17 Nov
There was a time when mobile marketing essentially meant phones, but all that has changed. Today, iPads and other tablet devices have joined the fray. A marketer could be promoting a product or service through an app, a QR code, or a Facebook link, or using all three depending on the type of campaign.
Marketing campaigns through iPads and other tablet devices are focused on creating a memorable user experience. Interestingly, there is no standard set of rules for this marketing method yet, and since the technology happens to be open-ended, a marketer is only limited by her imagination.
An example is Realtor Coldwell Banker’s iPad app which was promoted with a new Google ad format termed the “branded video” featuring a clickable video ad. This ad was first released as a banner, and users could click to see more. Interaction rates were over 7%, compared with the standard 0.01% click-through rate for banners.
Many businesses are either already invested in a mobile marketing campaign or have plans to, considering the rapid increase in the use of smart phones and how people access content and services on the move. comScore reported, in late October 2011, that smartphones and tablets drive nearly 5% of digital traffic in EU5 and a 45% increase in mobile banking app usage in the U.S. Q4 2010
Mobile marketing is a unique way to engage and connect with consumers, as it can entertain or offer useful services. Here are some of the top campaigns using iPads and other tablet devices:
The growth of smartphones and tablets devices are driving social media campaigns, and Social TV is expected to offer tremendous opportunities for both brands and mobile marketers. On top of the list of beneficiaries are event-based programs like live shows and sports where the level of engagement is highest. Tablets are especially one up on smartphones because of their size, allowing the user a better visual experience. Mobile marketers are naturally quite keen to take advantage of this rapidly growing market by giving the users what they want.
14 Nov
Excellent usability is the key to achieving your ecommerce website’s profitability goals. While there are a set of standard elements that apply to all websites, such as easy navigation, an attractive layout and optimised content, there are special usability factors for ecommerce websites to take in account.
It boils down to the kind of experience the website can give its visitors, based on what they are looking for. Potential customers typically browse several websites before they decide to buy, and to ensure that the sale happens on your website, there are some specific ecommerce website usability tips to consider.
“Check out now” button
The moment a visitor decides to buy can be very exciting for them, and this is the right time to encourage them to complete their purchase before they change their minds and start wondering if they really need the product. Having a check out now button right in front of them can make them take action.
It is also important to make the checkout process as easy as possible. If there is an information overload, they are likely to back out and go elsewhere. If your visitor has to log in or sign up for a membership before buying, rethink this process to make your website more user-friendly.
Let your visitors know where they are
This means easy navigation and a step-by-step update on which stage of the purchase process they are at, as they are checking out. Show them the number of steps in the check out process and make them feel as though they are progressing. Nobody likes long procedures.
Auto-fill forms when registered visitors log in
When people who have registered on your website log in and decide to make a purchase, auto complete the information that is already available through the registration data like name, street address, email address, phone numbers and so on. Don’t make them type it all again. The more effort a visitor has to put in, the less inclined she is to complete the purchase process.
It is a good idea to only collect information that relates to the purchase. Otherwise, the visitor is likely to get distracted from the purchase. Eliminate all extraneous buttons and widgets from the check out page that can divert the visitor’s attention. This includes listings for other products that the visitor might decide to go look at and never come back. Keep the elements related to the goal of that page.
Make the check out simple
Streamline the check out process, and make it intuitive so that your visitor does not have to think. On this page, all they need to do is follow the instructions, make their payment and go.
Contact information
Ensure that your contact information is prominently visible on each page of your website so that if visitors have questions they know how to reach you.
Fast loading website
There is fierce competition out there and it is unfair to expect a visitor to wait patiently for a slow loading website. Improve page loading speeds.
Include thumbnail images of products
Offer different viewing options for products and make it easy to search. Categorise products properly with images for easy browsing.
Add a call to action
Create solid calls to action to keep your customers on the website and do what you want them to do.
Recommendations
Improve your visitor’s shopping experience by creating lists of recommendations based on what they are interested in – this can encourage impulse purchases.
Include a search button on the website and make sure all links work. Don’t forget to actually use your website to get an idea of what your visitors experience when they browse your website. Is it easy to navigate? Can visitors easily figure out what to do next? Are there distractions that divert them from buying?
The above are just a few ways you can increase your ecommerce website’s usability. The mantra is to keep it simple and short.
10 Nov
Convert website visitors into customers
Website copy writing can be challenging because it has to accomplish the following objectives:
Most websites focus on increasing their website’s visitor-to-buyer conversion rate. In fact, each page of a website has a goal, and together these contribute to achieving the website’s return on investment. This can be done by writing optimised content, which has rightly been dubbed “King”. Here are some quick pointers:
Finally, ensure that you proofread your web copy, and check to see that all links lead to the right pages. There is nothing more annoying that links that don’t work and grammatical and spelling errors on a web page. Monitor your web copy on a regular basis and tweak it based on the results you achieve.