Optimizing and Marketing Your eCommerce Business

Introduction

Anyone can launch an eCommerce store for a quick profit, but if you’re genuinely committed to scaling your business in the eCommerce industry for the long term, you’ve come to the right place.

Online shopping has gained increasing popularity in recent years. In 2021, global online retail sales reached nearly five trillion U.S. dollars, and this figure is projected to surpass seven trillion U.S. dollars by 2025. Given this information, it is wise to start considering how you can maximize the potential of your eCommerce store.

This article provides numerous best practices to enhance your website and fine-tune your marketing strategies. Implementing these tips will enable you to leverage the rapidly expanding eCommerce market and significantly boost your revenue. Let’s dive in!

Mobile optimization for eCommerce stores

In today’s Mobile-First Era, consumers search for and buy products while on the move. As of the first quarter of 2023, mobile browsing (excluding tablets) constitutes over half of the global web traffic (58.33%), having permanently surpassed desktop browsing in 2020. Needless to say, optimizing your mobile eCommerce site is vital for ensuring a smooth user experience. Here are three strategies to achieve that:

Simplify checkout for users

The primary goal of an eCommerce site is to facilitate user product purchases, so ensuring a seamless and frictionless checkout and payment process is crucial.

• Prominent call-to-action buttons. Make sure the add-to-cart and checkout buttons are easy to find. Typically, it’s best to place call-to-action buttons in line with the user’s journey or at the top of the screen for better visibility.

• Payment options. Simplify the payment process by offering customers various options, including using an integrated payment gateway, logging into their site account to utilize pre-saved debit/credit cards, checking out as a guest with a credit card, or opting for cash-on-delivery.

• Identify duplicates. Save your users time by requesting their shipping address and automatically duplicating it as their billing information. Additionally, you may allow users to edit the billing information to avoid the hassle of entering entirely new details.

Make product discovery easy

Just like a physical retail store that uses signboards and sales personnel for customer assistance, you eCommerce site should enable consumers to easily navigate through categories and locate the products they’re looking for.

• Search function. On desktops, the search tab is typically located at the top of the screen. For mobile screens, consider replacing the search bar with an expandable search icon. This helps conserve screen space while maintaining the same functionality as on a desktop.

• Recommended product categories. Towards the bottom of the page, showcase recommended categories like Recent Searches, Daily Searches, or Trending sections. Make it easy for users to conveniently navigate these sections.

• Sort and filter. Ensure the sort and filter button is easily accessible, allowing users to filter products by price range, or relevant categories for your eCommerce site.

Make the product page enticing

To convince people to make a purchase, your website text and the pictures or videos should provide helpful information and be interesting.

• Product description. When people are unfamiliar with a product, they might take more time to decide before buying. In this situation, the product description is crucial in helping users make an informed decision. On mobile, having a “Click to find out more” button allows you to provide extra information about the product on a small screen. Use clear and concise descriptions to make the most of the limited space without confusing the buyer.

• Images and videos. Just like the product description, pictures of the product help users decide if they want to buy it. On eCommerce sites, having at least 3 images for each product provides buyers with different views and aids their decision-making. Adding a video of the product can also be useful, giving users a better idea of how it looks in three dimensions.

• Craft compelling call-to-action. In addition to the product description, the words on your call-to-action (CTA) buttons can affect how many people make a purchase. For instance, using “Buy Now” usually leads to more sales than “Shop Now” because it suggests acting right away. If you’re not sure which wording is better, you can do A/B tests to compare them.

Improving user experience (UX) for eCommerce stores

Following some simple UX tips can make sure your eCommerce website works well and is easy for your customers to use. Here are two tips to help you improve the customer experience on your eCommerce store and, in the end, get more people to complete their checkout.

Build trust with customers through user experience

To succeed as an eCommerce platform, you must establish trust. Trust is crucial for convincing customers not only to make a purchase but also to build loyalty to your brand, especially in the highly saturated and competitive eCommerce market. Here’s how you can build that trust:

• Social proof. Establish a solid reputation by using the opinions of others, like reviews, customer testimonials, and press mentions. Think about buying a blender on Amazon—what’s the main thing that influences your decision about whether the seller is reliable and will deliver? Reviews!

• Adding a personal touch to your brand. The internet can feel distant. To connect with your customers, make your product relatable by humanizing your brand. When customers see there’s a dedicated team behind your brand, they’re more likely to trust it. Include customer service tabs, live chats, and images of team members on your eCommerce website to achieve this.

• Have a secure website. People avoid buying from websites that seem like scams. Show that your company is professional and well-established by including trust signals (like SSL certification, Norton seals, and more) on your eCommerce website.

• Have your website policies in place. Customers should feel confident that their credit card information is handled securely, and their purchase will be delivered. Boost customer trust by including features like a money-back guarantee, refund policy, and clear information about the company’s privacy and data protection policies.

Create an irresistible customer experience 

As an eCommerce business, you’ll want to make sure your customers keep coming back. The best way to do this is by following up and suggesting additional products after they’ve made a purchase.

• Suggesting more products after a purchase. Encourage customers to come back by suggesting related products or providing free memberships when they finish their purchase. This post-purchase upsell strategy is a proven way to retain customers.

• Sending follow-up emails. When you email a receipt to your customer, consider adding a discount code for their next purchase, links to similar items they might like, or other interesting information. Make sure it’s relevant and useful to show your customers the value you’re offering.

• Additional steps after a purchase. To stay in your customers’ minds and keep them interested in your brand, try using drip email marketing campaigns or Facebook retargeting ads. For the latter, use deep links to send customers to a specific page with products that match their interests.

Selecting the right Shopify apps for eCommerce stores

In this part, we’ll explain what app integrations are, how to install them, and how to pick the right Shopify app for your online store.

Understanding app integrations

Shopify’s app integrations are like tools that help your business grow. You can find these apps on the Shopify App Store, and they’re excellent for making your daily tasks easier, adding new features to your store, and increasing your revenue.

Adding Shopify apps

Starting with Shopify apps is simple. First, go to the Shopify App Store and choose which app you want to add to your store. You can sort the apps by category (marketing, sales, shipping, etc.), collections (starting your shop, growing your business, managing a POS, etc.), and also by price. Then, click the “install” button and type in your store’s address. Finally, confirm the installation, and you’re good to go!

Picking the right apps for your business

There are tons of apps available on the Shopify App Store, and the amount of choice that you’re faced with might be overwhelming. Here are three specific things to look out for when you’re trying to find the best Shopify apps for your business:

• App reviews. When choosing apps, focus on those with many high scores over a consistent period. Aim for both quality (with 5-star reviews being the best) and quantity (consider how many other Shopify stores use them). Apps with just a few high scores might not truly represent their capabilities, so both the number and the rating are crucial.

• App live demo. Many well-known apps provide a link for a live demo. This lets you see the app in action and visualize how it will look on your store (for frontend apps) or how it will improve and speed up your processes (for backend apps).

• App support. Shorten your list to apps with reliable and effective support. Apps offer different support levels, ranging from community help to email or phone support. Before buying an app, look into the company’s support quality. Check reviews to see if users mention how accessible the support is for a particular app integration.

Content marketing for eCommerce stores

While we often hear that “content is king,” we believe this phrase doesn’t tell the whole story. With millions of pieces of content created globally every minute, creating content just for the sake of it isn’t sufficient anymore. The ultimate aim is to craft content that stands out and connects with your customers. To achieve this, you’ll need to be more deliberate in your content strategy. Here are our key tips for content marketing tailored to eCommerce stores:

Begin with your final objective in mind

Do you aim to get more people to visit your site, boost purchases from new customers, or increase engagement on your social media? Once you’ve clarified your goals, identify the key metrics to track, such as conversion rates, clickthrough rates, and revenue generated. Set specific targets for each of these metrics.

Explore beyond blogs

While a blog is a common and easy-to-use format, choosing the right content format for your eCommerce store depends on your product. If your product is something demonstrable, think about creating a how-to video that you can share on Facebook, Instagram, and even YouTube.

Use a variety of photos in your marketing materials

When posting your blogs, product descriptions, or product pages with pictures, the more, the better. Include images of your product from different angles, and showcase all the available colors or variants. If possible, add some lifestyle shots where you style your product with various props.

Embrace User-Generated Content (UGC)

If your customers are sharing posts, tweets, or other content about your products, don’t overlook it! Sharing their photos or reviews on your social channels is a simple way to connect with them. Alternatively, using these photos and reviews in your ads or on your website is a smart move too.

Broaden your content topics

Your audience may get bored reading content that only talks about you promoting your products. Instead, diversify and discuss topics your audience is interested in. If you don’t have much time to create content consistently, no worries – you can always share content from existing publications.

Familiarize yourself with your influencer community

Every retail category has online influencers – individuals who blog about products, are well-regarded for their expertise, and have a large social media following. They don’t have to be famous, just well-connected and respected. As a retail brand aiming to expand your audience and boost sales, it’s essential to build relationships with influencers in your online community.

Aligning merchandising and product ads for eCommerce stores

The success of traditional product advertising is typically measured by ROAS (Return on Advertising Spend), which calculates the revenue generated after subtracting advertising costs. While ROAS is crucial, it often emphasizes advertising efficiency over what’s truly best for the business. We suggest considering merchandising, sales trends, and other factors when deciding which products to advertise.

• Understanding how ROAS works. ROAS advises us to invest in the product with the highest margin, but in reality, that product might not require advertising to sell well. On the other hand, it could have low stock levels, leading to a shortage.
  

• Challenges in using ROAS. Investing in products with a high sell-through rate might lead to running out of stock quickly, creating a significant inventory gap. Instead, channel your advertising budget toward products with a lower sell-through rate, as these items benefit from advertising to help them sell faster.

• Optimizing advertising with yield management. Instead of relying solely on ROAS to decide which products to advertise, consider a more comprehensive approach by examining the product’s yield management. A product’s yield considers its overall value to your business, factoring in sell-through rates, seasonal demand, warehousing costs, clearance termination dates, and more. When product advertising and merchandising collaborate to overcome data silos, the entire business benefits. Advertising budgets are directed toward products that will have the most positive impact on the business, rather than just the easiest ones to sell. This approach makes retailers more efficient and effective at selling their inventory.

Setting up your eCommerce store for success

With numerous eCommerce platforms and resources available, creating an eCommerce store is now easier than ever. However, ensuring success and optimizing your eCommerce store is a different challenge. Successful eCommerce store owners understand that building a reputable store takes months or even years of hard work. Proper optimization, including A/B testing, result measurement, fine-tuning efforts, and continuous testing, requires a significant time investment. The same applies to content marketing – consistent content production over time is necessary for a noticeable impact. The positive side? Once you’ve invested the time to optimize your eCommerce store, you’ll reap the benefits with significantly higher profits and revenue from improved conversion rates. Now is the time to grow your eCommerce store and elevate it to the next level!

About Qoblex

Since 2016, Qoblex has been the trusted online platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), offering tailored solutions to simplify the operational challenges of growing businesses. Specifically designed for B2B wholesalers, distributors, and eCommerce ventures, our software empowers users to streamline operations from production to fulfillment, allowing them to concentrate on business growth. Qoblex efficiently manages inventory and order data across multiple sales channels including Shopify and WooCommerce, integrates with popular accounting systems such as Xero and QuickBooks, warehouses, and fulfillment systems, and boasts a robust B2B eCommerce platform. With a diverse global team, Qoblex serves a customer base in over 40 countries, making it a reliable partner for businesses worldwide.