Ecommerce Sales Tip: Crowdsource Customer Photos

Free People's "#myfpdenim" Campaign

Selling products online can be a challenge, but the best way to showcase those products and make more sales is through photos. Yes, having a detailed product description is great, but people also want an accurate visual depiction of what you’re selling.

In a previous post we talked about how to tell the story of your company through photos, which is something that many businesses are now doing through sites like Pinterest and apps like Instagram. There’s something about a picture that can convey what words or text on a web page cannot. According to an article posted at GetElastic.com, websites that include photos of real people seem to convert more than those without photos of people. However, keep in mind that using stock photos of models may not be as effective either.

Are You Losing Sales Because Your Website Is Slow?

Have you ever visited your website to see how fast it loads? In this day and age where people have more things to do and more articles to read, they just don't have the time to sit around for even 10 seconds and wait for your website to load in their browser. This could adversely affect your sales and readership.

An article In the August 2012 issue of Website Magazine breaks down the intricacies of what is called web performance optimization (WPO). This concept of WPO came about as more and more companies wanted to publish a variety of media on their websites. The bottom line is that WPO enhances the user experience, thus increasing traffic to your site, which ultimately means more sales for you. What website would you rather buy from: one that is slow to load or one that allows you to find what you want and to be able to purchase it quickly?

Why You Can't Ignore Mobile Marketing Any Longer

As we’ve mentioned before, mobile is changing the way we think about web design. Along with that comes changes in how companies will market themselves for mobile users.

Consider a couple of these statistics about mobile marketing:

• 70% of all mobile searches result in action within 1 hour. 70% of online searches result in action in one month. (Mobile Marketer, 2012)

• 61% of local searches on a mobile phone result in a phone call. (Google, 2012)

Mobile marketing doesn't just mean buying ads on Google, it encompasses other channels of communication such as Facebook, Twitter, and even mobile apps. Most people who do own a smartphone typically have Facebook or Twitter on their phone. As they're waiting at the doctor's office or standing in line at the grocery store, they're on their phones. They search for apps that help make their lives easier or apps that entertain them.

Could your business develop an app that could provide value to your customers?