President & CEO of Corberry Digital Marketing Agency, a full-service digital marketing agency offering web design, SEO, PPC, social & more.
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Successful mid-level e-commerce businesses likely know at least four strategies that contribute to success. For mid-level businesses operating in such a competitive space, you know that situations can change rapidly and competitors are constantly at the doorstep. We have all felt this. So, how do you ensure that your e-commerce site is the best it can be?
1. Invest in web design.
The first thing to consider is your web design. Is your website designed to acquire new customers? Does it provide a smooth experience for everyone? Web design is often the difference between a page that is welcoming and a page that is not.
Here are some elements of good web design:
• Positive first impression (it’s attractive, snappy, easy to use).
• Helps with SEO (search engine optimization).
• Builds customer trust (your colors and font engender feelings of comfort).
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Here are two web design aspects to target:
Navigation: Navigation is how visitors or customers access parts of your website. Can your customers quickly find what interests them with just a few clicks? An attractive online shopping experience presents a good first impression and builds customer trust, where the customer instantly feels comfortable in that space — kind of like walking into your favorite store and feeling comfortable and secure.
Responsiveness: Website responsiveness is crucial for creating a positive experience for your mid-level e-commerce site. Customers will be accessing your website from mobile phones, laptops, tablets and desktop computers. To ensure a positive customer experience, it is important that no matter what device your visitors and customers are using, they can quickly access what they are interested in.
How is responsiveness directly related to web design? The elements in a web design affect the page load time, which affects the overall responsiveness and your customers’ impression of your site. The layout of these elements and how they are put together is also a factor that can influence responsiveness.
Think about it this way: What if only iPhone consumers had a good experience on your site? Or, conversely, what if only Android users? By considering all the ways and means of access that people will get to your site, you want the best experience for every customer, no matter what platform they access it from.
2. Improve the customer experience.
Small things that improve customer service on your site include solving for abandoned carts and maintaining good customer relations.
Abandoned Carts: Shopping cart abandonment is a common occurrence in e-commerce sites. The average rate of cart abandonment across all industries is 68.8%. To put things in perspective, around seven out of 10 shopping carts are being abandoned. How can we fix this or at least help decrease this number?
• Make the checkout process easier by offering numerous payment options. Use a service like Merchant One or Stax to offer your visitors and customers numerous payment methods.
• Be transparent with fees and other costs. False advertising with hidden charges is a common practice today, but don’t do it. If a customer finds hidden charges, they will often leave. The moment your customer saves items to their cart, they should be able to see fees such as taxes, shipping rates and other costs.
Customer Relations: Clients like to purchase from and interact with a business that they trust. However, maintaining good customer relations may be more complicated in e-commerce sites compared to physical settings because there is no face-to-face rapport.
Here are a few strategies to help with this:
• Personalize the experience.
• Offer promos or sales.
• Include easy access to 24/7 customer support.
3. Incorporate social media.
Connect your e-commerce site to social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. These are just a few of the most popular social media channels that can widen your reach exponentially.
Here are some of the advantages of integrating social media into your e-commerce site:
Widens Online Reach: In 2020, there are over 3.6 billion people using these channels. With a single post on a social media platform, you can reach more audiences, especially with the presence of paid targeted advertisements.
Builds Brand Awareness: Social media platforms are effective tools to increase your visibility as a brand. Your marketing strategies in social media channels can help you become more recognized and improve conversions.
4. Encourage feedback.
I can’t stress this enough. Engage! When we create e-commerce sites and marketing strategies for clients, we have a target audience in mind. But we cannot fully curate an effective plan if we do not know what they are looking for. So, to improve your e-commerce services, get customer feedback!
You will gain information about how to improve your services and engender trust in your customers. You are telling them: “I want to hear from you personally.” This creates a connection — not just for them to you, but for you to them. It’s a wonderful feeling being involved with helping visitors and customers and feeling that rapport. This feedback will give insights into what clients think regarding your services. What they say can be helpful in determining areas that need to be improved.
Main Takeaway
Maintaining a business — let alone an e-commerce site — in today’s competitive market is tricky, especially when you are a mid-level business. Again, it’s important to:
1. Have good web design (clarity, speed, functionality).
2. Maintain good customer relationships (answer queries promptly).
3. Integrate your brand on social media platforms.
4. Encourage customer feedback. This engagement helps solidify your relationship.
Explore these potentials, try them out. Watch as your business and your connection with your customers grow.
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Author: Michael Fox, Forbes Councils Member
