This is the question most businesses ask. What is my competition doing
online? It is but natural, in fact imperative, to keep an eye on your
competition and make note of what they are doing...or not doing. When
viewing your competition and their websites, there are several
important things that you should note.
Be sure to keep an eye on the following and make a mental note of the things you can do about it.
Design and Navigation
Does
the site have a professional appearance? You would know what
professional appearance means when you visit several sites. For
instance, check out the sites of various online printers and see for
yourself which look gives the appearance of professionalism.
Is
the overall layout and navigation easy to understand and use? Try
clicking on several links and see if it is easy for you to get back to
their home page. This is the test of 'navigability.' If the user can
easily find his way back then the website is user-friendly.
What
type of color schemes was used and how is it affecting the visitors?
There is what you call the science of colors. Read about it and learn
how to use the different shades to make your visitors feel more
comfortable or better yet, to make them decide to buy. A printing
company would know how to use these colors so it would be helpful if
you could ask for tips.
What kind of images is used on the
website and how are they used? Images can make or break the website.
Too few and it would look boring. Too many and you run the risk of
making it appear cluttered, or worse, too heavy to load.
Content Setup
Is
the content clean, easy to read and navigate? Skim through your
competition's content and see how polished or unpolished it is. Bad
text i.e. grammatical errors, wrong spelling, do not help sell; they,
in fact, alter customers' decisions.
Does the content fully
describe the website's intention? An online printer would have
everything spelled out to help make their customers have informed
decisions. Online printers would normally give you as much details as
you need as to the size, color, layout of business card, catalogue, or
poster.
Customer Service, Sales and Support
What kind of
online customers service support and help do they offer? Do they offer
email or chat support? It is important to note how your competition is
offering after sales service because that can influence a buyer's
choice. |
