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Foolproof Tips For Building a Better eCom
Is your eCom making little to no sales? Online stores have so much opportunity to be successful, but it doesn’t come without its own set of very specific pitfalls that are easily avoided.
Whether it’s branding or customer service (or lack thereof), it’s important to pinpoint the areas where your eCom could use some improvement, so you can take action and set your business up for success.
With that being said, this article will explain the common errors people make when setting up their eCommerce platform while providing tips on how you can improve your chances of making a sale.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid When Building An eCom
Weak Product/Service Presentation
You could have created the world’s most revolutionary, earth-shattering product, but it wouldn’t matter if you’re unable to present it in a way that makes people want to buy it.
When consumers shop online, one of the biggest disadvantages is that they can’t physically touch or see the product they’re looking at, so they rely on high–quality product images, descriptions, and even videos to convince them to pull the trigger.
In order for your eCom to be successful, all these elements must be present:
High–resolution product images that clearly show what the product is and looks like
How-to videos that show the product in use and how to actually use it
Well-written SEO optimized product descriptions that explain what the product is all about in a clear and concise way
Lack of Or Poor Customer Service
As the world becomes more and more digitized, it’s more important than ever to not forget the foundation of any successful business – good customer service.
You may be able to draw customers in with a shiny, new eCom site, but you won’t be able to keep them for long if you don’t work on your customer service.
Take a look at the king of the eCom world, Amazon. Besides making online shopping incredibly simple, Amazon has, perhaps, the best customer service on the internet. Now, we’re not suggesting that your sales can reach the same heights as Amazon simply by improving your customer service, but it will definitely help.
No Branding Image (Logo, Story, Theme, Etc.)
In order to build trust with your customers, they need to know who you are and what you stand for, which all comes down to your branding. Branding is incredibly important, as it’s what makes you unique and sets you apart from your competitors. Here are some branding tips to follow:
Make sure your brand story is present and conveyed in a way that’s interesting to consumers
Have a modern, unique logo design that matches your branding
Make sure your branding (colours, logos, font, etc.) is consistent throughout your website and social channels
No About Us Page
People want to get to know the people behind the brands they shop from, and by not sharing your history and story with your customers, you’re doing your brand a huge disservice.
You don’t necessarily have to get into all the nitty-gritty details, like your Grandma’s cat’s name or where you went to summer camp (unless it’s relevant to your story), but basic details about who your brand is, how it started, and your mission and core values are incredibly important to include.
Complicated Shopping Carts
It’s no secret that people have short attention spans, so if you make it difficult for them to make a purchase, you’ll lose their interest fast.
The key is to eliminate as many steps as possible between adding a product to your cart and finalizing the sale. For instance, don’t make it a requirement for customers to create an account with you before they make a purchase. If a customer likes you enough that they decide to become a return customer, chances are they’ll create an account willingly. By forcing their hand, it can leave a bad taste in their mouth.
Confusing Site Navigation
Again, if people have trouble navigating your site, they’re going to move on to the next guy – likely your competitor with easier navigation.
Just like in brick and mortar stores, people like to browse around before committing to buying something, especially if it’s their first time seeing your site.
Make sure you include a main menu on your site that includes all the relevant pages and remains constant as visitors bounce around on your site.
Including relevant calls to action on certain pages can also help create easier navigation.
Discounting SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a vital tool for growing your business long-term and is one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to your website organically without paying for ads.
In fact, search engines drive 10 times more traffic to eCom sites than social media, so getting your site to the top of Google search results is key to driving sales and ensuring long-term success.
Here are just a few ways to help improve SEO:
Prioritize page load speed
Link to relevant content from authoritative sources
Product fresh, relevant, high-quality content regularly
Create an inbound linking strategy
Use simple, readable URLs
Use the right keywords
Track your analytics
Results will likely not be instant, but stay patient and keep pushing through, and you’ll start seeing the leads roll in.
Not Thinking Mobile
It’s 2020, so we really shouldn’t have to convince you of this. Mobile-first is a given when it comes to anything with a URL. In a world where smartphones are taking over standard computers, mobile-responsiveness is absolutely critical. Period.
No Social Presence
Social Media can sometimes seem like it’s not worth your time, but trust us when we say this couldn’t be any further from the truth.
Whether it’s setting up paid Facebook ads, creating a Facebook catalog to sell your items on the platform, or collecting reviews and communicating with your customers, having a social media presence is a vital component of your success as an eCom. But don’t focus all your efforts on Facebook. Do some research and determine which platforms would be the best fit for your industry and focus your efforts there.
The Takeaway
With the world becoming more and more obsessed with online shopping over brick and mortar storefronts, there are so many opportunities for eCommerce businesses. By following our advice and avoiding some of these all too common pitfalls, your chances of finding success online will increase dramatically, allowing you to take your business to places you never imagined.
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