What
does your web site DO?
The
very first web sites were basically online brochures – the
same information and pictures adapted for the net. As time has
gone by, the internet has become a vital part of the research process
and consumers have become more demanding.
Research commissioned by AOL and the Henley Centre has shown that
the purchase and booking process is now more considered and convoluted
because consumers want to be better informed. Price is not the
exclusive driver.
There are essentially four stages that most consumers go through
before they make a booking or purchase. An easy way to improve
your web site is to make sure it provides the right information
for each of these stages.
1. I know nothing about...
At
this stage basic information is all that’s needed. Does
your web site provide at-a-glance info as well as more detailed
descriptions? What sort of information do users need? Do you provide
it? Is it instantly obvious where you are and what you offer?
2.
I want to compare…
It’s unlikely that visitors will come to you without comparing
with another destination, attraction or place to stay. So make
sure your site shows how you are better or different to your competition.
This doesn’t mean bad-mouthing the competition or even mentioning
them. You simply need to make your unique selling points crystal
clear.
3.
Final “just in case” check
At this point consumers are almost convinced. They are about to
place a booking but will so some final research before doing so,
perhaps looking at other official or non-official sources of information
to see if you are mentioned.
This
is when it’s important to make sure consumers can see
that you are members or any appropriate organisation, that you’re
listed within other sites such as those run by VisitBritain or
regional tourist boards and mentioned in guide books or on peer
to peer sites, such as tripadvisor.
Consumers increasingly want to book direct and not via travel
agents and operators but they spend a great deal of time cross-checking
before making their bookings. Perhaps you also need a clear list
of responses to Frequently Asked Questions?
4. A little reassurance about my choice
Even
when they’ve made their booking or decision (or are
just about to do so), consumers are still anxious to make sure
they’ve made the right choice. Or perhaps they want to build
their sense of anticipation about coming to see you.
This
is when they’ll take a quick final look at your web
site. Are the photos the most attractive possible? Are there any “add
ons” to your service that you need to tell them about? Is
it clear how to get to you?
The
internet is also changing how people perceive branded and other
well-known
products. They often prefer them because they
inspire confidence and consumers believe they know what they’re
getting even before they’d made a booking.
But
this is now changing, largely due to the power of the internet
and way
that consumers conduct such intensive research. The AOL
survey found that 42% of online consumers have changed their mind
about a brand they were going to buy and switched to a different
brand and 43% of online consumers decided not to purchase a certain
brand after they’d conducted their research.
Want to improve your web site?
Ask
about our web site analysis and spring clean service – the
most cost effective way to add sparkle to your site and differentiate
from the competition.
We
take a look at your site, assess it and provide suggestions for
its improvement
as well as consumer testing methods that don’t
cost a fortune.
The
price of the assessment and our recommendations depends on the
site
but starts at £750 + VAT.
Email susan@tourismnetwork.org or call 07768 365591 for more details
Susan Briggs
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