To get your customers safely through the sales funnel, you mustn’t neglect any aspect of your eCommerce website. Keeping your visitors on your page is just as important as getting them there in the first place, if not more so. That said, the design will be the one thing to make or break the deal in the majority of cases. That final click at the checkout page is definitely the result of easy navigation on all devices, flowy content, and overall appeal. In this article, you’ll learn how to design your eCommerce store to boost conversion.
You might have an exceptional offer up your sleeve, but what it boils down to are presentation and the first impression. With that in mind, here’s a list of best-proven design practices that are sure to bedazzle as well as convert.
Design eCommerce store to boost conversion: Let the site design reflect your brand
It’s amazing how the choice of color influences user experience. They evoke emotion, intrigue, and speak in your brand’s voice. The dominant colors should match your vision and be combined in no more than three shades. Also, the implementation of neutral colors such as white, gray, or black will really make your elements pop.
However, your chosen palette is not the only thing you should consider. The shapes, the arrangement, and, of course, the typography create a unique shopping experience through multiple advertising channels as well as your selling points. What’s important is that you strengthen your brand’s identity in the eyes of the consumer. Take Starbucks for example. You’ll unmistakably think of that special hue of green and recognizable logo that’s been engraved in our minds above all others. As a result, a great way to design your ecommerce store to boost conversions.
Add-ons as conversion magnets
The strategic visual appeal is undoubtedly necessary, but it is far from enough to get the visitor to convert. The last thing today’s consumers want is to wander around your website trying to figure out how to get what they need. The truth is, they’ll glance at the landing page, and if they can’t find their way in the next couple of seconds, they’ll leave and never look back.
Luckily, there are amazing website plugins to ease the process. You can take your pick from a wide variety of menus, footers, and breadcrumbs, but what will give your site the personality it deserves is a chatbot. It provides 24/7 guidance to users across multiple marketing channels and it can easily be integrated with your website via the plugin. This way the user experience is significantly improved since it allows the visitor to hop to your site from their social media platforms and just as easily log in. Knowing how to add chatbots to a website has opened numerous doors leading to profit. Most importantly, chatting with customers and answering questions creates the kind of brand loyalty suitable for diverse types of business. Whether you aim to sell a product, book appointments, or just build trust, you can always count on your bot as a guide to your cart.
Mind your images: Design eCommerce store to boost conversion:
A picture is worth a thousand words – a quality one, that is. As a visual medium, for the most part, the web these days boasts high-profile photography. Since your customer is unable to have a tactile experience, they will rely on the image you provide. Needless to say, you’ll want quality over quantity. Size does matter here, and your photographs should be taken professionally so they can be optimized. Getting the size just right means that the image is big enough to be clear, yet small enough to keep the website’s speed at an optimum.
Show items from different angles and include a zoom feature that will build confidence in your consumer. Most importantly, present context. Have photos of happy customers enjoying your product in different ways and locations, highlighting all its best features.
Optimize for mobile devices
Today’s consumers will manage most of their purchases on their smartphones – from start to finish. That’s why it’s imperative to make the mobile experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. There are more chances of conversions if one is able to make a purchase on the go. Or efficiently switch between screens at their disposal.
Besides the fact that speed plays a key role, you need your website’s mobile version to have easy navigation, especially when it comes to the check-out page. Ideally, the cart view will display all the necessary information including payment and delivery options, as well as complaint and return policy.
Design eCommerce store to boost conversion: The ease of purchase
The final stage of the sales funnel is, of course, the checkout point. Statistics show that in 2006 close to 60% of shoppers abandoned their carts without making a purchase. This number rose by almost 16% by 2017 and hasn’t dropped since. What’s more, most of the shopping cart abandonment happens on mobile devices, over 85% to be exact. So, what can be done to prevent this? Keep things simple and avoid distractions. No matter how many products you have, it shouldn’t affect the accessibility of your cart.
Also, do not ask your customers to register just so they can make a purchase. You unnecessarily risk losing them for the sake of gathering information. Keep your cart icon visible and accessible at all times for a swift and stress-free checkout.
In the myriad of design strategies that will lead to conversions, there’s one that stands out as vital, and that is keeping your target audiences’ desires in mind at all times. This is the focal point that sets the tone for visually setting up a successful eCommerce business. Keep up with the latest trends to ensure a unique UX that will keep them coming back for more.
Author bio: Bojana is a content strategist with a finger on the pulse of the world of eCommerce marketing. She oversees a content creation strategy that helps business owners take their brand to the next level. Interested in blogging about project management, content marketing, AI in business, and eCommerce trends.
