12 Ways for Designing Online Stores for High-Conversion
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The conversion rate is essential to consider if you ever plan on growing your e-commerce business. Increasing conversion rates is always a priority, regardless of the size of your company.
A successful e-commerce business requires a lot more effort than you might expect. A 2.5 – 3% conversion rate for online shopping indicates you need to make changes to increase this number.
This means developing a website that is optimized, engaging your customers, and offering something unique to your prospects.
We’ll discuss 13 best practices for scaling your business that’ll help you improve conversion rates. We should first understand how different companies define a conversion before focusing on how to increase e-commerce conversion.
How Do You Define Conversion Rate For Online Stores?
The conversion rate is a metric used in digital marketing to determine how well a website performs in traffic and conversions. You can calculate an accurate conversion rate by taking the number of conversions and dividing it by the number of visitors. In the case of an e-commerce site with 500 visitors in a month and 100 sales, the conversion rate is expressed as 100 divided by 500, or 20%.
You can define conversion as the action you wish the user to take. The act of clicking a button (CTA) or making a purchase can be considered to be a form of conversion. Each website and app has its conversion rate and often has multiple conversion goals.
Conversions are a win for your business, no matter how you define them.
The Best Ways to Increase E-Commerce Conversions
One of the common misconceptions surrounding e-commerce businesses is that it is only necessary to have a website and to feature products for conversions to increase.
Realistically, you must continuously improve and optimize your e-commerce website. A variety of factors may affect your target audience, such as the introduction of new technologies or changes in customer preferences. You also need to understand the role of UX in e-commerce conversions.
A strong online presence is critical to improving e-commerce conversions; however, it is not the only one. Your customers demand various products and services, comfort, and personalization.
Additionally, they expect prompt responses from your customer service department. They become frustrated and turn to other brands if they do not receive what they expect.
The question then arises: How can an e-commerce website improve its conversion rate?
Well, here are 13 ways how:
1. Make your website faster and more responsive
Try to imagine yourself as a customer who is visiting a website to make a purchase. What if the website does not provide real-time information regarding product availability? Is it taking too long for the website to load?
Undoubtedly, you will abandon it and look for something else in its place. Ensure that a responsive website provides a seamless customer experience. Thus, you should eliminate lags, unnecessary redirects, and excessive information requests. To improve your website’s performance and speed, consider buying a web hosting plan which is powered by LiteSpeed Web Server (LSWS).
You can measure the loading speed of your e-commerce site using Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. Further, consider the core web vital parameters of your site and try to improve them. Hire an SEO expert for this purpose if you need to.
Designing your website visually appealing is important, but you should avoid overburdening your visitors with excessive content or images. Your message should instead be conveyed simply, emphasizing what you stand for.
A multi-channel approach will allow you to display real-time stock levels to your customers and simplify shopping.
Image Source: business2community.com
Asking your customers questions through smartly designed FAQs is the best way to continue optimizing your website. Respond comprehensively to their concerns, and you will be in good shape.
2. Add More Conversion Points
Are you having difficulty gaining many conversions? The problem may be that you are not giving potential customers enough opportunities to convert.
If you are an eCommerce company, adding to carts will probably be your only conversion point. When handling offline sales, several conversion points should be considered:
- A lead form (for contacting us, requesting a quotation, etc.)
- Scheduling a consultation or a demo
- Live chat
- Contact by telephone
- Downloadable materials (PDFs, downloads, etc.) for free
- A subscriber to the newsletter
Along with tracking the sheer number of conversions and events, you may wish to place them at key locations on your website. Should your service pages link to your contact page more effectively? Do you have any strategic spots where pop-ups can be incorporated to increase conversions? Well, add that to the list as well.
Image Source: nalenayurveda.com
3. Include a Visible, Clear CTA (Call to Action)
When visitors land on your site, they should immediately understand your offer and how they can benefit from it. This can be accomplished by including a clear and visible call to action.
A landing page should have only one call to action, unlike other pages on your website. By offering only one choice, visitors can make a more informed decision rather than analyzing and choosing between several options. By doing so, visitors are moved through the sales funnel more rapidly and without distraction – resulting in higher conversion rates.
A prominent call to action should be displayed, should be easily accessible, and should be targeted toward a specific audience. You can accomplish this by:
- Putting your call-to-action on top of the page, above the fold
- Throughout the page, include multiple buttons for one call-to-action
- For button texts, use active voice (e.g. Sign up for free)
- Describe the urgency or exclusivity of the offer (e.g., claim your offer today)
A landing page is a great way to test your CTA buttons and their conversions. Changes of any size can make a significant difference. Regularly test various CTA elements, including button text, placement, color, etc. It is also important to get a professionally designed logo for your website that features across all pages.
Image Source: magicspoon.com
4. Ensure That Your Product Images and Videos Are of High-Quality
You should create an engaging product page by optimizing your website after implementing the appropriate call to action. If you want your customers to know what they will be purchasing, ensure you include high-quality photographs of the products you are selling.
Most visitors judge your brand based on the product images that are displayed on an e-commerce website. By the type of product, you may use a large image to cover the entire page or a variety of smaller images. For a beauty e-commerce website, for instance, you can take inspiration from the beauty catalog design trends.
The use of high-definition photos and videos is associated with increased conversions, as they give consumers confidence that they are purchasing the appropriate product. Providing customers with a 360-degree view of the product is a great idea.
Image Source: fentybeauty.com
The experience can be further enriched by videos illustrating your product in real-life scenarios.
5. Write Compelling Product Descriptions
There are times when great products are overlooked due to a lack of proper descriptions on the website. As soon as you have captured the user’s interest with photographs, you should make sure that you provide a comprehensive description of the product.
It is necessary to align and update product descriptions to add value to the customer journey. Customers are more likely to convert if they have more information about a product.
Include all the important details of the product, like how it works, its specifications, and precautionary hazards.
Image Source: decibullz.com
6. Make Your Website Search Engine-Friendly
Let’s take a moment to examine the most effective traffic generation technique in the e-commerce industry. Keywords play a key role in Search Engine Optimization (SEO); however, keywords are not sufficient to increase conversions.
To reach the right audience, you need to use the right keywords. Simply put, a consumer looking to purchase your product has a different search intent from one who is simply browsing.
The best strategy is to optimize your website according to all types of search intent. A wider audience will be attracted to your website, and you will have a better chance of converting those visitors into customers. To provide users with a seamless experience, keep track of the latest SEO techniques and web design trends for 2024 as well.
Perform keyword research to find and include the most used keywords in your descriptions. Also, do competitor analysis to determine which keywords your competitors rank and define your strategy.
Image Source: google.com
7. Upsell and Cross-Sell Your Products
Imagine that you have captured the attention of a visitor. The next step is to engage them further with a technique. An upsell or cross-sell is an attempt to encourage a customer to purchase by providing an additional benefit.
When you cross-sell, instead of selling a product that is somewhat similar to the product that the customer wishes to buy, you are offering a product from a different category for free.
The benefits of upselling and cross-selling can improve communication and convert visitors into buyers for your e-commerce business. The effectiveness of cross-promotion in businesses can increase new sign-ups by as much as 50%. If you think about it, this is also one key UX element that can boost e-commerce conversions.
Image Source: lagirlusa.com
8. Ship Free of Charge or Offer Free Returns
The shipping and return policies of Amazon have set a high standard. No matter which e-commerce platform a customer chooses, they want free shipping.
To increase your e-commerce conversion rate, you must provide free shipping as a standard feature. Without it, your chances of conversion are significantly reduced. Undoubtedly, the customer will be able to find free shipping elsewhere.
If you would like to avoid shipping costs, you may increase the price of your product to include these charges. Although it is important to set these prices carefully, you should also consider the other options available to the customer.
They are aware of the prices offered by your competitors. As a result, you should be reasonable enough so that they do not run away from you.
9. Assist Customers Through Live Chat
Besides auto-generated suggestions, you should also be prepared to answer queries from live customers. Customers may sometimes need assistance even if your e-commerce platform is optimized to the highest level.
Through live chat support, customers can be attended to more efficiently through your online platform. It is the same procedure as when your staff works in a brick-and-mortar store.
Response time, however, is the most important factor to consider. A poor response from your customer support team will likely result in your customers abandoning your platform if you do not respond promptly.
Chatbots are indeed becoming more prevalent as alternatives, but in the end, customers require a live chat service to have their actual queries understood and resolved by a live human being. Chatbots and live chat should be combined to provide round-the-clock support.
10. Provide Social Proof with Ratings and Reviews from Buying Customers
A company’s social standing is critical to improving its conversion rates. Statista reports that 70% of online shoppers read between 1 and 6 product reviews before purchasing.
Another study found that 92% of customers are likelier to trust recommendations from friends and relatives than advertisements.
Product reviews affect purchasing decisions, that’s for sure. Whatever way you look at it, positive reviews are powerful tools for building and growing your company.
Increasing your conversions requires positive social proof to be taken into consideration. Furthermore, your social standing also contributes to improved customer retention and increases average order values.
11. Offering Several Payment Methods
You should only have multiple payment methods as part of your checkout process. There is the possibility that each of your customers will use a different payment method.
The last thing you want when you are on the checkout page is to discover that the preferred payment method is unavailable. You can solve this problem by allowing multiple payment methods and improving your brand image, increasing conversions. It is a good idea to follow some of the best practices for customizing your e-commerce web design so you can improve user experience with quick checkouts and multiple payment methods.
Analysis of the payment methods your target audience uses will help you ensure that your e-commerce platform accepts all of your customers’ desired payment methods. Modern consumers prefer payment methods such as Apple Pay and PayPal over credit cards.
If you offer free shipping in the future, you can include faster delivery options at a higher cost.
12. Use Retargeting Ads Strategy to Bring Back Customers
The website visitor who fills out forms and even adds items to their cart but does not proceed to the checkout cannot simply be ignored.
It is often a good idea to reengage lost leads since it allows you to better understand what is causing customers to leave your website. Even though the customer cannot be retrieved, you will learn much from this experience.
Additionally, exit-intent pop-ups and retargeting ads can be used to counter cart abandonment. By utilizing these tactics, you can enhance the quality of your products and ensure that your customers are completely satisfied.
After all, it all comes down to making the right offer at the right time.
Examples of High Converting E-commerce Landing Pages
Now that you understand how to design your e-commerce site for better conversion let’s look at some helpful examples of stores that use these tactics. We have compiled six examples of high-converting e-commerce landing pages.
1. Larq
There is a perfect balance between the visual appeal and the simplicity of this Larq landing page. With high-quality imagery, the offer, value proposition, and call to action are immediately clear.
The following strategies work:
- An attractive and concise headline in a clean design
- Product images of high quality
- There is a clear, bright, and relevant call to action button
Image Source: livelarq.com
2. Burrow
Burrow’s landing page highlights a new product launch through stylish imagery. There is a contemporary tone to the landing page that corresponds to the products in the store, thereby making it more appealing to their target audience.
The following strategies work:
- This image effectively illustrates the specific product
- Branding is aligned with font and color choices
- There is a clear CTA button, utilizing the white space within the image to its best advantage
- You can see which products are most popular at the bottom of the page based on social proof
- Discount offers are highlighted to entice visitors
- Clear and labeled menu that is easy to navigate
Image Source: burrow.com
3. Skullcandy
For Skullcandy, this landing page offers a unique perspective on their already well-established product. It focuses on the brand’s mission rather than the technical specifications of the headphones.
The following strategies work:
- Customer-centric value propositions
- Mental health message that is timely and relevant
- Images and fonts with contrasting tones
- Bundling option included
Image Source: skullcandy.eu
Bite Toothpaste Bit’s homepage captures visitors’ attention and demonstrates why their all-natural toothpaste is worth purchasing. There is a testimonial slider and customer reviews on the website. As a result, the purchasing process is made as smooth as possible.
Image Source: bitetoothpastebits.com
5. Bellroy
As with the brand’s products, Bellroy’s homepage is designed to reflect the brand’s aesthetic. The high-quality images and CTA button showing ‘Shop Work Collection’ are enough to encourage customers to shop here. Also, customers can easily locate products by category at the top of the page.
Image Source: bellroy.com
The white background of Carrollwood Florist’s website contrasts starkly with the bright product images, which are visible, along with the green call-to-action buttons. It is possible for customers without prior knowledge of floral design to select appropriate products by categorizing them according to occasions rather than flower types.
Image Source: carrollwoodflorist.com
Conclusion
Currently, e-commerce retailers depend heavily on conversions generated from their online stores. Improving the online experience by creating a highly optimized website is imperative to increase conversion rates.
You can scale your business by leveraging these techniques and maximizing customer satisfaction. Implement them and wait for the results, take inspiration from competitors, and remember that optimizing a site is a continuous process, so you have to change your techniques depending on what your audience likes.
