23/06/2023 6 min read
The rapid development of digital technology in the past decade has changed the way customers shop. More and more people prefer to buy online rather than visit physical stores. They enjoy the convenience, comfort and cost savings of online shopping.
However, having a lot of visitors to your website is not enough to succeed in eCommerce. You need to convert them into buyers. The eCommerce conversion rate is the ratio of transactions to sessions, expressed as a percentage. A higher conversion rate means more revenue for your business. Therefore, you need to optimize your website for increasing the conversion rate at every step, from the landing page to the checkout. Here are some tips on how to improve your eCommerce conversions:
A slow-loading website can frustrate your visitors and make them leave without taking any action. According to Google, 53% of mobile users abandon a site that takes longer than 3 seconds to load. To optimize your website speed, you can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or Pingdom to analyze your site performance and identify areas for improvement. Some common ways to speed up your website include compressing images, minifying code, using a content delivery network (CDN), and caching static files.
A call to action is a button, link, or text that prompts your visitors to take the next step in your conversion funnel. A clear and compelling CTA can motivate visitors to click and complete the desired action. To create effective CTAs, you should use action-oriented words, such as "Buy Now", "Sign Up", or "Get Started". You should also use contrasting colors, large fonts, and whitespace to make your CTAs stand out on your page. Additionally, you should test different variations of your CTAs to see which ones perform better.
A complicated or lengthy checkout process can deter your customers from completing their purchases and increase your cart abandonment rate. To simplify your checkout process, you should reduce the number of steps and fields required for your customers to place their orders. You should also provide multiple payment options like credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Moreover, you should allow guest checkout for customers who do not want to create an account or log in.
Abandoned cart emails remind shoppers of the items they left in their online shopping carts without completing the purchase. According to a study by Baymard Institute, the average cart abandonment rate across all industries is 69.99%. This means more than two-thirds of potential customers leave your website without buying anything. By sending abandoned cart emails, you can recover some of these lost sales and increase your revenue.
Abandoned cart emails work by enticing customers to return to your website and complete their orders. They can include various elements, such as:
Abandoned cart emails can have a significant impact on your conversion rate. According to a report by Moosend, the average open rate for abandoned cart emails is 45%, the average click-through rate is 21%, and the average conversion rate is 10.7%. This means that for every 100 customers who abandon their carts, you can potentially recover 10 sales by emailing them.
Social proof and trust signals show your visitors that other people have used and liked your products or services. They can help you build credibility and trust with your potential customers and reduce their hesitation or anxiety. Some examples of social proof and trust signals include customer reviews, testimonials, ratings, awards, badges, certifications, logos of partners or clients, and social media followers or shares.
Shipping costs and return policies are two main factors influencing online shoppers' purchase decisions. According to a study by Baymard Institute, 55% of online shoppers abandon their carts because of extra costs such as shipping, taxes, or fees. Another study by Narvar found that 96% of online shoppers would shop again with a retailer that offered an easy return process. To increase your conversion rate, you should offer your customers free shipping and easy returns. You should also display these offers prominently on your website and remind your customers of them during the checkout process.
Urgency and scarcity are psychological principles that make people act faster and buy more because they fear missing out on a good deal or a limited opportunity. You can create urgency and scarcity on your website using countdown timers, stock indicators, flash sales, limited-time offers, or exclusive deals. However, you should use these tactics sparingly and honestly to avoid annoying or misleading your customers.
Personalization is tailoring your website content and offers to each visitor based on their preferences, behavior, location, device, or other data points. Personalization can help you increase your conversion rate by showing your visitors relevant and engaging content that matches their needs and interests. For example, you can personalize your website by showing product recommendations based on browsing history or purchase history, geo-targeted offers based on location or weather, and dynamic banners based on device type or time of day.
Live chat and chatbots allow you to communicate with your visitors in real time via text or voice. Live chat and chatbots can help you increase your conversion rate by providing instant and personalized customer service, answering common questions, resolving issues, collecting feedback, or guiding your visitors through conversion.
Mobile devices account for over half of global web traffic and online sales. Therefore, optimizing your website for mobile devices is essential to provide a smooth and seamless user experience for your mobile visitors. To optimize your website for mobile devices, you should use a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and orientations, use large and legible fonts and buttons, use straightforward navigation, use images and videos that load fast and fit the screen, and avoid pop-ups and interstitials that block the content.
Testing and optimizing your website is the best way to find out what works and doesn't for your visitors and your conversion goals. You can use tools like Google Analytics, Google Optimize, or Optimizely to track and measure your website performance and conduct experiments such as A/B, multivariate, or split testing. By regularly testing and optimizing your website, you can improve your user experience, increase your conversion rate, and grow your eCommerce business.
