5 Ways to Boost Online Sales with Good Design

When you are trying to learn how to sell products online successfully, there are many important aspects to remember and incorporate. Compiling inventory, advertising with social media, researching the competition, and choosing appropriate pricing are all important in the successful establishment of an online business; however, these elements are often over-stressed. Simple aesthetic aspects, such as good website design, can be overlooked in the scramble to create valid, well-advertised content. If the content you are advertising is painful to look at, all of your hard work may be wasted. Customers often sense that the product provided is trashy when the design of a website is ill-refined and badly presented.

Avoid these common pitfalls by hiring a capable web designer (we promise it’s worth the initial cost) and clearly communicating your expectations to him or her. Not sure what your expectations should be for good design? Review the five concepts below that are helpful in understanding how to sell a product online:

One: Set High Standards for Yourself

Do some research and scope out what kind of website design the competition is incorporating. Make a list and jot down the best aspects of your competitors’ websites. In a separate column, write out aspects of their sites that you consider weak so you can intentionally avoid making the same mistakes they did. Also, consider doing a Google search for “quality web design” and save a folder of current web design you admire. This folder will inspire your web designer and better inform him or her about your wants.

Two: Cater To Your Target Audience

Many of your design choices depend on the demographics of your target audience. For example, if you are selling walkers and canes, you may want to use soft, thoroughly informative, mature design tactics. If you are selling skateboards, you may want to utilize a big design using loud colors and fast-paced layouts. Thoroughly research the demographics of your target audience so that you can present demographic-appropriate design that reaches who you want to reach with ease.

Three: Keep It Simple

No matter what the demographics of your target audience may be, simplicity is key. Give your customers a straightforward shopping experience by giving them easy, direct access to the information they are looking for. Map out your site in such a way that users can intuitively find what they are looking for without going through the hassle of searching for half an hour. Honestly, if your customer has to search longer than a few minutes for what they want, they will probably become impatient and leave your site.

Attention span is becoming crucial in the world of web design. Interestingly, veteran web users have developed neural pathways that differ from non-veteran web users. Keep in mind that the average attention span for most internet users (per website) is about one minute on average. Don’t overwhelm users with an over-abundance of content; keep things simple to accommodate for the shorter and shorter attention spans of adults in today’s society.

Four: Give Your Site a Unique Spin

There’s nothing wrong with gathering a portfolio of web designs from fellow online sellers you admire; however, it is extremely important to remember that your design must stand out among other websites. You need to incorporate that special something, that bit of bling that makes your website different and interesting. It’s okay to include things that are downright weird because odd things stand out in people’s minds.

Five: Be Bold and Modern

As screens get bigger and crisper, design should become increasingly bolder. Take advantage of the large presentation modern technology has afforded you by implementing beautiful, high-resolution colors and images. Use eye-catching images and bold slogans placed in strategic locations to catch the viewer’s attention. Minimalist design has been a growing trend among designers with good reason – simple, attractive design equals an increase in online sales. Minimal design features the omittance of all non-essential elements. Details that don’t contribute to the overall essence of the design must be eliminated so that the emphasis remains on important aspects of said design. Don’t be scared to leave the 90s behind and embrace the new and oh-so-pretty design of the future.

As you know, the number of resources available that teach people how to create a successful online business is somewhat overwhelming. Thankfully, many articles offer authentic how-to information providing in-depth research and useful tips concerning the creation of and running of an online business. For a well-rounded website, integrate your new design knowledge with excellent content by researching general tips for how to sell products online. Hopefully, this design information will prove useful as you journey toward selling products online successfully and efficiently.