COVID-19 has put a damper on the current commercial landscape. 97% of marketers have observed a drastic decline in in-person marketing engagement, whether that’s store visits, sales, or trade shows. And 52% of consumers won’t go back to in-store even for grocery shopping.
With the threat of pandemic conditions continuing for the next couple of years, the easiest solution is to adapt to emerging trends as quickly as possible.
Ecommerce is the new normal
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your business could instantly be able to reach practically everyone and anyone on the planet? I feel this is an opportunity to add a bit of Superman-ish feel to your brand.
If you look beyond the dismal picture that the pandemic is painting, you’ll see that this is the perfect time to convert your ordinary brick-and-mortar business to an exceptional online brand.
Yeah, it’s going to be tough, especially if everyone else is going to be scrambling to transfer to the digital landscape. In fact, get ready to join the 1.3 million ecommerce companies already on the internet.
But I don’t think you’re one to run from a challenge. Plus, I’ve got five awesome ideas that can make your ecommerce website better than the rest. Use this opportunity to take your conversion rate to new heights.
So if you’re planning to launch your ecommerce store, or already have one, then this blog is for you. Let’s learn how to do it properly so that you have a better chance of getting ahead of the competition from the get-go.
Ready to get started?
1. Optimize your title tag
You’ve made sure the design is aesthetically pleasing, uploaded valuable content, and kept the loading speed under 2 seconds. But your website is still getting fewer clicks than you expected.
That’s probably because you’ve overlooked an essential aspect- the title tags. It’s the blue link you see on SERPs.
You’re right. Title tags are part of your SEO campaign. Moz states that title tags are the second most important factor you should be working on (right after content).
Did you know that optimizing your title tags can exponentially boost your site’s ranking and traffic? In fact, according to siegemedia.com, the right title tags can increase CTR by 20 to 100%. And the more clicks you get, the greater the chance of conversions. Bet you had no idea that title tags came packed with such a powerful punch!
Ecommerce businesses can differentiate themselves within SERPs by optimizing title tags and using them as another marketing platform. It’s a smart way to capture your target audience’s attention. Look at the above example to understand simple ways you can optimize your title tags:
- Stay within the character limit- 78 for mobile devices and 70 on desktop.
- Use keywords. They show in bold on Google search.
- Include free shipping or other offers
- Reinforce the brand’s value proposition
2.Collect leads via 404 pages
According to www.impactbnd.com, 73.72% of people bounce and do not return to a website when encountering a 404 error page. Many experts say that it can damage the reputation of your website and business. More importantly, it can negatively impact your search engine rankings. But you’ve got to look at the bigger picture here.
A 404 in itself is not a bad thing. It just means that there is a broken link. But did you know that you can use them to improve sales? Here are a few ways you can use 404 to your advantage.
Source: Moz
Source: Jeep
Source: Land’s End
You need to create a custom 404 page to help guide any visitor who gets lost while surfing your ecommerce website or somehow lands on a page that is no longer available. Aim at engaging customers with unique ideas so that you not only retain them at that moment, but also encourage them to keep coming back. And if visitors share their experience with their entire social circle, the results will be exponential. Imagine the number of conversions you can get from a 404.
3. Enhance communication channels
Customers demand attention and ease. They want their questions answered immediately. One of the easiest ways to fulfill consumer communication preferences is to offer live chat.
CrazyEgg claims that 38% of consumers will buy from a brand if it has live chat support. More importantly, 63% of customers are more likely to return to a website that offers live chat, according to eMarketer. And the cherry on the pie, chatbots have 3X more conversions than over email.
With the aid of chatbots:
- You’re available 24/7
- Nurture potential leads in real-time
- Improve customer service
- Can help guide customers towards a sale
- Increase retention rate
- Boost revenue
I know the last point has got you convinced. 😉
4. Offer product reviews
Yes, this one is old, but it’s still quite effective in improving conversions.
Online buyers are more tech-savvy than ever, resorting to the internet for a thorough analysis. How many times have you yourself resorted to researching reviews and ratings before settling on a purchase? According to Spiegel Research Center, nearly 95% of shoppers read online reviews before buying a product.
Moreover, the likelihood of a person making a purchase for a product that has five reviews is 270% greater than one with no reviews.
And the best part, conversion rates escalate when reviews are displayed. OnlineShoes.com experienced a 119% increase in conversions after incorporating product ratings and reviews on their site! Impressive, huh?
Source: OnlineShoes
Reviews and ratings should be a part of your ecommerce website. Incorporating them on product pages will help consumers make a quicker decision on whether to buy a product or not. After all, online customers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations.
In fact, you can take your campaign to the next level. To engage your current customers, and improve consumer trust with your brand, encourage shoppers to leave product reviews on your website. Consider offering discounts on their next purchase or the total order. That way, you are killing two birds with one stone.
Remember, make the rating process simple and quick. You don’t want to scare them away.
5. An ecommerce site has no dead ends
Brands know that keeping customers engaged on their website is good for business. The longer they are on the site, the greater the chances of conversion.
The best strategy is to ensure that each page on your website is designed in a way that allows users to keep moving to the next. And that applies all the way to the Thank You page.
A simple ‘Continue Shopping” button on your checkout page encourages visitors to continue shopping and look for other things even after they have placed the order.
Source: IMIS
But you can increase engagement by displaying other relevant products that shoppers might be interested in. Mc Kinsey reports that product recommendations can help drive revenue by 5–15% and improve marketing efficiency by 10–30%.
Source: Bose
The key is to use various visual engagement tactics through various stages of the customer buying journey. Websites that utilize compelling visuals have seen their conversion rates double.
But alongside images and appropriate content, good website design can also play a substantial role in preventing visitors from bouncing.
Source: Mythical
Notice how this website intrigues people to check out their online store. The simple yet powerful image draws the visitor in, arousing interest so that you are more likely to continue browsing.
It’s a wrap
One of the biggest challenges that e-commerce brands face is attracting and retaining customers. With greater attention on social media platforms and search engine advertising, you’re likely to encounter increased competition from every angle.
But there are tons of other growth ideas you can implement to increase your eCommerce website’s conversions. Moreover, as you boost conversions, you’re sure to make your business more profitable.
I’ve focused on only five simple ideas that anyone can implement effortlessly, no matter what the size of their websites is. If you have any tactics worth sharing, please leave them in the comments section below.
Originally published at https://setalks.co on October 7, 2020.