Keys to Creating Websites that Sell – Provide Value

People go online for various reasons.  They might surf the internet to research a potential purchase, to seek a solution for a problem they’re having or even to be entertained.

If you have a website provides all three of these areas; products to purchase, valid information, and entertainment then you are top shape.

The good news is that the content you provide on your website can provide both the information looked for and the entertainment AND when written well it can inspire one to purchase.

Here are a few key ideas to help you provide value for your customers and prospects:

* How to articles, videos, and audio: People love how to articles. How to solve a problem. How to create something. and if you can provide a video to go with that even better.
* Tips articles, videos, and audio: Tips articles are a little different than how to articles. These are not necessarily how to but maybe some steps a person can look at to do something. For example…

• Tips for making dinner
  • Find recipe
  • Buy groceries
  • Make dinner
  • Serve
• How to cook
  • “Find your recipe for steamed broccoli. Pull the broccoli out of the crisper in the bottom of your refrigerator. Place the broccoli on your cutting board and slice away the bottom stem of the vegetable. After the tough stem is gone begin to cut off the individual florets which are the flowery heads of the vegetable…” You get the idea.

* Case studies: This will be examples of where your product or a product you are reviewing or promoting provided certain results.

* Workbooks and reports: Nice printables and reports on your niche. Offer them up as freebies such as this free copywriting quiz with custom report. You enter your info on how you draw in your customers and get a free report on how you’re doing.

* Interviews with experts: Find people who are experts in your niche and interview them for your website. Here is an example where I interviewed Christine Steendahl on Menu Planning.

* Product reviews: People love reviews. Collect them from your customers if you can. Follow up on a purchase. You can also seek out people to try your product and review it. Usually this is for their own site but you can always link to it or ask to copy part or use all of it for your site.

Creating a website that sells requires a structured approach and a desire to create the best experience possible for your visitors. Put yourself in your visitor’s shoes. This won’t answer all questions but once you look at what you are providing as if you were looking for it yourself you may be able to see some things that might be missing. Then consider testing it and asking associates, friends and family for their opinion.