Website audits and the value of free

Over the past couple of months I’ve been reflecting and analysing on the number of web developers and designers offering free website audits. I am simply staggered by the number. Why were so many designers and developers flaunting themselves on every street corner of the Internet offering free website audits? Read the rest of this entry »

Lessons in e-Commerce

I recently purchased a small video camcorder from Amazon. You would think this to be nothing unusual, so why bother writing about it. Well, I think there are lessons in e-commerce that we can all learn about what they do and how they do it. Read the rest of this entry »

Search engine optimisation fantasy land

For the life of me, I just can’t understand how so many people can have Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) so wrong for so long. Just to check, it is 2009, right? Read the rest of this entry »

Keeping customers in the internet age

I’ve been thinking about this one for a while lately. And let’s get this right from the start. A lot can be achieved with a website in terms of lead generation and customer fulfillment. But, there are some things that the internet is not the best medium for. It seems strange that I should ever be saying these things, but in my opinion, you’ve got to use a variety of delivery mechanisms to keep your customers. Read the rest of this entry »

To sell online means we have to know our market

I’m currently working with a new client re-developing his website. We’ve identified a number of things we need to do in order for him to generate sales leads. Every time I do this it’s a learning experience for me. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m told you need original content for your website?

I’m constantly amused by the number of  web design and developer sites I go to, where wearing their expert status hat, they pontificate to us mere mortals that you need to have original content on your website. And that’s as far as their advice goes. Period! Read the rest of this entry »

Promise and fulfillment

In a previous blog I talked about promise and fulfillment and I thought because it was so important to the user experience we should talk about it in a bit more detail. Read the rest of this entry »

What will compel me to click “SUBMIT”?

I’ve often visited websites in which I have had a strong and immediate interest in, but in the end I’ve just clicked the back button and gone to another site. I didn’t leave because they did not have a product or service I was interested in, but because I didn’t feel there was a compelling reason to either buy, or make an enquiry. Read the rest of this entry »

You don’t need to know, so don’t ask! Why I hate intrusive forms.

I cringe when I visit a website where it wants me to give my whole life story before I can buy or register for a free newsletter. From my point of view, the whole value proposition is wrong, I’m giving a whole lot more value than I’m receiving. So, from this perspective, there’s no way I’m going to buy or register. Read the rest of this entry »

Bad Structure Will Kill Your Website Conversion

Depending on the marketing strategies you’re pursuing, most people who come to your website will have found you through a search engine (most likely Google). They’ll come to your site filled with the high expectation they’re going to find what they want more or less immediately and their pain or problem is going to be eliminated. Read the rest of this entry »