4 Internet Marketing errors that could destroy potential sales

August 23, 2010 | Posted by Carolyn Pikoulas
If you're making any one of these 4 Internet Marketing errors, you could be missing out on increased sales and conversions...

Error #1: Skipping keyword research. You already know that your website should be optimized with the most popular keywords. But you also need to optimize your site with key "phrases" and less popular keywords, as well. All of the keywords and phrases that people use to find your site may not bring a lot of traffic individually, but collectively they account for a large amount of traffic. Let's say you sell bicycle baskets. Of course, "bicycle baskets" and "bicycle carriers" will be some of the top keywords you'll use. But, it's important to follow less popular search terms like "handle bar bike racks," "rear bicycle basket," "bicycle dog baskets," "cruiser bike baskets," "wicker bike baskets," etc.

Error #2: Your Pay-Per-Click ads send visitors to your homepage, not to a specific landing page designed specifically for the ad. When people search the web, they usually search for something very specific. Let's say someone searches for "beach cruiser wicker bicycle basket." If your online ad sends that customer to a page depicting 50 different styles of bike baskets that aren't made for a beach cruiser bike, the visitor can simply hit the back button and find a website that shows them exactly what they're looking for. If you're sending searchers to a page that exactly matches what they searched for, you'll see your conversion rates improve dramatically.

Error #3: Your contact info isn't easily found. These days, people love to be able to serve themselves and find the answers on their own without dealing with a real person. But they also appreciate knowing that if they do require help, they can easily get a hold of someone, whether it's by phone, e-mail or Live Chat.

Error #4: There's no lead capture tool on any of your pages. Not every visitor to your website is ready to make a purchase today. If you don't have the ability to capture their contact information and stay in touch with them, they may forget about you by the time they are ready to make a buying decision.