10 things to do this summer ... while sipping a drink maybe?

So it’s officially summertime. It’s the time of year when business slows down as the sun beckons us to go play outdoors. Since we all know what Quebec summers are all about, we also know that the workload quickly ends up getting the better of us and that there’ll soon be less time to plan your future Web actions. Here’s a list of 10 things you can do to get ready for fall.

1. Get a feel for what your visitors are up to

There are a number of ways in which you can find out what your visitors like and don’t like about your website. You can take a survey, perform a user test, meet with the customer service division, etc. The benefit of collecting information in this way generally far outweighs the cost. Just imagine, if you set up an online survey today, your visitors will do the work for you over the summer, leaving you free to do as you please...

2. Pay attention to what’s being said about you and your competitors

Negative comments about one of your products or praise for your service; this information will help you to better understand your customers and act accordingly. Better yet, add the name of your competitors and their products to your brand monitoring tools and you’ll learn all about their strengths and weaknesses.

3. Learn from your data by segmenting it

Web analysis tools generally provide information that is of little use unless segmented. Cross-referencing and filtering data leaves you with nothing but the “nectar.” In this regard, look beyond the interface of your tools as this sometimes has its limits. Try exporting your data in Excel for example so you can filter it more accurately.

4. Target your visitors

As mentioned in the article “Behavioral targeting: not in your ads … on your site”, there are many ways in which you can better meet the needs of your visitors by allowing them to rapidly and efficiently access the information they’re seeking. Analyze how your visitors behave during their 2nd, 3rd and subsequent visits. Using what you’ve learned, offer them browsing options and calls to action that represent their buying process.

5. Analyze the traffic sources that generate conversions

The title says it all. In this day and age, there’s no excuse for not knowing the conversion rate of your traffic from banners, the purchase of keywords, organic SEO, social networks and referring sites.

6. Determine which elements of your site you’d like to test

Using A /B and multivariate tests, it is possible to see how making some simple changes can be very profitable. By analyzing your statistics, you’ll discover which pages have a high bounce rate, which stages are lacking in the process leading to conversion, etc. By conducting tests on certain elements of these pages, you’ll see your conversion rate climb consistently.

7. Find the right keywords and positions

Why pay for words that don’t generate results? By cutting out any unnecessary words, you’ll be able to invest more in the purchase of pertinent keywords. Also, if you discover that your conversion rate is higher when your position ranks lower in the results page, save yourself the money!

8. Optimize ... while the others are doing anything but that

It’s summertime and many companies are short staffed. Your competitors may be less attentive and responsive which leaves opportunities free for you to seize. In this regard, research trends (keywords) most certainly exist throughout the summer and we’d guess it’s safe to say that your competitors are clueless.

9. Establish an action plan

This far into the article, you’re probably thinking that this is maybe all too much for this summer and that you’d like to spend more time lounging by the pool. We couldn’t agree more. Make the most of this time to prepare your action plan for the next few months and define the order of priority of each of these elements in terms of optimizing your site.

10. Take a vacation … and leave the computer behind

It’s sometimes hard to see the big picture when you’re always in a rush. Leave your computer at the office (and your iPhone, although that’s easier said than done...) when you go on vacation; just thinking about something other than work for a few weeks will allow you to get your priorities straight.

Have a great summer!