Website are a great way to increase your sales. Even if you have a store on Etsy, Artfire, Meylah, or other marketplace sites nothing beats having your own website!
With your own website, you have freedom to post what and where you want it — and, as I have said before, unlike a marketplace site, you own your website!
But there are a few web mistakes that will definitely kill your sales!
Carolyn Edlund from Artsy Shark has put together the following list:
1. Boring Home page – Although your Home page may not always be the first page that visitors see, it must be structured to make a strong visual statement to draw the visitor in.
2. No visual relief – Is your website full of endless text and long paragraphs?… Break up written content into short paragraphs, leaving lots of negative (white) space so the reader is not overwhelmed.
3. Confusing navigation bar – A simple menu on your website is best, taking up no more than one line below the header. … Clear and concise wording on your navigation bar is best – About, Gallery, Press, Shop, FAQ and so forth, so they know what they are clicking.
4. Poor images – There is no excuse for using substandard images on your website. This is a real sales killer, making your site look amateurish and sloppy.
5. Content not customer-focused – … when your website is full of “I, me, my” it does not interest them nearly as much as when you address your website visitor, and talk about their needs. Invite them in.
6. Failure to collect email addresses – Are most sales made on the first visit to your site? Nope. And those visitors will probably never come back unless you have a sign-up form on your website to collect their email address and stay in touch.
7. No descriptions or prices – If you don’t describe your artwork adequately, telling about the technique, the materials, the size and more, are people likely to buy that work anyway? Answer: No way.
8. No shopping cart – …. if you offer work for sale that is perfect to sell online – like that beautiful necklace perfect for Mom and priced just right, and if Mother’s Day is coming up – you are missing out if you don’t make it super easy for your customer to buy from you.
9. Lack of contact info – Don’t make it hard for a website visitor to get in touch. A simple contact form without your email and phone number seems anonymous and won’t allow the customer to reach you quickly if they have a simple question but are otherwise ready to buy.
10. No FAQ – An informational page on how to buy your work belongs on every artist website, but I seldom see them. … Make sure you let them know about shipping, insurance, guarantees, turnaround times, installation information, special requests, commissioning work, and everything else that applies to your business.
Excellent list! A few things I would add ….
- Include a detailed ABOUT page. Believe it or not, this is one of the most accessed page on most websites! Tell your story and add at least one picture of yourself. With the impersonal web, this is one way to connect customers with a real person!
- Never, never, never publish a website without contact info! Personally, I won’t buy from a website that does not list a way that I can contact the website owner. I usually don’t ever write them a letter or call, but it insures that there is a real person behind the website.
Do you have any other suggestions to add to the list?