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13 WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR CONVERSION RATE FOR YOUR ONLINE SHOP

Here are the best tips to increasing online conversions in 2020.

If you are looking to:
– Generate more sales
– Increase basket values
– Gain customer loyalty

Then you will love the new actionable techniques covered in this guide

Let’s get started.

Whether you’ve recently launched an online shop, or you’re looking to expand your offering online, now is the ideal time to ensure it is primed and perfected to turn visitors into customers.

Your online shop is not the only one in the world, and we can guess you may not be the only business in the world selling your product. In fact, the latest data reveals there are currently 1.3 billion eCommerce companies in the entire world.

Can your online shop compete in a busy eCommerce world?
– Absolutely!

To begin with, we carry out an audit on the audience you want to target and then we see how this works with the channels that you have set up. We feel that this is a crucial part of the process as it enables us to decide on the channels that work for your audience. We will also ensure that your profiles are set up in the correct way.

Contents

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Website Speed

+
Enhance Your Images

+
Responsive Website

+
Improve SEO

+
Format Your Copy

+
Gain Customer Reviews

+
Improve Checkout Process

+
Abandoned Carts

+
Delivery & Returns Policies

+
Site Security

+
Payment Options

+
Live Chat

+
Capture Emails

Online Shoppers

1.Speed is Everything

This may sound extreme, but in the busy digital world we live in, nobody’s got time to wait around for a website to load – we want things, and we want them NOW!

In fact, insights from Google have reported that your website needs to load within two seconds; otherwise, you can lose up to 53% of your customers.

Let’s be honest. We’ve all been there. We’re busy and we want to buy something, but the website is taking ages to load. Do we wait around? – No. We assume the website is broken and move on. And the data confirms this. 79% of online shoppers who have trouble loading a website say they won’t return to the website again. Ouch!

Analytics Dashboard On Laptop

Action Point

To check on how your website page speed is performing there are some simple tasks you can do that are completely free

Test your speed

Using Google’s PageSpeed Insights, you can learn how quickly your online shop loads, and the areas on your website that are causing the biggest issues with your page speed.

Check your hosting

In many cases, the reason for slow load time is not specifically down to the website, but the hosting company your website sits with. Check what package you’re on with your host and ensure you’ve got a future proof package that can handle an increase in customers.

01

Test Your Speed

02

Check Your Hosting

2. Enhance Your Images

At Trusted Media, we’ve successfully launched many online shops, and dramatically increased their conversions; and if there’s one thing that’s always helped accelerate that growth, it’s the quality of the imagery on the website.

Business owners often forget the importance of product imagery. Both in regards to detailed photographs, and images that show the product being used.

You’ve got to remember, that because a customer can’t physically touch a product, or try it on, you’ve got to work your absolute hardest in making them truly see the product in all its glory so they can fully get a true sense of the product before they make a purchase. 

Showing the product in its basic form, as well as allowing for close-up shots, and even videos of the product being used, can all give the customer a better idea of what they can expect when they make a purchase.

Without this insight, you can waste a lot of money on channels that provide zero return.

Action Point

Follow these action points to improve the product photography on your online shop, and you’ll see how quickly this small change makes a big difference on your conversions.

Invest in High Quality Images

Hire a photographer and gain the best possible high resolution images of your product. Ensure your customers have the ability to get close-up without the image distorting.

Add Video Content

Adding video snippets on product pages can also enhance the conversions of your products as customers get a better idea of the size, or how to use the product.

Responsive Website Design Icon

3. Be Responsive

If you haven’t made your online shop responsive to all devices, this could be one of the biggest things holding back your conversions.

Responsive means that your online shop will automatically ‘respond’ to fit the device a visitor is using—for example, a mobile phone, or an iPad.

Today’s online shoppers are tech-savvy, and they no longer just use a desktop computer or laptop to make their purchases. In fact, it’s estimated that by the end of 2020, mobile purchases will make up 50% of all online purchases.

This may not come as a surprise to you, as many of us now use our mobile devices to make quick purchases. And even more of us are now making purchases through social platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

So check how your online shop responds. Get your phone out right now and see how it loads, and if you can make a purchase without getting frustrated.

Action Point

Don’t lose customers to a competitor because your online shop can’t handle mobile transactions.

Check Responsiveness

Test how your website responds to different devices. Try loading it, and purchasing from it, on mobile devices, desktop and other mobile devices such as iPads etc. there are plenty of tools out there to check your website on different browsers or devices we love LambaTest

Facebook Window

Up Your SEO

Increasing the conversion rate of your online shop is all a numbers game. You want as many people visiting your website to become customers. But the first step that many online retailers forget is getting people to the website. After all, if you’ve not even got people finding you, how can you convert them?

This is where for any online shop SEO is vital in conversion rate optimisation.

SEO works in helping people find you. From there it’s then about converting them.

60% of users click on the top three results listed in Google. These top-ranking positions is where your online shop needs to be found when users are searching for your product.

There are a few simple things you can do to enhance your SEO, but SEO is a long-term strategy and not a quick fix. You need to know the keywords you want to target around your products and begin to create content and pages that support these.

60 Percent Of People Icon Graph

Action Point

There are a few things you can do to get your online shops SEO kick started. However, we would also strongly recommend speaking to an SEO strategist at Trusted Media, who can also help you build a long-term strategy.

Identify your keywords

What do you want your online shop to be found for? Use tools such as Google Keyword Planner to find keywords your customers are searching for.

Identify your keywords

An important part of SEO that you can do is write compelling meta-titles and meta-descriptions that include your keywords.

Action Point

Even with an online shop your web copy should really get to the point and give the customer the information they need to make an informed decision. It’s exactly like if a customer in a real shop was to ask you about a product. Think of it in this way and it might help you create better copy.

Don’t Overwrite

Keep your written copy concise, and don’t waffle on or use technical jargon that your audience may not understand.

Make it easy to scan

Format copy with sub-headings, and bullet points so that it’s easier for a customer to pick out the key points they need.

Format Your Copy

It’s undeniable that as a world, we are more visually influenced by images than any other medium. We love to see things, and while your photography and images play a strong part in converting customers, you also have to get clever with your written copy. 

Unfortunately, people just don’t read online copy like they used to. Again, we’re all in a rush and just want to pull out the vital information we need. 

Based on an eye-tracking study by Neilsen Group, most online users view a page in an ‘F’ shape.

The research by Neilsen provides us with an incredible insight into how we must format and create written copy that supports the user.

Therefore, the copy on all your web pages should be formatted and engaging so the user fully interacts with the page.

6. Gain Great Reviews

92 Percent Of Online Shoppers Will Read Reviews Or Testimonials Before Maknig A Purchase

The old recommend a friend adage works even with an online shop. We trust other user reviews, and many of us will even search out reviews before we decide to make a purchase.

In fact, the current data for online eCommerce, reveals that 92% of online shoppers will read reviews or testimonials before making a purchase.

Encourage people to leave reviews of the products they’ve purchased. There are now many review apps such as Trust Pilot, to help you secure valid reviews from your existing customers.

If your online shop is completely new, but you’ve had customers purchase from your physical store; encourage these customers to leave a review too.

Action Point

As consumers we put a lot of trust in reviews, and this includes when we’re purchasing a product from an online shop. Here are some actions to help you move this forward.

Adopt a review app

From Google Reviews to Trust Pilot, choose a review app that will integrate with your online shop and show customers reviews for each product.

Nurture reviews

When a customer has purchased an item don’t forget to nurture a review out of them. You can do this by sending them an email newsletter with a form, or by offering a small discount to really move them to make a review.

7. Make
Check-Out
Simple

To begin with, don’t force your customers to register with you to purchase your products – unless registration is required because the products are specialised in some way.

People are easily put off when they can’t just check out as a guest. So ensure this option is available to your visitors.

Second to this key point, is the fact that your check out process should be super quick and simple. Don’t make them go through pages and pages of information gathering before they can finally reach the checkout.

In a study by Wordstream, one of the top three reasons people abandon the cart is due to a complicated
and long check out process.

At Trusted Media, we recommend that your checkout process should be no longer than one to two pages maximum. See how we improved the checkout process
for Bolin Webb.

Action Point

ECommerce Trolly IconThe visitors to your online shop want their experience to be effortless, which means you need to work on making your check-out process completely fuss-free.

Minimise information gathering

We’ve seen many eCommerce stores that ask for so much information, you may as well hand over your passport number and your birth certificate! – Don’t take information that is not necessary. Look at the fields on your check-out form and really ask if it is vital.

Reduce check-out steps

Implement a one to two step check out process so that you customers don’t need to spend all their time trying to buy your product. Make it quick and easy for them

Man Making An Online Card Payment

Action Point

Those abandoned carts provide your online shop with warm leads, and a fantastic opportunity to improve your website usability. Embrace these abandoned carts to further increase your conversions.

Identify the why

Analyse your abandoned carts and try to understand why customers may be dropping away. Is the check-out process to long, shipping costs to hight etc?

Bring them back

Create a specific email newsletter and discount code to bring users back to their abandoned carts.

8. Follow-up
on Abandoned
Carts

Abandoned carts happen for a number of reasons. The checkout process was too long, high shipping costs, you have to create an account to purchase, or the website was too slow. The list can go on. But one thing many online retailers forget to do, is to follow-up on these abandoned carts.

The first thing to do, is to understand why these carts were abandoned in the first place. Keep an eye on how many carts keep dropping, and why this might be.

You can use tools such as HotJar, to record user interactions with your website, so you can see exactly at which point they drop away.

The second part of this is, once you’ve rectified the potential issue of these abandoned carts, is to follow up with an email a few days later with a small discount. This can often incentivise them to come back and finally complete their order.

Man Opening A Delivery Parcel

9. Be Clear
About Delivery
& Returns
Policies

Just how clear are you about your delivery and return policies?

Ecommerce shoppers want this information to be easy to access, and simple to understand. Don’t make it difficult for them to find, or so long that it’s hard to understand.

Plus, making your delivery costs and returns policies clear encourages people to make a purchase because they feel confident that they’re not going to be penalised for sending something back.

Always have your delivery charges and returns policies on the footer of your online shop, as this is naturally where shoppers will look to find the information.

Also ensure these details are listed on the check out page where shoppers can clearly accept that they understand the charges and policies.

Action Point

Before any online shopper makes a commitment to purchase a product they want to know delivery charges and returns policies. Having this information clear can help to increase your conversion rate.

Detail delivery charges

Make your delivery charges very clear, and what the delivery charge includes. For example, are there any special charges for international orders, t0 differences in service.

Returns Policy

Ensure your returns policy is very clear about how a product or item can be returned and how many day the customer has to return an item. Returns policies should always follow consumer rights practices, and to keep customers even sweeter, be free of a delivery or postage charge.

10. Make Site Security Obvious

As online shoppers, we are incredibly aware of how dangerous online shopping can be. Especially with data breaches and hackers becoming more intelligent as to how we use our devices, and the payment methods we now have stored on those devices.

Your online shop needs to be secure, and needs to make this clear to all customers who visit the website. After all, if you don’t feel safe on a website, you’re certainly not going to hand over your credit card details.

In order to make people feel confident to purchase from you, your online shop has to be highly secure.

More than half of consumers, only purchase from sites with a clear SSL certificate. This can be seen in your URL. As secure websites always start with https.

71 Percent Of Custoemrs Will Take Thier Busienss Elsewhere If Made Aware Of Data Breach

71% of customers say they would take their business elsewhere if they were made aware of a data breach. Which means an unsecured online shop could end up costing you your business. And that’s before the rules of GDPR inflict further pain on you, with fines and even prison sentences for businesses who are not operating securely.

Action Point

A safe and secure website will help you to build trust and confidence in your customers, which will in return help nurture them towards a sale.

Adopt SSL

Speak to your hosting company about purchasing an SSL certificate. At Trusted Media, we can provide one to our clients and help action this.

Action Point

Expand your payment options for customers and see your online shop increase conversions. It’s one simple step that can truly make all the difference.

Add more payment options

Look to include more payment options to your online shop such as PayPal, Amazon Payments, Credit and Debit cards using with Stripe or Square also look to offer Android Pay and Apple Pay to speed up checkout.

Online Payment Gateway Checkout Icons@2x

11. Accept
Multiple
Payment
Options

Going a little further with security; there are still some people who just don’t feel comfortable sharing their card details online. As an online shop, this could mean you’re turning away crowds of customers who all want to purchase your product, but just not in the way you want them to.

Providing multiple payment options can help you broaden your reach.

PayPal, for example, is favoured by 44% of consumers, as it helps to protect them against fraud.

Utilising various payment systems helps your customer feel more confident in their purchase, and you gain more custom than if you stuck with just one method.

12. Embrace Live Chat Software

You may have noticed live chats increasing on the websites you visit, so why not add one to your online shop and help your customers towards the product they need?

Recent data has revealed that live chat software is becoming an online customer service tool that’s increasing those online sales. In fact, 79% of consumers prefer to live chats as they can get an answer instantly.

There are now many live chat features you can add to your online shop for free, or for a small fee, with systems such as Drift Chat.

Live chat tools can be the difference between losing a sale and gaining more.

If you treat your live chat, just as you would with a physical store and a real-life customer, you get to understand how helpful this can be to your customers. You’re offering them the same opportunity to ask questions before they make a purchase.

Action Point

Talk to your customers like they’re human, and help them know which product to buy. A live chat is your ideal customer service tool for your online shop.

Add a live chat feature

Include a live chat feature on your online shop, and ask your customers if they need any help. There are many tools out there to cater for your budget.

13. Capture
Emails

Throughout our time supporting online eCommerce stores, the biggest downfall we see with online businesses is their lack of emails.

Many online shop owners believe that social media is the way forward, but this only provides brand exposure. When you compare sales gained from any other medium, SEO, emails, ads; social media is still way down in the list of channels that truly convert.

Our advice at Trusted Media is to always build a strong email list, and nurture it well.

After all, emails are direct, and those who have signed up for your emails are already aware of your brand and products, so are much more likely to convert than those who have travelled in cold from social media.

As well as collecting your customer’s emails, ensure to segment their data, so you know what they purchased. This can help you to make the emails more personalised to what they really need.

Capture Emails Magent Icon

Action Point

Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to increase the conversion rate of your online shop, so start making it your key marketing channel.

Build an email list

Collect customers emails, create competitions and even add a subscribe button on your blog.

Nurture your email list

Once you have people in your email list, make being on your list worth their while. Share valid content that could help them get the most from their purchase, and provide the odd discount to nurture more sales.

Conclusion

Many of the tips we’ve listed in this feature can be done by you right now to start increasing the conversion rate for your online shop. Some of these tips won’t even cost you money, just time.

Take one action point at a time and work your way through this list. As wen can guarantee that even some of the small changes, will help you see a big difference.

If you’re still stuck about how to increase your conversion rate, or want support in accelerating your online sales, talk to us today.

You can view exactly what we’ve done for other eCommerce clients in our portfolio Here.

Are you needing help improving your conversion rate?

Book a discovery call
Big Image

Dean Lynn

Managing Director

Dean is the Founder of Trusted Media and has over fifteen years experience of commercial business marketing. If you ever meet Dean, you’ll quickly realise how honest and straight to the point he is; something his clients love about his marketing approach. When Dean’s not at Trusted Media providing marketing consultancy to clients, he can be found at home with his daughter, who loves creating (breaking) things. Dean never sits still, enjoys eating food (part-time #instafoodie), and finds his happy place in the kitchen baking or in the garden.

Book a discovery call
Dean Lynn

Dean is the Founder of Trusted Media and has over fifteen years experience of commercial business marketing. If you ever meet Dean, you'll quickly realise how honest and straight to the point he is; something his clients love about his marketing approach. When Dean's not at Trusted Media providing marketing consultancy to clients, he can be found at home with his daughter, who loves creating (breaking) things. Dean never sits still, enjoys eating food (part-time #instafoodie), and finds his happy place in the kitchen baking or in the garden.

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