It is not an easy job to run an online business. You have to deal with a whole lot of issues ranging from the design of the site, to gaining traffic, ...
It is not an easy job to run an online business. You have to deal with a whole lot of issues ranging from the design of the site, to gaining traffic, to increasing conversions all the way to maintenance. However, there is a common misconception that by focusing on gaining traffic, then sales will rise. But truthfully speaking what really matters are your Ecommerce conversions.
Even with low website traffic, a high ROI (Return on Investment) is still possible. Your focus just has to shift towards a consumer-based approach that is target-oriented. You could even have high web traffic but low or no sales at all. This happens when your sales lack a targeted approach.
Consider social media for a moment. Social media platforms are one of the best marketing outlets for Ecommerce businesses, but only if they do it right. Retailers need to know that social media promotions, ads and followers doesn’t cut it. If all these efforts end in no conversions, then they’re unsuccessful.
So how can you improve your ecommerce conversions with the same level of traffic?
Read on to find out:
1. Build trust
Due to the increasing number of fraud taking place online, customers these days are highly hesitant to share any sort of personal information. This is especially the case when the website they visit isn’t well known. Customers don’t like to feel taken advantage of. Well, who does really… but it’s possible to give them a sense of security.
When dealing with customer security, you need to show them that you are reliable and trustworthy. This can be done by displaying awards received, cyber security certificates (SSL certification etc), testimonials, customer ratings, customer service/contact information and a secure checkout process.
Steps like these will enhance customer security and build brand trust which will surely improve your ecommerce conversions.
2. Tighten up the checkout process
When a person decides to undertake any kind of transaction online, they wish to do it with the maximum amount of convenience and little time as possible.
Many websites and online businesses require the customer to register just to be able to checkout. This leaves the customer frustrated and unsatisfied if they don’t feel like registering. After they know that you require registration, then it could cause them to never return to your site again. So it is always recommended to give your customer the option to either check out as a guest or by registering.
Also, don’t ask for unnecessary information. Remember, your customers have chosen to buy from your online store for pure convenience. However, they still want the same experience they would get at a real store. That means good customer service and a quick checkout.
By having a long or tedious checkout process that asks for unnecessary information it could lead the customer to feel like it’s a waste of time and too much of a hassle to follow through. Ecommerce conversions count on customers finishing the checkout process. Abandoning it is what causes low conversion rates.
So, if you notice that your traffic is steady, but somehow you’re having a hard time getting customers to complete the checkout process, then it could be that it needs adjustments. Make it simple, secure and fast as possible for better results.
3. Incorporate live chat
Nothing can prove to be as beneficial for sales as the customer getting to talk to a customer service representative immediately. Often times customers using online stores encounter problems that they can’t fix themselves or have questions about a product that hasn’t been answered.
By incorporating live chat into your website you give customers a way to get a quick response and build customer satisfaction. It also promotes healthy long-term customer relationships. If a customer at an actual clothing store needs help they immediately reach out to an employee or customer service desk. Online however that can get tricky, but it’s definitely doable.
More often than not customers decide not to buy a product because they don’t feel comfortable enough about it. They seek more information or have problems checking out. In providing quick support you reduce the information gap, help boost sales and ultimately enhance your ecommerce conversions. The only disadvantage here is that the additional personnel recruited for this purpose may cost you a bit more. But the pay off could be greater later down the road.
5. Offer compelling product descriptions
When you hold an online business, your products and services need to do the talking. That is why your product pages are the most important. They provide customers with a clear picture of how you can fulfill their needs. So try not to focus too much on what the product actually is, but rather how it helps meet a need.
Many online stores use product descriptions to literally describe a product, which is fine, but it can also be used as a technique to convince customers to buy the product. Therefore, focus on using product pages to answer: why should I buy this?
Also, use high quality photos (if possible) to give potential customers a better idea of what they’re getting. Product videos are even better because they provide more useful information for the customer in order to drive the purchase.
5. Optimize site performance
Site performance refers to actual performance and visual performance. Visual performance mainly revolves around responsive mobile-friendly layouts. Nowadays, more than ever people are shopping on their phones or tablets while on the go. Search engines like Google have acknowledged this trend so they reward mobile-friendly sites with better ranking. That means all of your content should align perfectly on any screen to ensure the best mobile experience and higher rankings.
Even though responsive sites have become a critical requirement, actual performance such as website speed matters a lot more. It should not take too long for a page to load, especially on a mobile screen. Over 70% of online users leave a website if it takes too long to load. You could clearly connect the dots between site performance and ecommerce conversions.
However, there is another key element of performance… site navigation. When designing an ecommerce website, or any website for that matter, try to make navigation between pages as smooth as possible. By making navigation difficult, you frustrate the user and could risk losing conversions.
For an ecommerce site you can either use mega menus or breadcrumbs. Mega menus let customers easily find products through categories and sub categories. While breadcrumbs let users navigate back and forth between pages without having to repeatedly go back to the main menu. These techniques not only make using the website easier they also help keep visitors longer as they explore your store.
Ecommerce Development Services
As an ecommerce development company, aside from single store to multi-seller marketplace development services, we can help you incorporate these techniques to increase conversions.
With over 10 years of experience we know what your online store needs to succeed and stay ahead of the game.
You can rely on us to develop your ecommerce website. We offer the best ecommerce solutions so you can build your business.
So get in touch with Iblesoft and request a quote.
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