Every e-commerce business wants to skyrocket sales, but it is not easy. Marketers and business owners have a hard time engaging their audience and boosting conversions. In recent years, marketing methods have changed dramatically. What are the best days to build rapport and turn new visitors into brand advocates?
Thanks to professional web development services, building an aesthetically pleasing store is easier than ever. Yet, it is only the beginning. You need to optimize your site for search engines, develop loyalty schemes, engage social media channels, and more. Follow these tips to take some guesswork out of your brainstorming sessions and outshine the competition.
- Streamline the Shopping Experience
The first thing visitors notice is the quality of their experience. Even if you sell the best product in the world, flawed navigation will inevitably lead to abandonment. Problems with website structure affect credibility in the eyes of potential customers.
Captivating photographs are essential for the success of any e-commerce business, as they play a vital role in attracting customers and increasing sales. However, it’s more than just taking high-quality photos but also ensures they are post-processed effectively. One way to streamline the post-production process and obtain affordable, high-quality images is to use a professional photo editing service like Pixelz. By outsourcing photo editing, businesses can save time and focus on other critical areas of their operations. In addition, with Pixelz’s editing solutions, companies can get professional-grade photos that highlight their products’ unique features and help them stand out from the competition. In today’s competitive e-commerce landscape, customer acquisition is critical to success, and high-quality, captivating product photos can help businesses achieve this goal.
The shopping experience can be streamlined in different ways. First, take care of the loading speed. According to research, contemporary users are not willing to wait longer than 3 seconds for a page to load. Around half of them expect loading in up to 2 seconds.
Therefore, run a speed test and make improvements if necessary. Different structural changes may be required. For example, loading can be hindered by large images or videos.
Make sure your shopping cart and checkout pages work flawlessly. Most commonly, carts are abandoned at the final stage. If users can always see their carts and the payment page is a click away, this will result in more sales. A beta testing team will help you identify room for improvement.
- Encourage More Email Signups
Contrary to what some marketers believe, you should not push for signups immediately after generating numerous leads. You cannot nurture them and turn into buyers if your email list contains the wrong people. Keeping the database of existing and prospective customers in order is the first step. This also ensures that you always have a relevant audience for new content and promotions.
In 2024, email marketing should be the centrepiece of your strategy. Ask users to subscribe for access to the newsletters, special offers, and blog updates. Those who are genuinely interested in your products and industry will join the list.
Lead segmentation is also paramount. After dividing the audience into subsets, devise personalized campaigns for each of them. For example, if you own a pet store, these groups may include consumers who own particular types of animals. Use email to inform cat owners about new deals on cat food and send dog owners blog posts on canine nutrition.
Personalize your content and subject lines to boost the open rate. The more users pay attention to your emails, the more orders you can get.
- Diversify Your SEO Strategy
Most consumers discover products and services through online search. This makes optimization for search engines, primarily Google, absolutely paramount. Gain visibility in organic results to gain more visitors with relevant search intent. The majority of users do not look beyond the first SERP (search engine results page) so every business wants to get to the top.
The first component of an effective SEO strategy is keywords. These must reflect the most common queries used to find products and services in your industry. Using Google Keyword Planner, you can identify traffic-boosting keywords to compete for. Choose combinations with a medium or high search volume and a low or medium competition rate.
Then use these keywords throughout your website. Include them in titles and meta descriptions, blog posts, and any other pages. Use them sparingly to avoid overstuffing. In addition, you could take advantage of emerging search technologies:
- Voice Search
Voice search is popular because it is super easy to access. This feature is integrated into almost any digital device, from iPhones to Google Home. Help users find your store even when they search without a screen.
This requires a more conversational use of keywords. Create blog articles that answer typical questions. For example, instead of “social media marketing services 2024”, use “How can I generate sales through social media?”
- Video
Videos are always more engaging than text, and they can also be optimized for organic search results. Video content can boost search traffic by over 150%! To ensure search visibility, use titles and thumbnails that catch users’ attention. Integrate keywords into transcripts, titles, and tags.
- Use Social Proof to Build Trust
Consumers are more likely to trust their peers than any claims in ads. Leverage the power of social proof — include positive reviews and encourage good feedback. Around 70% of shoppers search for reviews before placing an order online.
Send existing customers reminders to leave reviews. The ideal timing is one or two weeks after the purchase. You could offer a special discount to incentivize them.
Another form of social proof is trust badges from reputable companies. For example, seals of approval from McAfee, PayPal, or Norton will automatically boost the credibility of your site. Badges are usually placed on checkout forms, and they can boost conversions by around 42%. If you notice that your payment forms are often abandoned, a trust badge could help.
- Add More Customer Support Options
Last but not least, pay attention to the quality of interaction between customers and your team. When users ask questions about your products, services, or website navigation, the staff must respond promptly and professionally. Any issues must be resolved as soon as possible to turn sour encounters into a positive experience.
To streamline support, add live chat and AI-driven chatbots. Bots can answer typical questions and provide resources customers are looking for. In case of unique and complicated issues, they will escalate them to your team. The use of chatbots boosts customer satisfaction and saves your team time.
Finally, turn your social media profiles into a customer channel. Communicate with users directly on Facebook, Instagram or other platforms to solve their problems and boost engagement.
About Carson Derrow
