One way to drive traffic to your eCommerce shopping cart site is by Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Getting your eCommerce site listed high in search engines such as Google and Yahoo will bring valuable hits to your site. The traffic generated by SEO is normally very targeted, for example if someone searches for ‘product x’ and your site come up as the top listing the user that is going to be visiting your site is likely to be very interested purchasing ‘product x’.

Structure and Validation

Following the correct HTML (or XHTML) structure on your site is very important. You should make sure you use the correct header, html, body tags etc and use them in the correct order. There are plenty of good article on this around on the internet, the practice is called on page SEO, you just need to make sure that your shopping cart software follows the correct HTML structure. You might be surprised to find that a number of popular internet store solutions are not deployed with valid HTML structure.

SEO Friendly URLs

The structure of the links (or URLs) on your site is important using URL structures that read like

http://your domain/my_category/my_product

as opposed to

http://your domain/?product_id=xsslkjl&cat_id=3424

are generally accepted to increase your search engine rankings. There is much debate about how much this kind of search engine optimisation improves your rankings but the undeniable benefit of this is that when your page appears in search engine listings, the URL is included. If your URL is readable by a human then there is more chance the person is going to click on your link. Search engines also highlight the search terms in bold in the results the more of your listing to can get to appear in bold the better.

Maximise Descriptions

Search Engines deploy software robots to search the internet looking for pages, they are normally referred to as ‘Spiders’. Spiders love text, the more and more relevant the text on your site is then higher your chances of getting listed high in search engines is. Make sure your product and category descriptions are as in-depth as they can be, but keep in mind that you’re descriptions are going to be read by people who want to buy the products, so don’t make them full of gibberish just to that there is text for the spiders. Accurate and detailed product descriptions have also been shown to increase the likely hood a customer will make a purchase from your store.

Alternative Descriptions and Titles

Including alternative descriptions and titles for your products is a good idea. If you’re products is called ‘The XYZ48882’ then there is a possibility that someone searching for your product might not be aware that it’s called this, especially if it’s a small portable coffee machine. Including alternative more user friendly products titles will help the spiders and then, in-turn, customers find you. It’s a good idea to do some keyword research when choosing alternative descriptions. A keyword research tool will be able to tell you what descriptions people are searching for and give you a good idea which descriptions and titles to choose.

By employing these tips we have no doubt you will be able to increase the search engine traffic that your site generates.

I stumbled across a website with a unique marketing angle. The use of ecological interests has resulted in improved marketing capabilities. In the case of the site I visited it was a jewelry company that specializes in recycled gold and diamonds.

The premise seems to be that there are significant gold and diamond supplies available so the need for the mining of these precious gems and ore may be reduced or even unnecessary. The reasons are many, but one of the key arguments has to do with the human deaths that result in battles over the ownership of the gems. Similarly this jewelry company considers the use of extensive gold mining to be a hindrance to solid ecological practices.

It is their contention that there are enough current supplies that no more gold or diamonds need be mined for decades. Existing gold supplies can be melted down to create new jewelry products and recycled diamonds can find a home in new settings.

Their philosophy appeals to many different consumers. For some this philosophy of ecommerce just makes practical sense. For others, this is a matter of ecological stewardship. For still others, the potential to reduce human rights abuses make this strategy worthwhile.

I am not calling into question the sincerity of the mission of this company. I am simply analyzing their strategy from a marketing standpoint. My assessment is that the premise is brilliant because it markets to a variety of interests without focusing heavily on any of them. This company even provides exceptions for local villagers who may currently pan for gold. They agree these villages should be allowed to continue to do so in an effort to improve their economic condition without harming the environment with mining.

In the mind of the customer they can draw conclusions about the benefits of the process and can make a purchasing decision based on their belief about the product and premise.

In ecommerce you need to find a unique premise that will allow your online business to be recognized as unique. For some ecommerce business owners this means a unique product, for others a unique presence and, in the case of this jewelry company, a unique approach to an existing business model.

You may have an existing ecommerce business. What do customers perceive to be unique about your business? What makes your site or business philosophy stand out in ways other businesses don’t?

Take some time to evaluate what makes your ecommerce store unique. If you can’t find that uniqueness consider what you can do to make your business philosophy something that stands out to consumers.

There are so many positives in opening an ecommerce business online. For instance your business can be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and it can be open on holidays even when you are personally enjoying the festivities. Ecommerce is typically much less expensive to start than a brick and mortar counterpart. In many ways it may seem like a no-brainer to rush headlong into an ecommerce store.

However, some of the negatives should also be considered. For instance, your website may be geared to a worldwide audience, but when you launch the site it is simply a little known commodity on the edge of cyberspace. It’s tough to have a grand opening online because it can take awhile for consumers to find you.

So much rests on the rankings of site engines to help ecommerce stores get up and running.

One of the things that consumers like about ecommerce shopping is also one of the things that business owners find most challenging – no personal contact with buyer. Your automated ecommerce solution helps maximize productivity while minimizing direct interaction with customers.

Some sense of contact can be initiated through autoresponders that provide helpful tips and/or instructions to assist the buyer with their new purchase or in understanding your business a little bit better.

Online businesses have discovered ways to present the possibility of consumer input…

1) Business Blog (Bblog) – This allows you to post personal items about the product, yourself and your ecommerce store. For certain customers this provides a personal touch they may still desire. It also allows you some level of personal interaction with consumers.

2) Forum – This allows business owners to read up on what customers are saying about the product. Questions can be answered and elements of the personal touch can be clearly seen.

3) Feedback Form – Allow consumers the opportunity to provide feedback (both good and bad) that will be automatically posted on your website. This can help other customers make a decision because the feedback did not originate with a member of your ecommerce team. When the feedback is bad make sure to respond and if the product truly is not a solid performer make sure to remove it from your lineup of available products. Even unhappy consumers can appreciate your willingness to do the right thing.

Most consumers are happy they don’t have to talk to a sales associate. As a business owner you should also be thrilled that this knowledge provides you with an opportunity to reach out to disenfranchised consumers with a product they need in an environment they are comfortable with. Just make sure your do your best to optimize your website so search engines can rank your site in the best possible way.

What every ecommerce business wants most is for an online user to type in their credit card number and make a purchase of a product.

You can have the best-developed site of its kind, yet if no one is buying you simply have a really nice website.

When it comes to ecommerce how do you encourage site visitors to move from passive interest to a consumer of your product, service or information?

The short answer is to simply prove yourself trustworthy enough to the customer to allow them confidence in a purchase.

That, of course, is easier said than done.

The answer that is hardest to implement is that if you want consumers more than site visitors you will likely employ virtually any tactic to get them to your site and you may employ methods that could result in banishment from certain email providers as well as a variety of search engines.

When you take your ecommerce website and make the consumer your number one priority you will develop list building techniques that have your customer in mind.

You will develop ezines that really do have substance for your online guests.

You will develop email-marketing campaigns based on organic lists derived from actual site visitors resulting in a campaign aimed at visitors who really do have an interest in your product, service or information.

You will develop a forum for guests to interact with each other about your offerings.

You will make Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds of your latest information available to your guests.

You will do whatever you can to find a way to prove to your potential customer that you are looking out for their interests and are genuinely interested in passing along helpful information.

There are far too many sites that exist that ooze with insincerity. It is a tough sell to believe that these site owners care about anything beyond the bottom line. You can’t fault them for having an interest in their financial future, but online users want you to prove to them you can be trusted and that you are worthy of their business.

I haven’t done exhaustive research on the following declaration, but I have performed enough research that the guess is well educated – the online businesses that will be most successful in the next decade will be ones who are honestly interested in the needs of the customers.

For those who are fixated on the bottom line you need to know that customer satisfaction is tied to your bottom line. Consider it the cost of doing business.

When you decide to put your ecommerce website together there are a few mistakes that are easy to make, yet easy to avoid.

While the list is rather lengthy we will look at three of the most important.

1. Contact Us

Because of the instantaneous nature of the Internet it is important to place relevant contact information either on each individual page or have one easy link from each page to your contact information.

It may be important to utilize a call service and invest in a toll-free number for your customers. Many ecommerce sites believe that simply providing an email address is sufficient, but it may do little to instill a level of trust in your potential customer if they have to wait hours for a reply. Many potential clients may even leave your website if they don’t feel there is an easy means of contacting you.

In lieu of a call center you may invest in an instant messaging system where you or a representative can connect with your client during regular business hours.

The failure of many websites may be tied to their inability to connect with their visitors. The ability to instantly connect with a real person is the human composite to cyber interfacing.

2. So Many Plans

Where are you taking your website? Do you know? Have you planned?

There is a story told of an individual wanting to provide for his family. He learned that the city in which he lived provided free space in the local harbor for local residents. That enterprising man built a significant houseboat from mostly recycled materials and his family lived in the hodge podge houseboat rent-free.

The moral of this little story is, a cobbled together website may work for you, but will hold little interest for your online visitors. Make the planning and development of your site a top priority – not something cobbled together as an afterthought.

3. Check the Expiration Date

Just as you would clean out a refrigerator from time to time removing aging material that is no longer useful to the nourishment of your family, so too should be the removal of dated information on your website.

If you have information about an event or sale listed as “upcoming” and the date specified is several months old – you might have an expired page.

If you list a product that is ‘new’ and it stopped being used in the Clinton presidency – you might have an expired page.

If you supply links to managing the Y2K issue – you might have an expired page.

Check for material that is outdated on a regular basis and either remove it or replace it.

These tips on the basics of website design and function can either increase your credibility in the eyes of your customer or cause them to wonder if you’re even still in business.