Here we discuss some e-commerce tips that you can use to boost your online business. These tips are chosen to get you thinking about how changes can ensure that you can achieve the boost you want. You can do that with these tips in part because some are achievable in the short term. They can partly ensure that you notice something quickly and partly that the costs are manageable. It should also be noted that you can of course make it as crazy as you want and when you attach a complete strategic plan the picture probably looks different.
Our 7 tips
1. Website design
We believe that your website is your online business card. One of the best tips we can give you is to make sure that the design of your website reflects what you want it to convey to the outside world. This sounds obvious and the following example will confirm this.
For example, if you have an outlet shop in low budget furniture, it makes no sense to create a design of an exclusive high-end furniture store. In addition, it is common to consider the logo and possibly the corporate identity when designing the site because it creates unity and it contributes to the visitor's experience on your site.
We recommend that you look closely at the use of color in text, columns and buttons. Certain colors evoke certain triggers in the human brain that can either strengthen or weaken a desired action. We also wrote a blog about this. We understand that the design of your site is hugely important and that you do everything you can to make it as beautiful as possible. Still, the most important aspect in our eyes is to have a site that meets your expectations.
Let's take furniture outlet as an example. Here you want people to buy products and if people are not triggered to click through and make a purchase, a site with only a beautiful design is of no use. So through the use of color, make sure that certain aspects stand out and make people click on them.
2. Mobile first
Tips regarding dealing with mobile devices should not be missed, of course. Nowadays, almost everyone around you has a cell phone and many search terms are searched via mobile devices. It is therefore important that your website is "mobile friendly. Earlier we discussed the importance of having a good mobile version of the site. In short, there are a number of points of enormous importance when looking at the mobile version of your site.
Obviously, the site must be uncluttered. Prevent people from having to zoom in and out to see or read certain parts of the site. This creates irritation and thus causes people to leave your site. This also applies to long loading times.
If people have to wait a long time for a particular page, they leave the site and go to find their information elsewhere. Important tips to avoid this? For example, make sure photos are compressed. The smaller the files the faster images load and thus the faster the site is visible. In addition, we recommend paying close attention to distances of buttons and links. Make sure they are not too close together so that visitors accidentally click on the wrong link. This also causes irritation and makes them leave your site.
3. A/B testing
With this, you test two variants of a particular page or part of the page of your website. You may wonder why you would want to do this. Actually, you want to see which variant resonates best with the visitor, however, there must be a goal behind it. This is often the conversion and by this we mean a certain action you expect at that moment. Think, for example, of buying a product or requesting a quote. If we include the first tip of all (website design), you can, for example, look at what color variation does to the behavior of visitors.
Just to give an obvious example. Variant A has a black button and variant B a red button. You can almost always assume that variant B will be seen earlier or better by visitors and will therefore be acted upon sooner. Now this is a very simple example but it shows the idea behind A/B testing.
What should you consider? In any case, make sure you prioritize the improvements you think you can make. If all goes well, you have some ideas of your own. This is often the reason to consider conducting an A/B test. One of the most important tips in this section is to conduct an A/B test especially in the initial period with an idea that can be implemented relatively quickly. By this we mean that the improvement you want to implement does not take a lot of time and/or money.
Once you have run the first A/B test you can pick up the next item on the priority list. When you have completed all points there are two options. Either start again at point 1 to continue optimizing or start exploring new points. Read more about A/B testing here.
4. Newsletter
Gone are the days when you can send people newsletters automatically. Nowadays, you have to ask permission to send someone a newsletter. Why do you want to send a newsletter at all? Of course, this can have multiple purposes such as informing about new products, sharing developments but also triggering a purchase. If people are interested in your brand or your products the first two will be desirable. If someone has not completed their order, you can approach them with the last 'newsletter' to follow up on the purchase.
It is also about the way the newsletter is designed. When you receive an e-mail, you want to be enthused by the subject because then you are more likely to open it. If you don't like the subject, chances are that you will delete the e-mail unopened. The more often this happens, the greater the chance that people will unsubscribe from your newsletter so that they can no longer be contacted. Make sure you share relevant information and work with catchy text and images that make the reader enthusiastic.
5. Use of Social media
We can't live without it these days! This is also the reason why expressions through social channels are so in demand by companies. The advantage is that each user has already supplied a lot of information. Think for example of name and age but also interests and locations. This is obviously useful information when approaching a particular target group. In addition, you need to look at what you are going to use social media for. Do you want people to make a purchase on your site or do you just want to inform them?
For example, if you have already searched online for a new vacuum cleaner, chances are that you will suddenly see advertisements coming by about vacuum cleaners. This could be about a specific model you've been looking at, for example, with the intention that you buy it or, for example, to read a blog about the benefits of certain vacuum cleaners. Intention is ultimately a purchase but initially you are trying to interest the visitor to read more about it.
6. Shipping and returns
If you don't offer free shipping, you are immediately 1-0 behind. That's just how it works these days. Ordered before 23:00, delivered the next day is also a familiar slogan. The customer is king and that is reflected in the shipping options offered. In extreme cases, this also means that the logistics branch has to work night shifts to actually deliver the packages to the customer on time. For small(er) parties it is practically impossible to go along with this price-wise. What tips will help me deal with this?
See what is a realistic goal here. If you have a daily pickup at 5 p.m. then you can choose to have orders shipped up to 4 p.m. the same day. Depending on the industry or the product, this is often not a problem. If your products are mostly + €100, it doesn't make much difference whether you offer free shipping from €50 or from €75. If you have a product that is not available within one day, then this USP falls away.
Again, a simple example. Suppose you buy a car online that needs to be put together then everyone understands that it will not be at your doorstep the next day. Look at what is realistic and see what the competitors are doing. Can't or won't go along with their USPs make sure you compensate in some other way.
This can be done, for example, with returns. Offering free returns is one example. For example, returning a washing machine is easier if it is picked up than if you have to take it away yourself. The game is not to be the cheapest or fastest in everything, but to find a middle ground in which you feel comfortable and the customer is also satisfied.
7. Reviews
Reviews can be of great importance to a visitor to your site. On a site you do not have personal interaction so you cannot help the visitor yourself. The design, text and images, operation and speed are important factors on which the visitor decides whether your site meets expectations or not. By offering reviews, you can make visitors feel more secure and informed about your product or service. Because others communicate their opinion about your product or service, the visitor attaches a certain value to it.
You can say all kinds of things yourself but if only bad reviews are posted with it, in all likelihood the visitor will not make a purchase. Make sure the expectation of your product or service is also described in the description so there are no surprises. People are also more likely to post bad reviews than good ones. In addition, good reviews give you a better rating which also makes you more likely to be visible in organic search traffic.
Hopefully, the above tips can get you started in estimating which components will help boost your business. These tips are meant to give you an idea of the possibilities that might help you. If there are other issues or tips that you think might help your business please feel free to contact us. We are always ready to spar with ambitious entrepreneurs about tips and see how we can contribute to the desired growth.
