Small tweaks can make big changes in your conversion rates. To make the most out of the traffic you’re getting to your eCommerce store, optimization is key. However with the variety of optimization tweaks and conversion plugins that exist in the eCommerce world today – It can get a bit overwhelming. So – I put together this list of 5 key areas you want to focus on if you want to raise your eCommerce conversion rates.
Work On Your Copywriting
One of the simplest and quickest ways to improve conversion rates is optimizing your sales copy. This is usually the first thing that people focus on when looking at your product page, as such you want to make sure that the copywriting you have there is as good as it can be. Here are some principles to follow that can help generate more sales:
Focus on benefits versus features: Assure that you include benefits that the customer will experience by using your product. For example, shoes you sell can bring people confidence and improve their image. Mentioning that is much better than just listing the materials and colour.
Tell a story: Imagine yourself in your customers shoes. Think of what you would like to read if you were shopping online at your website. What would you enjoy reading Intertwine that story into your copywriting. It’s a great way to relate to your audience and make them feel connected to your brand.
Justify with logic: The purchasing process is heavily emotion based. That’s why the above two strategies work so well. When you mix in logic and justify the purchase with it, you have a recipe for success. To do so, state facts about why it makes sense to own the product. Going off the shoe example, you could say that the customer would save money since a pair will last so long.
Talk about THEM: Most customers are more interested in what you can do for them than the opposite. With this in mind, focus on copy that tells the customer how you will help them. This is most apparent on “about” pages where you may talk too much about your company, Sure, explain how the business came about but hone in on how you’ll better the customers life.
Calls to action: The oldest trick in the book. A call to action is any phrase that tells a customer to take action. “Buy now” and “Don’t wait any longer” are commonly seen. A popular approach recently has been to setup a countdown timer showcasing when a sale is going to end. This creates a sense of urgency, helping to convert customers.
Don’t forget SEO: Search Engine Optimization is focused around good, well-written, and informative content. So if you’re implementing all the above key points into your copywriting, and you throw in just the right amount of targeted and relevant keywords, you have some pretty good SEO copywriting on your hands. Something that search engines will like, which will in-turn help your product rank better. If you want more information, I have a detailed guide to SEO copywriting you can checkout.
Optimize Your The Sales Funnel
The sales funnel consists of the steps a customer takes to convert to a sale. Normally this is composed of the product page, cart, and checkout. If you know where your users are going to land, it only makes sense to tweak those areas. Here are optimization practices for each step:
Product pages: Use high quality images with a zoom function so the customer can see the product clearly. Include all of the information they need like sizing, material and the copywriting strategies we touched on above. The add to cart button, price and quantity should be easily visible.
Cart: Make it simple to add a discount code if you offer them. The cart page should clearly state what they’ve added, how many items and their total. Mentioning shipping prices here is also key so they aren’t surprised later.
Checkout: Make it as simple as possible. Don’t include any extra forms or fields if you don’t have to. Offer multiple payment options like credit card, PayPal and even cryptocurrency if you’d like. Placing security badges and seals on the checkout page will put the customers at ease.
Deal With Abandoned Carts
Do you have a strategy to recover abandoned carts? If not, you could be missing out on upping your eCommerce conversion rate. A majority of online shoppers abandon their cart before checking out. This means e-commerce store owners need to follow up with these users if possible.
Popular platforms such as Shopify or Woocommerce make this easy. You can send out an email to users with abandoned carts to finish their purchase. To make it more enticing, include an extra discount code if they return, or mention that inventory for an item in their cart is running low.
Nordstrom does a great job at this, without making the email feel overly pushy or sales-focused.
Offer Coupon Codes
Offering a discount code is an effective way to offer free value to your customers. It is also proven to increase eCommerce conversion rates since saving money is on the mind of almost all consumers. These coupons don’t have to be much either. 5% to 10% is all you need. This cuts off a fair amount from their total and doesn’t drop your profit margins a significant amount. For holiday sales or special events though, offering higher amounts is wise.
If you engage in email marketing, a great tactic is to offer a discount code in exchange for a newsletter signup. Even if they do not check out, your brand will be on their mind when you email them.
Provide Free & Fast Shipping
We’re in the Amazon era where many consumers expect free shipping that is timely. To keep your customers happy, you want to offer competitive shipping rates. Free shipping keeps things simple and along with a coupon is a great strategy for increasing conversions.
Everyone enjoys having their order delivered quickly so opt for fast shipping modes. If you find they cut too deep into profit margins, find a reasonable middleground. A common strategy is to offer free shipping if a customer’s order is over a specific amount. This entices users to add more to their cart, increasing the average cart value of your store.