E-commerce websites shouldn’t just look good on the surface. Careful attention to site design for an optimised shopping experience and a well-coordinated content strategy plays a key role in maximising the returns gained from an online storefront.
It takes more than market appeal and razzmatazz to draw in customers to an e-commerce website. What makes an e-commerce website appealing to customers is more than just skin deep. By focusing on making significant improvements to the customer experience, retail businesses can optimise their e-commerce websites and support it with a digital marketing campaign. Businesses across Australia from Melbourne to Sydney can capitalise on building and promoting a well-designed online storefront to maximise their revenues.
A good e-commerce website is its reward. Although aesthetic appearances are important in fostering brand recognition and showcasing the products, they are far from the only concern when designing an online storefront. Streamlining the buying process helps the bottom line not only by shortening the time to close the sale but also impress buyers enough to encourage subsequent purchases in the future. Moreover, integrating your online store closely with your digital marketing and search engine optimisation campaigns can help more customers see your store and close the gap between potential buyers and the checkout counter.
Convenience
Part of what makes online shopping more attractive to consumers is that it is easier to use. One of the biggest problems faced by e-commerce websites, however, is the sheer difficulty faced by customers in both finding the products they want or need and the often complicated and lengthy checkout process when finalising the purchase. Enterprises should optimise the architecture of their e-commerce websites to make purchases more convenient, especially for people browsing through their mobile devices.
Retail enterprises that rely on an online store should do all they can to streamline the process of purchasing within the site itself. Site checkouts should be as short as possible: two stages should be more than enough for most online transactions. Any more than that may be off-putting for your customers.
Navigation should also be a priority. The site’s inventory of products should be arranged to make it easy for your customers to find the products they are looking for. Good-quality product images should be an important component of your social media campaign. Your social media accounts should incorporate images of products currently in stock and link to the products’ pages in your online store, streamlining the product search process even further.
Stability and Security
An e-commerce website should be stable. It should be capable of handling not only everyday site traffic but also the influx of orders that come and go during holidays and sales. Besides being free from structural instabilities, it should also have sufficient bandwidth to handle its customer load. By staying active even in busy peak seasons, your e-commerce store can maintain cash flow for your enterprises with little to no interruptions while your customers enjoy convenient shopping options.
Your business’ website should also be tightly secured. With the rising number of data breaches today, it is paramount that your enterprise not take chances with its customers’ data. Bolster your site’s cybersecurity to minimise the risks of data mining and other forms of cybercriminal subterfuge. Your customers will thank you for it.
Visual Appeal
E-commerce is a visual activity. Beyond merely showcasing the features of each product on your website in great detail, your enterprise should also utilise visual imagery extensively throughout your digital marketing campaigns. Use social media features to your business’ advantage. The visual focus of Instagram, for instance, makes it an optimal social network to promote your products.
Don’t neglect the quality of your content marketing in both your online storefront and its associated social media platforms. Besides pictures, your website and social media should have well-written copy describing it and its features.
