200 marketing ideas for you

and quality of web content. Consumer WebWatch4 surveyed 2,600 internet users in 2002, and asked how they evaluated websites for credibility. On the subject of ecommerce websites, comments from respondents related to: Design look (46.2%). Information structure (26.5%). Information focus or depth (24.7%). Information usefulness (16.3%). Information accuracy (15.5%). This research clearly indicates that visitors rely heavily on visual design including layout, typography, white space, images and colour scheme to make credibility judgements on websites. Visitors also seek information that is wellorganised, focused and useful. Consumer confidence and product knowledge will increase with the provision of accurate information. In January 2003, Harris Interactive found that 35% of the 2,221 US respondents were annoyed with unreliable and inaccurate information found online. “An informed consumer is likely to be a satisfied consumer”. (Better Business Bureau) Visuals Sound Visual information captures attention, clarifies text and positions products in the competitive web environment. ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ but sound adds another dimension to the website, engaging the auditory sense and sustaining the visitor’s interest.

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200 marketing ideas

for your website

This practical and concise guide contains ideas extracted from over

2,000 websites reviewed especially for this book It explains the

marketing beneﬁts of the selected ideas, includes tips and guidelines

and refers to 262 web examples, including 50 screenshots, to

demonstrate their application.

Discover various ways to

• Attract and retain visitors

• Project your expertise and authority

• Build your reputation and inspire conﬁdence

• Present favourably your products and services

• Sell and cross-sell your products

• Build a database of qualiﬁed leads

• Elicit and utilise feedback astutely

• Give visitors reasons to bookmark your site

• Improve your customer service

• And much more

These pages are bursting with constructive ideas Put one idea into

practice to get your money’s worth from this book, or implement several

ideas to transform your website into a powerful marketing tool

ISBN 0-9752186-0-3

Henriette Martel-Lawson

Author speaker & consultant

‘The Australian Web Marketer with a French accent’ runs her own online business and teaches website strategies

to small and medium enterprises, including web designers and developers.

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200 Marketing Ideas for Your Website © Henriette Martel-Lawson

www.marketingcues.com

200 Marketing Ideas for Your Website

Henriette Martel-Lawson

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This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author

It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subject matter covered It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering professional services in the book

Every effort has been taken to make this book as complete and accurate as possible All information used has been referenced when details were available Whilst written in good faith, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a

consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application

of any of the contents of this book

All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, e.g mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the author, except for the

inclusion of brief quotations in a review

Cover design: Design City

Editor: Derek Martel-Lawson

Ebook ISBN 0-9752186-1-1

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About the Hyperlinks

To facilitate the navigation of this document, five types of hyperlinks are provided:

1 Glossary terms: links to definitions

2 Table of Contents: links to headings and ideas

3 PDF Bookmarks: These navigation bookmarks are buttons that launch pages If you can’t view them, click on the tab called “Bookmarks’ on the left side of the navigation pane The bookmarks menu can be expanded or collapsed

4 Index of websites: links to references to websites within the document

5 (http://www.URLs.com): links to websites from which examples have been drawn

An URL is not linked to the website when:

The website owner has requested not to be linked

The website is no longer operational

The example is a short-term event or promotion e.g a special offer or contest, that is no longer current

The details provided in the example are

self-explanatory and give the gist of the idea without

warranting a visit to the website

Please report any broken link to improve the ebook to

mailto:hmartel@marketingcues.com

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Table of Contents

About the Hyperlinks 4

Table of Contents 5

Table of Figures 13

Acknowledgements 15

Introduction 16

PART 1 Product Information 19

Visuals & Sound 20

1 Product ‘in context’ 21

2 Multiple angles 22

3 Tangible clues for quality 23

4 Individual versus group shots 23

5 Thumbnails 24

6 Product composition 25

7 Product colours 25

8 Unique attributes 25

9 ‘Feel’ 26

10 Location shots 26

11 Lifestyle photos 27

12 Meaningful pictures 28

13 ‘Service’ shot 28

14 Sound 29

15 Audio introduction 29

Product Details 30

16 Benefits & features 30

17 Target market 30

18 Substantiation 31

19 Graphs & charts 31

20 Exclusivity & customisation 32

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Information Structure 33

21 Hierarchy of information 33

22 Product groupings 33

23 Categories 33

24 One-page information 35

25 Product ranking 35

26 Comparison shopping 36

27 Backup information 38

28 Mouseovers 39

29 Problem & solution 39

Supplementary Information 41

30 Product use 41

31 Product in action 42

32 Product history 43

33 Product applications 45

34 Virtual tour 45

35 Fun facts & curios 46

PART 2 Editorial & Tools 48

Editorial Information 48

36 Blog 48

37 Tutorials 50

38 Articles 51

39 White papers 51

40 Webinars 52

41 Step-by-step guides 53

42 Glossary 53

43 Library 53

44 Interviews 54

45 Reviews 55

46 Elsewhere 55

47 Useful links 56

48 Directory 57

Self-service Tools 59

49 Buyer’s guides 59

50 Product content tools 60

51 Calculators 60

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52 Self-assessment tools 61

53 Design tools 61

54 Virtual models 62

PART 3 Credentials 63

55 Testimonials 63

56 Experts & customers reviews 65

57 Portfolio 66

58 Case studies 66

59 Client list 68

60 Story selling 68

61 Makeovers 69

62 Endorsement seal 70

63 Expert endorsement 71

64 Celebrity endorsement 71

65 Product awards 72

PART 4 Sales Strategies 73

Selling Approaches 73

66 Unique Selling Proposition (USP) 73

67 Pricing 74

68 Packaging 74

69 Bundling 75

70 Solution & prevention 76

71 Projects supply 77

72 Ask the expert 77

73 Fear 78

74 Worthy cause 79

75 Pre-selling 80

Cross-selling 81

76 Complementary products 81

77 Target products 82

78 Accessories 83

79 Affiliate program 84

Sales Promotion 85

80 Top sellers 85

81 Web exclusives 86

82 Coupons 86

83 Hot prices 87

84 Free offers 88

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85 Free samples 89

86 Bonus packs 90

87 Joint vouchers 91

88 Volume discounts 91

89 Cumulative discounts 92

90 Purchase plans 92

91 Rebates on next purchase 92

92 Loyalty programs 93

93 Last minute deals 93

94 Clearance outlet 94

95 Chance to win 94

Gift Ideas 96

96 Types of gift certificates 96

97 Gift giving solution 97

98 Gift advisor 97

99 Gift wrapping 98

100 Gift search options 99

101 Gift plans 99

102 Corporate gift certificates 100

103 Gift registry 101

PART 5 Database Builders 102

104 Product registration 102

105 Event registration 103

106 Registration incentives 104

107 E-newsletter 105

108 Daily tips delivery 106

109 Daily audio tips 107

110 Memberships 107

111 Tracking trade with customers 109

112 Email notifications 110

113 Free e-course 111

114 Series 111

115 Contests 111

PART 6 Community 113

116 Art gallery 113

117 Community photo gallery 114

118 Forums 114

119 Community product reviews 114

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120 Community news & articles 115

121 Favourite links 116

122 Production involvement 117

123 Free personal webpages 117

124 Classified ads 118

125 Networking 119

126 Tributes 119

127 Calendar 120

128 Guest books 121

129 Event sponsorship 121

130 Community contest 122

131 Charity contest 122

PART 7 Freebies & Games 124

Fun & Freebies 124

132 Cartoons 124

133 Daily quotes, facts & tips 126

134 Freebies 126

135 Desktop calendars and wallpapers 127

136 Greeting e-cards & postcards 127

Competitions 129

137 Scavenger hunt 129

138 Joint scavenger hunt 129

139 Competitions 130

Games 133

140 Sliding puzzles 133

141 Memory games 134

142 Word search games 136

143 Hangman 137

144 Daily games 138

145 Quizzes 139

146 Crossword puzzles 140

PART 8 Customer Service 141

Customer Support 142

147 Technical support 142

148 FAQs 142

149 User manuals 144

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Communication 145

150 Discontinued product alert 145

151 Reminder messages 145

152 Wish list 146

Cross-channel Services 147

153 Catalogue 147

154 Offline & online traffic 147

155 Offline classes 148

156 Print documentation 150

Policies 152

157 Security 152

158 Privacy 153

159 Internet security options 154

160 Guarantees 154

E-commerce Functions 156

161 Niche inventory 156

162 Catalogue quick shop 157

163 Order form 157

164 Currency converter 157

165 Shipping & delivery 159

166 Shipping options 160

167 Tracking system 160

PART 9 About Us 161

Who You Are 161

168 Your team 161

169 Your organisation 162

170 Business history 162

171 Awards 165

172 Partnerships & alliances 165

173 Featured employee 166

Recruitment of Staff 167

174 Job opportunities 167

175 Employee benefits 167

176 Premises virtual tour 168

Public Relations (PR) 169

177 Media corner 169

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Investor Relations (IR) 170

178 Investors corner 170

PART 10 Contact Us 172

179 Contact details 172

180 Contact forms 173

181 Email address 173

182 Real-time help 173

183 Store locator (for offline stores) 174

184 Map 175

PART 11 Navigation Tools 176

185 Internal links 177

186 Menus 177

187 Site index 178

188 Site search engine 179

189 Site map 180

190 Breadcrumbs 180

191 Virtual tour 181

192 What’s New 181

193 Logo as a navigation tool 183

PART 12 Marketing Tools 184

Feedback 184

194 Feedback 184

Surveys & Polls 188

195 Surveys 188

196 Instant polls 189

Site Promotion 191

197 Tell a friend 191

198 Bookmark this page 191

199 Link to Us 192

200 Make this home 192

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Conclusion 193

Glossary 194

Index of Websites 198

About the Author 207

Contact us 208

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Table of Figures

Figure 1 Product ‘in context’: Anything Left-Handed 21

Figure 2 Multiple angles: Buckle Babies 22

Figure 3 Quality clues: Buckle Babies 23

Figure 4 Thumbnails: Roc Candy 24

Figure 5 Graphs & charts: eMarketer 31

Figure 6 Customisation: Doctors Forster & Smith 32

Figure 7 Categories: Doctors Foster & Smith 34

Figure 8 One-page information: Web and Print Design 35

Figure 9 Comparison shopping: Web and Print Design 37

Figure 10 Backup information: University of Western Australia 38

Figure 11 Product use: Nordic Track 41

Figure 12 Product in action: Wiggly Wigglers 42

Figure 13 History of Balloon Flight: Balloons Over New England 43

Figure 14 History of The UCard: The UCard 44

Figure 15 Tutorial: Chandra X-Ray Observatory 50

Figure 16 Library: Doctors Foster & Smith 54

Figure 17 Useful links: Pets Place 57

Figure 18 Case studies: NetIQ 67

Figure 19 Feedback request: Doctors Foster & Smith 69

Figure 20 Bonus packs: Wiggly Wigglers 90

Figure 21 Various search methods: RedBalloon 99

Figure 22 Audiocast: NetIQ 104

Figure 23 Tracking trade: Women’s Network Australia 109

Figure 24 Free links demo: Bravenet 116

Figure 25 Classified ads demo: Bravenet 118

Figure 26 Community tribute: Femail Creations 120

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Figure 27 The Daily Cartoon: Bravenet 125

Figure 28 Daily quotes, facts & tips 126

Figure 29 E-card demo: Bravenet 128

Figure 30 Free competition: Flowers.com.au 131

Figure 31 Free competition: Mizambar 132

Figure 32 Sliding puzzle: Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage 134

Figure 33 Memory game: Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage 134

Figure 34 Element concentration game: Jefferson Lab 135

Figure 35 Word search game: Chandra X-Ray Observatory 136

Figure 36 Hangman: Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage 137

Figure 37 Vocabulary hangman: Jefferson Lab 138

Figure 38 Quiz: Chandra X-Ray Observatory 139

Figure 39 Crossword puzzle: Jefferson Lab 140

Figure 40 FAQs: Bottle Domains 143

Figure 41 Offline classes: The Scrapyard 149

Figure 42 Print documentation: Chandra X-Ray Observatory 151

Figure 43 Currency converter: x-rates.com 158

Figure 44 Currency converter: XE.com 159

Figure 45 Business history: Olde Timers’ Herbals 163

Figure 46 Real-time help: Bravenet 174

Figure 47 What’s New: Femail Creations 183

Figure 48 Feedback: Fiona Maclean Designs 186

Figure 49 Minipoll: Femail Creations 190

Figure 50 Minipoll demo: Bravenet 190

Figure 51 Email This Article to a Friend 191

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Derek, editor and husband, who gave me his

unconditional love and support and who, as the quiet

achiever, supplied expertise and wisdom

Dean Krajnovic (Marsonia Business Computing),

friend and technical advisor, who always has answers

to my difficult questions

To Alyssa Miller (Design City) who offered professional

desktop publishing guidance and my first book feedback

To my National Speakers Association of Australia

colleagues who shared their publishing experience, namely

Sharon Brown, David Price and Michael Tunnecliffe

To all the business owners, marketers and webmasters

who freely related their personal web stories and gave me

permission to quote them and reproduce screenshots of

their website

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Introduction

Little is written about website content Web marketing has been overshadowed by internet marketing, search engine optimisation and web design Web content has become a distant relative reduced to a few lines in reams

of more fashionable topics But strangely enough, the first question that business owners ask me as a web

marketer is: “What do I put on my website?”

For me, web marketing is what happens at the website level Interesting and useful content is vital Content ranks highly with search engines Content entices visitors

to explore, connect, act and return In the context of this book, ‘act’ does not necessarily mean ‘sell’ It refers to any action you want your visitor to take It could be

to contact you, download an article, subscribe or refer you to a friend

This non-technical book is a collection of ideas gathered through experience and research In the past six months,

I have studied over 2,000 websites to uncover trends and strategies Unfortunately, you may find that some

examples used to illustrate the ideas have disappeared from websites by the time you read this book That is

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of businesses, these simple practices could translate into bundling products; giving away a tangible item when delivering a service; branding items for exposure and publicity; and introducing bonuses to close a sale

I encourage you to look upon the ideas in this guide from a conceptual viewpoint: starting points to trigger your imagination and creativity An idea that is supported

by an example in the retail industry may well have equal relevance when applied to the service sector

Many times throughout the book, I use ‘product’ in place

of ‘product or service’ in phrases such as ‘selling your product’ This is not meant to restrict the application of the idea to a product It is done merely to facilitate the flow of information

For those less familiar with website terminology, I have included a glossary

Disclaimer: This book can only be used ‘as is’: a source

of ideas It provides no warranty While every effort has been taken to make this book as accurate as possible, the author and publisher, Marketing Cues, cannot be held liable or responsible to any person or entity in respect of mistakes, both typographical or in content, or any loss or damage, alleged to have been caused, directly or

indirectly by the information contained in the book

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References to other websites are provided for purposes

of illustration and do not constitute any endorsement of contents, best practices or policies To make sure you comply with your legal requirements, particularly in the

areas of the Investor Relations, Competitions and

Policies, you are strongly advised to seek professional

guidance

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According to RedSheriff1, 59% of internet users in

Australia and 80% in the UK accessed the Internet

in 2003 to research product and service information This accounts for the second most important online

activity after the regular use of email In the United

States, the trend is gathering pace The Harris Poll2 found that product research is the fastest growing

activity in the past three years, increasing from 25%

in 2000 to 41% in 2003

The Pew Internet & American Life Project Survey3

found that 46% of the 2,092 Americans interviewed would favour a physical store that provided product information on the web even though the business had

no online purchasing facilities

When we consider the rate of increase in the number

of information seekers browsing the internet, it is vitally important to attach a high priority to the credibility

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and quality of web content Consumer WebWatch4

surveyed 2,600 internet users in 2002, and asked how they evaluated websites for credibility On the subject

of e-commerce websites, comments from respondents related to:

This research clearly indicates that visitors rely heavily

on visual design including layout, typography, white space, images and colour scheme to make credibility judgements on websites

Visitors also seek information that is well-organised, focused and useful Consumer confidence and product knowledge will increase with the provision of accurate

information In January 2003, Harris Interactive found

that 35% of the 2,221 US respondents were annoyed with unreliable and inaccurate information found online “An informed consumer is likely to be a satisfied

consumer” (Better Business Bureau)

Visuals & Sound

Visual information captures attention, clarifies text and positions products in the competitive web environment

‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ but sound adds another dimension to the website, engaging the auditory sense and sustaining the visitor’s interest

4

www.consumerwebwatch.org

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1 Product ‘in context’

Show product shots ‘in context’ because dimensions such as height, width and depth are difficult to visualise Picture a person or familiar object adjacent to your

product to illustrate its size and scale It will serve as

a visual reference

Example: Anything Left-Handed Ltd is a specialist

supplier of left-handed products On their website, they display the “funky, freaky pen that looks the part, writes like a dream and is great fun to use”

The second picture of the ergonomic pen is indispensable

to set the “funky, freaky pen” in a familiar context and view how “it fits perfectly into your hand, making sure you feel extremely comfortable while you write.” It also helps to gauge the size of the pen

(http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk)

Figure 1 Product ‘in context’: Anything Left-Handed

Source: www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk

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2 Multiple angles

Use multiple pictures of the product to portray it in

various perspectives

Example: Buckle Babies, a manufacturer of leather

pouches that hold photos and emergency contacts, uses macromedia to display three different views of their

product (back, front and inside), the retail box and a call for action with the ‘Buy Now’ prompt Ravindra Papineni, owner of Buckle Babies, receives positive feedback from satisfied customers like: “I was convinced 100% after seeing live usage.” (http://www.bucklebabies.com)

Figure 2 Multiple angles: Buckle Babies

Source: www.bucklebabies.com

‘Retail Box’ image changes from ‘Back View’, to ‘Front View’, then ‘Inside View’ &

finally ‘Buy Now’.

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3 Tangible clues for quality

Quality is a subjective word But how do you portray quality? First, define quality and its attributes in the context of your product Then, determine what product features best represent those attributes

Example: Buckle Babies associates quality with

craftsmanship excellence So, to demonstrate the use of genuine material and attention to detail, Buckle Babies provides close-ups of the leather logo, the stitching and the fitting of the buckle

Figure 3 Quality clues: Buckle Babies

4 Individual versus group shots

Product shots that portray individual items offer greater flexibility than group shots, which can show a range of items and minimise the size of the webpage but become obsolete when one or two items are no longer available Inventory changes are readily expressed using single product shots

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Furthermore, a caption of an individual product shot unequivocally describes the item on the image whereas referencing to a single object in a cluster can result in ambiguity and confusion

5 Thumbnails

Exhibit products using thumbnails (miniature images) Thumbnails are often used in a gallery of pictures The small file size of the images enables you to display a wide range of products aesthetically while maintaining

a relatively short loading time

Example: Roc Candy is a manufacturer of hand-crafted

lollies To showcase their corporate designs, Roc Candy

presents confectionary samples in a square When the visitor clicks on a sample, an enlarged photo is displayed

in the middle of the square (http://www.roccandy.com.au)

Figure 4 Thumbnails: Roc Candy

Source: roccandy.com.au

Thumbnail selected

to be enlarged

Enlarged image

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of each component This also provides an opportunity

to highlight your competitive advantage

Example: NB Web Express, a manufacturer of athletics

shoes, displays the various parts of the shoe’s suspension system Visitors can view diagrams in which each element

of the shoe is described in terms of material, construction and benefits (http://www.nbwebexpress.com)

7 Product colours

Consider displaying your products in a range of colours Visitors are often attracted to items in their favourite colour You can even use a colour swatch palette When the visitor selects a small colour square (called a swatch)

on the palette, the colour of the item changes to the

swatch-colour

Example: Lands’ End, a direct merchant of clothing

and home products, enables visitors to see garments in the colour of their choice on a virtual model Displaying

a shirt in the visitor’s favourite colour can make a greater impression and increase the likelihood of purchase

(http://www.landsend.com)

8 Unique attributes

Educate the visitor to appreciate any perceived product imperfections as being desirable attributes that contribute

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to their uniqueness Avoid the temptation to eliminate all product flaws with Photoshop or similar software to create a ‘perfect’ product Items that are handcrafted or made from natural material, such as linen, can look out

of shape or faulty Describe them in terms of ‘unique’,

‘possesses its own individuality’, ‘as nature intended’

9 ‘Feel’

Communicate and position products by creating the appropriate ‘feel’ for the target market Use evocative phrases like ‘sanctuary of calm’ Props, colours and pictures will also help to create the atmosphere that

supports the brand image and encourages your target audience to browse

Example: Gucci’s website creates an atmosphere of

refinement and simplicity The homepage displays a single

image of an elegant gold sandal on a black surround

To display women’s garments, Gucci recreates a fashion parade When a model is selected, the frame is lit up as if she was under a spotlight (http://www.gucci.com)

Example: Hershey, a chocolate manufacturer, has

designed a website called KidzTown that appeals

specifically to children with its bright colours, cartoon characters and the extensive use of the chocolate colour Even the menu buttons look like chocolate bars!

(http://www.kidztown.com)

10 Location shots

Location shots that display a product in natural light and

a typical environment will communicate real-life features and benefits It is very important to choose a background that creates an ambience that will not overshadow the object For the purposes of selling, the actual product must remain the focus of attention

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Example: Frontgate displays their outdoor furniture in

idyllic surroundings You can imagine yourself sitting in a lush private garden on those special Gloster teak benches described as: “All teak furniture is not created equal We did the homework, and only Gloster of England earns consistently superior marks for comfort, rock-solid build, and finish.” An indoor shot could not have achieved the same result (http://www.frontgate.com)

11 Lifestyle photos

Use lifestyle photos to help visitors visualise the benefits

of your products Show people in action or depict a real life situation, event or place Visitors will mirror the web image or experience, and relate to the product Introduce lifestyle photos to:

Draw attention

Bring products to life

Create a sense of enjoyment

Stimulate dreams

Although they produce a ‘magazine’ look and can help to enhance your brand image, lifestyle shots on their own do not necessarily sell Close-ups, insets of important

features and, above all, good product information must accompany lifestyle photos

Example: Sundance, a mail-order catalogue founded

by actor Robert Redford, uses lifestyle photography for the ‘Apparel collections’ The photographs are set in the countryside and show models playing croquet, sitting on

a log, standing in a field, etc Each photo is linked to a product information page containing images of garments worn by the model, menus for colour and size, and an

‘Add to Bag’ button Visitors can experience the ‘airy feeling’, ‘freedom’ and ‘fun’, and take action with an easy buying process (http://www.sundancecatalog.com)

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Example: Tuross Marine illustrates the benefits of hiring

a boat with three lifestyle photos The first picture shows a peaceful lake; the second, two fishermen proudly displaying their catch; and the third, another fisherman feeding a pelican on the jetty while cleaning fish Their choice of photos reinforces the message: “Hire a boat or canoe from Tuross Marine for an unforgettable day on Tuross lake, where the fishing is great and the boating conditions safe and relaxing.” The map with travel directions and boat hire rates enable visitors to assess the feasibility of the fishing trip (http://www.southcoast.com.au/turossmarine/)

12 Meaningful pictures

Increase the comprehension and impact of your message with meaningful pictures that are:

Relevant to your product or service

Representative of the target market

Congruent with your message

If you are using clipart images and stock photos, be sure that they truly represent the product on offer Customers may be mislead if you display an image of a thick book when the actual product is a 30-page booklet

13 ‘Service’ shot

When a service is being supplied, rather than a physical product, it is not possible to have a product shot as such The ‘service’ shot will take the guise of a brand image that needs to provide instant recognition, e.g the flying kangaroo of Qantas Airways Distinctive colours that suggest values and the personality of the brand will offset the inherent intangibility of a service, e.g gold for wealth and prestige, red for energy and action, and green for environmental friendliness

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(http://www.westcountryviolins.com)

15 Audio introduction

Introduce your products or services using audio to lend

a personal touch to your site and establish a relationship with visitors

Example: Dan Poynter from Para Publishing uses audio

to promote his new book ‘The Self-Publishing Manual’ The audio button, placed on the homepage to draw

attention, opens a new window that contains an invitation

to listen to a 5-minute interview with Dan

The interview, which starts with a third-party providing Dan’s credentials, is interesting and does not contain a selling pitch Dan comes across as a down-to-earth,

experienced and knowledgeable person The audio serves

as an excellent promotional tool

(http://www.parapublishing.com)

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Product Details

16 Benefits & features

To cater for the diverse requirements of your audience, describe products not only in terms of benefits but also

in terms of features Benefits referring to savings, gains and convenience are significant for some visitors but not for others For them, information such as weight, measurements and dimensions may be more important Highlight special product features and benefits instead

of dwelling on basic features, e.g nowadays, a CD drive with a 1 year warranty could be considered as standard features for a notebook, but a DVD-CD-RW combo, a

3 year warranty and a 17-inch screen, as special features Competition is fierce on the web So capitalise on those benefits that differentiate your product or service from those of competitors

17 Target market

Provide a smorgasbord of information that caters for people from various regional and cultural backgrounds and for different types of visitors:

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18 Substantiation

Provide recent scientific evidence and survey results that add credibility to statements Research professional journals and magazines to find convincing facts but select and cite only trustworthy sources of information

to avoid damaging your reputation

Example: The Outback Emuzing Ranch makes use

of scientific studies to substantiate the unique healing properties of emu oil The credentials of researchers are given to support their assertions

(http://www.emuoilcanada.com)

19 Graphs & charts

Use graphs and charts to show progression and change

Example: eMarketer, a provider of e-business research

and analysis, illustrates the growth of online retail sales with a bar chart that includes data Using this method, information can be more easily assimilated by visitors who prefer a visual representation of figures

(http://www.emarketer.com)

Figure 5 Graphs & charts: eMarketer

Source: www.emarketer.com

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20 Exclusivity & customisation

Adapt your products in a way that will attract visitors who are looking for something unique or exclusive Build an image that sets you apart from the competition with products that are:

Customised for special occasions, e.g wedding, Easter

Branded, e.g with your own unique logo

Exclusive, e.g ‘sole supplier’, ‘limited edition’

Personalised, e.g autographed, monogrammed

Example: Doctors Foster & Smith, a supplier of pet

products, offers a monogramming service to personalise items for pets, e.g name on bed; and for pet lovers, e.g embroidered pullovers and caps Customers can choose name, colour, fonts and design

(http://www.drsfostersmith.com)

Figure 6 Customisation: Doctors Forster & Smith

Source: www.drsfostersmith.com

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on a single page without clutter You can feature articles

or other important information on the homepage using strong headlines, a short description and a link to access further detail, e.g ‘full story’, ‘continued on page…’,

Group products using colour, proximity or shape to:

Organise the information visually

Connect similar types of products or services

Allow visitors to read in chunks

Example: Aquazoo, a resource for fish keepers, has a

well organised website The database of 300 freshwater fish is broken down into four colour-coded categories based on their type: red (very aggressive), yellow (less aggressive), green (ideal for beginners) and blue (special needs) The use of colours is consistent throughout the site This maintains the visitor’s awareness of which ‘type

of fish’ section they are in (http://www.aquazoo.co.uk)

23 Categories

To accommodate the various needs of customers, sort products and services by size, brand, price, features or

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other appropriate category Categorising long product lists, which are difficult to browse, will speed up the customer’s search

Example: Doctors Foster & Smith enables visitors to

shop by categories In the screenshot below, the category

‘Backyard’ is selected In the new window, the search can

be further refined using additional categories

Example: Wal-Mart may list a single product in one or 12

possible categories, e.g a CD could appear simultaneously

in the categories of Music, Gifts under $20, Daily Specials and others (http://www.walmart.com)

Shop by

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