This is the question most businesses ask. What is my competition doing online? It is but natural, in fact imperative, to keep an eye on your competition and make note of what they are doing…or not doing. When viewing your competition and their websites, there are several important things that you should note.

Be sure to keep an eye on the following and make a mental note of the things you can do about it.

Design and Navigation

Does the site have a professional appearance? You would know what professional appearance means when you visit several sites. For instance, check out the sites of various online printers and see for yourself which look gives the appearance of professionalism.

Is the overall layout and navigations easy to understand and use? Try clicking on several links and see if it is easy for you to get back to their home page. This is the test of 'navigability.' If the user can easily find his way back then the website is user-friendly.

What type of color schemes was used and how is it affecting the visitors? There is what you call the science of colors. Read about it and learn how to use the different shades to make your visitors feel more comfortable or better yet, to make them decide to buy. A printing company would know how to use these colors so it would be helpful if you could ask for tips.

What kind of images is used on the website and how are they used? Images can make or break the website. Too few and it would look boring. Too many and you run the risk of making it appear cluttered, or worse, too heavy to load.

Content Setup

Is the content clean, easy to read and navigate? Skim through your competition's content and see how polished or unpolished it is. Bad text i.e. grammatical errors, wrong spelling, do not help sell; they, in fact, alter customers' decisions.

Does the content fully describe the website’s intention? An online printer would have everything spelled out to help make their customers have informed decisions. Online printers would normally give you as much details as you need as to the size, color, layout of business card, catalogue, or poster.

Customer Service, Sales and Support

What kind of online customers service support and help do they offer? Do they offer email or chat support? It is important to note how your competition is offering after sales service because that can influence a buyer's choice.