SEO : Preparing for Additional Website Traffic

Before you do all the work of attracting people to your website, determine whether your business can handle the traffic. You need to prepare ahead of time forincreased volumes, and for all the possible problems and challenges that can occur over time. Ask yourself and/or or potential web-hosting service the following questions:
1. Can your web hosting company handle large volumes of traffic coming to your website?
In most cases the answer to this will be yes, but you need to know this ahead of time so talk to your Internet Hosting Provider so they can be aware of your potential higher traffic activities.
You should also be reminded that additional traffic to your website may mean higher monthly costs from your website hosting company for the increased traffic levels.
2. Are you set up for mail-order shipments?If you are planning on selling products over the Internet, can you and your staff handle volumes of product sales, shipping AND all the things that go along with these. I recommend that you create a mail-order department, and procedures for handling mail-order requests. In most cases this will also mean you should set up a secure, e-commerce website to handle and track the transactions.
3. Do you have a secure website for accepting customer payments?If you don't, you will be losing sales because many online shoppers will only trust secure sites.
E-commerce sites provide a secure means for Internet shoppers to purchase products and services online. There are a multitude of companies that offer services in setting up e-commerce accounts.Check first of all with your own Internet hosting provider to see if they offer this service, or can they recommend another company.
4. What are your procedures for?
a) Stolen Credit Cards(when someone pays with a stolen card number) Ask your merchant account provider for details.
b) Undelivered product(your customer claims the product didn't arrive). Have a shipment tracking system in place.
c) Damaged goods(your customer claims product received damaged) Check for availability of shipping insurance policies.
d) Unsuitable goods(the product simply does not live up to expectations). Ensure your website depicts your products accurately
e) Shipping and delivery.Informing your potential customers of the availability of their purchase andapproximate delivery time.5. What level is your Internet and website security?Will people trust you? Does your website and your business "appear" to be legitimate? Later on in the Branding Chapter you will see why these questions are so important by instilling trust with your clients. Internet security is an important issue, particularly if you are operating an e-commerce site. There are a number of organizations that offer online certificates for secure websites that adhere to their strict code of security implementations. Other things that will help to make your website appear to be legitimate and trustworthy are to publish your street address, and even post a picture of the building in which you are located.
You need to make list of all of the scenarios regarding trust and security. Beside each one, write down what procedure will be taken to correct the situation. As you go through this list, you will discover things you can do that will help eliminate or reduce problems. When you have finished the solutions list, make copies for your staff and post them somewhere so that everyone can see them. Don't be afraid to make amendments to it as the need arises. Decisions in the past can be changed, especially as situations change.
Make sure that you follow through with the items in this section in recognizing problems before they happen. Remember that an increase in sales and activities often means an increase in problems that go along with them. If your business is to sell online and you are not fully prepared for volumes of traffic, this can significantly impact your business. Be like a good Boy Scout or Girl Guide and Be Prepared. The last thing you want is an unhappy customer; as that can do more damage to the short- and long-term viability of your business than any other singular event.