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Q: Increasing website viewer conversions ( Answered 4 out of 5 stars,   4 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Increasing website viewer conversions
Category: Business and Money > Advertising and Marketing
Asked by: iias-ga
List Price: $200.00
Posted: 07 Nov 2005 17:06 PST
Expires: 07 Dec 2005 17:06 PST
Question ID: 590311
Superfun Trampolines (www.trampoline.com) is a family-based business
that manufactures superior quality trampolines. We manufacture what we
consider to be the best trampolines available anywhere; our materials
are of higher caliber than our competitors' and we use a specialized
manufacturing process to guarantee the quality of our trampolines.
Accordingly, we price our trampolines to reflect this commitment to
quality.

The Superfun website has produced many sales for Superfun over the
past eight years. However, we have seen a decline in website sales
over the past few months, though our traffic is still good, at
approximately 2500 unique visitors per day. We are looking for ways to
increase our viewer conversion ratio; how do we sell more product to
the website viewers we have? Please evaluate our website and provide
answers on how to best improve our conversions.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Increasing website viewer conversions
Answered By: guillermo-ga on 30 Nov 2005 23:37 PST
Rated:4 out of 5 stars
 
Hello Iias-ga,

I've thoroughly reviewed your website, and I'll focus in those aspects
for which I would suggest changes or improvements.

In the home -manin- page, the combined first photo "good vs. bad
trampoline" is not appealing. The whole image is confusing. For its
color, proximity and position (inclination with better perspective)
the ugly ruined trampoline is more visible. Also, note that for our
left to right reading culture, mind associates left-right to
before-after, and you want the one in better condition to be seen as
"after" the customer has operated with your company, be it to buy
parts and repair, or to buy a brand new one from your store.

The animation of that picture is funny, and could still be used for
the action of bouncing, a kid bouncing when you hover the mouse over
it. This could be accompanied by a text (maybe a speech globe from the
kid, why not sound, or both), saying something like "come in and
bounce", "join the fun", or whatever appealing phrase related to your
business and inviting to navigate your site.

As to navigating the site, you want to keep in mind that your goal is
the purchase. So, if you inform and or entertain, you do it trying to
show your customers the path to the product they want to buy. To
achieve that, you need to keep in mind what a person who looks for a
trampoline wants to buy, and that is mostly fun. Right next to it
comes safety. Most of your customers must be parents buying it for
their kids. Parents want their kids having fun, and since jumping
while exciting might also be risky if safety is not effectively
addressed, they will want both aspects covered, in that order. I'd
say, "I want fun for my kid, but safe fun".

Consequently, your website should highlight an image of radiant joy on
a background of sound reliability. That is the main reason why your
central image has to be a very good photograph, with a lot of
movement, and a kid radiant bouncing on it, maybe watched by mom and
dad smiling and confidently relaxed on a chair. The image of the scene
will tell the customer about fun, happiness and safety. The quality of
the image will tell about the product quality.

Instead, the photo that there is now transmits an opposite sensation.
Of course, you soon realize that this is intended to illustrate a low
quality (and price) worn out competitor's product. But before you get
to it, you've had the first impression of an ugly image, and it's
common sense the effect of a first impression. Reserve the first image
for your most cherished product, beautiful, plenty of happiness, light
and color.

In a more general sense, customers tend to identify the product with
the presentation of the product. We wouldn't believe that the diamond
of a ring is a true diamond if it is presented in poor box. In our
showroom or showcase we try to make our products look good, we care
for the decoration. But in an actual showroom the potential customer
can see it and touch it, and if our product is good, that is an
advantage.

When we sell online, the website is our showcase, but one that doesn't
let the customer touch the product, not even have an actual look at
it. Therefore, we'll want to devote an extra effort to the quality of
the site itself because, given the impossibility to directly see the
quality of the product, the quality of the website will take its
place. If we consider we have a product outstanding in its kind, we
need an outstanding website to show it, because we want the customer
to decide the purchase of a product that is absent. If they cannot
directly appreciate the making of the product, the making of the
website will take its place and influence their decision. A poor
website will tend to discourage the purchase, because it will not
suggest that the product is that good.

I wouldn't say that your website is "poor" or not well done, on the
contrary. However, I'd suggest to put a focus on its esthetic,
highlighting the idea of fun and next to it safety. You have both in
your website, but they get diffused in a not completely clear design.
I hate to tell you this but I find this Canadian competitor's website
more appealing - please have in mind that I tell you so with the only
purpose to help you better yours, which is what you ask for. It's not
that I consider their website perfect, I would tell them a couple of
things if they asked, but I'd remark a couple of things that may be
useful for our purpose. Note that the central image is a beautiful kid
jumping, caught at a moment of maximum happiness. There's not even a
trampoline - no product shown, just what the customer gets from it:
fun - or better, their kid's fun. I wouldn't suggest you such a
radical choice -- specially due to the safety issue, and also because
the thing itself has its beauty, I would keep the trampoline in the
photo. But I do remark how much the fun aspect is highlighted.

Also, I'd say that there is more focus in the esthetic. The main page
at yours has too much information, particularly text. While well
organized, the general impression gets confusing.


On another note, the article about safety is, in my opinion excellent.
Now, when I linked to the "safety tips" section, I was expecting
close-up images of the safety parts of the trampoline, with very brief
text on how they protect the person who is using it. After seeing your
text, I think that this section should also include a few bulleted
highlights for safety use. Finally, I would add a couple of
buttons/links: "read more about safety" linking to the complete
article, and "our survey on safety", both very visible.


The aspect of your website that I would more strongly encourage you to
better is the access to the "order" procedure, which should be more
ubiquitous. The commenter Trackermo-ga suggested you to include an
order button in the main menu. Besides that, I would suggest you to do
so next to every image of any product. Customers shouldn't need to
click on the photo to link to the product's details page to access the
"order" (or "buy") button, it should be already next to every small
picture. And if you link to the product detail page, it'll have to be
there too. (Again, see as an example your competitor's corresponding
page: http://www.jumpking.ca/trampolines.php?PHPSESSID=4d14d913e65af86593a15a0f03059af1
). Also, the order (buy, purchase) button has to be directly visible,
but as it is placed now you have to scroll down to see it. It can be
argued that this is no big effort, and it's true, but navigating
websites to find a product to buy is something that people usually do
very fast, maybe in a short break at work, and we want our goal - the
purchase - made as easy and direct as possible to our customer.

In the same sense, I would suggest you not to place the question
..."Not sure which trampoline is the best for your family? We want you
to be happy with your purchase. Contact Us."... before you gave the
customer the opportunity to purchase, because they may have not think
of any doubt whatsoever until the moment you suggested it. Thus, the
person may very well say "I'll think it over" instead of calling you,
and end buying from a competitor, or something else. Please have in
mind that many customers may not be looking for a trampoline in
particular, but for "some Christmas present for my son". Instead, I'd
recommend to put a simple "customer help" legend next to the toll-free
number, an maybe a small photo of a smiling face with a headset, maybe
somewhere at the top of the home page.

I believe to have covered every significant aspect of your website
that would be deserving of suggestion to better them. If you consider
that there are other aspects not taken in account, or else any doubt
about what was included in my answer, please do not hesitate to ask
for clarification.

Sincerely,

Guillermo

Clarification of Answer by guillermo-ga on 01 Dec 2005 00:08 PST
In my first mention of your competitor's website I omitted the URL. Here it is:
http://www.jumpking.ca/

My apologies.

Clarification of Answer by guillermo-ga on 13 Dec 2005 04:05 PST
I'm glad that you could benefit from my answer. Thanks for the rating :)

Guillermo
iias-ga rated this answer:4 out of 5 stars
Thank you for some of the ideas you gave us, such as the one for the
image. The answer was helpful :)

Comments  
Subject: Re: Increasing website viewer conversions
From: elids-ga on 08 Nov 2005 07:28 PST
 
You should read this article
http://www.internetretailer.com/article.asp?id=11202

You may also want to subscribe to their e-mail list and free
magazines. They are very good, informative and easy to read.

Eli
Subject: Re: Increasing website viewer conversions
From: trackermo-ga on 14 Nov 2005 06:30 PST
 
While I agree in large part to the initial answer about the problem
with your website (www.trampoline.com) being unprofessional, I would
like to point out that professionalism and style are two separate
things.

Professionalism is a matter of making your site easy to view and
navigate; style should coordinate with the product or service
involved.  In other words, being stodgy and boring is not a sign of
professionalism; that's one style and wholly a matter of taste. 
Trampolines are supposed to be fun-- and that seems to be what you are
trying to convey on your site.  That's good.

But every site, regardless of style or the level of seriousness,
should have some basics that make visiting your site and navigating it
easy for the widest audience possible.  In addition to the first
answer (i.e., pick one font style, color and size; one link, vlink and
alink color, etc.), here's a quick list of suggestions:

1) Put a link to your order page at the top with the rest of your main
links.  Often a customer will visit a site and come back, wanting to
order immediately.

2) While specialty graphics are fun, remember that not everyone has
DSL or a high-speed modem.  If it takes them too long to load your
page, they will move on to another one.  Cut the graphics to one per
page.

3) Rather than having the second link set across the top of the page,
incorporate it with the Parts & Repairs link already there, making
that page a sub-directory of pages.

4) Rather than having the exact same links on each page (good answer
but lazy and ultimately confusing), alternate that page's link (like
Home Page on the home page), with another.  For example:

(Page: Links)
Home Page : Trampolines, Parts & Repairs, Warranty, Order, Contact Us
Trampolines : Home Page, Parts & Repairs, Warranty, Order, Contact Us
Parts & Repairs : Home Page, Trampolines, Warranty, Order, Contact Us
Warranty : Home Page, Trampolines, Parts & Repairs, Order, Contact Us
Order : Home Page, Trampolines, Parts & Repairs, Warranty, Contact Us
Contact Us : Home Page, Trampolines, Parts & Repairs, Warranty, Order

Just as the links should stay in the same area of the page, so should
a viewer be able to reach any page from any other.  Remember, many
times a visitor will reach your site via a secondary page (if, for
instance, they did a search for "trampoline parts", they may reach
your "parts" page first), and if they can't find the order page, they
may go on to another site.

5) Make your Site Easy to Read.  When people are visiting websites,
remember that they skim, like reading headlines in a newspaper or, as
in a meeting, read only the bulleted text.  That text should say it
all-- and, in the case of your site, many times it almost does.  For
instance, where you put "Order Now For Christmas" it would be better
drop all the info about early ordering (who doesn't know that?), and
simply put a specific date such as: "Order By November 30 to Guarantee
Christmas Delivery" (or whatever date you're comfortable with.)  This
gives them all the information in one, short sentence.

6) Last of all (and this IS a totally personal preference) avoid long
pages.  Long pages are a huge turn-off.  If a page cannot be condensed
into one or two screens, at least include a "Back To Top" button at
the bottom.

Hope these comments helped.

Tracker Mo
http://www.trackermo.com
Subject: Re: Increasing website viewer conversions
From: myoarin-ga on 13 Dec 2005 08:26 PST
 
I always learn a lot for Guillermo's answers, thanks.

On the first image (which one has to discover is mouse active)  I was
upset by the "PARTS" link appearing on the photo of the delapidated
trampoline.  At that point, I expected that the site only provided
information and sales related to YOUR product. The image and
references to parts, suggested that maybe your product needed parts
and repair, right at the top of the page.  If the business of
supplying parts to other products is significant, I would segregate it
in some way; highlight it in the sidebar, wherever, but not on my
first view of your product.  Maybe the parts business is just a
service and not profitable ...?
If so, no need to respect the existence of the competition  - IMHO.

I would make the images bigger, full site width, so the children are
larger.  As already pointed out, you are selling "fun" and the people
should present that on the first sighting.  On "Big Air" there is
still the line:  "All new for 2004".
Great two years ago, now suggesting no further improvement.
Good luck in 2006, Myoarin
Subject: Re: Increasing website viewer conversions
From: cxm322-ga on 16 Feb 2006 06:20 PST
 
In my experience, increasing conversions is is best done by giving
your site visitors a reason to come back.  The more they come back the
more they are prone to "covert".

You can definitely do this with a newsletter. You get them to sign up
by giving them an incentive to do so.  Once signed up, you can keep
reminding them about your site and products through your newsletter.

Joint ventures with other businesses is another great way to increase conversions.

You can check out http://www.imstarter.com which is a free online
internet marketing guide.  The guide is full of ways you can increase
conversions and includes chapters on newsletters, email marketing,
joint ventiures, etc, etc.

Hope this helps.

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