Everyday on the web there is a new trend to contend with and trying to keep up can be enough to make your head spin. Most businesses will be asking themselves how they can stay ahead of the game without devoting every waking moment to studying these trends. Ultimately, the success of your business' online activities will come down to making the most of these new developments; through driving customers to your website as well as optimising their experience whilst on your website.
Top 10 web strategies for SMEs to implement in 2010:
1. Hear your user's voice - Have you actually ever sat with your customer base and tested your website? Have you asked them what they want or even expect? Have you conducted A/B tests to find out if changing a design or text improves conversions?
It is essential to engage customers and potential customers in quantitative and qualitative studies to brainstorm the flow and features you should be including. By utilising analytics tools such as ClickTale, Google Intelligence, Google Website Optimiser to feedback tools such as GetSatisfaction or UserVoice you can learn more about your customer base.
2. Information Overloading - Don't bombard your user with irrelevant information. Plan your information design to be concise and to the point with well structured headings and grid/column systems to ensure that text is easier to digest. It is critical that typography is utilised effectively. Remember, what is beautiful is usable.
3. AJAX for better usability - By utilising AJAX (asynchronous Javascript and XML) to build more intuitive user interfaces to help your user's journey become easier and more pleasurable. By implementing an intelligent 1-step checkout using such coding techniques which are now becoming commonplace you can increase conversion rates.
5. Mobile versions - As smart phones such as Blackberrys and iPhones become ever more ubiquitous, the importance of making a mobile friendly version of your website grows.
6. Stay on the ball - Keep up to date with what is going on and let your customers know that you are on top of things. A perfect example of this is the speed in which big web brands such as Play, Amazon and ASOS reacted to the impending postal strikes last December (2009) by immediately adding prominent notices on their website to assure customers that it would not affect delivery times. As soon as snow had settled on the ground early this January, B&Q were already featuring offers for users purchasing online who could not reach their stores because of the treacherous weather.
7. Expanding into applications - By creating applications that would useful to your customers, you can create a buzz surrounding your brand particularly if you are a first mover within your industry. An example of this is the controversial but successful iPhone app that Bott & Co Solicitors introduced in December 2009, for people to record all necessary details of car accident or personal injury in order to process a claim with them at a later date.
8. Videos on your website - Some would argue that nobody has time to read all of the benefits of your product or service, no matter how great they are. By creating bite-size videos describing the key features of your product or service in way that is entertaining, engaging and effective. From the catwalk style videos on ASOS to the way in which Ad Agency Boone Oakley transformed their website into a video, it is clear to see that clever use of video will gain an even stronger foothold in 2010.
9. Admin friendly systems - Help your staff to become more efficient with smarter backend systems that automate as much of the leg-work of managing your e-commerce website as possible.
10. Don't let SEO ruin your website - There is an often-cited mantra amongst search engine marketers; optimise for the user first and for the search engines second. By creating unique, useful and relevant content to enhance your website's user experience, you will be doing yourself more favours than simply keyword stuffing. Of course you should get the basics right such as having well optimised title and meta data along with placing the right keywords within your content. Producing specifically targeted micro-websites for certain products or services is a recommended strategy. This enables you to be more optimised for particular phrases surrounding these products or services.
Above all, all small businesses must ensure that they have a professional digital or marketing agency with expertise in the latest web trends who understands your business needs.
For more information please visit www.cyber-duck.co.uk
