Tag: tips

5 search engine optimization trends for 2017

5 search engine optimization trends for 2017 by Vikas Agrawal.  Available from <http://thenextweb.com/insider/2017/01/11/5-search-engine-optimization-trends-for-2017/> [Jan 12, 2017]

With every passing year, search engine portals develop new algorithms and rules with the hope of combating spam links and people trying to play the system.

These new rules set by Google, Bing etc. means that every webmaster must stay abreast to the ever changing SEO landscape in order to help clients meet their search based targets.

According to Jayson DeMers, the new year offers a great opportunity for everyone to adjust their SEO strategy and here are some tips on how it can be done.

1. Take advantage of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

The need for more responsive pages in a bid to reduce bounce rate has been a driving force in Google’s 2016 SEO strategy.

One of the most practical solutions they came up with is the integration of AMP by webmasters.

It’s important to note that AMPs are open-source protocols that allow pages load instantaneously on mobile browsers. AMP has become a phenomenon in the SEO community for it allows consumers load pages instantly at a reduced data rate. The average webpage uses eight times more data than an AMP when loading content.

In 2017, this trend is expected to develop further, and you can take advantage of it to provide more responsive pages for your users.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) makes its presence known

Google search algorithms finally got a boost at the tail end of 2016. This boost came in the form of integrating machine learning into search algorithms with the aim of making them smarter.

The Google RankBrain concept is expected to make search more intelligent and provide only relevant information to users of its search engine. This means that to combat the rise of AI in search, webmasters and website owners must focus on adding a unique voice to the niche they operate in.

The possibility of conning the system with black hat SEO tricks will become even less effective in 2017. This means your new year content resolution should be to use taglines, write dense articles, and make a dent with the information you post.

3. User Experience optimization has emerged

The evolution of the World Wide Web – signified by the term Web 3.0 – is slowly becoming the standard for platforms that rely on the internet. In this new world order, user experience has begun to trump all other factors.

Websites now make more user friendly platforms and search engines are beginning to take note. Google as well as Bing have escalated the need for a better user experience by integrating these experiences into helping websites rank hire and webmaster most take advantage of this.

Since 2015 search engines have been partial to well-designed webpages that get people to spend more time viewing contents on them. This means the onus to increase both the user experience and the ease of access on your platform falls squarely on your shoulders.

To do this, you should design more user-friendly landing pages, integrate the use of infographics in your blog posts and simplify your website’s navigation process.

4. Personal branding is key

Carving out a niche in a crowded space is difficult everywhere including on the internet. And this has made Google focus on platforms creatively pushing their brands against all odds.

One of these techniques includes the use of branded URLs in carving out a unique perspective for your personal business on the web.

The advantages of personal branded URLs are diverse but the most important thing is that it helps your website score top marks with Google’s search algorithms which will greatly advance your SEO efforts.

5. Integrate short branded links

One of the most important KPIs that search engines take into consideration when ranking web pages is ‘iteration’.

Iteration in SEO means that the more a content is read and shared on the web, and the more unique and credible the information it contains. And the best way to get your content shared is via ‘short branded links.’

These new link format is currently been used by Fortune 500 companies — Pepsi (pep.si), NY Times (nyti.ms) etc — to push their agenda on the internet and it’s working. Research shows that using branded links increases CTR by 35 percent. Not to mention they’re crucial on social channels that limit post characters.

You’ll note that these five trends can be integrated interchangeably into your SEO strategy for the new year. So don’t get stuck trying to figure out which single one you’ll implement, but instead implement multiple techniques to ensure better visibility for your website.

This post is part of our contributor series. It is written and published independently of TNW.

5 search engine optimization trends for 2017 by Vikas Agrawal.  Available from <http://thenextweb.com/insider/2017/01/11/5-search-engine-optimization-trends-for-2017/> [Jan 12, 2017]

8 tech dangers every novice can avoid with these tips

8 tech dangers every novice can avoid with these tips by Eric Geier.  Available from <http://www.pcworld.com/article/3155460/computers/8-tech-dangers-every-novice-can-avoid-with-these-tips.html> [ Jan 11, 2017 3:30 AM PT ]

Tech novices need our help. They tend to run into the same pitfalls, and some of them make the same mistakes over and over. A novice friend may have cost you hours of informal tech support. Here’s something you can show them before that next desperate phone call. To the novices out there: Get smarter by reading this.

Don’t fall for a remote support scam

Remote support scams usually start when someone calls you out of the blue, saying you have some computer problem or have been hacked. You might see a dialog box pop up on your computer, prompting you to call or download something. The person who answers may say they’re from Microsoft or Windows support, or are certified from them.

The scammers typically show you a bunch of false or misleading issues, and they’re too often successful at scaring novices into believing their promise of a fix. They usually offer some type of long-term support plan, anywhere from $100 to $800 for one to four years of support.

Never trust them! Do not go to any website they mention, do not let them onto your computer, nor provide any payment information. No legitimate company will ever cold-call you, and no legitimate software will ever inundate you with pop-ups demanding you call them or purchase something to fix your PC.

Back up those files

Backing up your computer is one of those things most people put off and don’t appreciate until they lose all those important documents, photos, and other files. Don’t be one of them!

At the very least, grab yourself a good-sized external hard drive or a flash drive and use the backup features built into Windows. In Windows 8 and later, you could use the backup drive as the destination for File History. To further protect your data against fire or other local disasters that might destroy your drives, consider an online or cloud backup service.

Get extra malware protection

No one antivirus program can catch the millions of viruses and their variants out there. Many of them also don’t stop other junk, which may not officially be malware but can lead to other problems, commonly called potentially unwanted software (PUP). Therefore, it’s best to have some extra protection alongside your full antivirus, whether you’re running the built-in antivirus in Windows 8 and later or a third-party antivirus. My favorite for extra protection is Malwarebytes Antimalware. It’s free to run manual scans, but I recommend purchasing the premium edition for the active protection and scheduled scans.

If Malwarebytes doesn’t float your boat, similar programs worth checking out include Spybot Search & Destroy, HitmanPro, and SUPERAntiSpyware

Don’t buy the cheapest computers and tablets

Don’t get me wrong—I love a good deal and consider myself an economical shopper. But I also know you get what you pay for, and novices often get short-changed by buying supercheap computers and tablets. Before making a tech purchase, ensure you do your research and have a knowledgeable friend or family member to help you find the real deals.

Ultra-low-cost PCs typically have very low-end processors and also skimp on USB ports, expansion slots, and other features you might need over time. Low-end Android tablets might look appealing, especially when on sale for under $100, but they could have a poor touchscreen, an inadequate battery, or a mediocre interface.

The CPU in that computer or tablet matters more than anything else, yet it’s one of the hardest components to compare due to the variety of naming and numbering schemes. Here’s a pro tip: You can use a third-party benchmarking website to compare the performance. Simply find the processor model number from the specs and search for its Passmark CPU Mark number. The higher the number, the faster the processor should be. Avoid the more sluggish CPUs, as they’ll end up frustrating you.

Compare online and in-store prices

It’s not true that you’ll always find something cheaper online (on Amazon, Newegg, or eBay). Brick-and-mortar stores run sales or put products on clearance, and they don’t charge for shipping, a frequent catch with online purchases.

Restocking fees are another online danger that you’ll rarely encounter in a real store. Always read the fine print on returns before buying from anywhere.

Comparing prices is the first step to shopping smarter for your tech, and you could also save on shipping if a local retailer’s willing to match a price.

If an online price is cheaper, ask a local retailer if they’ll price-match. It’s a great way to get the product sooner while still saving money.

A note about online reviews: They can be helpful, but read carefully to make sure you’re getting sound advice rather than an unjustified rant.

Reboot before you call your tech

One of the first troubleshooting steps for just about any computer or tech issue is to reboot all the affected computers or other devices. Better yet, it’s something a novice can do as easily as any expert.

For instance, if you’re having an issue with printing, reboot both the computer and printer. If your Internet connection disappears or becomes sluggish, reboot the computer, Internet modem, and router if you have a separate one.

Speaking of rebooting, you should make a habit of rebooting your PC or shutting it down completely. Gone are the days when simply letting it sleep was a good idea. All you’re doing is burning extra electricity and letting your RAM accumulate leftover bits of programs and files like your kitchen’s junk drawer.

I usually suggest doing a full shutdown of your computer when you’re done using it for the day, instead of letting it sleep. If nothing else, reboot every few days.

Set up remote locating on mobile devices

As you may know too well, smartphones and tablets are easily misplaced or stolen. Taking a couple of minutes to set up remote locating may help prevent a major headache in the future. Depending on the device and its operating system, you may be able to do some of all of the following:

  • Pinpoint the device on a map from another device or computer.
  • Make the lost device sound an alarm to help find it.
  • Remotely lock or wipe a lost device.
  • Display a message for those who find it.

You can access the remote capabilities of Apple and iOS devices via the iCloud and Android Device Manager. But you might want to double-check it’s set up and working now, before you really need it. For both platforms, there are also many free and paid apps that provide remote functionality.

Don’t get oversold on Internet and data plans

I often see novices with higher-than-needed Internet speeds at home. What a fast-talking salesperson won’t tell a novice is that buying a faster Internet speed won’t make the computer faster, or even make the Internet faster in some cases.

If your browsing or downloading speed seems slow, consider the computer speed itself, the quality of the Internet connection, and the quality of the connection to the computer.

Check the speed of your Internet connection with a free online service like Speedtest. Ensure you’re getting the Internet speeds you’re currently paying for before moving to a higher speed. Most households can get all the web content they need with Internet speeds in the 5 to 20 Mbps range.

Buying a faster data plan won’t help you if there’s a bottleneck somewhere else, such as a slow computer or a flaky Internet connection.

I also see a lot of tech novices with larger-than-needed data plans for their smartphones and other mobile devices. Take a look at the history of your data usage to gauge what’s needed and make changes accordingly. Also, remember that using Wi-Fi connections can help reduce the amount of cell data needed.

8 tech dangers every novice can avoid with these tips by Eric Geier.  Available from <http://www.pcworld.com/article/3155460/computers/8-tech-dangers-every-novice-can-avoid-with-these-tips.html> [ Jan 11, 2017 3:30 AM PT ]

5 simple steps to boost your digital hygiene in 2017

5 simple steps to boost your digital hygiene in 2017 by Bill Snyder.  Available from <http://www.cio.com/article/3155093/consumer-advice/5-simple-steps-to-boost-your-digital-hygiene-in-2017.html> [Jan 6, 2017 7:27 AM PT ]

January is a good time to stop making excuses and get your digital life in order. Here are five inexpensive, money-saving, aggravation-reducing ways to maintain tech, and protect yourself and the environment in the New Year.

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. Let’s face it, no one keeps them.

Instead of resolutions, here are five simple ways to help you save money, avoid digital disasters, and get your personal technology into top-flight condition. None of the tips are complicated, and I’ve used them all during the past few years so I know they work.

Audit digital subscriptions

These days, many digital services have auto-renew subscriptions. It’s wise to regularly check your credit card statements to see what you’re billed for. You may find a charge for a streaming-video service, magazine or newspaper you forgot about but still pay for. You don’t have to get all compulsive about it, but you might even put reminders on your calendar to cancel services before trial periods expire or keep a list of all of your paid subscriptions. If nothing else, the list will come in handy at tax time if you itemize deductions.

Buy (and use) a can of compressed air

This one sounds goofy, I know, but the vents on your laptop and the spaces between keys on your keyboard collect what technical experts call “schmutz.” Clogged vents can cause overheating, and that can kill your laptop. Junk inside a keyboard can cause keys to jam. A 3.5 ounce can of compressed air costs $4.99 at Best Buy, and Amazon charges $7.34 for a 12-ounce option. Both are a lot cheaper than the new laptop you’d need if you fry your system’s motherboard.

Find a password manager to love

Hacking is an epidemic today, but most folks simply aren’t going to make and keep track of different passwords for every site. No one can track dozens of passwords without writing them down somewhere, and that, of course, defeats the purpose. But a good password manager can be a lifesaver.

I use LastPass, and its free version now let’s you share your passwords across multiple devices. LastPass finally supports Microsoft’s Edge browser, as well as Chrome and Firefox. The service generates complex passwords for each site you visit and stores them in what it calls your “vault.” You only need to remember one master password. A couple more password mangers that get good reviews are LogMeOnce and 1Password.

Backup, backup and backup again

You’ve heard it over and over again, but many users are left without their data, music and photos when a drive fails or malware corrupts their systems. Backing up can be a pain, but so can locking your door and keeping your money in a bank. If your digital stuff is important to you, you need to back it up to the cloud or buy a roomy external drive — or both.

I use Google Drive, and it offers 15GB of free storage and 100GB for $1.99 a month, while Microsoft OneDrive gives you 5GB for free and 50GB for $1.99 a month. Upload speeds are generally slow, so the first time you backup to the cloud will likely take a while. Another option is to buy an external drive. A 2TB drive (or 2,000GB) now costs well under $100, and most of them come with software to automate the backup process.

Recycle old electronic junk

By now, most Americans recycle newspapers, bottles and cans, but many old electronic devices still wind up in a landfill. That’s a real problem, because they contain heavy metals and other pollutants than can get into the water table. Instead, take them to an electronics recycler. Most cities have them. To find yours, simply Google “electronics recycling” in your community and you’ll quite likely find more than one. If you ditch an old smartphone or over-the-hill PC, make sure you wipe the hard drives and get rid of any personal data.

5 simple steps to boost your digital hygiene in 2017 by Bill Snyder.  Available from <http://www.cio.com/article/3155093/consumer-advice/5-simple-steps-to-boost-your-digital-hygiene-in-2017.html> [Jan 6, 2017 7:27 AM PT ]

9 Technologies E-Commerce Marketers Must Use in 2017 and Beyond

9 Technologies E-Commerce Marketers Must Use in 2017 and Beyond by Kunjal Panchal.  Available from <https://www.searchenginejournal.com/9-technologies-e-commerce-marketers-must-use-2017-beyond/181942/> [January 04, 2017]

Mastering SEO is not easy; it’s slow and competition for the top organic rank is very high. And, it won’t get any easier in 2017. As an e-commerce player, all this is hardly news for you. However, now is the perfect time to analyze the past year’s progress and start things fresh. Below are some marketing tips that can rejuvenate your e-commerce marketing in 2017:

1. Engagement with Content

You can Google “how to create engaging content for e-commerce” and spend an entire year taking notes. Yet most of that is probably common sense. The main challenge for e-commerce players is to find enough resources to support their expanding product portfolio.

Writing product descriptions is a monotonous and laborious activity. Firms cannot afford to engage their marketing or creative teams in product descriptions. They also cannot ignore product descriptions as these are crucial for their customers. Perhaps technology has come up with the answer: Automated Insights’ Smart AI engine turns data into product descriptions.

“The standard way of creating content is, ‘I hope a million people read this.’ Our model is the inverse of that. We want to create a million pieces of content with one individual reading each copy.” – Robbie Allen, Automated Insights, CEO

Automated Insights is not alone. You can also check out Quill and Lingustat. While machines can create product descriptions, there’s nothing better than getting users involved in content generation.

Users love writing reviews and take star ratings seriously. Although every e-commerce website has comments and product review sections, few of these are able to leverage user-generated content for marketing. User-generated content needs proper moderation and promotion strategy.

Honest product reviews create trust while you should moderate spamming. You can take some inspiration from Starbucks – which is known for misspelling its customers’ names on coffee cups.

2. Engagement with Bots

Today, the world of online marketing relies on clicks and taps to gauge consumer journey and effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Needless to say, these metrics provide a hazy picture.

Often, the actual conversions are much lower than what these metrics reflect. Nonetheless, marketers devote their entire budgets in increasing CTRs and website visits. Chatbots take an entirely new approach to customer engagement.

Leading brands today are focusing on building brand engagement with newer technologies, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based chatbots perfectly suit the bill. With chatbots, conversations are more natural and significantly more effective than a traditional ad or video. These interactions leave users wanting more. Moreover, spreading the word is easier with chatbots as most of them are present on messengers, which are increasingly becoming a default media for communication.

Wondering where to start? Explore Operator, which is aimed at e-commerce businesses looking to transform the shopping experience for their customers. Operator allows online customers to browse virtual stores and get goods delivered from the closest, cheapest possible source. Further, users can chat with a bot for shopping assistance which eventually connects them with a human expert (operating on a commission basis).

It must not have skipped your notice that messengers are now bigger than social media. It makes sense to deploy bots on major messaging platforms. However, managing bots on multiple messengers can be tricky as there is little convergence between chat messengers.

To achieve some sanity, Message.io is offering bot developers private beta access to its bot management platform. This makes it possible to develop once and deploy across multiple messaging services.

3. Advertise with Programmatic

Businesses are increasing their spends on Programmatic Advertising. According to a report published by marketing and advertising agency Zenith, “Programmatic will become the principal method of trading digital display this year, accounting for 51% of expenditure, and will rise to 58% of expenditure in 2017.”

Programmatic Advertising offers increased cost efficiency and speed over traditional methods which involve human buyers, salespeople, and a lot of guesswork. With latest advancements, Programmatic now makes use of data analytics to decide apt audience and the right ad format to be displayed to that audience.

With all this automation, you can spend more time on your strategic tasks and other crucial marketing initiatives in 2017.

4. Engagement with AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality)

Pokemon Go must have caught your attention. Gartner predicts that “by 2020, 100 million consumers will shop in augmented reality.” A large number of omnichannel retailers now accept AR and VR as a crucial part of their customer engagement strategy.

With AR and VR, retailers are building immersive experiences and hoping to increase footfall to their brick-and-mortar store. At the same time, these technologies can also transform shopping experience for their online customers.

With Google Tango finally arriving on the developers’ table, advanced AR apps can transform the way consumers make product selections online. For example, Wayfair is working on an app which will enable customers to place virtual 3D renderings of furniture from its online store into their home. This will allow customers to visualize products in their home environments and not just on their smartphones.

Such AR apps hold tremendous potential for increasing online engagement. Further, according to a Business Insider report, a significant number of online customers rate AR and VR as a favorable addition to their shopping experience. E-commerce players would have to act in time to meet their evolving expectations.

5. Customization

This isn’t exactly a new strategy, but it will align with your efforts towards improving customer experience and brand engagement. Online product customization has tremendous revenue potential and has its unique space in the online world.

With customization, you can charge more for the same products as customers are willing to pay more for self-designed products, compared to non-customized ones. It is also likely that customers would be willing to talk about these products; these are their own creations! You should promote such interactions by allowing customers to easily share their designs in the social space.

6. Think Beyond Apps

The world has been advocating “mobile first” and “mobile only” since the launch of the first smartphone by Apple.

Application development companies have overhauled their processes and offerings to cater to the demands of the expanding app economy. However, an increasing number of successful mobile-driven businesses are now building web apps for larger screens. Moreover, mobile disruptors (Uber, Instagram, Flipboard, etc.) now feel the need to serve their customers across all screen sizes and not just mobile.

This is crucial for e-commerce players, as apps are not going to be the only channel for engaging customers in the future.

Several surveys show that people tend to use mobile for casual browsing, while they make most of their online purchases via desktop. Instead of trying to change this behavior, you should gauge customer journey across all screen sizes and make it seamless for them to switch devices. There is no point categorizing users in different groups; ‘mobile users’ and ‘desktop users’ are essentially the same.

7. Voice First Browsing

Thinking beyond apps, voice first browsing is the first thing that should get your attention. Voice search is a rising trend; according to a report, “mobile voice searches have tripled in the past two years (2014-15).” Moreover, there is a lot of innovation and the hardware around this technology is also evolving rapidly.

Millennials love voice search via Amazon Echo, Apple AirPods, and Google Home. The technology eliminates screens completely which might worry advertisers. However, such vocal interactions have the potential to transform web experience as it allows connectivity without hindering activities like driving, cooking, walking, exercising, etc.

8. Swift and Seamless Payments

Amazon made headlines with Amazon Go; checking out from its new stores now takes less time than checking out from an e-commerce store. Even though the average experience for buying online has evolved over the years, payments can still be painful for customers.

This explains high shopping cart abandonment rates. The experience from shopping cart to the checkout involves a lot of form filling.

Further, some of the customers simply drop out if they encounter a glitch in applying a coupon. It would be a good idea to automate coupons and other loyalty-based deductions for customers.

You should also prompt customers to use online wallets. Alternatively, you can explore social selling. Facebook messenger already allows payments in its 30,000 chat bots. By allowing users to seamlessly complete a purchase via FB messenger, you can capitalize on customers’ impulse buying behavior.

9. Delivery and Returns

Essentially a part of operations, the marketing department cannot ignore this customer touch point.

Deliveries and Returns play a crucial part in customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Customers generally expect hassle-free return policy and don’t want to bear any associated costs. The only way to justify the costs associated with reverse logistics is to link it with your marketing spends.

This is perhaps easier said than done.

However, you can balance these additional costs by attaching higher delivery charges to same-day delivery options. While it’s too early to comment on the viability of Amazon’s drone-based deliveries, you must try replicating Amazon Prime’s subscription-based delivery model.

Conclusion

Modern day e-commerce marketing is not only about wooing customers through promotional strategies. It is about making each and every arm of your business more customer-centric.

Let’s draw an analogy with a website. Remember those good old days when building a website was enough and you didn’t really have to worry about the various design and functional elements as long as it looked good? Well, resource-driven sites like Colorlib have made it even simpler to come up with a really good-looking online presence that balances functionality with visual appeal. But you need to tie in this presence with cutting edge marketing technology.

A cut to today, when a website’s target audience expects a far more immersive and exceptionally functional experience from websites. Each and every website element must be used to engage potential and existing customers. That’s the case with modern-day marketing as well. It’s imperative to use the various business processes to engage customers and tell them they matter. That’s how you win them over for the long-term.

9 Technologies E-Commerce Marketers Must Use in 2017 and Beyond by Kunjal Panchal.  Available from <https://www.searchenginejournal.com/9-technologies-e-commerce-marketers-must-use-2017-beyond/181942/> [January 04, 2017]

Important Tips for Designing Effective Online Shops

Important Tips for Designing Effective Online Shops by shyambhardwaj Available from <http://techniblogic.com/important-tips-designing-effective-online-shops/#> [Jan 08, 2017]

The online shopping web design is effective to make the process continues until the user reaches the end point of their buying process as quick and easy as possible. If you follow these tips you will create a web e-commerce site that will delight your customers and help you increase sales.

We’ve all been through similar situations. We want to buy a product online and Google in one of its results it returns a link to an online store where that item you’re looking for a great price.

We click on it in order to take a look … but upon entering find what makes us shoot out and look elsewhere. Sometimes we can find an online store which web design is very nice, almost could say it’s a work of art, but later we found that in order to buy what we want, this ecommerce forces us to make a long buying process, asking fill in many details, and finally we get tired and leave.

The design of an online web store must not only have intended to create a website with an aesthetically appealing design (although that certainly helps). Also has to focus on getting the potential customer reaches the end point of their buying process as quickly and easily as possible, and thus it will increase the chances of your purchase is complete.

Here are some key tips that we have gathered over our years of experience in the design and creation of e-commerce websites. Not intended to be an exhaustive list, are simple recommendations you should follow if you want to create a successful online store.

1. Gives the customer the option to filter out searches

Benetton option gives its customers that filter by “price”, “color” and “size”.

When customers are trying to find a product in your online store, a number of fields Make it easy filtering to save time and effort. This is really interesting when your products have different sizes, colors and prices, as with clothing. Customers hate finding the perfect garment to discover that is not your size.

2. Facilitates they can go back to browsing

MediaMarkt in their online store includes a breadcrumb perfectly visible

When a user accesses a particular category, you may realize that you made a mistake or want to change to another. This is of vital importance to the option that the client can retrace your steps, adding for example a navigation path (breadcrumbs) on the page. Thus we do not force the client has to have to repeatedly click on the arrows to step back from your browser and avoid losing attention to the online store.

3. Place search form in a conspicuous place

The Amazon homepage is dominated by a large search form.

Many of us are unaware of how often the search field on a website e-commerce uses. When a customer comes to a website looking for something in particular, if the target page where land does not offer what you are looking user reaction will be to keep looking at the rest of the web.

Consider that the search form is the central focus of your virtual store. This will also further the user keeps browsing your site and be tempted to look for other options.

4. If items are out of stock please indicate clear

This important Bookseller reports that the product is not available and given the option to create a message.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make when it comes to having an online store is to not have to update the stock of products. For SEO, it is best to keep the active ingredients in the store, instead of deleting and re-load when stock. If a product from your store is out of stock, indicate clearly, but the user can bother, lose confidence in your service and cancel the order, and what is worse, never to return to your store.

5. Use quality photos

Loewe has in its online store with full-screen images of high quality.

In an online store, cart enters the eye since most of the time we did not see or touch the product until you have given us. Have various product images taken from different angles and zoom option to see the details, will help the client to have the feeling of having the product in your hands. You have to plan how you will show your customers your items, if you’re going to make a larger image and multiple thumbnails below, etc.. Make sure that images are of high quality and are clearly displayed at any size. Blurry or pixelated pictures make your customer make a purchase put and conveys a message that your site is of poor quality.

6. Put the shopping cart visible

Shopping cart and search form elegantly added to the site.

Users accustomed to shopping online dislike being sent directly to the page of your cart every time you add a product. Therefore it is important that the contents of the shopping cart are visible on all pages of the site.

Many designers like to use the sidebar to locate the basket, but it seems to us that occupies valuable to promote other articles or sections space. Searching for how to incorporate search form and shopping cart elegant and cleanly on every page of your site.

A shopping cart can also provide more information than just the list of selected products. Consider using thumbnail images of the products you have added to your basket.

7. Make your site easy to navigate

EBay provides access to its contents with a full menu.

Especially on websites with lots of content is crucial to have a well structured and organized content. Step into the shoes of the user and think give you access to all products in the fewest number of clicks. Pay attention to the language you use to describe your categories and products. Adapt them to the words that customers use to search the Internet.

A good navigation menu certainly will help to effectively show different categories so your site. One tip, located the categories in order of importance (most to least claimed), rather than alphabetically, see how you improve your sales.

Try to make your site easy to navigate. Using lanes on pages give the user to know where you are and to retrace his steps.

Photo Credit:  www.flickr.com/Robbert Noordzij

Important Tips for Designing Effective Online Shops by shyambhardwaj Available from <http://techniblogic.com/important-tips-designing-effective-online-shops/#> [Jan 08, 2017]