Optimizing ecommerce conversion rates is crucial to maintaining an influential online presence and increasing sales. Several businesses pay close attention to driving traffic. However, they fail to devise a successful sales funnel that helps increase revenue and profits. There are numerous variables that affect conversions. Therefore, it’s challenging to create a single conversion strategy for all types of business. But there are certain rules all ecommerce stores and online retailers must follow to trigger conversions.
Moreover, the quality of traffic your website receives is also a major contributor in determining the conversion rate. Here are a few tips that work great for optimizing conversion rates to improve ecommerce sales:
Work on Your Product Filters
Regardless of the size your ecommerce store, it must categorize all products in a systematic manner. This implies all products should be grouped in order and displayed in a menu that is easy to navigate. The more complicated your drop-down menus are, the more difficult it will be users to browse their desired products. It is important to filter your ecommerce products by categorizes, types, sizes and prices. Online shoppers are looking for faster ways to shop. If your ecommerce site fails to retain their attention, they will likely to abandon it in no time.
Optimize Product Pages
When a user arrives on a specific product page, he is just a click away from making an actual purchase. This is why an ecommerce store must optimize every product page to convince potential customers. A product page must be able to answer all queries in your visitors’ minds. A well-designed and intuitive product page increases your chances of a conversion, whereas a poor design will push your visitor to bounce.
Effective Product Descriptions
Product copy is one of the most neglected elements of a product page. In reality, great copy grasps the attention of an online shopper. A tagline or a slogan that highlights the importance of your product compels the visitor to purchase the product. Keep in mind that the best sales copy does not promote products. Rather, it provides a detailed description of what it does, creatively. You can go for shorter or longer versions of product descriptions, depending where they are placed on your ecommerce website.
Product Videos
Good copy should be backed with stunning product images. But some online retailers go a step ahead with product videos. Professionally-composed product videos offer comprehensive information about the uses and benefits of a product. This is a tested conversion optimization strategy that has remarkably boosted the sales of many ecommerce stores.
Product Reviews and Testimonials
Product reviews and ratings are now a must-include element in all product pages. Users usually look for reviews more than they check out product descriptions. Make sure you add authentic reviews that come from real people. This way, you will build your credibility and authority in the industry. More reviews mean more traffic and an increased opportunity to convert users.
Security Badges
Today’s consumers are looking for the safest methods of purchase. Nobody wants to provide their bank or credit card details without checking the security standards of an ecommerce store. Trust badges that guarantee safe payment methods are one of the most productive ecommerce optimization conversion methods. This is why they must be incorporated into an online store for more conversions.
Offer Free Shipping
It is not surprising to learn that today’s consumers expect free or discounted shipping by default. Researches indicate that 88% of consumers are likely to make purchases from an online site if they are promised free shipping. If you don’t want to promise free shipping on all items, you can charge shipping on orders below a certain amount. Whatever you decide, customers appreciate if you mention all costs up front. Nobody likes to pay hidden or additional charges for buying something online. Don’t let potential customers abandon your shopping cart if they find a shipping fee at the end of a purchase.
Retaining Current Customers
Several studies have concluded converting an old or existing customer is easier than landing a new customer. Repeat customers know how the purchase cycle works. They are also aware of your shipping, refund, and return policies. It is important to customize strategies to retain your loyal customers so they keep purchasing from your ecommerce store only.
Retargeting
Retargeting is a powerful ecommerce conversion optimization method. This involves displaying ads related to the products people browse through when they visit your store. Retargeting campaigns are easy to execute and can be done through Facebook marketing, Twitter, Google or many other platforms. This way, people who left your store without making a purchase will be reminded of the same products in their newsfeed. Retargeting campaigns offer you and your consumers a second chance to complete a purchase. Moreover, retargeting also increases brand awareness.
Confirmation Page Ideas
When you are finally successful in landing a sale, relying on a generic confirmation page is one of the deadliest mistakes you can make. Since an ecommerce site has more than a single conversion goal, a confirmation page for all purchases is not relevant. A few ecommerce sites offer a small discount to customers if they make another purchase within 15 or 30 days of their first purchase. This makes things interesting for today’s consumers as they are tempted to benefit from any discount that comes their way.
If you own a digital agency, you shouldn’t stop experimenting and testing different strategies, A/B split testing and using tools like heat maps to study the visitor’s behavior. It is more useful to push for engagement rather than a second purchase. Not only this will keep your connection with the customer alive, it will also make him feel you are not forcing him to make another purchase.
Final Thoughts on Optimizing Ecommerce Conversion
Conversion rates suffer if ecommerce stores fail to work on micro-conversions. This means all steps of a purchase, from adding a product to a cart to clicking checkout, should be optimized. Once a clear path is defined and each of the micro-actions is worked upon, work on optimizing the most effective CTAs to increase your conversions.
