The Best Web Marketing Checklist for E-Commerce Considerations

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The Best Web Marketing Checklist for E-Commerce Considerations

Article Written By: Stoney deGeyter

What this is about: This list covers general points related specifically to ecommerce websites. While not everything here will apply to other sites, there is information that can be gleaned and applied to service related websites, as well as others.

Why this is important: Being able to convince the shopper to follow through on the purchase is essential to being profitable. The visitor looks for specific cues that help them assess the creditability of the site and the security of their information. Providing these cues will help you provide a better experience that leads to deeper customer satisfaction.
What to look for:

* Mini-product basket always available: If you use mini-baskets that update in real time as products are added, make sure they are available throughout the entire shopping process.
* Displays payment options: Whatever payment options you provide, let the visitor know what they are long before they add their first product to the cart.
o CC: If you accept major credit cards, display their icons in a conspicuous place.
o Paypal: If you accept Paypal, be sure this is a known option early in the shopping/checkout process.
o Google Checkout: If you accept Google Checkout, be sure this is a known option early in the shopping/checkout process.
* No multiple paths to dupe product pages: Make sure there is only one workable URL per produce, even if there are multiple paths to each product.
* No tracking IDs in URLs: Avoid using tracking and session IDs in URLs. Look for more search engine friendly means of keeping track of a visitor's session.
* Exclude shopping cart pages: Keep the search engines out of all shopping cart pages. These aren't the pages they are looking for. Move along. Move along.
* No (or nofollowed) links to secure pages: Avoid linking to secure versions of product pages (using absolute links in cart helps prevent this.)
* Keep secure cert current: Make sure that your secure certificate is kept up to date. Expired certificates create security warnings that scare off would-be customers.

[b]About The Author:[/b]
Stoney deGeyter is president of Pole Position Marketing (www.PolePositionMarketing.com), a search engine optimization / marketing firm providing SEO and website marketing services since 1998. Stoney is also a part-time instructor at Truckee Meadows Community College, as well as a moderator in the Small Business Ideas Forum. He is the author of his E-Marketing Performance eBook and contributes daily to the E-Marketing Performance (www.eMarketingPerformance.com) marketing blog.