The 4Cs of eCommerce

They are Content, Credibility, Conversion, Customer. Let's examine each one quickly.

Content
It's no secret that if you want to be found in search engines, you need great, focused content that's useful to your readers. If you give your customers the sort of information they need, then you're building a relationship that grows trust and credibility, which is going to work in your favour when their ready to purchase. Which brings me to the next C...

Credibility
People like to do businesses with credible companies, companies that they can trust. Building credibility is often done through having great content, but you can also have a community with forums, write a blog, use customer testimonials, have an attractively designed site... the list goes on. Basically - just make sure that when you look at your site with fresh, unbiased eyes, you'd think "Yeah, I'd do business with myself."

Conversion
How do you convert browsers into paying customers? That's what conversion is all about. Conversion is assisted by great content and high credibility, but there's more to it than that too! For example: how easy is it to become your customer? You should be using clear calls to action and "sign posts" throughout your site to point people where to go when they're ready to purchase or sign up.

There's so much more out there around conversion - too much to go into here. Suffice to say - it's very important, and needs attention.

Customer
The final C is Customer - and yes, it's all about customer service. I've written about customer service several times, so I won't go into too much detail. Suffice to say, your customers are the most important thing in your business - so treat them like it!

And that's a quick wrap of the 4C's of Online Businesses! Tackle each C one at a time, and use them to tune your online business. If you tune these four areas in your online business, you're setting yourself up for success!