An ecommerce store is a constant work in progress by its very nature.
New products and services are always being added or removed, with different configurations and customer experience tools tested to see what works best.
But what are some rock-solid ways to optimize an ecommerce store that doesn’t require endless tinkering or trial and error?
Here’s what ecommerce experts had to say about optimization strategies that never fail.
Identify and Fix UX Issues
Even the best ecommerce stores have problems that put a damper on the user experience or slow down the process of research and discovery.
Always be combing over your website from every angle and see where issues can be alleviated, and fixes made by the devs.
“Content location mistakes can happen to retailers big and small, or maybe there are links that no longer work that need to be refreshed,” says Yuvi Alpert, Founder and CEO of Noémie. “Keep your team keenly aware that any issues should be quickly reported and addressed. In 2021, you need to run a tight ship with ecommerce and can’t make amateur mistakes.”
This policy also applies to campaigns and offers that have overstayed their welcome or no longer serve the brand or customer.
When it’s time to move on and switch things up, don’t hesitate to do so.
“We can intuitively tell when an ecommerce store is behind the times or an offer seems stale in the context of the current landscape,” says Anish Patel, Founder of Tinto Amorio. “It’s your job to spot anything that could be interpreted as anachronistic or outdated. This is the key to staying relevant and ahead of the competition.”
By cleaning up your website and fixing any visual or UX problems, the entire shopping experience is more enjoyable, straightforward, and conducive to more purchases.
“The functionality of your ecommerce store is key to how your brand is perceived and trusted by the public,” says Ryan Lee, Co-Founder and CEO of Rooted. “The better things work, the more likely they are to trust you and buy. It’s the same psychology as walking into a clean, well-organized store, opposed to a weird, messy warehouse.”
With a greater emphasis on user experience, it will be interesting to watch how ecommerce pioneers introduce new design elements, making the online shopping journey more enjoyable and efficient.
Efficient Website Development
From a technical standpoint, a lightweight website is often better than one weighed down by features and widgets. When it comes to loading times and agile navigation, speed is best.
This has a big impact on the user experience, plus SEO and visibility are affected in turn.
“Over-developed websites are slow to load,” says Brian Massey, Founder of Conversion Sciences. “This directly impacts conversion rates. No matter how cute the treatment, if your home page requires a ‘loading’ message, you’re probably in trouble.”
Services are available across the web to assess the speed of your ecommerce store and make relevant recommendations for improvement.
“Consider doing a technical audit of your site and see exactly what could be slowing things down for customers as they browse and buy,” says Jeff Meeks, VP of Sales and Marketing at EnergyFit. “Since you’re already so familiar with your store, there is likely something you skim over or don’t acknowledge just by virtue of being the proprietor.”
Many business owners also bring on a third-party development team to handle things professionally. The advantage here is a “second set of eyes” on your site, which can also help identify flaws and dead ends.
“The amount of visual clutter and confusion on some of today’s sites are just uncalled for,” says Jeremy Goldstein, CEO of Navitar. “Customers appreciate a clean, streamlined shopping experience without pop-ups and distractions jumping out every three seconds. Allow them to navigate your site with ease and the peace of mind that they can shop freely and undisturbed.”
In this day and age, less is more in the world of ecommerce, so keep things simple when weighing design choices.
Mobile-Ready UX
For ecommerce stores looking to streamline the user experience, it could be useful to look through the lens of smartphones and tablets.
The rapid, widespread adoption of these devices is no secret, and shoppers are more comfortable than ever when buying items on the fly through handheld platforms.
It won’t be long before sales ecommerce from mobile devices outpace the profits from traditional retail and desktop computers, so the time is now for brands to get their mobile UX on point.
“One of the most important factors of a successful ecommerce store in today’s digital world is that it is optimized for mobile use,” said Karina Karassev, Founder and COO of Stori. “Especially with advertisements on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook that are used predominantly on smartphones, the ability to press on your store link and immediately find their way to a mobile-friendly sales page is crucial to rapid sale success.”
As Karassev puts it, companies must now look beyond the user experience of browsing and shopping for goods on phones. The entire customer journey is now happening at the palm of your hand, meaning that every phase of marketing and communication must be mobile-ready as well.
Copy should be visible, items should be browsable, and calls-to-action easily navigated. Things happen quickly on mobile, so a lean and mean website is also essential.
“Taking your sales page beyond simply being mobile-functional to looking and working well on mobile is a huge step in ecommerce success,” said Karassev.
Clear Calls to Action
What is one thing that no ecommerce site can survive without? That’s right – calls to action that compel visitors to move in the direction of a purchase.
Leave out your CTAs and kiss those sales goodbye, no matter how good your products may be.
“Today’s customers are smart and know what they want, but you still need to put the offer out there for them to bite,” says Miles Beckett, CEO and Co-Founder of Flossy. “Aggressive sales tactics aren’t always necessary – just present the offer in a clear way so that they know what to expect and aren’t misled.”
Of course, there are countless ways to make offers more appealing, with various CTA tactics used in different scenarios to great effect.
“You can really set the tone of your site with your calls to action, whether you want to convey a high-energy atmosphere or more of a low-key, relaxed vibe,” says Melanie Bedwell, Ecommerce Manager with OLIPOP. “Keep these choices in line with the message and feel of your brand so that everything is consistent.”
Streamline Checkout to Perfection
It wasn’t long ago that checkout took several minutes to complete, even on the most advanced websites. Talk about ancient technology!
Now, customers want to pay fast and move along, so your site should have a stellar checkout experience to facilitate fast conversions.
“Be extremely flexible with different types of payment and give customers more options to keep cart abandonment to a minimum,” says Dylan Trussell, Co-Founder of Culprit Underwear. “The same thing goes for guest checkouts or starting a new account. The less time it takes, the better.”
Security and assurance are also necessary to keep the checkout process rolling along, so create that sense of safety and connection the whole time.
“Be sure to convey that the customer is in good hands when they’re entering contact information and financial info,” continued Trussell. “If you are going to email them marketing materials, let them know, or give them the ability to opt out. You want to keep everything honest and above board where possible.”
Cater to Your Market Niche
So far, our optimization tips have been general, but to really take your ecommerce store to the next level, you’ll need to get in tune with what your customers want and adjust accordingly.
“Market-specific customer care – ecommerce leaders must understand how customers want to interact with their brand for customer service,” says Forrester’s Lily Varon. “Customers’ reliance on different service channels (e.g., call center, email, online chat, and social) vary by market, and well-localized websites will dedicate resources to channels relative to local preference.”
How do you know which direction to go with so many possible paths? By tuning in to conversations on social media and the culture in general, you will shine a light on the best route forward.
“The fact that you can literally listen and learn from your customers in real time is lost on many ecommerce competitors right now,” says Chris Vaughn, CEO of Emjay. “Also take advantage of tools like surveys and questionnaires, because that’s free market research you can use for any aspect of business development or marketing.”
The road of ecommerce optimization is a long one, and true industry veterans know that a new challenge is always waiting around the bend.
No matter where you are on the journey, these tips should help your store significantly and lead to more revenue in no time.
Source: InTouch
