Website forums ‘can add a personal touch’
Online retailers can create a warm welcome to their website by using interactive features such as forums, it has been suggested.
Adding a touch of humanity to the pallid glow of the computer screen may increase the likelihood of a net surfer returning to a website and contemplating buying the products or services on offer, according to the editor of smallbusiness.co.uk, Adam Wayland.
"Some people would argue that just being online lacks a personal approach but there are ways around that," he said.
"You can still have an interactive aspect to your site and use forums. You can also ask people to contact you so you can discuss things with them; it doesn’t have to be something to hide behind."
The social side of the internet has received a great deal more attention in recent months due to the growth of social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, which allow people to forge links with people they know in real-life over the net.
With millions of UK web surfers now regularly making use of these services, online advertisers and retailers have been experimenting with ways to connect with their target audience through these sites while also adding social features to their own web presences.
