How to target your selling online to Females vs Males

Should a website that is targeting a female market use a different online approach to a website that is targeting a male market?

Absolutely yes.
Like most things in life, when it comes to online behaviour, men really are from Mars and women are from Venus.

If your target market is predominantly female, you need to prioritise the following three factors when putting together your online strategy*:
1. Entertainment valueWomen place greater importance on the entertainment value of a website compared to men, when deciding whether they are going to purchase online from that site.
2. Security and PrivacyA website's level of perceived security and privacy has a greater influence on a woman's ultimate purchasing decision.
3. ConvenienceWomen are much more motivated by the convenience benefits of shopping online. This includes the convenience of avoiding common factors associated with in-store shopping, such as crowds, time spent waiting in line, physical effort, stress and frustration.

Females greatly value the convenience of shopping to their own schedule and the fast speed of online purchasing.

However if your target market is mostly male, you should be focusing on the following two factors to maximise the effectiveness of your online strategy:
1. Previous online purchasing experienceMales are much more likely to purchase online again if they have already purchased a product or service (not necessarily yours) using the Internet.
2. Information and OrganisationWomen tend to go directly to the website where they intend to conduct their purchase while men are more likely to surf from site to site, gathering information before deciding where to buy.
Because men place greater emphasis on the online shopping process, they are more swayed by their attitudes to websites. They are more likely to be influenced by the informativeness and the organisation of the sites they visit.

The implications for your own business then become obvious. If women are your primary target, every aspect of your website and online communications campaign should guarantee the security and privacy of your customers' information. It would be wise to develop innovative entertainment components within your website, but ensure that this does not detract from the convenience of using your site. That is, don't create flash pages that take too long to load.

In comparison, if men are your primary target, you can generate more business by including detailed information on your product and service offerings, by structuring the website simply and ensuring strong usability. Repeat purchase incentives would also work particularly well.