When it comes to Ecommerce, a website designed with the user in mind and which breathes life into your brand identity is the crux of online success. The online retail market is growing constantly which means your business has growing potential for profits. However, it also means that Google search pages are becoming more condensed with your Ecommerce competitors. It is therefore more important than ever to have a web design that positively projects your brand up the Google rankings and delivers an easy navigation system to the checkout.
There are a number of steps which implemented by a skilled web designer will ensure customers are not only clicking onto your site, but converting into sales. As a web design agency we create successful Ecommerce websites for many of our clients, and we want to share some of the best ways to boost your online business.
Engaging Optimised Content
Your website is a fundamental part of your marketing arsenal, since it’s where the transactions take place. Your page content will not only sell your business story and boost your brand identity, it will also serve to provide detailed product information. It is crucial that SEO practices are applied to the content so that your site can climb up the Google search rankings. When it comes to content the main method of optimisation is through keyword inclusion. However you should always remember that engaging the user is essential. If they are welcomed by pages of jargon infused paragraphs or content that is heavily concentrated with an overuse of keywords, customers are not likely to stay for long. Neither will it do you any favours for Google search rankings as your site may be regarded as spammy. Too little content, and you run the risk of not gaining customers’ trust.
We all know the phrase: there’s safety in numbers. We are certainly more willing to trust, or in this case, invest when we are a part of an online consumer community. With this in mind, the inclusion of user reviews is a great method to attract and instil confidence in new customers. When deciding what film to watch on a Sunday evening, are we likely to watch one with 18% on Rotten Tomatoes? Probably not. For a film given 97% though, we’re happy to give it a chance. As the owner of an Ecommerce business, you should have absolute assurance that your products are the best when it comes to balancing price and quality. A user review is the best way to boast that value to customers who need an extra push to press ‘Add to Basket’.
The trick to writing product descriptions is to make them as descriptive as possible whilst engaging with a natural inclusion of focus keywords. Keep the user in mind at all times as they are the ones purchasing and now an indexing robot sent by Google!
Clear Optimised Product Images
If a customer has come across your site it is because you offer the sort of products they require. It may be the first time they see your products so your ecommerce website needs to do all it can at this point to clinch the sale. It may seem obvious but when you provide mid-quality images that are dark or have a busy background, you’ not showcasing your products in the most professional light which could deter potential customers from purchasing.
It goes without saying - providing the highest quality images is key. Where appropriate, offer a small gallery of images per product to show different angles, features, and how it functions. You should also give the customer the option to zoom and/or see a larger version of the image. In doing so, you maximise the advertisement of the product and its functionality to the customer, whilst allowing them to build trust in the product and your brand. A good web designer will know how to arrange these product images to deliver a positive user experience whilst optimising high resolution image file sizes so they are quick to load.
You may like to consider including videos which show the product in use. Think about when Nike brings out a new trainer, they will have a short promotional video showing the shoes in action. Likewise, Ecommerce clothing companies will have catwalk clips for certain items; similarly with home electrical appliances. Proving a product will function or showing how it will look in motion can further instil confidence in your prospective customer.
Simple Navigation
The key to online success with web design is simple navigation. It serves two purposes; the first is to provide a positive user experience where they can move easily around and between pages of relevance – since positivity sees sales. The second is to allow Google to easily crawl the website for relevant content which is a significant ranking factor. Navigation is not simply the menu button; it is the on-page interaction and transition between pages. A well –structured website will signpost to your customers where their attention should lie. The general rule is the simpler the better, and a professional web designer should always work with this in mind. The search tool can assist site navigation where filter options allow the customer to quickly find the product/size/colour they require.
Easy Checkout Process
One of the biggest mistakes in Ecommerce web design is a poorly planned checkout process. It is the ultimate culprit for a conversion kill. There are a number of elements to ensure a clear and swift checkout where building trust and positive functionality are
key. They include:
• A clear Call to Action button with a large ‘checkout’ label • Display security logos • Have images to show what products are in the cart plus an edit/delete option • Display an easy ‘contact support’ option • Optimise for fast loading time - particularly for mobile users • Show shipping options and prices clearly • De-clutter – you want a clear, clean page
Following these points for a checkout page will limit the loss of customers at the final stage.
Web Design with Mobile Shoppers in Mind
We’ve mentioned it a lot over the last few months, but mobile-friendly web design is crucial. As technology evolves, we do all we can to keep up with it – consequently we are left to get things done on-the-go. Between meetings or on the morning commute, we have our mobile to make use of every bit of time that we can, and online retail is increasing as such. It was an anticipated trend for 2018 web design, when reports at the end of 2017 had already stated that over 70% of Google searches take place on a mobile device. Google has also announced the introduction of their Mobile First Index which will index and rank content on mobile sites before the desktop version. Therefore, web design with the mobile user is mind is vital for Ecommerce success.
If you would like to learn more about how your Ecommerce web design can be optimised for online success, get in touch for a free consultation.
Comments