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Who's more likely to buy?

Discussion in 'Search Engine Optimization' started by North Carolina SEO, Jul 22, 2004.

  1. #1
    Question. Are people who can correctly spell more or less likely to purchase online? For example, if someone finds your site by typing in the correctly spelled search phrase, are they more likely to stay and buy?

    Do you have any data to support this?

    From an SEO perspective, it is probably easier to market the misspelled phrases than the correctly spelled ones.

    Just wondering :)
     
    North Carolina SEO, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  2. Smyrl

    Smyrl Tomato Republic Staff

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    #2
    There are certain things that are red flags for me regarding online purchasing. Improper spelling is one. No brick and mortar address and phone number is another. I did not purchase somthing I really wanted before Christmas last year for these reasons. Haunted e-bay and finally won bidding on item I wanted.

    Shannon
     
    Smyrl, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  3. schlottke

    schlottke Peon

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    #3
    I'd assume bad spellers have a lower income and are more unlikely to buy.. ;)
     
    schlottke, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  4. respree

    respree Peon

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    #4
    respree, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  5. john_loch

    john_loch Rodent Slayer

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    #5
    Misspelled copy is something entirely different to a misspelled search term. Misspellings in terms of se's are often the product of rushing through to find something fast. In fact, if someone's in a hurry, and ultimately using the net to locate product, they probably won't take much pursueding to buy :)

    If however the misspelling is because someone simply can't spell, it may imply a lower bracket, and less likelihood of buy.

    It's common sense really.

    As for supporting data, you'll have to pay for it.. go serch ;)
     
    john_loch, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  6. ViciousSummer

    ViciousSummer Ayn Rand for President! Staff

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    #6
    I don't think there would be a difference either way. If someone if looking for jewelry, jewlery or jewellry, they are still looking for it & therefore are just as good of a potential customer then the correct spellers.

    As for saying that customers that can't spell are in a lower income bracket and less likely to buy, I don't think I buy that. There are horrible spellers of all incomes. Plus, English could be their 2nd language. I'm seeing more traffic from foreign countries every month. :D
     
    ViciousSummer, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  7. schlottke

    schlottke Peon

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    #7
    (I was kidding... lol)
     
    schlottke, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  8. ViciousSummer

    ViciousSummer Ayn Rand for President! Staff

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    #8
    I figured as much, but someone else had mentioned it too :p
     
    ViciousSummer, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  9. duncan pollock

    duncan pollock Peon

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    #9
    Smyrl: Please don't take offence, but in your post you've got "somthing" without the "e"! So this is often the problem. We (sic) somtimes type so quickly that we unintentionally leave letters out or transpose them.
    What I do think is important is that our own websites are word perfect. We have only one chance to make a first impression, so, if nothing else, we need to use a Spellchecker to make sure of everything.
    If a visitor contacts us with mistakes showing in their enquiry, I think we have to give them the benefit of doubt. Literacy and wealth don't necessarily go hand in hand. It's wiser to assume the money's there and to then ask the questions that give us proof of it.

    Duncan
     
    duncan pollock, Jul 22, 2004 IP
  10. rhinoplayer

    rhinoplayer Peon

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    #10
    I don't sell directly from my site but I do allow people to submit bid requests. I have found without exception, that if a visitor has not reviewed their comment section (or even bothered to include any comments which are necessary with the custom products I sell) that there is NO way they are going to purchase. In fact, I'd say 50% of the customers with spelling mistakes leave no phone# or address and just want to communicate via email). My average sale is approx $10k, so perhaps this is a factor, but I think if a customer is serious they are going to be careful in their search and in their typing.
     
    rhinoplayer, Jul 23, 2004 IP
  11. North Carolina SEO

    North Carolina SEO Well-Known Member

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    #11
    Thank you everyone. I appreciate the replies.
     
    North Carolina SEO, Jul 23, 2004 IP
  12. steve5jack

    steve5jack Peon

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    #12
    I've known people who create pages marketed towards mis-spellings in searches. However, all the links from that page go to the real site. Shouldn't be that hard to do as long as you make it obvious what you are doing (in case someone finds your site and wonders why you can't spell correctly)
     
    steve5jack, Jul 27, 2004 IP
  13. mopacfan

    mopacfan Peon

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    #13
    So how do you create these "misspellleddd" doorway pages and get the SE's to index them without linking to them internally? I guess the link would have to be very, very subtle so a visitor would not click on it and wonder why the page is mispppeeld.
     
    mopacfan, Jul 27, 2004 IP
  14. Chiara

    Chiara Peon

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    #14
    I don't think poor spelling would have anything to do with income or propensity to purchase. After all, somebody who can't properly pronounce the word "nuclear" is president of the United States. Some people are just bad spellers (and speakers) but they might have lots of money and want to buy. :)
     
    Chiara, Jul 31, 2004 IP