Seven Easy Tweaks to Turn Your Site into a Holiday Sales MachineWith the year's prime shopping season looming, here are some tips for improving your website to boost sales.

ByCarol Tice

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Seven Easy Tweaks to Turn Your Site into a Holiday Sales MachineThe year's prime shopping season is looming, but is your website ready? If not, no worries. The great thing about websites is you can change them, fast.

If youdon't have a website, consider getting one. Basic sites are free from services such as约拉orFlavors.me. That way, you can at least stand a chance of getting found by Web-surfing shoppers.

If you have a site, a few quick tweaks might help it bring you more customers. Here are seven ideas for improvements that could help your site convert more visitors into buyers.

  1. Declutter.The more widgets you plop onto your sidebars, the more confused visitors get. Then, they leave. Speaking of which, if you have more than one sidebar, try to cut back. To help your decluttering efforts, useGoogle's In-Page Analyticsor similar tools to learn what visitors click on -- and eliminate any extraneous, little-used items.
  2. Make buttons bigger.Studies have shown thatbigger buttons convert better. Apparently we humans just can't resist a big, juicy button. So style up your PayPal buttons with some nicer graphics.
  3. Add testimonials with photos.Consumers are strongly influenced by seeing success stories with photos that make them think: "That customer is like me." Put out a call for testimonials if you don't have any fresh ones. Check out these on the home page ofA-List Blogger Clubfor an example of well-done testimonials.
  4. Update your copy.When's the last time something new appeared on one of your static pages? Rewrite your landing page or add some news to your media page. Maybe rewrite a few product descriptions. Let shoppers know your online site isn't a ghost town. Rewrites can also help improve your site's Google rankings.
  5. Make your "About" page sell.The About page isone of the most-visited places在大多数网站。人们总是好奇先w who's behind the curtain. Does your About page tell a compelling story? That can make a big difference in customers deciding they trust you, and will buy from you. Also, put a purchase or subscribe button on that page, as doing so has been shown to improve conversions.
  6. 刷新your design.Look at your color palette -- does it seem dated? When's the last time you changed it? Changing your colors can be a quick way to make the site look fresh and new --ColourLoversis a great site for playing around with possible color combinations.
  7. Improve your SEO.Is yoursite search-engine optimized to help customers find youon Google? Simply by adding a description of your business to your site's headline or tagline can work wonders for helping you rank higher for key searches.

Have you fixed up your Website for the holidays?Leave your URL so we can take a look, and tell us what's new on your site.

Wavy Line
Carol Tice

Owner of Make a Living Writing

Longtime Seattle business writerCarol Ticehas written forEntrepreneur, Forbes, Delta Skyand many more. She writes the award-winning Make a Living Writing blog. Her new ebook for Oberlo isCrowdfunding for Entrepreneurs.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard's Family 'Stranded' at Boston Airport During 9-Hour Delay: 'We Made Quite a Home Here'

The actors spent $600 on pillows and blankets while waiting for their flight.

领导

There Are 2 Types of Entrepreneurs — And This Is the One You Want to Be. Here's Why.

By honing a few strategic leadership abilities, you'll be able to reach new levels — ensuring that your business is running smoothly and ready for whatever comes next.

Innovation

How Tragedy Can Ignite a Passion for Healing — 7 Steps For Those Dealing With Grief

My journey with business success, personal loss, grief and a Fellowship at Harvard

Marketing

How ChatGPT Is Changing Digital Marketing (for Better or Worse)

The current state-of-play strengths, weaknesses and potential of this breakthrough tech, and why owners and other execs should be aware of its capability gaps.

Starting a Business

10 Ways to Create a Startup Dream Team

Get tips on how to form an effective founding startup team, focusing on hiring the right culture fits, creating a flexible structure and fostering a feedback-rich environment.