There’s no denying that the second covid-19 lockdown in the UK is going to be difficult. Not just for people, families, our mental and physical wellbeing, but also for small businesses. Making sure your business website is ready for covid-19 lockdown might be one of the things you’ve not yet considered, but we’re here for that!
We’re doing a bunch of things to help, like offering free website audits and recommendations, as well as committing to Adopt A Shop a campaign by Mary Portas to support your local community of traders, shops and businesses by spending your money with them this winter, Christmas and beyond.
Now do as our friends across the pond have done this week: go forth and cast your votes!#adoptashop pic.twitter.com/ty4MD000Pt
— Mary Portas (@maryportas) November 6, 2020
So, if you’re figuring out whether to take your business online or if it’s more a case of how to optimise your online presence, here are some top tips from us to get your website ready for covid-19 lockdown in the UK.
Why optimise your site?
87% of us purchase online and that has only increased during lockdown. And experts predict that in 2020 online sales in the UK will reach almost £100 billion!
With so many of us shopping online, it makes perfect business sense to make sure your website is easy to navigate, is a pleasant experience, is accessible for everybody and helps you to sell your products or services.
67% of UK shoppers say that slow loading times on a website is the main reason they abandon their purchase and go elsewhere. The great news is, this is within your control.
We can Audit your website and give you some recommendations to improve the speed and load time of your site. So you can make sure your website visitors are getting what they came for.
61% of UK shoppers say they will abandon a purchase if the delivery cost is ‘too high’, and free delivery is a major factor in encouraging people over the line to make a purchase.
How to optimise your site?
1. Simplify and prioritise
Everyone is spending much more time online, and people have little patience for slow sites or a user journey that is overly complicated. Make it easy to find and buy your most popular products and keep your copy concise.
2. Mobile-friendly
There really is no excuse for poorly designed mobile sites, but in 2020, this is even more important. Mobile use has increased by a reported 70% since lockdown, so make sure your site can be easily navigated on a smartphone.
3. Speed
Review your checkout process, is it quick, simple and safe? If not, you might want to think about streamlining.
