Many growing businesses focus on optimizing their Web site for Internet searches but do little about optimizing it to encourage visitors to take a desired action. Getting buyers to your doorstep is only part of a niche marketing strategy. Keep in mind the following:

• On the Internet, time is measured in impatient seconds. As customers are working through the checkout process, let them know how many steps are left. This can significantly reduce abandonment rates.
• Visitors want to see shipping rates clearly disclosed before adding any items to their shopping cart. If you tell them after the fact, you’ll lose sales.
• Visitors expect a “free shipping” option.
• Visitors want clear instructions on how to check out.
• Always include product photos in shopping carts to reinforce what the customer is buying.

Stephen Pierce, a business optimization strategist, doubled his profits with a “dynamic popup generator,” which is a form of online advertising in which a new browser window opens to display an advertisement. The popup appears only when a visitor decides not to place an order — i.e., closes the browser or clicks to another site. The popup features a special offer, as well as a timer that shows the user how much time is left before the deal expires.

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