It is common knowledge that the COVID-19 crisis has brought about unprecedented changes to the business landscape as a whole. Companies that relied on physical establishments outside of supermarkets have had to rethink their business model, as more and more people are focusing on online services to try to stave off infection. So many people are afraid to go out and take risks that businesses have been forced to adapt to the situation by moving most of their products and services online.
It is an interesting time for most competitive industries out there, as companies are focusing on online stores and online reputation management (ORM) to try to stand out from the rest of the competition. The sheer volume of online shoppers in the current holiday shopping season is also indicative of what to expect moving forward.
For most businesses out there, the best thing to do would be to focus on the primary website, ensuring that the online store is built for the user experience more than anything else. That said, it can be easy to get overwhelmed when trying to accomplish such a task, though you are not alone. Here are the ins and outs of optimised web design, provided by the professionals at ocere.
First and foremost, consider the state of the online store for mobile users
While developing a website as optimised as possible is an excellent way of standing out from the rest of the crowd, keep in mind that the mobile platform is a crucial part of the experience. One of the surprising things about the current holiday season is the fact that not enough business owners have made a push to develop a viable mobile app for their primary website — forcing most online shoppers to deal with an unoptimised mobile experience.
When you consider that a dominant percentage of people will be using their mobile phones to acquire services from various online sources, it is no wonder why some businesses cannot seem to get enough brand exposure to break new ground. As a rule of thumb, the mobile app should be superior to the browser experience or at least be equal in terms of user experience. Otherwise, there is little chance to take advantage of the opportunities provided by an industry shift to online services.
Link building is the backbone of search engine optimisation (SEO)
Anyone who dabbles in digital marketing strategies for their business has likely already heard of SEO solutions. Some might have even made use of a quality SEO company to try to get the job done, as traditional SEO methods can be quite inexpensive. That said, when it comes to SEO, link building would be the backbone. Without any backlinks, a primary website will largely be cut off from the rest of the Internet, making it challenging to give online visitors what they want. It is common knowledge that websites with high domain authority (DA) make effective use of relevant backlinks.
No matter the scenario, the idea of building links for any website or online store is an integral part of digital marketing and online success as a whole. Fortunately, there are plenty of professionals that can help, including ocere.com for SEO and link building solutions. Building links is something of an exact science, and it requires a delicate touch to be effective. As a crucial part of general SEO, the use of backlinks will always be a part of every dominant marketing strategy.
Utilising content marketing to further attract an online audience
It is understandable for an inexperienced online store owner to think that all they need to achieve success in any industry would be a website that offers their products and services, and little else. While there is always a chance that things could snowball into something much more lucrative, it is important to increase the odds of success wherever and whenever possible.
For example, most websites and mobile apps would benefit highly from the use of content marketing such as relevant articles and blogs to elevate a website. In some ways, it is similar to building links for the website, as it often involves linking to a relevant article or blog. The difference is that with content marketing, the unique and original articles are found on your website. Having content that relates to the products and services rendered — effectively encouraging online shoppers to make a purchase — will undoubtedly translate to a high return on investment (ROI).
On the topic of loading times
While search engine optimisation and content marketing are all well and good, they will end up not counting for much if the website is poorly designed. When it comes to building just about any website, the key is not to slow things down with unnecessary widgets or site accessories. Not many online visitors will appreciate a website that does not get straight to the point, which is why some businesses lose out on potential revenue even if they might sell fantastic products. It is never a bad idea to consider what you are putting on your website, and ask yourself whether or not it is relevant.
It would also be wise to consider the resolutions of the images you intend to use for the site. While high-quality images are all well and good, if they go past a certain resolution there are diminishing returns when you compare the quality to load times. It is also a different experience entirely on mobile, as images have to be resized to fit the platform.
Aside from the best-practice methods above, it would also be a good idea to ensure that online visitors understand the point of the website the moment they enter. Having a succinct (and short) header regarding the goals of the business is often good enough to get online users to keep scrolling instead of clicking away. Considering how many people are taking their money online, it is only natural for businesses to focus on web design.
