate all content you have on your existing site, add an on-site blog and train you or your team members to update the site. All for only $950. Call us ASAP to get started: 801-842-9765
