E-commerce is expected to rise by 13% this year alone — and while that’s fantastic news for companies who conduct most of their business online, it also means that competition is bound to get tougher. Here are five ways to up your game and boost online sales this year:
Make payment easy
Ideally, you want to give customers the option to pay by card or by Paypal. If you rely heavily on impulse purchases, or if a lot of your business comes from smartphone users, Paypal is pretty much essential — few people have the time and patience to fill out their card details and go through their bank security-check using a tiny touch-screen keyboard.
Some people are wary of Paypal, though, so you mustn’t exclude them, either. If you’re only offering one payment method at the moment, you’re likely to see an increase in sales when you open up more options.
Don’t underestimate the value of web design
It doesn’t matter how good your products are — if your website is a nightmare to navigate, people will go elsewhere. Web designer Steve Sims recommends placing a shopping cart on every page, keep users up-to-date on product availability, and keep the navigation system simple.
You also want to be consistent when it comes to your overall site design. Don’t change it to the point where it’s unrecognisable. Of course you should change a design that isn’t working, but rather than rushing for a hasty fix, spend some time making sure the new version works properly and is an improvement, rather than a variation, on the last.
Use social media
A social media strategy is one of the most effective ways of driving traffic to your website. Paid advertisements on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter can also be effective, but a content-based strategy is much cheaper and often just as effective. Play around with these and find out what works for you.
Engaging with customers on social media is also excellent for increasing brand loyalty and encouraging repeat custom. Word-of-mouth spreads more quickly online than anywhere else, so don’t leave your online reputation up to chance — decide how you want to portray yourself, and stick to it. Consistency is key when it comes to online branding.
Make use of customer feedback
It’s not always easy to get customer feedback in large quantities, so don’t be afraid to incentivise consumers with discount codes and freebies. It’s important that you know what your customers think, so place a ‘feedback’ box on your order page and use social media to find out what people would like from your site. For more detailed feedback, consider putting up a survey online and enter all who complete it into a raffle.
Cut back on clutter
Minimising clutter will make it much easier for customers to find what they’re looking for, and it will also speed up your site. Keep text to a minimum and only use relevant, high-quality images. Don’t advertise things you no longer sell, and take Christmas-, Valentine’s- and Easter-themed products down as soon as the holiday is over.
