Something more important than the search engines
| Category: Search Engines | Date: 2003-12-10 |
Everyone is aware of how the search engines can drive massive amounts of traffic to your Web site. Are you equally aware that there is another even more important factor, that can determine your long-term success and the amount of traffic that comes to your website. It is something so simple that most people overlook it. What am I referring to? What I am talking about is credibility. You are probably wondering how credibility can be more important than the search engines in driving traffic your website.
If you are like me you have probably done more than your fair share of surfing various Web sites through the years. Nothing irritates me more than going to a website and finding a service that actually looks like it might be something I am interested in, but finding no phone number, no email address, nothing to indicate with whom I am dealing. I can only speak for myself, but I am certain there are many others out there who also find it very difficult to do any business with a website that insists on hiding behind the anonymity of the web.
There are many things related to running a business that you have only minor or no control over. But there is one thing you can control especially when your business is on the web. It seems everyone is afraid nowadays to give out any information about themselves while they are surfing the net. But the one thing you can do that will greatly increase your business success and can improve your online sales virtually overnight is to give your website instant credibility. How do you do this?
If you are running a business online, the first thing you need to do is provide a real phone number where your potential customers can reach you. You should also create a separate page giving a little information about yourself, provide an email address where customers can reach you. Give a little information about your background. Many successful sites also have a picture of the site owner right on the front page.
Now you might think that there is no way you are going to give out this much information. But think about it. Are you yourself comfortable when you go to a website that provides no information. Are you comfortable buying a product or any service off of that website? I know that I can not comfortable purchasing anything under those conditions. Nothing will convince me to leave a website faster than what I have described to you. I am not telling you to give out your home phone number, your home address. If you are running a business you should have a separate phone line and a separate mailing address for your business.
Think about it this way. If you walk into a neighborhood store, and all the store clerks were wearing masks, would you feel comfortable buying something from the store? Im guessing your answer is no.
What Im telling you here may sound overly simplistic. But Im telling you that your online credibility can greatly boost your sales. If you are a very large company with instant name recognition you may not need to do what I am discussing here. As most large corporations are faceless and nameless to begin with. I know of 1 online entrepreneur who tried exactly what I am telling you and his sales skyrocketed within a few short weeks of making these changes. Its not that he was all of the sudden getting a very large increase in the amount of traffic coming to his website, the difference was those that were coming were now purchasing his product in much higher numbers than before. The main reason for this rapid increase in sales was not that all of a sudden his product was different, or that he changed his prices in any way. The difference was that the potential customers now coming to his website felt far more comfortable doing business with this person. They knew that if they had a problem they could email him, they could reach him on the telephone, they knew something about is background, and he even put a picture of himself on his web page. There was now a face associated with his website and product.
You are much more likely to sell something to someone who has confidence in you than someone who has no idea who they are buying from. This is one of the main reasons why I constantly emphasize the need for each and every one of you to run your business from your own web site. If you are simply running your business from a self replicating web site given to you by your associate program you have no control over the contents.
What I am telling you here can apply to any online business. It doesnt matter what it is you are selling. It can be a product or a service. There are certain things about doing business online that are very different than the traditional methods of doing business. But some things never change. Having credibility with your customers is one of those.
About the author.
Dave Kelly
dave@a1-submut.com
http://www.a1-submit.com
If you are like me you have probably done more than your fair share of surfing various Web sites through the years. Nothing irritates me more than going to a website and finding a service that actually looks like it might be something I am interested in, but finding no phone number, no email address, nothing to indicate with whom I am dealing. I can only speak for myself, but I am certain there are many others out there who also find it very difficult to do any business with a website that insists on hiding behind the anonymity of the web.
There are many things related to running a business that you have only minor or no control over. But there is one thing you can control especially when your business is on the web. It seems everyone is afraid nowadays to give out any information about themselves while they are surfing the net. But the one thing you can do that will greatly increase your business success and can improve your online sales virtually overnight is to give your website instant credibility. How do you do this?
If you are running a business online, the first thing you need to do is provide a real phone number where your potential customers can reach you. You should also create a separate page giving a little information about yourself, provide an email address where customers can reach you. Give a little information about your background. Many successful sites also have a picture of the site owner right on the front page.
Now you might think that there is no way you are going to give out this much information. But think about it. Are you yourself comfortable when you go to a website that provides no information. Are you comfortable buying a product or any service off of that website? I know that I can not comfortable purchasing anything under those conditions. Nothing will convince me to leave a website faster than what I have described to you. I am not telling you to give out your home phone number, your home address. If you are running a business you should have a separate phone line and a separate mailing address for your business.
Think about it this way. If you walk into a neighborhood store, and all the store clerks were wearing masks, would you feel comfortable buying something from the store? Im guessing your answer is no.
What Im telling you here may sound overly simplistic. But Im telling you that your online credibility can greatly boost your sales. If you are a very large company with instant name recognition you may not need to do what I am discussing here. As most large corporations are faceless and nameless to begin with. I know of 1 online entrepreneur who tried exactly what I am telling you and his sales skyrocketed within a few short weeks of making these changes. Its not that he was all of the sudden getting a very large increase in the amount of traffic coming to his website, the difference was those that were coming were now purchasing his product in much higher numbers than before. The main reason for this rapid increase in sales was not that all of a sudden his product was different, or that he changed his prices in any way. The difference was that the potential customers now coming to his website felt far more comfortable doing business with this person. They knew that if they had a problem they could email him, they could reach him on the telephone, they knew something about is background, and he even put a picture of himself on his web page. There was now a face associated with his website and product.
You are much more likely to sell something to someone who has confidence in you than someone who has no idea who they are buying from. This is one of the main reasons why I constantly emphasize the need for each and every one of you to run your business from your own web site. If you are simply running your business from a self replicating web site given to you by your associate program you have no control over the contents.
What I am telling you here can apply to any online business. It doesnt matter what it is you are selling. It can be a product or a service. There are certain things about doing business online that are very different than the traditional methods of doing business. But some things never change. Having credibility with your customers is one of those.
About the author.
Dave Kelly
dave@a1-submut.com
http://www.a1-submit.com
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