10 Techniques to Boost Conversion Rates in E-commerce Stores

Generating traffic to your site is the first step to boosting conversion rates towards running an eCommerce store. However, converting these site visitors into becoming customers is one of the biggest concerns of most eCommerce business owners.

Conversion rate is the metric used to gauge the success of an e-store business. Therefore, to successfully run an e-commerce business, you must work towards increasing conversion rates.

If you have been wondering how to increase conversion rates, this post outlines ten techniques you can use to boost your e-commerce conversion rates.

Let’s find out more about e-commerce conversion rates.

What is the conversion rate in e-commerce?

A conversion is any activity that your website visitors perform, which leads to them becoming your customer. Therefore, the conversion rate is the percentage of your site visitors who complete a required action.

Common conversions for an e-commerce store include purchase/online sales, a visitor adding an item to a wish list or a product to their shopping cart, social media shares, email signups, and any valuable KPI to your site.

However, in the online market space, a purchase is the most important conversion. So, the e-commerce conversion rate is the percentage of site visitor who makes a purchase. Therefore, when you boost conversion rates, you get more sales with an equal number of organic traffic on your site.

How to generate traffic to your e-commerce store.

In the digital retail space, organic traffic is the basis of your e-commerce store’s success. And if you cannot drive traffic to your website, factors like conversions and site analytics which are the second and third steps, won’t be necessary.

So, before we talk about conversion rates, let’s find out methods you can use to increase organic traffic to your eCommerce store.

1. Search engine optimization.

SEO is the process of increasing the quality and quantity of organic traffic to a website from search engines. It targets unpaid traffics over time. There have been three phases of SEO, the first phase was cheap, and it was easy to fool search engines back then.

The second phase gave rise to the “Content is king” movement after realizing the Black hat practices in the first phase. This second update put much emphasis on quality, unique content, and inbound linking. Also, your link-building strategy is a crucial part of your SEO as well.

The current phase is the most ethical of all; for you to compete with the big names in the online marketing space, you have to create 10× content . A content that is shareable, meaningful, and is ten times better than any other content in your niche.

Also, you must convince search engines that you are a respected and relevant contributing person in your chosen industry.

2. Use social media and social media strategy.

This is a strategy to interact with your target audience on social sites to get their attention to your e-business. This has been made easy by various social media platforms since they have updated their sites to fit every practical aspect of modern lifestyle, including e-commerce stores.

Social media is sales, promotion, shares, and links. And every e-commerce retailer should take it seriously and invest meaningful effort and time to leverage. Consider to embed social media feed on website to maximize your online presence and engage visitors. This integration ensures seamless interaction with your brand’s social content, fostering trust and encouraging further exploration of your offerings.

Social media platforms allow you to offer various pieces of non-promotional, excellent content to your followers before following up with self-promotion.

Your e-business through social walls at any event to engage more with your audience and get the chance to boost your conversion rate through this. Social walls can display live feeds from your social media channels, showcasing user-generated content with your event hashtag and encouraging further participation. This creates a dynamic and engaging experience for attendees, fostering a sense of community and excitement around your brand.

3. Use Google shopping.

This is the new dividing line between paid search and a perfect way to improve your site’s traffic generation. Like Google AdWords, Google shopping is also a paid platform, but the rules and user interfaces are all different.

It allows users to see the images of the products they want, compares prices between different e-stores, and decide on the best results in real-time. To increase traffic to your e-commerce store, you need to be perfect at winning these comparison customers.

While using Google shopping, your data quality is essential in giving the best results since it involves optimizing your feeds.

Despite the technical constraints involved in optimizing your feeds, you should not ignore it as doing so paralyzes your shopping efforts.

Here are ways you can optimize your feed.

• Product titles.

It is believed that Google crawl keyword in order. Therefore, let your title descriptors start from the most important to the least important-let them read from left to right.

• Product description.

Also, arrange your product description in the order you used to organize product titles. People search products using keywords, so don’t misuse words. Concise, comprehensive, and keyword targeted keyword-targeted description is the preferred way to go.

• Last click conversion.

Customers on google shopping often have their research done already, so don’t be reluctant to engage them. These people are always ready to purchase, positioning them at the bottom of the sales funnel.

4. Invest in Google Ads and pay-per-click adverts.

The fastest method of generating traffic to your site and increasing conversion is to pay for the services.

Though AdWords and pay-per-click advertising are expensive, especially to small e-commerce retailers, there are other ways to challenge big-box retailers and stand out. These include:

• Improving your Ad Rank score on Google.
• Bid modifiers like Geo-targeting and dayparting.
• Optimize for mobile availability.
• Leverage RLSAs
• Use other search engines if you are limited on budget. Don’t limit yourself to Google.
• Carefully place your phrase match keyword to give you the exposure and keep your budget in check.

With the remarketing list for search Ads feature, you can customize ads to fit those who have previously checked in your site. Use the remarketing list in Google analytics to tailor Ads targeting visitors from the list only for more traffic generation.

What is a good conversion rate for an e-commerce store?

To increase conversion in your business, it is essential to understand the conversion rates across the industries. Your conversion rate helps determine how your business performs in your chosen niche since it varies by the business industry.

For instance, cloth retailers had a conversion rate of 2.44% in December 2020, and sporting products e-store had an average of 1.75%.

Usually, to keep up with the competition in your industry, you need to aim for 1.5 to 3% conversion rates. The average rates across all industries sum up to 2.44%. The better your website is, the more accessible visitors can find it, and the higher the number will go up.

Techniques to boost conversion rates in e-commerce stores.

Increasing conversions needs efficiency, especially when optimizing the website to convert the traffic you drove the site. It is about understanding your industry, users, and competition and applying the insights appropriately to take advantage where possible.

Here are the ten techniques you should apply to boost conversion rates in your e-commerce store.

1. Apply persuasive design and themes.

First impressions are essential in every aspect of life, and so it is to your site. Your site’s theme is the first step towards attracting new visitors. And, you have less than one minute to persuade them to stick to the site and purchase.

In a nutshell, if your e-commerce website is not designed to keep customers engaged and complete a transaction, neither of the techniques we will discuss here will add value.

Therefore, your website should;

1. Represent your brand.

From photos to colors to font choice, your business website gives your visitors a general idea about your products or services at a glance. This needs to be set perfectly on the homepage since the brand should entice your customer when they set their eyes on it.

2. Be easy to navigate through.

The site layout should be coherently organized, having your categories and shopping carts easy to get. Your potential clients should not be overwhelmed navigating your site.

3. Be visually persuasive and bold.

Avoid putting too much writing on the homepage, have your product pictures speak for themselves. You will attract potential customers with quality and large photos.

4. Load quickly.

Boosting your website loading speed is a sure way of keeping your potential clients hooked on the site. According to Webfx.com, improving your loading speed by one second boosts your conversion rates by up to 7%.

5. Be mobile and desktop responsive.

Your site should automatically detect the gadget your customers are using to browse and load the optimized theme for the particular device.

To boost conversion rates in your e-commerce store, you need a well-designed website that is quick to load, easy to customize, and optimized for various browsing devices. Update your site if it is holding you back from attracting and converting your customers.

2. Upload high-quality product images and videos.

A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when running an e-commerce store. When clients shop through your website, they cannot feel or touch the products; they depend on your product photos to guide them on the desired goods from your brand.

Product images help bridge the gap between the digital space and the physical world. It, therefore, means that you integrate features that enhance their viewing experiences like 360 view and zoom view.

Features like adding text to photo allow potential customers to view the product photos closely from all angles. Additionally, you should ensure you are uploading high-quality images to enable them to zoom in without the images being grainy or pixelated.

Furthermore, show your products in context to get your customers to envision themselves using them. This can intrigue them into making quick buying decisions. Also, video is becoming more and more popular among e-commerce in showing products in action. Leverage this to showcase your products more compellingly.

When customers have understood your products through demonstration, upload another video to answer the concerns they might have about its use. Doing this also gives a more dynamic method of showcasing your products.

3. Write comprehensive product descriptions.

Uploading quality photos and videos is the first stride towards designing product pages that converts; however, do not expend on creating product descriptions. Assess your website copy to see if it is portraying the details needed by customers.

And, because customers cannot physically touch your products and images, however quality they are, they may not show details like materials. Ensure you have a detailed description of the products you offer.

Your product description should be tailored to match customers’ needs and challenges. As if the potential customer is asking, “why should I purchase this item?” Your descriptions should tell the benefits of your products or services.

Craft thorough descriptions that are not wordy. It is advised to break down the details in bullet form to allow for easy and quick reading.

Use LSI keywords that customers might run in the search engines when looking for your products. This will boost your SEO and help drive more traffics to your site. Finally, keep your brand in mind to make sure your tone and voice are harmonious in your descriptions.

4. Provide free shipping and returns.

According to Walker Sands, free shipping is the leading online sales driver, with up to 77% of shoppers picking it as the all-important option. Besides, free shipping and delivery have become so common that customers expect it. It is not viewed as an advantage anymore but as a necessity.

In case you will be offering free shipping, ensure it is captured prominently on the website. Do not let your customers assume its existence while you don’t provide it.

The other vital online sales driver is free returns and exchange policies. Several reasons might compel a customer to return a product or request an exchange after purchasing from you.

Though it might be expensive for e-commerce stores, having a suitable exchange and return policy speaks a lot about your customer relationship management. Failure to offer this type of policy might lead to unnecessary costs and wasted time and energy clients’ complaints and emails.

If executed properly, your exchange and returns policy plays a central position in boosting your e-commerce conversion rates.

5. Offer coupon codes.

People love receiving good deals, and providing free discounts can help increase your e-commerce conversion rates tremendously. Searching for coupon codes has evolved to become a part of shopping requirements for most potential customers.

According to a study by RetaiMeNot, 62% of the clients will not complete the purchase process without searching for the discount codes. Therefore, if possible, create and share on your website.

One simple way of attaining this is to pick emails from your site and send emails with customized discounts to the subscriber of your newsletter. Launching newsletters is an excellent way of keeping your customers updated on new products and sales.

Consider setting up newsletters if you aim at driving more interested traffic to your website and boosting your conversion rates from the traffic. Also, you can use the coupon code with your clients on your loyalty programs.

In addition, post these offers on your social media platforms and apply the fear of missing out strategy-FOMO to drive the urgency in your followers to complete a purchase. Losing it or using its method can be strategic in converting customers.

6. Allow customers to review your products.

Another proven powerful technique to convert traffics into customers is to allow product reviews. Reviews are social proof that you are offering good products, and since potential customers can’t experience or touch them, they will rely on the words of other shoppers.

While allowing reviews gives a chance to bad reviews, too, it offers you a chance to address any concerns and make things right. Follow up on clients and encourage them to review products they have purchased.

Also, check out reviews of your business as a whole using tools like Google My Business profile and respond to negative reviews thoughtfully.

7. Integrate live chat options

When you visit a brick-and-mortar store, it is easy to engage the sales team with questions and get answers instantly. However, in the online market space, it is more difficult to receive timely customer service. It can result in a loss of sales.

While phone and email support are still practical options, the live chat option has gained much acceptance in e-commerce retail due to its convenience.

44% of online shoppers attest that having an actual person talking to them during their shopping journey is the most important feature an online store can offer. One of the significant live chat benefits is that it provides minimum disruptions to customers’ shopping habits.

Customers prefer live chat because they don’t wait on hold as they can chat with customer service teams during the shopping process, allowing for a seamless customer experience.

Live chat also enables the sales team to handle multiple concerns simultaneously, hence improving their productivity which is vital in boosting conversion rates. With most customers becoming more accustomed to living chat, it is prime time to start chatting!

8. Try A/B testing

Another great way to boost conversion rates is to try different ideas to find out what resonates well with your target audience. A/B testing is the act of serving two other groups of clients with varying types of content to gauge the version that converts better.

Apply the technique to your site and emails. For instance, use it on landing pages to see which page converts better than others. Or test the checkout layout and check the performance of each. The following are a few of the areas you should test.

• Email copy.
• Send time.
• Call to action.
• images or photos.

9. Customize the shopping experience

Designing a personalized shopping experience for potential customers is another sure way to boost conversion rates. According to a study by Epsilon, 90% of clients like it when companies offer personalized services. And, up to 80% prefer doing business with retails that provide it.

Give recommendations to customers depending on their shopping behaviors and preferences, and upsell related. Recommending products to customers is also a great way to boost sales, and visitors who clicked on the recommendations are likely to become repeat customers.

Additionally, use personalization on your email marketing and loyalty programs by sending customized offers aligned to their purchase history and product preferences. Doing this has strong conversion rates and is easy to execute.

 

10. Streamline the checkout process

After your customers purchased from your store, they don’t need to undergo a long and drawn-out checkout process. When your checkout process takes too much time, you risk having increased cart abandonment and poor e-commerce conversion rates.

Avoid including complex steps like creating an account or including hidden charges and delivery costs at the checkout stage to reduce cart abandonment. Time is of importance to everybody, and your customers want a purchase process that is easy and quick.

Implement guest checkout so your clients don’t have to create an account to complete a purchase process. Consider adopting ways to skip the whole checkout stage by using tools like Google Pay or Apple Pay.

The ultimate goal is to have a quick, simple, and transparent checkout process.

Conclusion 

Conversion rates are one of the critical indicators of your e-commerce store’s success. Implementing the techniques discussed in this post will help you boost conversion rates and take your business to the next level with improved sales.

Setting a professional website and increasing traffic qualifications is the first towards boosting your conversion rate. Create persuasive themes in your site, upload quality product images with detailed descriptions and allow shoppers to review your products.

Finally, enable live chat features on your sites for real-time engagement with clients and offer a personalized shopping experience. To quickly complete the purchase process, ensure you streamline the checkout process since most shoppers expect a simple, transparent, and quick checkout.