1) Contact Details
Contact details should always be offered in an internationally accepted format. For example local phone numbers should be changed from (e.g. 01727 739812 t o +44 (0) 1727 739812).

Also consider use of a local phone number. Skype (and many other VoIP companies) offer local phone numbers (e.g., Skype’s service is called “SkypeIn”), which can be dialled from any phone. You can choose to receive calls either via your computer, or forward them to a landline or mobile. See www.skype.com, www.voipvoip.com or www.mydivert.com for more details.

You may also consider buying domain names for your target country, in which case consider using email addresses for that country, these can forward to an existing email address, so for example if we used fl1group.fr to target a French audience we may advertise enquiries@fl1group.fr which may then in turn forward to our current enquiries@fl1group.com.

Use local addresses if possible. These may be the addresses of local partners, distributors or agents, or could be virtual. For more information on sourcing local addresses try www.regus.com or www.globalvirtualaddress.com – or search on Google. If you’re using a UK address, ensure the country is included.

Finally, if you display your VAT number, VAT registration numbers should have the “GB” prefix.

2) Internationalised English
If you’re not keen to offer different translations of your website’s copy, consider using International English. It is easy for the British to be understood anywhere, so they think, because everyone now knows English. The trouble is it’s easy for us when it’s our first language but it’s not a level playing field if English is not our partners’ mother-tongue.

• Use shorter sentences and keep sentences active, not passive.
• Use headings, sub-headings, bullets and bold text to make your text easier to read and absorb.
• Avoid or explain any abbreviations or acronyms, e.g. WEEE.
• Avoid or explain any jargon, metaphors, cultural references and geographic references that may not be understood or may be misunderstood. Explain references to UK or international institutions, standards or legislation, e.g. TSB.
• Try to provide visual support whenever possible, this can include diagrams or just well selected Imagery.

3) Language Translations
A 2004 survey by Forrester found that internet users are four times more likely to buy from a website in their own language. This can be achieved in a number of ways, but generating translated copies of existing pages, using Google’s free imbedded translation tool, or by using a Content Management System with support for translations.

An important point to consider is that one design may not fit all. Chinese and Japanese websites for example read right to left and down the page, so a typical UK website structure would make it very difficult for a local readers. Arabic is another example where text is read right to left, hence a left-to-right European layout would again be inadequate.

From a technical view, web pages need to use international character encoding to ensure that non Western European characters can be used. This is not always the case with many web pages by default.

It’s common for entire localised versions of a website to be built and adapted in terms of layout and content for a local market. For example, quite often imagery and in some cases product names will need to be adapted for different markets, and an special localised copy of the website can often fulfill this need.

Whenever planning and designing an international website, always consider carefully the languages you wish to use first and never assume that “one size fits all”, it rarely does.

Also consider designing the layout of the website with concepts being developed in two languages from the outset. German is a particularly good example, where quite often words are longer. This approach makes it easier to identify potential sizing and formatting issues early on, and can save expensive revisions later in the build process.

4) Local Domain Names and Hosting
It is a good idea to buy local domains (e.g., .de,.fr, co.in, .be ) for all your key target markets, even if you don’t use them yet. You wouldn’t want a competitor to get there first!
Over time you can migrate your foreign language content to these local domains.

In the UK, it’s easy to register .co.uk domain names, however it’s not always the case in other countries. It’s quite often a lengthy process that involves you proving that you are a legally trading business within that country. Having a local partner or agent can help with this, or sourcing a local domain registration agent. Using the latter approach can often be expensive by comparison to registering a domain name in the UK.

If you are investing in a local domain, then hosting it on a local server can make a big impact on Search Optimisation. Remember, Google lets you restrict your search to ‘pages from the [UK] only’ – and many people do this.

Here is a recent interview with Google spokesman, Matt Cutts, discussing the impact of server location on Google rankings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXt23AXlJJU

5) Local Search Engines
Just because your website appears in Google.co.uk it doesn’t mean that it will in the other regional Google searches. It’s also fair to say that outside of the UK and US Google isn’t the only game in town. There are a number of tools that can be used to submit your site in to directories both locally and internationally, and these should always be considered.

Google also has a geotargeting option in its Webmaster Tools (Google Webmaster Tools is a free service from Google, available at: http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/ – you need to create a Google account first).

This is available for all ‘top-level’ domains (.com, .net, .org) and allows you to tell Google where in the world you would like specific pages of your website to appear.
For example, if you had created a microsite for the USA, with five pages of specific content for the USA, you could use Google’s geotargeting tool to make these pages more visible to people searching on google.com in the USA.

just as it is with your website within the UK, always look to get quality in-bound links from local sources, that link and refer to your website.

Look to obtain links through getting a listing in:
(a) reputable online directory/directories including open source directories; For example Applegate, who are part of Alibaba, a popular international directory. Submit your international pages (or domains) to the relevant country-specific sections
(b) business networking, e.g. creating your own group on LinkedIn;

Modern technology has, to a great extent, changed the way businesses obtain, store, retrieve and use the data they have on individuals. How many of us bother to write down (or even remember) a telephone number or email address when we can input details straight on to a P.C. or smart phone?

With developments in information technology and e-commerce there has arisen an entire sub-industry offering marketing lists to start-ups and established businesses. The result is that, in addition to your “home grown” database you could, on receipt of one email, have a database comprising a vast number of people that would otherwise have taken years to build up. Theoretically you now have access to literally thousands of potential customers.

Before sending off your first wave of marketing emails it is worth considering that the combined effect of the Data Protection Act and the Privacy and the Electronic Communications Regulations is to regulate the way personal data is gathered, stored, protected, used and transmitted. Whilst the Electronic Communications regulations are far too complex to deal with in a short blog, they are of great importance to any business that

• collects and stores data on individuals
• is considering buying in or renting a database or
• is considering capitalising on its own database by selling or leasing it to third parties.

Enforcement of The Data Protection Act comes within the ambit of the Information Commissioners Office and their website is helpful in explaining the obligations of what they refer to as “Data Controllers”. It is definitely worth spending some time to look at the website to see whether your operations come within the scope of the Act, and, if so, what actions you need to take to comply with it.

The Electronic Communications Regulations require that, subject to certain limited exceptions, an individual’s consent should be obtained prior to sending them unsolicited advertising by email unless they have already ‘opted-in’ or expressly consented to the receipt of such emails. It is worth remembering that “express consent” means an individual has to take some positive step to agree to receive the emails. Therefore businesses cannot simply rely on a customer ticking a box to indicate that they do not want to receive them which, for some time, was the accepted way of dealing with the issue.

This rule only applies to new customers. You can continue marketing to existing customers provided you give them the ability to opt-out of future messages and that the marketing messages cover similar products and services to the ones already supplied. The rules also deal in detail with circumstances where data is bought in or transferred to third parties with particularly prescriptive regulations regarding the sending of data to a country outside the E.U.

Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, businesses have to inform visitors to their website if they use cookies, and provide an opt-out facility for those who do not wish to accept them. In practice this will mean providing the user with a ‘privacy’ or ‘cookies’ statement that explains how they are being used and how they can be switched off. Individual’s rights will be reinforced by a revised e-privacy directive which is due into force in May 2011. Under the new directive users visitors to a website must be offered clearer information on how cookies are used and simpler ways to control whether cookies can be placed on their equipment.

It can be seen that both national government and the EU are trying to keep pace with developments in e-marketing.

As mentioned, this article is intended to give no more than a flavour of how regulations affect the use of personal information, databases and e-marketing. It therefore makes sense to discuss all aspects of your e-marketing strategy with your lawyer as well as your web designer prior to going live.

Source: Brian Scott at Max Montague Limited
www.maxmontague.com

For some the answer is simple.” I have a website; I have goods and services to sell. Why not start selling them over the internet?” We all know that the web can be a great tool with potential for sales to customers all over the U.K. and beyond. It seems such a simple and obvious solution!

However, the minute you stop dealing with your customers “face to face”, you may well be involved in “Distance Selling”, which brings with it an obligation to comply with a whole raft of regulations!

The reasoning behind these regulations is to give consumers confidence to buy goods and services where there is no “face to face” contact with the seller as well as ensuring that all traders meet certain business requirements.

The main, but by no means only, regulations are The Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000. These relate to sales to consumers using what are referred to as “organised distance sale or service provisions schemes” via, for example, the internet, text messaging, fax or phone calls. Quite unhelpfully, the phrase is not defined and the Office of Fair Trading says that each case must be considered on its merits.

The basic advanced information that you give must include details about:
• Your business
• The goods or services you are selling
• Your payment arrangements
• Your delivery arrangements
• Consumers rights to cancel orders

In addition to the above, the regulations stipulate that you must give customers certain information before they agree to buy anything from you. These include matters such as the price of goods or services, delivery costs and detailed information about your customer’s rights to cancel. This is by no means an exhaustive list of the regulations but a mere flavour of what is required of you.

The detailed terms of business you decide upon will obviously be specific to you particular business and, to a limited extent, you are free to set out your own terms provided they comply with the relevant regulations.. However, special care needs to be taken when, for example, dealing with cancellation rights where the regulations are very prescriptive and give consumers far greater rights than were they to purchase goods in a shop.

There are limited exceptions to these regulations, for example, where you are supplying goods or services to other businesses on a B2B basis.

The simple answer is that if you are an existing “distance seller”, or are seriously considering it, you should be talking to your own solicitor or trade organisation to ensure that you are operating within the regulations. Putting a positive spin on the issue, it is always preferable to clearly set out terms and conditions which can be referred to in the event of a dispute with a customer.

If you trade outside of the U.K. then matters are even more complicated as there are EU regulations as well as the possibility of country specific ones which may be relevant to your business

The current view of the Office of Fair Trading is that any enforcement action will be proportionate and that businesses will be given a reasonable opportunity to put matters right before they take court action. Having said that, it is far better to be pro-active and take the time to comply with the regulations in an orderly way rather than wait to be forced into action.

Once your procedures are in place, contact your web designer to ensure that they are included in your website then sit back and, hopefully, wait for those orders to roll in.!

Source: Brian Scott at Max Montague Limited
www.maxmontague.com

It’s also the day that VAT gets changed from 17.5% to 20%, so we’re going to be updating a lot of online shops today!

If you have an e-commerce website and need any help in this area, just drop us a line and we’ll happily help.

I know lot of companies who should have experimented haven’t because of the perceived complexity of the system. I know that I was put off initially.

But it’s not that bad, in fact we’ve even put together a beginner’s guide to break you in gently.

The Basics
So let’s start at the beginning; Google Base is an online database provided by Google providing ‘meaningful structured data’. A user can add any type of online or offline content, ie text, images and structured information in formats like XML, PDF, Excel, RTF and Word Perfect.

If Google finds your product relevant it may appear on it’s shopping search engine, Google Maps, or even ‘universal search’ results on regular Google web search pages.

Google Base is free and products are submitted via data feeds or the Google base API. It has recently been split into Google Base and Google Merchant Centre. Google Base is now used for events, jobs and vehicles, while Google Merchant Centre is for everything else.

How can Google Base and Google Merchant Centre help you?
Typically a search might trigger a small number of Google Product listings, and people can either click straight through to the merchant’s site or browse more similar products. If they browse more, they are taken to a page where they can refine their search based on a number attributes users can specify about products.

Generally the more information you provide about the product the better. Not every company has gone to the effort of submitting their products, so often it can be a great way to get more result page real estate and drive more business through your ecommerce site.

If you are a product-based business you need to sign up for a Google Merchant Centre account to enable them to upload products.

An account can be created here

Product Attributes
You will need to create a list of attributes to associate with your products. Google Merchant Centre provide a list of attributes that can be associated with any product, and you can also create your own attributes.

Popular Attributes

• title
• brand
• color
• model number
• condition
• description
• id
• image_link
• link
• price
• product_type
• payment_accepted
• location
• payment_notes

You can also create your own customs attribute, you need to start the attribute with a “c:”

There’s more information on attributes, over at Google

Once you have chosen your attributes and described all of your products in this way you need to upload it.

Though there are several formats you can use, an XML document is usually the easiest.

Most of our e-commerce solutions have an automated feed option that can be used. If not, we’re happy to add one.

For more information, feel free to drop us a line at client@fl1group.com or call 01727 739812.

Product information entered product by product takes time, and data sourced from different suppliers will invariably be in different formats and take time to migrate if possible at all.

Every shop in the world will need the following data:
Product Name, Product Description, Price and a picture.

Many products have variations such as a product with a Green, Blue and Red version. These can be handled differently in different shops.

Always be clear on what data is available before developing your shop. Just assuming “it will all just import and be fine” could be a costly mistake.

8 ) Service Uptime
There are many different types of Web Hosting packages ranging from shared hosting to banks of dedicated servers.

Shared Hosting is fine for a low traffic shop that doesn’t need 24/7 support, but as you grow, expect to have to upgrade.

Platforms like Amazon Hosting and Rackspace are fail-safe but costly. Standard shared hosting with 1 & 1 and Fasthosts (for example) are inexpensive but not 100% up-time guaranteed.

9) Business Strategy and Marketing
Too many new businesses with an idea for a new online business go to see a web designer first.
Just because it’s initially an online business, it doesn’t mean the website is the business.

Website developers are experts at building websites, but not always experts at developing a business and marketing strategies.

Always get the right people for the right job.

10) Time
With everything signed off first time and all the content ready before the job starts, a good size online shop could be built in a couple of weeks. In six years in this industry, this has yet to happen!

It takes time to:

• get content ready
• draft up terms and conditions
• sign off all of the page templates (typically at least 6)
• enter product information
• get bank accounts set up
• build
• test

Expect to be online in a few weeks, you’ll likely be disappointed, a few months if you’re lucky.
Work on the basis of 3-6 months and you won’t be disappointed.

Good luck, and call us on 01727 739812 if you need any help.

For more information visit: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1074033669

5) Carriage
Online shops selling physical product have different carriage needs. Charge too much or make your carriage too complicated, and you’ll confuse or lose your customer. Charge too little and you’ll make a loss.

In terms of your website: If you’re using an off-the-shelf shop package, be clear on what carriage features could be in place and how they will work.

If you’re developing a bespoke shop, make sure you’re as detailed with your carriage needs as possible.

6) Advertising
Launching your new website and being number one in Google the very next day for every key phrase you can think of sadly isn’t going to happen. With this in mind, you’re almost certainly going to have to advertise.

More often than not, the real cost and effort of developing an online shop is after the shop is built, to before.

Advertising such as Google AdWords, Price Runner, Shopzilla, Google Products and Kelkoo are common. You may not be able to ascertain what will work and what won’t, but with some thorough investigation, you will be able to allocate a realistic marketing budget and ensure you’re focusing on the right products.

Having a clear idea of exactly what functionality and pages you need, will always help.
Preparation of product images, descriptions, stock codes and pricing will go a long way, and potentially reduce costs. Online shop projects often break down and fail where product entry has been poorly thought through and data has been supplied far too late and in a poor quality format.

The more detailed the brief, the better the result and often cheaper.

2) Potential Market
Too many new businesses believe that once a website is built, people will automatically find the website and buy your products. This unfortunately couldn’t be further from the truth. Assume no-one knows of you and can’t find you and you won’t go far wrong. High street shops have the advantage of passing foot-fall, online shops don’t!

Investigate links to your sites from partners, suppliers, affiliates, friends, customers and most importantly shopping sites. Advertising such as Google AdWords may also be an option. One of the busiest market places on the internet is eBay.

With any new business and finding your market, it’s as important to find out what doesn’t work, as well as what does. With this in mind, don’t be afraid to test your product and market on eBay first before investing in a new online shop venture.

3) Taking Payment
More often than not PayPal comes up as the cheapest and easiest solution. It’s cheap to install and easy to set up, but the charges are higher than most other methods and not everybody likes or wants to use PayPal. PayPal is fine for an initial venture at low cost, but is better suited as an alternative method of payment, not the only method of payment.

To take payment online you need a service called a Payment Gateway, these include PayPoint SagePay and WorldPay to name a few. In order to use Payment Gateway you need a merchant bank account and an Internet Merchant ID. These are obtained from your bank, and can take several weeks to acquire.

Also be aware of how you handle credit card information in your business both online and offline. There are standards in place such as Payment Card Industry/Data Security Standard (PCI/DSS). Falling foul of these standards could land you with fines in six figures and end up putting you out of business.

As well as building blogs, shops and content managed websites, we’ve been involved with securing a company’s website that wasn’t PCI/DSS compliant. The website stored credit card details in a database that was hacked into and the credit card details were retrieved. Two of them were used fraudulently, and that’s where the story began. The banks got involved with fines and costs to recover the costs of the fraud. Added to this the company has been forced to go through a programme of becoming fully compliant. To-date, adding the costs of consultants, website changes, fines, costs to re-issue cards, and significant amount of off-line processing changes and new equipment, the cost to the business at this current time runs in excess of £170,000!

This particular business is lucky enough to be owned by a much larger parent company that could absorb these costs, but these sorts of costs would easily put most small companies out of business.
It’s been an eye opening project that’s for sure, and based on what we’re learning from it, we’ll certainly be putting together a seminar to help more business understand what PCI/DSS is all about and how to stay on the right side of the banks.

It’s not all been about “the dark side” of the internet though…honest!

Ali’s been settling back in and taking to his new role as designer and project manager like a duck to water.
We’ve also teamed up with some a partner that will help our online stores excel using the shopping and affiliate portals, which has to be a good thing in these challenging times.

More on that next month!

As Google’s superb Analytics package gets better and better, we’re proud to announce some free workshops we’re running throughout the summer holidays. We install it on every single website we build, so if you’d like to know how to see how your website is really working, let us know.

The most important thing to consider, is tools like Google Analytics allow you to discover what’s working, but more importantly what’s not!

If you’d like to book a Google Analytics workshop or want to know more about PCI/DSS, drop us a line or call 01727 739812.

See you next month!

With Google recently releasing some tips for product page conversion, I thought I’d share the most useful advice with you below.

Product Images

Use a minimum of 3-4 images for each product so visitors can see it from different angles and being used in different ways.
Add the functionality for visitors to zoom in and get a closer look at the product.
Make sure to use professional, high quality images.
It’s common practise to place images on the right hand side of pages, but make sure to test alternative placements within your layout.
Product Descriptions

Benefits vs Features – Customers want to buy the benefits of your product, not its features. Tell customers that the grill they are buying will cook tasty and healthy food and save them money rather than having low emissions and four individual burners.
Test writing alternative sales copy instead of using the existing description provided by the manufacturer. This is one way to set you apart from competitors.

Delivery and Stock

Include current stock levels on your page. If your product is running low, tell the customer to order today.
Set expectations around delivery times and be as accurate as possible.

Run free shipping promotions – this can be a great way to boost conversions during major sale periods.
Other Important Elements

Reviews can be a great way to increase conversions, but make sure to only use legitimate reviews.
Give your page a single clear call to action or add to cart button.
Test including cross sells on your pages and see what impact it has on overall conversion/revenue.