Suggestions for improving traffic and raising brand awareness

[SIU]

I hope you can help. My website has been going for a few months (airbon.co.uk) and I would like to increase sales and the number of unique visitors per day. The site is built on WIX and I have, to the best of my ability, made use of all the SEO features on every page. Here is what else I have been doing:

• I am on Twitter, FB, Instagram trying to drive traffic onto my site
• I have an amazing air purifier that is an established brand in other countries but not in the UK. Part of my challenge is to increase brand awareness in the UK
• I have an Amazon page just for the air purifiers and even with sales via my own website, I try to encourage people to add reviews on Amazon - one person I spoke to said he would put a review on my site but not on Amazon as he is not a fan. Reviews are switched off on my site
• I have tried advertising on Amazon and on Google but I stopped both when advertising hit £200 and I only got two sales of purifiers from each campaign. Perhaps I should have stuck with it but the nerves won out!
• I ran a competition on Instagram and FB to win a purifier but the response rate on FB was poor. I also ran a competition in a supplement in The Guardian and this resulted in a mailing list of just over 1000 - I am not sure how useful this list is as I have struggled to convert those that didn't win, even with discounts
• FB is my poorest engagement but I am aware that Instagram doesn't have the right target market. I can't do any advertising on FB as it has restricted my access for some reason and trying to find how I can unrestrict it is like the dark arts. I think I have managed to get through to someone as their web help is not showing my issues so fingers crossed
• I would love to get the air purifiers stocked with an established retailer. John Lewis would be great but I struggled to find the correct buyer. The receptionist was very helpful as she didn't know which category air purifiers fell under. I sent an email to someone but got no response but the receptionist was not sure this was the correct person.

Any advice is very much appreciated.

 

[SEODEV#338055]

List of 10 suggestions

1. Stop using Wix - try Wordpress or Shopify
2. Find a better more modern template
3. Add company description under logo
4. Place clear call to action above the fold
5. Improve mobile loading speed
6. Use a clearer font face and larger font size
7. Install Google Analytics
8. Install Google Search Console
9. Make the main navigation more logical
10. Include images of humans & testimonials

 

[fisicx]

Hi @SIU

Traffic can come from a variety of sources but social media probably isn't going to be very effective. An air purifier is a considered purchase, something you investigate if you identify the need. This means you need to target the sort of person searching for your products. Who is your target customer? If they wanted an air purifier where would they go to look?

Another issue is the time of year. Many will have the windows open or be outside so an air purifier is pointless.

And then there is your website. People use their phones to browse. On a phone your site just doesn't work. It doesn't even says the words 'air purifier'. And the menu is hidden so I don't even know their is a shop.

Consider that the only reason someone will be on your site is because they want to buy an air purifier, you make it very difficult to do so. There is just way too much guff in the way.

And 'sqair'? That just looks all wrong. And my wife thinks the design looks awful. This aside, I have no idea what CADR, HEPA, cbm/hr means. I don't know how long a filter lasts. I don't know how it is powered. I don't know how big it is. There is a manual but it's for the Americans. And it says the product costs $95 which is £70. You are charging me £132!

Maybe people aren't buying because they don't see the need. Your job is to sell the benefits not the product.

I started a test purchase and the checkout is awful. But that's Wix. If you want a decent checkout don't use Wix. In fact don't use Wix for anything to do with business.

If you want more visitors you need to raise awareness (but not in the summer). If you want more sales you need to change the website to focus on the products (and stop using wix).

 

[Solve My Problem]

All of the above are spot on, but in addition

Your contact page has no contact information

On the returns page, "All returned items must be sent back unopened, unused and in their original condition." you should check your legal standing as a customer has a right to test the unit and if it's not suitable return it.

In terms of the manual, the QR codes point to the USA site, you should have a UK version. Simple enough to edit and change the relevant parts or to re-create one specific to you.

Things like the banners at the top of the page are pointless, they take up space and provide no benefit.

Shopify is a valid solution, but the design concepts need to be thought through properly in order to sell the benefits, I am not sure putting down the competition is a good selling point. It doesn't come across well in the current format.

Even the product images are not setup correctly. In addition there is no clear delivery costs on product pages, overall it's a very badly designed site in terms of conversions (which is the whole point)

I would focus on the website first, get that as right as possible, then you can look to obtain traffic, this will boil down to margins, don't forget you will have returns, you will have damaged in transit you will have DOA to deal with.

Amazon needs brand management, Ebay has more scope, Google ads are very different to Facebook ads, a decent video for facebook and instagram is key, short sweet and to the point.

I am actually your demographic customer (I have two phillips) so I know what to look for and what I need as a customer.

Darren

 

[SIU]

Thanks everyone for their comments. I have made a few small changes and have requested the manual to be sent to me so I can update for the UK market. No sense in doing a redesign on WIX at the moment as I will look at Shopify first.

 

[Solve My Problem]

Key to Shopify is premium theme, the basic package is OK.

Big update due on Shopify shortly so expect a lot of updates, these are not automated but the right theme will have apps to help with this. Normally takes me 1-3 hours for a fully customised theme. I recently did a local brewery which required a ton of changes to give them an edge.

It's great but does then add to update times but if done correctly it's manageable

The PDF you can just edit as it is if you don't have a an editable version probably isn't too many edits to make.

Darren

 

[fisicx]

Don’t do anything until you have a marketing plan. It may be that your best channel is Amazon or notonthehighstreet or wherever. If so, you don’t need an online store.

Right now your problem is raising awareness of the product. But it’s the wrong time of the year to be promoting purifiers.

 

[Solve My Problem]

Don’t do anything until you have a marketing plan. It may be that your best channel is Amazon or notonthehighstreet or wherever. If so, you don’t need an online store.

Right now your problem is raising awareness of the product. But it’s the wrong time of the year to be promoting purifiers.

I would disagree with this sorry

High pollen counts and dust are a huge issue, it's the perfect time.

Also its a high ticket item, a decent online store is key and margin is massively increased with a decent website over other outlets, a small number of google curious people will cover the web investment hands down if done correctly.

 

[Solve My Problem]

My mum has a cronic lung condition, the purifiers help reduce her coughing which then affects her breathing.

Warm weather means the air condition is worse with traffic (windows open), pollen etc...

In addition we have one in the bedroom which collects the dust from making the beds and even getting in and out.

The Phillips are not cheap, but they have changed her quality of life 100%, not perfect, but anything that helps is key.

Although initially I found the product on Amazon it was via websites I sought more information to decide if the purchase was a viable one. Not one to believe hype it was a considered purchase.

 

[SIU]

I think a lot of the suggestions here (which I will still look at) are about keeping people on the site once I attract them but what would be really handy is advice on actually driving them to the site in the first place

 

[Solve My Problem]

Focus should be on getting the site right first, of you will focus on traffic, and currently the site is not as good as it could be to obtain a higher conversion rate.

 

[fisicx]

I think a lot of the suggestions here (which I will still look at) are about keeping people on the site once I attract them but what would be really handy is advice on actually driving them to the site in the first place

Correct, and that’s why you need a marketing plan before building the website.

 

[fisicx]

I would disagree with this sorry

High pollen counts and dust are a huge issue, it's the perfect time.

Fair enough. But none of this is clear on the site. Took me a while to find the page where it says about pollen and dust. And you need the more expensive model to filter these.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

There are some great comments re your site above and, to summarise, 'must try harder'.

Also, not having videos on the site, probably a lifestyle one and a 'techie/how it works one, would be a good idea!

I have an Amazon page just for the air purifiers

Where is it? I can't find it!

Are you selling on Amazon?
Are you selling on Ebay?

I have tried advertising on Amazon and on Google but I stopped both when advertising hit £200

You haven't tried, you have wasted £200 - you need a much bigger budget than that and get the ads right. Are they actually the best routes for advertising?

I would love to get the air purifiers stocked with an established retailer

Based on your website prices, are you able to offer a net price of £70-75 ex VAT to a retailer?

 

[SIU]

amazon co uk/s?me=A1K5N945POL0RC&marketplaceID=A1F83G8C2ARO7P

I am waiting for the manufacturer to go through the brand registry exercise so I can start to include images. At the moment, I am restricted to text and no formatting

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Link doesn't work for me

 

[SIU]

Link doesn't work for me

Presume you replaced the spaces at the end of Amazon with dots? I can't post links at the moment so I had to replace

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Ahhh!

Why not try FBA with a bit of stock? That will get it recognised a bit more. Not finding it by a name search is a bit of an issue!

 

[babydiaper]

Hi @SIU,
I am sorry to hear that you did not get any results by applying Google and FB Ad and are not getting relevant clients, traffic, or sales. Probably you can try to set Google Shopping Ad campaign as I have noticed more sales from that platform. First of all, you need to increase your brand awareness by applying SEO, SMM, Email Marketing, Lead Generation, and Text Message Marketing. Every digital marketing method is well but you need to properly set it up. You can do regular blog posts too that can help you get 55% more traffic and increase brand awareness. You should not aim to have quick sales. Just be patient and try to apply very efficient methods. You will surely be successful.

 

[SEODEV#338055]

Just wanted to say you have done an excellent job by making many of the suggested changes

Have the traffic volume and sales figures both improved?

Have you been accepted to Amazon Brand Registry?

amazon.co.uk/s?me=A1K5N945POL0RC&marketplaceID=A1F83G8C2ARO7P

Your Amazon store front could do with a top banner and some TLC

Genuinely interested in hearing about your progress

 

[SIU]

Thank you for following up on this. Traffic and sales figures have improved but this is probably more to do with tweets and social media although people do get a much better experience when they are on the site thanks to all the advice here. The Amazon brand registry is frustrating but this should change when my relationship with the supplier changes imminently from UK distributor to UK partner. This will (hopefully) mean Brand Registry and a complete tidy up of my Amazon page. Most of my sales are done on my website rather than on Amazon, which I prefer due to Amazon commission.

My supplier also uses Shopify so eventually the site will move over so lots of changes in the coming months with a branded Amazon page and a new shopping site. I haven't gone back to Google ads but I will after the two shopping channels have been rebranded.

 

[RadeyaGlobal]

I hope you can help. My website has been going for a few months (airbon.co.uk) and I would like to increase sales and the number of unique visitors per day. The site is built on WIX and I have, to the best of my ability, made use of all the SEO features on every page. Here is what else I have been doing:

• I am on Twitter, FB, Instagram trying to drive traffic onto my site
• I have an amazing air purifier that is an established brand in other countries but not in the UK. Part of my challenge is to increase brand awareness in the UK
• I have an Amazon page just for the air purifiers and even with sales via my own website, I try to encourage people to add reviews on Amazon - one person I spoke to said he would put a review on my site but not on Amazon as he is not a fan. Reviews are switched off on my site
• I have tried advertising on Amazon and on Google but I stopped both when advertising hit £200 and I only got two sales of purifiers from each campaign. Perhaps I should have stuck with it but the nerves won out!
• I ran a competition on Instagram and FB to win a purifier but the response rate on FB was poor. I also ran a competition in a supplement in The Guardian and this resulted in a mailing list of just over 1000 - I am not sure how useful this list is as I have struggled to convert those that didn't win, even with discounts
• FB is my poorest engagement but I am aware that Instagram doesn't have the right target market. I can't do any advertising on FB as it has restricted my access for some reason and trying to find how I can unrestrict it is like the dark arts. I think I have managed to get through to someone as their web help is not showing my issues so fingers crossed
• I would love to get the air purifiers stocked with an established retailer. John Lewis would be great but I struggled to find the correct buyer. The receptionist was very helpful as she didn't know which category air purifiers fell under. I sent an email to someone but got no response but the receptionist was not sure this was the correct person.

Any advice is very much appreciated.

To drive traffic to your website I highly recommend influencer marketing. It’s often overlooked by new businesses while established businesses take advantage of them all the time. With influencer marketing, you either pay an influencer to promote your product to their audience or give them a free product which they talk about on Instagram or YouTube.
You can also promote your product through press releases and in trade magazines.

 

[fisicx]

To drive traffic to your website I highly recommend influencer marketing.

I don't. Overrated and in most cases pointless. People have got wise to the paid promotions which means they will just ignore what ever is said.

 

[Ozzy]

People have got wise to the paid promotions which means they will just ignore what ever is said.

Not necessarily. We've found influencer marketing extremely effective, irrespective about it being paid their audience listen to them especially the professional ones. Just look at the game streamers, even right through the newest dragon and his sponsorship on his podcast. There's more than one way to work with influencers too.

As @RadeyaGlobal mentions, there are also some high profile celebrity influencers who do this for fun but join the queue. For example perhaps one of the most famous would be Philip Schofield often does product reviews on his social media that people send him. Then you have the influencers who go on Love Island and even The Apprentice and such likes, when they come off the show their receive free sunglasses and such to be seen wearing them - according to one of Alan Sugar's previous apprentice advisors I had lunch with a couple weeks ago

 

[fisicx]

Not necessarily. We've found influencer marketing extremely effective, irrespective about it being paid their audience listen to them especially the professional ones. Just look at the game streamers, even right through the newest dragon and his sponsorship on his podcast. There's more than one way to work with influencers too.

I agree, but I was thinking more of the influencer getting paid to promote everything from makeup to washing machines. There are thousands of them on instagram.

The people you mention above well are known personalities. Somewhat different to Mandy telling 746 twitter followers about the fabulous glue she used to attach a yak to the wall yesterday when every other post was her nail painting business.

 

[Ozzy]

more of the influencer getting paid to promote everything from makeup to washing machines

Those are few and far between and tend not to get any traction; generally good ones tend to stick to an area of knowledge or interest and are well researched.
I would happily pay Mandy to talk about my fabulous glue to her 746 Twitter followers if they were all airfix model enthusiasts. Just approach influencer marketing like you would any other form of marketing, you wouldn't pay for a full page spread for your fabulous glue in the Rope & String Weekly.

 

[fisicx]

Totally agree. There was a time when all and sundry would promote anything and everything just for the money. Remember when footballers were doing this, or rather their marketing managers were writing the tweets for them. The footballers were getting caught out after being seen using competitors products or not having a clue about products they were supposedly endorsing.

 

[Mike S]

Just getting started here and appreciate all the advice.

 

[japancool]

I would happily pay Mandy to talk about my fabulous glue to her 746 Twitter followers if they were all airfix model enthusiasts.

I have done exactly this (well, not airfix but Gundam model enthusiasts). It works, but it's best used as part of an overall strategy.

Airfix enthusiasts are my next targets...

 

[fisicx]

And that is how influencing works. Expertise and targeting.

Unfortunately many of those who call themselves influencers are just chasing the money (or want freebies).

I had one contact me offering to promote a plugin on their Instagram page for just £500. Another wanted it for free in exchange for them telling their followers on Twitter how good it was.

If they had been a major bank with a popular podcast or blog then I would have agreed.