A lackluster site will lead to lackluster sales - web hosting provider explains.

Compelling headlines will vastly improve your odds of turning browsers into shoppers.

February is universally considered a “blah” month and for millions of Americans the winter blues escalate into seasonal affective disorder, a serious form of depression that often requires medical attention.  If you aren’t careful a similar malady, which we shall call “cyber affective disorder,” could infect your website, rendering it boring and dreary at the very time of year when your customers are craving fresh content, bright ideas and vibrant images.

How do you know if your site is suffering from “cyber affective disorder?” Web hosting provider explains:

Ho-hum website headlines: 

Visitors to your site decide within a matter of seconds whether they will stay or go. Compelling headlines will vastly improve your odds of turning browsers into shoppers.

You can create an attention-getting headline by asking a provocative question or by using word play, alliteration, or different twists on familiar phrases or clichés. Bear in mind that headlines aren’t meant to tell the whole story. They are meant to sell. The best ones sell the reader on the idea that it is worth their time and effort to keep reading. Don’t make the mistake of using so much verbiage that your action verbs get lost in the shuffle. In most cases headlines should contain no more than eight words. Quality over quantity rules the day.

Lackluster layout:

Think about some sites that you visit on a regular basis. What drew you to them and what makes you keep going back? Successful sites have compelling graphics that create positive first impressions and make the reader want to stay.

Keep your information accurate, current and easy to find. Vivid, well-written product descriptions, stellar photography and 3D images that rotate to show products from all angles can help your customers get a feel for what your have to offer.  People can be a bit reluctant to buy products that they cannot see or hold unless you have complete descriptions. Show a couple of angles and offer the option to view a larger image of your product if that’s what your customer wants. Your web hosting provider can show you how to put your products in the best light.

Worn out words:

To keep your site fresh and appealing you must periodically “weed out” stale copy and graphics.  Keep your information current and easy to find. Make sure your key messages ring out loud and clear. Write in the active voice and create lively images for your potential customers. Vivid verbal imagery is a powerful magnet.

Sluggish software:

Is your site using cutting edge software and servers that quickly move your potential customers to the areas they wish to peruse? We live is a society that demands (and usually gets) instant gratification.  Once your visitor thinks “yes, that’s what I’m looking for” they are apt to stay a bit longer and allow you fully explain what you have to offer. Talk to your web hosting provider about the software and servers you are using. Your web hosting provider can recommend the combination that works best for you.

The internet landscape is brimming with ecommerce sites and in most cases there is little to distinguish one from the other. Ecommerce functionality may be the norm but most sites have a long way to go to set themselves apart. A lackluster site will lead to lackluster sales. Don’t give in to the temptation to just hunker down, pull the covers over your head and wait for spring. Your customers need a beacon - so get our there and shine.

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