Retaining Your Online Customers

So, using our daily SEO guide hopefully we have managed to explain how successful optimisation can work wonders in your search engine ranking and indeed your success. We have also hopefully made clear how offsite marketing and building your brand are crucial to ensure your business reaches out and grabs that desired audience.

The successful implementation of online marketing can work wonders to ensure that your brand grows and reaches the right audience in the right way but can you keep a hold of that audience? The focus of your online marketing will be to drive the audience back to your website and keep them there long enough to turn them into potential customers, yet despite ensuring they tick every box and do everything right; you would be surprised how many businesses fall at the last hurdle.

So you've worked to build your brand reputation and encourage a strong following towards what you can offer but does your website tick all the right boxes? Because if it doesn't; then no amount of offline marketing will help.

Your website needs to be fully functional and easy to use so ask yourself; does your site work on all browsers? For all computers, tablets and mobiles? What if your user has issues with their eyesight or any other issues that may affect the way they browse the web? Never forget that users and the way they access your website will all be different, so make sure your website passes the usability test across the board or it could risk becoming a no go zone…not exactly ideal if you're trying to grow your business.

Did you know that the design of your website can affect its usability profit? So even if you pass the first hurdle, the slightest design error could push them away. The simplest details from text size and amount to colour can all play a part in how users react but the best way you can ensure your website stays usable and does not put off users is by keeping it fool proof. Simplicity is key so don't overcomplicate things and certainly don't demand things (nothing is more off putting then being pushed into a corner and forced to fill out forms) and improve page layouts so they are clear and concise to ensure every path your users can take is straight forward and you can't go wrong. You are the business; don't make the customer do the work.

Regular test and evaluations will ensure that your website follows usability best practice. Keep it simple and fool proof and fingers crossed you won't fall at the last hurdle.