Information You Should Always Include on Your Business Web Site
No matter how large or small your business happens to be at this stage, a Web site can make a big difference. Many customers love to get online for quick answers to their questions. And when your company reaches a certain level of growth, you might branch out into online sales.
But right now, no matter what stage you’re at, your company’s Web site needs to include certain information. Not making certain facts and details available to your site’s visitors will drive would-be customers away – to other sites that offer what they want.
Your contact information is vital to your Web site’s reputation. If you aren’t willing to let online visitors have your business e-mail address, mailing address and telephone number, then your customers lose some faith in your company. Give visitors as many contact options as possible: they’ll appreciate the convenience and straightforward approach.
Write a paragraph or two about your business. This should go in the “About Us” section. Customers like to know a little bit about the Web site and company that they’re visiting – especially if they intend to buy something. A few sentences about your company’s history, your location, and what types of products you offer will reassure customers that you’re legitimate and that you take this seriously.
If you’re trying to convince people in your area to come by your physical location, you should include a map and driving directions. Not everybody knows exactly where you’re located. And remember that some people are new to your city or town. They won’t necessarily know the area well.
Even if you don’t sell online just yet, prices are good to know. Why should people bother calling you to ask how much you’re charging for Widget A when your competitor’s Web site lists their price for the item? And if you list your prices on the site, you won’t have to answer phone calls and e-mails from people who want this information. So, you’re making would-be buyers happy and saving yourself time.
If you sell online, a list of accepted payment methods is also nice. Some people will, for example, pay with PayPal – and only PayPal – when they’re shopping online. If you accept this payment method, you should proudly and prominently display the PayPal logo. The same goes for credit cards, checks, money orders, or whatever other payments you accept.
Some company sites require buyers to register for a site account or profile before those customers can find out about the shipping methods and estimated costs. This will discourage some visitors from buying your merchandise. Let them know about your shipping methods – and the expected costs – before they go to the trouble of registering with your site.
If your company also sells on eBay or Amazon’s Marketplace, be sure to include links to your accounts with these sites. Customers like having choices, and you’ll probably see more sales. There are some people who will not pay your full asking price, but they’ll gladly buy the same item from you if they can snag it from eBay at a lower price. You might think of this as lost money, but it’s not: you gained a customer who would not have spent anything. You might also see return business from this type of buyer. When that customer sees something that he really wants, he might pay the full price.
Don’t forget seals of authenticity or approval that your site might have earned. If you’re registered with Verisign, for example, you should include their official logo on your site – preferably on the main page, where visitors can see it immediately.
Online privacy is very important to many customers. If you do not sell, trade, or otherwise reveal personal information, you should mention this on your Web site. It’s only fair to mention that you do intend to do these things, too. Either way, your site’s privacy policy should be easy to find and written in clear language. Not every visitor will bother reading this page, but there are plenty of online shoppers out there who want to know.
And finally, you should publish your company’s return policies. Make these as clear and easy to understand as possible. This page should be easy to find, like the privacy policy. You might link to this page from the checkout page, just to make sure that your customers have multiple opportunities to view the policy.
When your Web site includes all of the relevant information, you can be confident that you will turn more visitors into customers. Make sure that you update your site as soon as possible after any significant change to your policies, methods, or other important things. Customers will appreciate the fresh information as well as the efforts that you put into creating a good site.
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