Learn to Do It Right. Build a Better Web Site.

When Google announced the beta release of it’s new browser, Google Chrome, you could almost hear the groans resonating off the Internet walls.  For web designers and webmasters, another browser means more time will need to be spent slugging through the dreary sea of cross browser compatibility issues, a process that can be about as enjoyable as a double root canal.

As much as we’d like to turn our noses up in the air at Chrome and pretend it doesn’t exist, I believe we are better off dealing with it and accepting that it’s here to stay.  It’s actually a very nice browser with a clean, simplistic design and a number of features that make it attractive from a user’s standpoint.

From a browser compatibility standpoint, Chrome, like Safari, is based on the WebKit open source project, which means it pays careful attention to web standards and validation.   In essence, it is less forgiving of coding mistakes than Internet Explorer is.  This means that while your web site might display perfectly in Internet Explorer, it might look downright awful in Chrome.

On the bright side, Microsoft will soon be releasing Internet Explorer version 8 (currently available in beta), and it’s been announced that this version will now interpret web pages based on strict W3C standards.  This is a smart move on Microsoft’s part, in my opinion.  As browsers move towards following web standards, cross browser compatibility will become easier to work through as different browsers begin to interpret and display web pages in the same manner.

But that day isn’t here yet.  And so for now, we need to add Google Chrome to our list of browsers to check our web sites in…not just to make sure that they display as intended, but also to make sure everything works properly as well.

How does YOUR web site look in Google Chrome?

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Web designers and web site owners often find themselves on a mission to think up ways in which they can make their web site unique and memorable.  After all, everyone wants their web site to stand out in the crowd.

But it’s important to use caution when straying from what’s familiar.  This is especially holds true when it comes to web site terminology.  People have become accustomed to using certain words and phrases to describe specific web site elements.  When you change them in an effort to be clever or creative, the end result is most often confusion.

A good example would be a recent change made at BlogCatalog, a blog directory/social networking site I belong to.  BlogCatalog stated in their September newsletter that due to confusion, they would be changing the terminology of their blog “neighborhoods” to blog “favorites.”

If you are thinking, “What the heck is a blog neighborhood?” apparently a lot of other people were wondering the same thing!  Simply put, a “neighborhood” was a place on your BlogCatalog account where you could add blogs you liked.  Most people know this as “bookmarking” a site, or adding it to “favorites.”  The folks at BlogCatalog must have initially thought that using the term “neighborhood” was a clever way to stand out…a way to be different.

But it ended up backfiring.  People didn’t recognize the terminology.  Most (including me) had no idea what “neighborhoods” were.  As a result, BlogCatalog decided to change blog “neighborhoods” to blog “favorites,” a term that people are familiar with and instantly recognize.

Let’s take a look at a few other web site elements where it’s wise to stick with terms that are well-known:

• Navigation - Use terms that are familiar, no matter how boring or overused they may seem.  The Home page should be referred to as the Home page, the About page should be named exactly that, and so on and so forth.
• Shopping carts - Call a shopping cart what it is - a cart.  Studies have shown that using other terms such as bag, basket, buggy, etc. are not as well accepted or recognized by web site users.
• Buttons - Label form buttons by what their function is and resist the urge to label them with cute or clever words or phrases.  For example, contact form submit buttons should be labeled “submit,” search form buttons should be labeled “search,” and subscription form buttons should be labeled “subscribe.”

When it comes to web site terminology, don’t leave people second guessing.  Stick with what’s familiar and intuitive and your customers will stick around.

Remember, it’s always about the customer.

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It happens more often than you think. Something on a web site confuses the visitor and they freeze up. Whatever process they were in - researching, purchasing, etc. - has been brought to a dead halt.

A handful of these visitors might proceed to the FAQ page (if one exists) in hopes of finding clarification. An even smaller amount might fill out the web site’s contact form asking for an explanation.

Most, however, will leave.

It’s been pounded into us that the layout, colors and navigation should be consistent throughout the web site in order to avoid confusing the visitor. However, just as important, but often overlooked, is consistency in what the web site says.

Let me give you a couple of examples.

Inconsistency in the Product Guarantee

During a recent online shopping experience, I noticed that the product I was interested in came with a 30-day guarantee. When I got to the shopping cart, however, the company had a statement claiming all their products came with a 90-day guarantee.

Even though it really didn’t matter to me one way or the other, it distracted me. Instead of continuing with my purchase, I flipped between the product page and the shopping cart, trying to figure out why one stated 30-days and the other stated 90-days. Eventually, I did make my purchase. But I still don’t know which guarantee is the correct one.

Inconsistency in the Shopping Cart Options

In another situation, I was checking out an item I was thinking of purchasing, but hadn’t made a firm decision about yet. The web site said it was backordered, but was available for pickup at most stores. However, when I added the item to the cart, the option for store pickup was faded out.

In this case, I dumped the shopping cart. I wasn’t interested in waiting a couple of weeks for my purchase to be shipped to my home. I was, however, interested in purchasing it online and then picking it up at the store. But since their shopping cart wouldn’t allow me to select the “pick up in store” option, I would have had to call or visit the store if I wanted to make my purchase. And I had no intention of doing either one.

What We Can Learn

This lesson here is that inconsistency is a distraction that causes confusion. It has the potential to cost you the sale.

If you state you offer a 30-day guarantee on all your products, then make sure that the verbiage consistently states “30-days” throughout your web site. If the product is available for in-store pick up, then the customer should be able to choose that option and continue with their purchase.

How You Can Improve

Take some time to review your web site today. Are there inconsistencies in what your web site is saying to your customers? If so, you’ll want to make an effort to correct them as soon as possible.

In addition, are there certain questions that you get asked time and again by your customers? Then end the confusion by taking time to add wording to your web site that answers those questions. The more informed your customer is, the more confident they will feel about buying from you.

Remember - it’s always about the customer.

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I’m sure you’ve experienced them…online shopping carts that are so crazy frustrating to use that you end up throwing your hands up in the air in exasperation and clicking away from the web site…with no intention of returning anytime soon.

Unfortunately, frustration over online shopping carts seems to be an all too common problem. And it shouldn’t be that way. Truth of the matter is, it wouldn’t be that way if shopping cart designers would get in tune with the average online shopper, aka, “the customer.” You know. That elusive person who everyone wants to visit their web site, but no one seems to know much about.

I recently had the not-so-pleasant experience of fighting my way through an online shopping cart that put me through an obstacle course before I could complete my purchase. But the shopping cart process wasn’t the only screw up. The company lost an almost guaranteed upsell purchase from me along the way. (More about that later).

As hair-pulling as my experience was, I believe we can put a positive spin on it by using it to:

1. Learn how to improve our shopping carts.
2. Learn how to improve other aspects of our web site that come into play during the online shopping experience.

Let me give you the details of my experience and then I’ll point out the flaws and offer solutions. See if you can spot the mistakes (there are a total of 8!) as you follow along.

My Online Buying Experience

Stage 1 - Interest in the Product

I received an email from Beachbody.com, my favorite fitness company, stating they had released a new workout video. They’ve been building up excitement and anticipation for the release of this video for some time now by promoting it in their weekly newsletters.

Due to my positive experiences with their products (and also because I’m a huge fan of Tony Horton, the trainer featured in the video), I had pretty much made up my mind that I was going to purchase the video before it was even released. Because of this, I didn’t require the same amount of information as someone who would be purchasing from this company for the first time. Still, I wanted all the specifics.

Stage 2 - Desire for More Information About the Product

Eager to get the details, I clicked on the “Click Here to Learn More” button provided in the email. It took me to a page on their web site asking me to either log in or create a log in so that I could “shop for all of our great products.”

I couldn’t remember what my log in was, or if I even had one. And I wasn’t ready to create one.

Frustrated, I went to the home page of the web site, hoping to find the product highlighted so that I could find a direct link to the information page I was looking for. But no luck.

My next click was to the Site Map, and it was there I found the link I was looking for.

Stage 3 - The Decision to Purchase the Product

I read the product page of the workout video and it confirmed my desire to purchase. I clicked the “Add to Cart” button and was taken to the checkout page which contained a form to fill out with my name, address and credit card information.

Stage 4 - The Purchase and the Shopping Cart Experience Obstacle Course

I filled out the form described above and clicked on the “Submit Order” button. Sounds easy enough, right? But it wasn’t over. I was then put through a series of redirects that I had no choice but to go through if I wanted to complete my purchase.

• Redirect 1: The first page I was redirected to asked if I wanted to buy either a 4 lb. or 6 lb. medicine ball like the one that was used in the video. Always looking to challenge myself in my workouts, I confirmed I wanted to buy the 4 lb. medicine ball for $24.95 plus shipping.
• Redirect 2: I was redirected to yet another page that asked me if I wanted to buy their recovery drink product. I actually use their recovery drink after my most intense workouts, but glancing at the price, I noticed they were offering me the regular price, plus shipping and handling. I declined.
• Redirect 3: The next redirect brought me to a page asking if I wanted to sign up for their online fitness club, free for 30-days and then a monthly fee afterwards. I declined.
• Redirect 4: I was brought to yet another page that asked my shipping preference. There was only one choice since the offer automatically upgraded me to the faster shipping method at no extra charge.
• Redirect 5: The next page asked me if I wanted to pay in one full payment instead of paying in installments. I chose to pay in full.
• Redirect 6: I was brought to a page asking me to confirm my order. I confirmed and was brought to the final page that allowed me to print out a receipt.

Whew! That was one lengthy process and, in all honesty, one I wouldn’t have put myself through if I could have purchased the video from another source. So let’s take a look at the shopping cart mistakes made by Beachbody.com, how they could correct them, and what we can learn from them.

What They Did Wrong, How They Could Improve, and What We Can Learn From It

• Mistake #1 - Requiring customers to log in to access a simple informational page on your web site.
  When I clicked on the “Click Here to Learn More” button in the promotional email for the workout video, I was flabbergasted to arrive at a page that asked me to log in or create a log in. I wasn’t at the buying stage yet, so I wasn’t ready to create an account. While I found another way in, many people would have backed off completely. Due to privacy issues and spam concerns, people simply don’t like to give out their information until they are good and ready.
• Mistake #2 - Making it hard for your customer to find information on your web site.
  Because of those reasons described above, I did not want to create a log in, so I looked for an alternative route to the information page. It took a couple of clicks and a couple of minutes to find it. Make it easy for your customers to find what they want by using navigation that is intuitive. The more clicks it takes to find what they are looking for, the less likely the customer will follow through, and the more likely you’ll lose them.
• Mistake #3 - Bragging about your products instead of posing a benefit to the customer.
  The log in page asked me to either log in or create a log in so that I could “shop for all of our great products.” A phrase like that is certain to generate a ho-hum response from your customer. People don’t care about your great products, but they do care about what your products will do for them. I would change that line to read “discover workout videos and health products that will help you lose weight, reach your fitness goals and get the body you’ve always dreamed of having.” OK, so I’m not the best copywriter in the world. But you’ve got to admit, it’s better than what they currently have.
• Mistake #4 - “Adding to Cart” takes the customer directly to the checkout page.
  By adding the workout video to my cart, I was taken to a page that asked for my customer and credit card information (the checkout page). It gave me a feeling of finality - the shopping experience was over and it was time to checkout. While there was a “Continue Shopping” link on the page, it was in an obscure place. Keep your customers shopping and buying by keeping your shopping cart page separate from your checkout page.
• Mistake #5 - Offering upsells AFTER the customer makes the purchase.
  This part was extremely confusing to me. I had already hit “Submit Order” and was now being asked if I wanted to add to my purchase. It would have made more sense if I was offered upsells before I checked out, not after.
• Mistake #6 - Not offering a discount with upsell offers.
  As I mentioned earlier, one of the upsell offers was a recovery drink that I use on a regular basis. I would have bought it in a heartbeat if they would have offered me a discount or free shipping. Since they offered me the regular price - plus shipping - there was no incentive for me to buy. Another example would be the medicine balls. I did buy one, but had they offered me a discount for buying both, I definitely would have done so.
• Mistake #7 - Multiple redirects for multiple upsells.
  I really didn’t think it was necessary to take me through a separate redirect page for each upsell. Each time I was redirected, I felt more anxious and frustrated. Put all your upsells on one page. Don’t redirect your customer or delay the buying process anymore than you have to.
• Mistake #8 - Requesting billing and shipping preferences AFTER the customer has submitted the order.
  This is one of those “Well, DUH!” mistakes that makes you wonder if the shopping cart designer was in need of a good dose of common sense. I should have been asked what my shipping preference was and whether I wanted to pay in one charge or in installments on the checkout page, not a page I was redirected to after I had submitted my order. Well, DUH!

What They Did Right

While Beachbody has a vast number of improvements they could make, there are a handful of things they did right that are worth noting here.

1. They did an excellent job of creating excitement and anticipation of the new video before it was released. They also offered a sign up form for people who wanted to be immediately notified when it was available for purchase.
2. They used the terminology “Add to Cart” on their buttons rather than “Buy.” Research has shown that people are more comfortable with “Add to Cart,” because they feel they can “Remove from Cart” if they change their mind. “Buy” apparently makes people hesitate because it seems very decisive.
3. They had a Site Map, a helpful page for people who are having trouble finding what they want (like me).
4. They prominantly displayed a “90-day Money Back Guarantee” on their checkout page.
5. Their checkout page also displayed a Better Business Bureau logo and a Verisign security logo, both which help to increase consumer confidence.

Final Thoughts

Do everything you can to make the buying process as smooth and painless as possible. You can get a priceless amount of insight by asking friends, family or business acquaintances to test your shopping cart, so long as they are capable of giving you brutally honest feedback.

If your testers have problems with your shopping cart, you can expect your customers will have problems, too, and sales will most certainly suffer because of it.

So test, tweak, and test some more. And remember - it’s always about the customer.

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Darren Rowse of Problogger.net fame posed this question to his readers last week: “What are the Benefits of Adding Video to Your Blog?”

So far, the response has been intriguing. While benefits of using video on blogs and web sites are indeed being discussed, people are also sharing their personal feelings about it. Surprisingly, it appears that there is no middle ground. These folks either love online video or hate it with a passion.

I get pretty excited when bloggers get feedback like this from their readers. The insight they provide can be a real eye-opener for web site owners and bloggers like you and me.

In this case, the comments Darren received from his simple question can help us determine whether or not we should use video in our blogs or on our web sites, and if so, what we can do to make it a pleasant experience for everyone.

(As a side note: While Darren specifically asked about video on blogs, I believe that a great deal of what his commentators shared can also be applied to video on web sites. See if you agree).

Let’s dig in and take a look at some of the gems I extracted from Darren’s faithful readers.

3 Things People Love About Online Videos:

1. Provides a break from reading. Several people noted that having the ability to listen rather than read was a nice break for their tired eyes.
2. Adds a personal touch. People enjoyed seeing videos of the blogger in person and felt it provided a personal connection as well as added credibility.
3. Shows rather than explains. People particularly saw value in “how-to” videos, where there is a clear benefit in illustrating how to do something using video rather than attempting to explain it with words or still pictures.

3 Things People Hate About Online Videos:

1. Takes too long to load. Even on a high-speed Internet connection, many people felt impatient with the loading time of online videos. And those that don’t have access to high-speed Internet simply don’t have the bandwidth needed to watch videos online.
2. Difficult to watch in public. Because watching video requires sound, those using the Internet in a library, café, school or even in the vicinity of their own home were unlikely to watch video online because they felt it was intrusive and disturbed those around them.
3. Poor accessibility. People with a hearing loss are often left out when it comes to online videos, because few provide captioning or subtitles. In addition, those with normal hearing complained of instances of not being able to understand the speaker in the video due to regional/foreign accents or poor audio.

So Should You Use Video on Your Blogs and Web Sites?

Taking the above considerations to heart, I believe using video can be beneficial to web site/blog visitors if it:

• Educates through the use of visuals.
• Demonstrates how to do something.
• Increases credibility.
• Provides an alternative to reading for those with vision issues or tired eyes.

With that being said, I firmly believe that you need to provide a written transcript for those without high-speed Internet, folks with a hearing loss, and for people who simply prefer to read.

Leaving these people out of the mix conveys the message that they are not important to you. And if they believe they are unimportant to you, then you will become unimportant to them. If that isn’t motivation enough for you, then take into consideration that video currently provides no search engine benefit. Written words in a transcript, however, do.

I think the bottom line here is common sense. Don’t jump on the video bandwagon just because it seems like it’s the popular thing to do right now. Keep your goals and your customers at the forefront of your mind and it will quickly become clear as to whether or not you should use video on your blog or web site.

Remember - it’s always about the customer.

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Clayton Makepeace of The Total Package posted about something that’s been on my mind lately. Do clever and creative TV commercials - the ones that get people’s attention and keep them talking for years - actually increase sales of the product they are promoting? In other words, do “good” commercials sell?

According to Clayton, the answer is no. And he backs up his claim by giving a real-life example of a Nissan commercial from the late ’90’s. You may remember it: The dashing action figure, GI Joe, escapes from the jaws of a dinosaur and rescues Barbie from a dull date with Ken by enticing her with his sporty Nissan. (You can watch the Nissan commercial here).

Entertaining? Yes. Memorable? Yes. But did it sell Nissans? Nope. In fact, Nissan sales plummeted. Their rival, Toyota, however, stuck with boring, customer benefit-focused commercials and their sales thrived. It wasn’t until Nissan pulled the commercial several months later that they were able to see their sales rebound.

And so Clayton says croaking frogs don’t sell beer (Budweiser) and Chihuahuas with a Mexican accent don’t sell tacos (Taco Bell). And I have one to add. Dancing lizards don’t sell vitamin water (SoBe).

I like lizards. And I grew up in the ’80’s, the era of Michael Jackson and “Thriller.” So the SoBe Life Water commercial that ran during the 2008 Super Bowl featuring lizards dancing to “Thriller” has been a recent favorite of mine. (You can watch the SoBe commercial here).

But when my 16-year old son picked up a SoBe drink at the supermarket the other day, I got to thinking. And I realized that as entertaining as that commercial was, it didn’t persuade me to buy SoBe. I didn’t drink SoBe before I saw the commercial and I never thought to try it after I saw the commercial, even after watching it numerous times.

So I headed over to the SoBe web site to see what they do - if anything - to convince people to try their products. Their web site consists of an opening Flash movie that’s cute and entertaining and fun. But where is the persuasion? The convincing? The benefits? Why should you or I or anyone else buy SoBe?

And so here lies the problem that plagues so many web sites: Like “good” commercials, they entertain, but they don’t sell.

Clayton Makepeace states that every ad (and yes, that includes web sites) should accomplish 4 essential missions:

1. It must create a desire for your product by presenting the benefits it will bring into your customer’s life.
2. It must convince your customer that the benefits obtained from your product are unique and not obtainable from competing products.
3. It must leave your customer feeling that it is urgent to buy your product as soon as possible.
4. It must compel your customer to action to purchase your product at the earliest opportunity.

Is your web site accomplishing these missions? If not, you’re probably losing sales.

Remember - it’s always about the customer.

Related Links:

Clayton Makepeace

The Nissan Commercial

The SoBe Commercial

The SoBe Web Site

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At some point, almost every small business will be faced with the task of hiring a web designer, either to get their business online, or to update their existing web site. But finding a good web designer isn’t easy. After all, anyone who knows how to get a basic web site up and running online can call themselves a web designer.

Obviously, web designers should have certain skills. And whether they are self-taught or the result of a college degree really isn’t an issue, in my opinion.

However, there is one very crucial skill that most designers don’t have that can make all the difference in whether your site brings in sales or not. Strangely enough, most small businesses don’t even think to ask about it when hiring a web designer.

That skill is knowledge of the customer - their online buying behavior, their various personalities, what triggers a buying response from them and how it all applies to web site design.

Web sites, after all, are a method of advertising and a point of sale for businesses. Yet most web designers fail to create web sites that are designed to convert visitors to customers, simply because they don’t know how. Their design skills and knowledge of technology might be top-notch, but too often their focus is on their creativity, not the customer.

The next time you are shopping for a web designer, take the time to ask them about their design philosophy. Do they design web sites based on the latest trends and technology? Or do they base their designs to focus on the web site’s target customers?

Remember - it’s always about the customer.

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