Marketers are typically focused on generating more traffic to their websites and developing unique campaigns. While these things are critical to your success in ecommerce, it is just as important to optimise your online store to ensure you keep the visitors you have worked so hard to earn. Even minor issues will drive visitors away from your site, leading to more and more lost sales.
That said, optimising your Shopify store doesn’t have to be complicated. Continue reading to learn five of the most reliable ways to improve your site performance and maximise conversions. Also be sure to check out some of the top Shopify apps for more ways to differentiate your store from the competition.
Run A/B Tests
A/B tests are a crucial element of any digital marketing campaign, and they can be highly effective when optimising a Shopify store. In short, A/B testing involves comparing two different variants of the same element, such as an ad or landing page in order to identify which is the better option.
In an email campaign, for example, you might test two different subject lines to see which one connects with recipients. Similarly, you can make changes to a product page and run a test to see whether the new version leads to more sales.
Fortunately, third-party platforms such as Google Content Experiments, Convert, Optimizely, and Adobe Target facilitate various aspects of the testing process. This makes it easy to run a large number of tests simultaneously without spending too much time managing the details.
You can also set up goals in Google Analytics to measure certain behaviors such as accessing a specific page or signing up for your newsletter. It’s easy to track the performance of two test variants through Google Analytics.
Improve Your Search Tool
The search tool is generally the simplest way for users to find products on your site, but visitors might not know any specific keywords. Furthermore, if the search function is inconspicuous or hard to find, they might not even realise that the option is available.
With that in mind, the first step toward crafting a better search experience is to make the search bar visually obvious. In fact, it should be one of the first things a user sees when they’re browsing through product pages. Keep in mind that using the search bar is a strong predictor of whether a given lead will eventually make a purchase.
That said, it’s just as important to offer more intelligent search results when a customer enters particular keywords. Traditional search tools simply take a given input, and display every entry that contains the input. Unfortunately, this approach can make it surprisingly difficult for leads to find what they’re looking for.
More intelligent search tools can account for these issues in a number of ways. They might automatically correct misspellings or look for results that almost match what a user entered. They can also understand alternate product names - for example, by displaying mittens in response to a search for gloves.
Offer Better Product Images
Customers have far less to go on when they make a purchase online compared to shopping in a physical store, and that uncertainty can make them hesitant to place an order. Images are a great way to communicate details about the product, so it’s important to use high-resolution content that clearly displays any notable features.
In general, you should do everything you can to give customers a better idea of what the product looks like and how it functions. IKEA, for example, offers an innovative augmented reality app that allows users to visualise how a given piece of furniture will fit in an existing room. Simulating or even going beyond the in-person shopping experience will give visitors more confidence in the products they’re looking at.
Depending on the product in question, you may also benefit from adding multiple images that showcase a variety of angles. Some brands offer product videos in order to illustrate specific functions or demonstrate how it works in practice. Don’t forget to answer common customer questions or concerns such as estimated measurements for different clothing sizes.
Avoid Hidden Charges
Some brands hide shipping costs and other charges until later on in the checkout process, but this practice will only push your audience away. Customers expect their favorite brands to offer transparent pricing from the very beginning.
Your shipping and returns policies should also be easily accessible from any page on your website. If you offer free shipping for orders above a certain minimum, for example, that information should be clearly visible on your home page along with any product pages.
Follow up on Abandoned Carts
Research indicates that more than two-thirds of all online shopping carts are abandoned before the purchase is completed, making abandoned carts a key source of lost sales for ecommerce vendors. Reducing your cart abandonment rate is crucial for generating more conversions, and converting more abandoned carts is just as important.
Marketers have access to more tools than ever when it comes to following up on abandoned carts. A typical cart abandonment workflow might start with an initial follow-up message an hour or two after the end of the visit. At this point, your products are still fresh in their mind, and a quick reminder might be enough to make the sale. You can also use this opportunity to display similar products that they could be interested in.
If the first message doesn’t lead to a conversion, it’s good to wait at least 24 hours before contacting the lead again. The second message is the perfect chance to include a small offer and give them another reason to come back to your site. Even just ten percent off will help you convert a surprising percentage of abandoned carts, and it’s a small price to pay to acquire or retain a customer.
Optimising your store for conversions and driving traffic to your Shopify store is a long but fruitful process. Digital marketing is incredibly complicated, but your sales can ultimately be defined by three factors: the number of visitors, the percentage of visitors who make a purchase, and the percentage of first-time customers who continue buying your products. Increasing any of the three elements will help you improve your overall sales. These five tips will go a long way toward converting more visitors and minimising lost sales on your Shopify store.
Omnisend specialises in marketing automation to improve targeting and conversion.
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