2017 is here and hopefully you had a great time ringing in the New Year! Now it’s back to work to create a successful year ahead. Here’s the one and only to-do list that you’ll need for your online business this year:
Overall Design
__ Update website layout
__ Reduce clutter
__ Convey your value proposition
__ Add important information (like a business phone number) to the header
__ Include helpful links in the footer
__ Update homepage slideshow images
__ Evaluate readability of fonts
__ Try new background and button colors
Products
__ Maintain accurate product descriptions
__ Add stock information
__ Link to related products
__ Include product reviews
__ Update prices and promotions
__ Provide full specs and features
__ Incorporate new images from different points of view
__ Utilize product image zoom feature
Marketing
__ Run paid search (PPC) ads
__ Include an email/newsletter signup field
__ Optimize content for search engines
__ Create email marketing campaigns
__ Incorporate technical optimization
__ Set up shopping feeds
__ Connect social media accounts
__ Maintain connected business blog
Conversion Optimization
__ Apply an SSL certificate
__ Create a logical category and subcategory structure
__ Use navigation breadcrumbs
__ Include strong calls-to-action
__ Utilize internal linking to avoid “dead ends”
__ Incorporate trust seals (BBB, etc.)
__ Use hot map data to prioritize areas that get more clicks
__ Set up an FAQ page
__ Integrate live chat functionality
__ Create a custom 404 page that links back to your homepage
__ Display free shipping threshold
About Us Page
__ Tell your story
__ Include a mission statement or business goals
__ Add images of your office or employees
__ Display contact information
__ Include business hours
__ Show off awards and accolades
__ Highlight recent news
__ Utilize video to capture the spirit of your company
__ List individual locations with maps
Checkout
__ Utilize a one-page checkout process
__ Offer multiple payment options
__ Provide multiple shipping options
__ Offer gift options
__ Create a custom thank you page
Post-Sale
__ Automatically send order confirmation email
__ Allow customers to cancel or modify their orders before they ship
__ Communicate timely shipping updates
__ follow up to ask for reviews and recommendations after customers receive their products
__ Market to customers using purchase history to encourage future purchase
Kate Pierce is the owner of LionShark Digital Marketing LLC, a West Michigan internet marketing company. Her areas of expertise include Paid Search, Search Engine Optimization, Business Blogging and Web Copywriting. She lives in the Grand Rapids area with her husband and son and enjoys cooking, watching sports, and spending time together as a family. Like a true digital marketing expert (i.e. geek), she loves talking about current marketing trends… so don’t say you weren’t warned!
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