Five Reasons Your Website Isn’t Generating Sales

44% of online shoppers begin by using a search engine. (Interconnected World: Shopping and Personal Finance, 2012)
You’ve taken the plunge and invested in a website, but the sales aren’t happening. We’ve put together 5 reasons why your website isn’t gaining sales.
Return on Investment, profit – however you look at it, the underlying purpose of your website is to generate sales. Whether you have an online shop or not, your website design underpins your entire online presence, a fundamental tool in your online marketing strategy. If your website isn’t generating sales here’s a rundown of 5 reasons why you may not be converting your online leads:

1. Traffic trouble

Imagine a shop or an office in town that no one ever visited or telephoned. Without traffic to your website, your website won’t gain sales.

• Are you getting ‘virtual footfall’ to your website?
• Consider your online marketing strategy – you may not be doing enough.
• Your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) may not be doing the job

2. Looks matter

Remember your mum always said that looks weren’t everything? Well, they might not be EVERYTHING but when it comes to your website, visual appeal is pretty important.

• If someone has found your website, the chances are they already want what you have to offer
• BUT If people don’t like how your site looks, they won’t stick around
• An unattractive website may also put off those customers who are prepared to stay a while longer and make a more considered purchasing decision.

 It takes around 0.05 seconds for users to form an opinion about your website that determines whether they like your site or not

3. Clarity in all things

We’re all busy – time is tight. If your online customers can’t find what they are looking for quickly, they will go elsewhere.

• Ease of use is a huge factor in online purchasing decisions, from the Buy It Now button to the FAQs
• If you have an e-commerce site, your checkout process may be interrupting the ‘flow’
• Frustrated or annoyed customers are less likely to return for a second try.

4. It’s not you, it’s me?

Perhaps if you’re breaking up with someone, but not if you want your website to generate sales.

• Your website needs to be about your customer and the problem you can solve for them.
• ‘Telling your story’ may be detracting from the sale
• Tell your story in a way that enhances your customer’s experience.

5. Keyword overload

Your website ranks highly and you’re getting lots of traffic but no sales? Maybe the content on your website is putting people off.

• Keyword overload can make your website read awkwardly to the visitor
• Your visitors may feel overly ‘sold’ to.
• Is your website copy is full of sloppy grammar, misspellings and text that just doesn’t make sense. It’s more common than you think – and will put off more people than you might imagine…

Watch this space for our follow up blog where we’ll be sharing some top tips to help you counter these reasons why your website isn’t generating sales. But if you can’t wait that long, get in touch with us at Web Adept and see how we can help your website generate more sales for your business.