Online shopping is a must to stay relevant in a world where consumers spend more time online than ever before.
If you are in the business of selling tangible products, you probably already have an online presence and, if not, you should.
According to eMarketer, eCommerce sales will reach nearly $7.4 trillion by 2025. These numbers show just how important it is that your business has an online presence or risks missing out on loyal customers and revenue.
The flip side is that you need to compete with enterprises that have already established themselves in this market. Luckily, the right marketing strategies can help you solve this problem because they give you an advantage over your rivals.
So, where do you start? Let’s take a look at eCommerce website best practices that will give you the confidence you need to succeed.
10 Best Practices for Running a Successful eCommerce Website
1. Avoid Clutter
Some common rookie mistakes include not having a clear CTA button or confusing visitors with cluttered content.
Make sure your website is easier to navigate and more intuitive for visitors to understand the overall purpose of the website.
2. Get a Premium Web Hosting
What’s the point of spending a lot of time building an eCommerce website if it doesn’t convert customers? It’s no surprise that speed is important in eCommerce.
If a site takes twenty seconds to load, that’s long enough for your visitors to get frustrated and leave. And if the site crashes or has problems frequently, you may end up losing a lot of money, not to mention future business. For all these reasons, building your eCommerce website on a premium web hosting plan is worth the money in the long run.
3. Eliminate Unnecessary Steps in Your Checkout Process
You should make sure your checkout process is as easy and painless as possible.
In addition, by reducing the number of steps in your checkout process you are also reducing the chance that your customers will abandon their carts during checkout.
With a bit of creativity, you can eliminate unnecessary steps in your checkout process and make it easier for the customers that come through.
4. Prioritize SEO
SEO is a vital aspect of any eCommerce site. Maintaining the SEO status of your store—through the creation and management of site content, building quality backlinks, and overall optimization—should be a top priority for SEO success.
Prioritizing SEO will help you create a sustainable, steady stream of traffic that is likely to convert better than any other type of traffic.
Remember though, SEO takes time to work. So, be patient and always follow best practices to make the most out of what you’ve done.
5. Regularly write blog posts for your website
Running a blog in addition to your eCommerce site is a great way to build a strong following. And once people are on your site, chances are they’ll buy something. Plus, running a blog strengthens SEO and keeps you top of mind in search engines like Google.
If you run a blog, people probably aren’t going to check out your eCommerce website again for at least a month. But that means every time they visit your blog (and you’re sure they’re still reading it), they might be ready to buy something. If they trust you and your brand enough, they might even become long-term customers who come back every month or so.
A blog is a great way to grow your brand and build customer loyalty. When people see that you are a real person behind the company, it makes them feel like they’re getting access to some of your inner thoughts and feelings.
6. Provide as many payment options as possible
Accepting multiple forms of payment is smart for businesses on every level. When customers can pay with the method that works best for them (and their current financial state), they’re more likely to buy from you instead of your competition.
7. Create concise, accurate product descriptions
Don’t rush through your content. Make sure you are writing informative product descriptions. Don’t be afraid to highlight the product’s benefits or explain how it works.
By writing succinctly and explaining the product in a few easy steps, you can you’re your website visitors engaged. It should give customers enough information to make a decision either way. If your competitors are doing this well, you can’t afford not to put in a bit more effort.
8. Create high-quality images of your products
There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to selling products. In fact, moving from having a physical store to an online shop can feel like venturing into some uncharted territory. Taking the extra time to focus on your product images, though, could be well worth it in the end. By making the extra effort, you may be able to stand out among your competitors and boost sales.
9. Demonstrate your product through video
Many people simply don’t have the time to read a long description. Products presented with video demonstrations are sure to boost conversions for your e-commerce store.
It’s a great way to engage your customers and promote your products.
Combine your demonstration with quality images and descriptive copy and you’re offering prospective customers the best product to meet their needs.
10. Offer a Range of Filters
If you want to convert more shoppers into buying customers, try offering some type of product filter. These can help your visitors find what they’re looking for quickly and easily, making them more likely to make a purchase.
Summing Up
If you follow the aforementioned eCommerce website best practices, you will be able to attract more visitors and subsequently convert them into your customers.
eCommerce is all about giving your customers a pleasant experience; therefore, you should be focused on such a goal in mind. Read how you can create an eCommerce website.
