Could your website be working harder?

Improving your website's performance is rarely about changing just one thing. It usually involves tackling several things all at once. We highlight some areas that can make a real difference.

When examining website performance your mantra should always be "identify, diagnose, test and implement". Free tools such as Google Analytics and Website Optimizer can be invaluable in tackling the first three stages: identifying areas for potential improvement, diagnosing why visitors leave your site, and testing changes. The 'implementation' stage usually involves one or several of the following:

Bring visitors to the right page

According to Google, Screwfix reduced their bounce rate – that is, the number of visitors immediately leaving their site – by 20 per cent simply by linking their ads to relevant product pages rather than the search results page. So if you do use banner ads or services such as Google's AdWords make sure that product-specific ads and keywords always link to product-specific pages, and conversely that general ads about a product or service category link to more general pages. Avoid directing visitors to search results pages. Try mirroring the headline or title of your ad on your landing page. That way, the customer will feel immediately reassured that they've been directed to the right page.

Finally, make sure that your main selling points are visible. If you include special offers or delivery options in your ad text make sure they're obvious on your landing page, as they'll be the first thing your visitors will look for.

Make your Home page useful

You want your visitors to be reassured that they've found the right website, so clearly display your brand and any unique selling points. Avoid long introductions. If customers want that kind of information they'll look for it in your 'About us' section.

The best Home page layouts are uncluttered, easy to understand and contain all relevant information at the top of the page. You want visitors to travel beyond your Home page however, so make their next steps clear and simple to ensure they don't get lost. Use site search, top or side navigation bars and product links.

Mirror any offers you're running offline, and highlight any price promotions. Profitable, popular and seasonal products should always be prominently displayed.

Easy navigation

Use clear labels and page titles to show what product and service categories you offer. They'll be the first thing specifiers will look for. Your navigation structure should be intuitive, not complex, and use easy-to-understand terms. Descriptions and labels should always mirror the language that your target audience uses.

Always be thinking about where you want your visitor to go next. Make getting from A to B to C as easy as possible. Experiment with different call-to-action buttons, or click-able links and images, to find out what works best for you and your audience.

Can visitors find what they're searching for?

Visitors to your site should be able to see, at a glance, where to search. Consider enlarging your search box or making it more prominent. Then, when they've entered their search criteria, make sure visitors can sort the results according to their own preference, whether it's by price, popularity, colour or style etc. Display search results clearly, making it easy to scan and compare listings. Don't forget the importance of returning the right results even when synonyms and misspellings are used, so check the quality of your site's search functionality.

Do your Product pages appeal?

Having found the product(s) they're looking for, will the way you present them delight your audience?

It's important to get the right mix of images, products and text on the page. Position, size and the amount of information you provide will all have an effect on how customers interact with your pages.

Group products logically so that your visitors find them where they'd expect. This will inevitably involve testing, but does provide ongoing opportunity to display top-selling products more prominently throughout.

Right information, right time

What do your customers commonly ask for or want to know? That's what you should include within your product details. Be up-front about key features, options and prices. Include large and good quality pictures. Customers like having a clear view of what they're buying. Consider include the facility to zoom in or rotate product images.

Make it easy to buy, enquire or specify

Depending on the nature of your product and typical customer, your call-to-action may involve a request for more information, specification text, or just a plain old-fashioned 'buy it now' button. Whatever it is, make it visible and easy to use.

If your product is complex or unusual it may be useful to include links to appropriate CPD. Linking to CPD material on ribaonlinecpd.com for example, will reinforce your credibility with potential customers, as all material is assessed and endorsed by RIBA prior to release. If your target audience is made up of specifiers you may also find it convenient to link to ribaproductselector.com, which now includes the facility (depending on subscription type) to access specification text and downloadable PDFs of your technical literature.

Website visitors are often put off if they're asked to provide personal details before being granted access to information. If you do insist upon registration then keep the amount of information required to a minimum. Stick to the details you really need and highlight the benefits to the customer of registering.

Provide reassurance

Specifiers will want to be reassured that your product or service is fit for purpose and readily obtainable. Including details of a properly manned technical helpline will provide peace of mind, as will links to the RIBA Enterprises websites named above.

Including information about delivery quantities and packaging on your product pages will also show visitors that you've approached the question of how to buy from their perspective.

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