As web developers, we are always thinking about the outcomes of our work. So uppermost in our minds when we design a site, or even the layout of text on a page is what will trigger a response in a customer to do something.

Sometimes clients think that a great big red flashing button, different sized fonts and different colours will encourage people to ‘do’ something, i.e. click on something or call. Whilst this might work in the world of print, on a billboard poster or a loud TV ad, this tends to have the opposite effect with a website.

So what are some guidelines to make people click

1 - Make your site easy and enjoyable to use – key to this a navigation that makes sense

2 - Arrange content in an F shaped pattern; the pattern of how people read

3 - Ensure pages download quickly - no big images!

4 - Online readers skim content – so aid retention and action by breaking it up, using bullet points, numbered lists and sub headings. These are tools to help the eyes focus on what is important ( just like using BOLD here)

5 - Put key information above the fold – i.e. above the first screen length before people start to skim

6 - Put important stuff on the left – we have had quite a few arguments with clients who want logos on the right – ‘just to be different’ – WRONG! Being different does not actually make it better!

7 - Use white space to enhance readability – that’s probably why you like sites with lots of white – they are easy to read!

8 - Check things across all browsers – these days there is a smorgasboard of browsers and devices to use, so we need to check a million places!

9 - Focus on all your key landing pages – what do you want people to do on each of these pages – not just your home page

So get Clicking!

I recently flew to Los Angeles to represent Bosweb Systems at the Adobe MAX conference with 5000 other designers, developers and online marketing companies.

As part of our involvement, and as one of the leading Business Catalyst partners globally, I presented to other Business Catalyst partners from around the world.

Predominantly I focussed on 'Customer Care & Support' including discussions on the value that Business Catalyst offers to the online businesses of our clients, appreciating the needs of our clients and understanding the satisfaction of our clients with us as a service provider.

Photos of the event can be found here

In addition I was interviewed by Adobe along with other premier partners for our opinion of Adobe Business Catalyst and our partnership with them (I appear at 3m12s).  

 

BC @ MAX 2011 - What Partners had to say from Business Catalyst on Vimeo.

The Client

KLR Marketing has long been in the business of successfully advising their clients how to make money from their livestock and livestock assets, whatever the season, whatever the market.

A key component of this success has been their Mastermind Membership program that is offered (and encouraged) after participants have completed a KLR Marketing school.


 
The key feature of their website is this member area dedicated to Mastermind Members.


The Plan

One of the key features of this site is the extensive use of video - to both inform and attract members. 

When KLR commissioned us to redevelop their site, they had a key focus that members would be more engaged with the site and hence with them.

Members are kept up to date with a significant library of Video Tutorials, Market Reports and Profit Calculators. These are updated weekly.

 Each month they host a new teleconference call and then provide access to the call after the event for those members who missed the online event.

Regular e-newsletters and updated blog posts just for members, keep members across current issues and encourage the community feel of 'Mastermind'.

The Outcome

Retention of existing members is paramount to the ongoing success of the KLR business model.

Providing value and continuing to provide value to members is how KLR Marketing has successfully grown and developed their business to services clients all over Australia and the Asia Pacific.

2 clients and 2 great facebook ad campaigns

The Client's

Both Put the Kettle On and Harmonis Kiss are 2 recent clients of ours looking to make inroads into very crowded retail markets, coupled with some of the lowest sales growth in the retail industry for the last 10 years. Yes it is tough!

Both businesses are very new - 'Put the Kettle on' is solely an online business based in a small regional centre. Harmonis Kiss is a niche organic skin care provider specialising in the teen market, essentially based online - but with a growing bricks and mortar distribution channel.

Put The Kettle On                          Harmonis Kiss

The Plan

Both clients have a large female following - so what is a great cost effective way to 'connect' with a large female audience quickly?

A FACEBOOK ad campaign.

Both clients ran 2 short and highly targeted ad campaigns, specifically around building a fan base or expanding their group of likers.

They specially selected ages and demographics to suit, ensured that their facebook pages were up to date and inviting with images, regular posts and links back to their site - in a welcoming and gentle manner.

A clear timeframe and modest budget was set ( we mean modest - our clients are watching where the marketing funds are being used very closely)

No hard sell!

The aim is to engage and from there build a loyal following, who spread the word and when ready BUY.

The Outcome

Yes, it is possible!

The Client

Woolerina have been producing the highest quality Australian made merino wool clothing since 2006 and in July 2010 they expanded their production capacity and range all based from their Forbes office. 

In May 2010, Woolerina moved their site across to our platform in the anticipation that it would be a better fit to grow their online business in tandem with their offline real world business.

The Plan

In December 2010, Woolerina approached us to help build and drive more sales through their site. A considerable amount of sales were generated by the Woolerina team travelling all over Australia attending various fields days, wool shows and ag shows to promote awareness of their product. It was exhausting and at times costly work that the team felt could be better spent elsewhere.

Woolerina wanted to reduce their considerable travelling and away time - but ensure that sales continued to improve both online and offline.

We suggested a variety of points to achieve this end and coupled with some funding assistance from State and Regional Development, the following steps were recommended and actioned.

• Extend the online shopping with the introduction of product reviews
• Adding cross selling and upselling opportunities
• Extending the site with social media
• Encouraging more regular email newsletters
• Blogging  (yes we do harp on about this one!)
• Providing shopping discounts
• Creating adwords campaigns targetting new markets
• Extending the depth of keywords and description to better match what the consumer calls the Woolerina product
• Extend connections with likeminded businesses - ie Australian Made, Sporting Groups etc 

The Outcome

• Less travel for the Woolerina team during the busy May buying rush and increased sales!
• Traffic has increased significantly and steadily each month since the start of 2011 - with both increased visits and views.
• Steady increase of new email newsletter subscribers
• Increased Facebook Likers
• Increased online sales and increased online sales as a % of overall sales  

Well Done Woolerina - especially as one of the key principal's had a baby whilst all this was going on!

You can read more about this case study here and see how we might help you to achieve something similar with your business.

Mary and Me is the first client to feature in our new regular series of 'websites that work'.

Clients are always asking us how we have worked with clients to turn their website into an online business.

This series aims to outline how we achieve that with various clients big or small irrespective of what their focus might be.

The Client

Mary and Me has been a client of ours for almost 3 years - they are a small boutique in the main street of Dubbo NSW.

In that time, they have deliberately planned the growth of their online business as their budget allowed.





In 2009, they came to us about a web presence only, with numerous photogalleries to showcase their stock. The inclusion of an enewsletter soon after this start also helped them communicate with their clients locally and a rapidly expanding regional clientele. They saw considerable requests for clothing via their contact form only and after a year where ready to start selling online.

In 2010, they came to us to discuss the next stage of their 'online business' - and this was an exciting e-boutique. Our recommendations at that time also included social media, so a facebook face page was created as well to allow them to continue communciating with an expanding regional client base. Our focus with the develpment of the store was to include lots of references to their key brands, much sort out across the country. It was vital that good keyword references and tagging was put in place to capture women looking for brands and knowing nothing about Mary and Me.

During this time Mary and Me staff continued to participant in our in-house training  to further understand how our products can drive better results for their websites. Once the e-boutique started and Mary and Me's social media strategy kicked in, they saw a huge increase in site traffic, in the order of 500%. 

The Plan

In 2011, with the evidence of increasing visitors, the Mary and Me team knew that they could potentially achieve more online sales, so an opportunity to rebrand also meant an opportuntiy to revisit the ecommerce facilities at the site.

What more could be down to improve sales? 

Our recommendations where very much client based as well as SEO (search engine optimisation based) and included

• a member area for clients to keep track of their orders,
• wish lists to save their favourites for next time,
• speedy checkout with stored personal details
• Like and Share buttons for facebook and twitter
• Product Hover tool to showcase products
• As well as a blog to talk to their clients about fashion, trends and general style news

The outcome

A doubling of online sales in 3 months!