A Guide to Design an Ecommerce Website That Converts

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(Newswire.net — March 4, 2020) — To ensure higher conversion rates on your ecommerce platform, no aspect of the user experience should be ignored. Right from the initial landing page to checkout, each step a customer takes on your platform should be carefully created with the final purchase in mind. Unless you’re an expert in ecommerce and web design, it’s best to consult with a digital marketing expert.   

1. Drive your ecommerce site’s traffic toward your objectives

Your site exists to get its users to fulfill your primary business objectives. Write these goals down and memorize them. This is the path to your online success. Sure, your platform must run smoothly and look attractive. But layered on top of its functionality is an element known as conversion-focused design. 

This concept is pretty simple: Always remember that you are trying to get your website users to a particular goal on your platform. And those goals depend on you and the nature of the site you own. Some of these goals include;

  • Requesting your site users to fill out a contact form
  • Getting them to sign up to your business email list
  • Luring them to sign up for free memberships or a free trial for an online tool
  • Buy your products

Now that you know some of the objectives you may have, how do you get your audience to them?

Use call to action. This could be an attention-grabbing headline along with a button that directs the users to your objective – a form, product, or page. You can scatter calls to action throughout your site in strategic locations.

2. Impress search engines

Most people still think SEO is all about Google and probably Bing. Yes, but that used to be true many years ago. Search algorithms have undergone significant changes and in the past few years, the tables of indeed turned!

Currently, search engine optimization is all about your ecommerce website visitors. And it is perfect for driving more sales too. So, impressing search engines also means keeping your site users happy. 

There are many factors that come into play on a site to optimize it for both users and search engines, but they are all worth the effort in the long run. Some of these factors include; 

Mobile –first

In 2015, mobile search overtook desktop search. Besides, Google made it clear that mobile is critical to search when they rolled out their mobile website tester. This specific test analyzes whether or not a given website will look great and function properly on mobile devices. 

If your ecommerce website doesn’t work well on mobile devices, get the issue fixed ASAP. One of the benefits of working with a software company when designing your ecommerce platform is that such an issue can be fixed during the development phase. 

Google reports that 90 percent of internet users with multiple types of devices switch between screens when handling a task. Your ecommerce platform must be optimized to offer an easy-to-use interface and consistent user experience across multiple devices. 

3. Don’t lose your customers at the checkout

A potential buyer has made it the checkout. 

Congratulations!

Baymard Institute research warns that 58.6% of the United States shoppers abandon a cart due to higher extra costs (tax or shipping fee), the site wants them to create an account, returns policy isn’t clear, and more. 

Additionally, the research reveals that the average ecommerce website can achieve a 35.26% increase in its conversion rate through an excellent checkout design. 

  • Minimize the number of clicks or steps to complete the checkout process. 
  • In case the checkout process involves several pages, show them in a progress bar.
  • Let your customers checkout as ‘guests’ and probably create an account upon completion of their purchase. 
  • Show the price and a clear breakdown such as shipping and tax before the buyer completes an order. 
  • Offer a variety of acceptable payment methods. 
  • Get a little bit creative with graphics to reiterate and highlight the savings of a particular purchase. 
  • Place trust seals and credit card logos next to payment details fields. 

Wrap up

There are many ways to create an ecommerce business that converts. Focus on building your site, so it communicates your brand message and puts your products in the best light. Always prioritize user experience. After all, your ecommerce website is all about the buyer.