Converting traffic can seem like an unsolvable mystery when you think you have done everything the right way. However, there is hope. Let's take a look at some of the more common reasons of why people buy or don't buy.

Price - Ensure that you have a competitive price. Do your research and benchmark your competition. You must make sure that your Web site is offering the product at a price comparable to your competition. A very common scenario we see all the time with low conversion rates is having a price point that is higher than another Web site. It's too easy for consumers to go from store to store on the Internet and find the lowest price. Make sure you check the entire price, including shipping and handling, of the product(s) offered by your competition. It's very common for e-tailers to display an extremely low sale price but charge extra shipping and handling costs to make up for the fact that they are selling the product at a loss.

Navigation & Accessibility - Another common roadblock we see on Web sites with low conversion rates is a problem with getting around the site. If your Web site visitors can not click on links or see the Web site in an organized manner then they will leave. Ensure all of your links work and do not lead to dead pages. Make sure your Web site loads and works, as you intended, in different browsers and at different screen resolutions.

Provide GOOD Information - We constantly stress that content is the most important part of your Web site. It's important because most people go on the Internet to find information about a product. A very small percentage of people actually go online with their credit card in hand, ready to buy. If you can become an "Internet authority" on your product or service, your conversions will see an increase.

Write your own content. Avoid using regurgitated articles and free e-zines as the main source of content. It's OK to supplement your content with articles from directories but avoid using it as a main source of content for you visitors.

Build Relationships - Unfortunately becoming an authority on the Internet about a specific topic or product may not always be easy, especially for popular products and services. In order for a smaller, less known, Web sites to become an authority they must establish itself through other ways. One way would be the content on the Web site. However, many people have an out-of-sight out-of-mind attitude. To combat this, Web site owners must develop a way to get their name back in front of their visitors. One way to do that is through e-mail marketing, user groups and forums, and using social marketing Web sites like MySpace.

Be Smart About Targeting Your Advertising - Using pay per click campaigns and other fo

Navigation & Accessibility - Another common roadblock we see on Web sites with low conversion rates is a problem with getting around the site. If your Web site visitors can not click on links or see the Web site in an organized manner then they will leave. Ensure all of your links work and do not lead to dead pages. Make sure your Web site loads and works, as you intended, in different browsers and at different screen resolutions.

Provide GOOD Information - We constantly stress that content is the most important part of your Web site. It's important because most people go on the Internet to find information about a product. A very small percentage of people actually go online with their credit card in hand, ready to buy. If you can become an "Internet authority" on your product or service, your conversions will see an increase.

Write your own content. Avoid using regurgitated articles and free e-zines as the main source of content. It's OK to supplement your content with articles from directories but avoid using it as a main source of content for you visitors.

Build Relationships - Unfortunately becoming an authority on the Internet about a specific topic or product may not always be easy, especially for popular products and services. In order for a smaller, less known, Web sites to become an authority they must establish itself through other ways. One way would be the content on the Web site. However, many people have an out-of-sight out-of-mind attitude. To combat this, Web site owners must develop a way to get their name back in front of their visitors. One way to do that is through e-mail marketing, user groups and forums, and using social marketing Web sites like MySpace.

Be Smart About Targeting Your Advertising - Using pay per click campaigns and other f

Provide GOOD Information - We constantly stress that content is the most important part of your Web site. It's important because most people go on the Internet to find information about a product. A very small percentage of people actually go online with their credit card in hand, ready to buy. If you can become an "Internet authority" on your product or service, your conversions will see an increase.

Write your own content. Avoid using regurgitated articles and free e-zines as the main source of content. It's OK to supplement your content with articles from directories but avoid using it as a main source of content for you visitors.

Build Relationships - Unfortunately becoming an authority on the Internet about a specific topic or product may not always be easy, especially for popular products and services. In order for a smaller, less known, Web sites to become an authority they must establish itself through other ways. One way would be the content on the Web site. However, many people have an out-of-sight out-of-mind attitude. To combat this, Web site owners must develop a way to get their name back in front of their visitors. One way to do that is through e-mail marketing, user groups and forums, and using social marketing Web sites like MySpace.

Be Smart About Targeting Your Advertising - Using pay per click campaigns and other f

Write your own content. Avoid using regurgitated articles and free e-zines as the main source of content. It's OK to supplement your content with articles from directories but avoid using it as a main source of content for you visitors.

Build Relationships - Unfortunately becoming an authority on the Internet about a specific topic or product may not always be easy, especially for popular products and services. In order for a smaller, less known, Web sites to become an authority they must establish itself through other ways. One way would be the content on the Web site. However, many people have an out-of-sight out-of-mind attitude. To combat this, Web site owners must develop a way to get their name back in front of their visitors. One way to do that is through e-mail marketing, user groups and forums, and using social marketing Web sites like MySpace.

Be Smart About Targeting Your Advertising - Using pay per click campaigns and other f

Be Smart About Targeting Your Advertising - Using pay per click campaigns and other forms of paid advertising to can be a very effective way to land customers to your site. Many of the visitors from shopping sites like PriceGrabber and Shopping.com are ready to buy simply because they are coming to you from product comparison sites. In most cases they have already completed most of their research and are ready to buy from your site because of your price point or because you are the only merchant offering that product.

Because your visitor has already used the shopping comparison sites to do their initial research it is important that you present your visitor with a page that gets them to buy the product they came to your site for in the first place.

Make sure the first page they see is the product page, not your homepage. Nothing can be more frustrating, when you are ready to buy, then clicking on a product and ending up at a Web site where you have to find the specific product you want all over again. Most of the shopping sites and ppc advertising sites allow you to set specific URLs to accomplish this.

These are just a handful of the reasons why Web site owners angst over their conversion rates. In Part II, I will discuss even more reasons why Web site conversions can be low. In the mean time take a look at the point I made above and make sure that you are offering a competitive price, make sure it is easy to get around you Web site, provide original and useful content, build relationships with your visitors, and finally target your online advertising dollars to each specific product rather than your homepage.