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It has been years since ecommerce has changed the face of commerce. The pandemic met an increasingly digital and instantaneous world and pushed businesses even further away from the traditional model. But the unfortunate reality is that most ecommerce websites will still fail. In light of this, here are 5 things you need to keep in mind to build a highly successful ecommerce website.
Choose a niche and stick to it
The first reason your website may be failing is a lack of clear objective. No matter how great your product, if you are not clear on exactly who you are targeting, sales will become stagnant.
A clear niche allows you to use your website copy to speak to your target audience and the specific problems that they have. In turn, your offer promises to solve this problem as you convert that lead into a sale.
Without a clear level of focus, messaging will become confused and unattractive. To build a successful ecommerce website, every lead should feel that you are speaking directly to them.
Optimise your website for mobile
It is more vital than ever to design your website with mobile optimisation in mind. In the second quarter of 2022, over half of all website traffic came from mobile devices, and this figure has been around the 50% mark since 2017.
As a result, an ecommerce venture will likely fail with a poor User Experience on mobile. As problems arise, potential customers will lose interest and trust in your website, turning to your competitors for the final sale.
Simplify the delivery process
Every Ecommerce website should be automated where possible; from payment walls to product delivery; to ensure a smooth transaction from start to finish.
In an age that is increasingly fast paced, customers are often not prepared to shoulder the additional waiting times that come from trying to do everything yourself in real time.
Automated systems for lead conversion, sales, payments, confirmation, and fulfilment are the first priority of any successful ecommerce website.
Focus on content marketing
For many small ecommerce websites, relying on an advertising budget to make sales is not sustainable. Instead, resources should be allocated to create evergreen content to promote your offer organically and establish trust with an audience of potential customers.
Furthermore, content marketing should be approached as a split for maximum reach. Platforms you control, such as a blog or email list, will develop and nurture your audience. External platforms, such as Instagram or Pinterest, will bring in the necessary organic traffic.
Collect customer information
When building a successful ecommerce website, two types of data collection are key to longevity and success.
The first being statistics, allowing you to answer vital questions that will help you to operate strategically moving forward, such as:
- Which platform is producing the most traffic? And as a result –
- What are the click through rates?
- What are the conversion rates?
- Or, at what point are potential customers becoming disengaged and clicking away?
All of the answers to these questions allow you to tweak your systems with the benefit of knowledge, so that you can focus your efforts on what is working, rather than what isn’t.
The second source of data pinpoints the actual people behind these statistics. In this instance, a method of capturing personal information, such as contact details, is essential.
The objective is to record as many potential customers as possible; through mediums such as offering a freebie or giving a discount; to then be able to sell directly to them in future.
Ecommerce, when approached in the right way, has the potential to be highly successful in this digital age. At Purple Media, we take away the element of trial and error, streamlining your business strategy to achieve success. To find out more about how we can help you, contact us at info@purple.gi
Source
https://www.statista.com/statistics/277125/share-of-website-traffic-coming-from-mobile-devices/
FAQ
Common reasons why most ecommerce websites fail include poor website design and user experience, lack of product variety and compelling descriptions, inadequate marketing and promotion efforts, failure to build trust and credibility with customers, and inefficient order processing and shipping procedures.
A well-designed website layout can contribute significantly to the success of an ecommerce business by providing a visually appealing and intuitive user experience, making it easy for customers to find and purchase products. This includes clear navigation menus, strategic use of whitespace and imagery, and a seamless checkout process.
Essential features and functionalities that every successful ecommerce website should have include a secure payment gateway, robust search and filtering options, detailed product pages with high-quality images and descriptions, customer reviews and ratings, customer accounts for order tracking and saved payment methods, and responsive design for optimal viewing across devices.
Effective product categorisation and navigation can greatly improve the user experience on an ecommerce website by helping customers quickly find what they’re looking for and discover related products. Clear category structures, intuitive filtering and sorting options, and breadcrumb navigation trails can streamline the browsing and purchasing process.
Proven strategies for driving traffic and increasing conversions on an ecommerce website include search engine optimisation (SEO), social media marketing, email marketing campaigns, influencer collaborations, retargeting ads, and offering promotions, discounts or free shipping incentives. Additionally, optimising the website for fast loading times and mobile-friendliness can boost conversions.
Mobile optimisation is crucial for the success of an ecommerce website in today’s digital landscape. With an increasing number of consumers shopping on their smartphones and tablets, having a responsive or mobile-friendly website design is essential for providing a seamless browsing and purchasing experience across devices. This can lead to higher customer satisfaction, reduced bounce rates, and increased sales.
