Running an online business is challenging. You will have to make sure that you are updating your offers, reaching out to your customers, and are differentiating yourself in the marketplace. If you have an online store, you have to choose the right platform, shopping cart software, plugins, and personalization options. Not all online retail companies make it on the internet, and this is due to the lack of branding and customer engagement. Personalizing your online store will have several benefits, and automating your customer service while measuring satisfaction can get you noticed on the internet. Find out more below.
Product Images
You need to appear professional in whatever you do online to be trusted by new visitors. While your graphics and blog posts matter, after all, in eCommerce, your potential clients will be more interested in what you have on offer. Product photography is a skill that requires specialized knowledge and equipment. If you are not selling other people’s products, and are creating personalized items for clients, you might want to look into the in-house product photography cost calculations, so you will be able to work out your profit margins. Calculate the cost of hiring the equipment, specialist, processing your images, and getting the right studio that will help you create stunning images.
Quirky Descriptions
When it comes to product descriptions, there are some standards. You will have to be professional and deliver all the important information for your visitors, However, there is no reason why you cannot use your own brand’s voice when creating these descriptions. Talk about your personal experience, make the products appear unique and desirable, and use this space to build your brand persona. Find your voice and personalize your content to engage with your market.
Social Media Integration
People today shop on social media more than you would think. If you don’t integrate social media posts and marketing in your website, you are losing out. In case your site was designed a few years ago, it might be time to make redesign your pages and make them responsive. Whether you want people to like your Facebook page, follow you on Instagram or Twitter, you need to let them know on your site that you are present on these platforms. Add your latest post and allow your website visitors to ask questions through social media messaging.
Profile Creation
If you allow your customers to personalize their own experiences, you are instantly delivering more value than your competition. While you will need to get a security feature and an SSL certificate to create membership options, your brand and your customers will benefit from the feature. People can favorite items, save them for later, add notes, recommend products through social media, and proudly share their purchases with their friends. Add this feature to your online store, and you will be able to deliver a better service.
Mobile Friendly Features
An increasing number of people now shop online, too. Instead of ignoring the mobile traffic, you will have to accommodate it. Get a popup that offers instant discounts, integrate online payment services and mobile payment, and create an app so your visitors can stay in touch with your brand. No matter if you are selling high ticket items, fashion accessories, or birthday gifts, you want individuals to find exactly what they are looking for without having to click too many buttons on their phones. Add a call now feature and a messaging app to your mobile site, so they can engage with your online store.
Customer Reviews
One of the main drivers of buyer decisions today is credibility. You will need to have enough social proof for people to trust you with their business. If you can make it easy, simple, and fast to leave a feedback, and can reward your customers for taking their time, they will do the word-of-mouth marketing for you. Encourage them to rate their latest purchases, and set up a reward point system that gives them discounts for their reviews. The more social proof you have out there there more likely your new website visitors will be converted into buyers.
Color Psychology
Whatever your brand represents, you can communicate through colors. When talking to a web designer about your new website, it is important to pay attention to the color scheme and the buttons, banners, and popups. The color needs to reflect trustworthiness and professionalism. Nobody is interested in a shop that doesn’t even have a color scheme and the text is hard to read. Green is likely to release the anxiety of your website visitors, while red communicated urgency and exclusivity. Choose a scheme that represents your brand’s style and personality.
Stock Updates
To improve your visitors’ experience, it is also important that you put a good inventory management system in place. There are plenty of open source software and cloud-based apps that will allow you to update the stock and give your visitors an updated information on when the item can be expected to be delivered to them. There’s nothing worse than ordering an item, paying for it, and finding out that you have to wait two weeks for delivery.
Contact Options
One of the most important parts of your website is the contact page. However, you don’t want to sit by the computer 24/7, waiting for people to get in touch. You have two options. First, you can integrate a system that will answer queries automatically, however, this can be expensive to develop. Alternatively, you could find a virtual assistant or two to manage your online chat, provided that there’s enough traffic to your web store, so you never lose a customer again. It is also crucial that you take your time developing your FAQ page, so your visitors can find the answers to their questions without having to contact you.
Self-service Features
In some cases, you might want people to do the shopping and research themselves. Allow them to create their profile, post updates on your site, and share their latest purchase details. They can even change the color or the text size on their mobile or desktop computer, so they can make the most out of their shopping experiences. If you want to further improve customer experience, you could even let them filter the products based on their budget, needs, and location.
Loyalty Discounts
It is always easier and cheaper to look after your existing customers than to find new ones. This means that your clients need to feel valued and respected. If you can add a loyalty discount scheme to your online store, and market it the right way, you will be able to encourage your customers to come back and buy from you again. Utilize newsletters and social media accounts to create awareness about your program. Clearly explain the benefits of joining the site and signing up for the updates via the site or email.
Easy Sharing
One of the latest features that many online store owners forget to implement is videos, images, and infographics that are easy to share. Make every piece of content shareable on your website, so you can benefit from the traffic your existing customers are driving to your site. Add a sharing button to every page you have, every item photo and description, so you can engage with your visitors’ and customers’ friends and social media connections for free.
Test the Buttons
To make sure that your website works as well as you want it to, you will have to regularly test the buttons and the customer experience. Put yourself in the shoes of your website visitor, and map their journey. It is also important that you automate your marketing messages and your sales funnels, so you can convert more visitors into returning customers. Check the journey of your customer from the first time they land on your site until they have ordered. Make sure you follow up orders and communicate clearly.
Build Trust
One of the main reasons why most online stores don’t make it is that they don’t actively manage their brand’s reputation and build trust. Be honest, open, and communicate with your clients. Don’t neglect your social media followers, and do send out updates. If you are going on holiday or there are expected delays in your delivery schedule, let them know before they hit the order button. Deal with complaints quickly and efficiently, and contact customers personally if necessary. Get brand ambassadors and customers on board to help you build a strong brand by providing honest reviews.
If you are looking to sell goods through the internet, your biggest challenge will be to make people find you. Further, you will have to get your visitors to engage with your brand, communicate with you, and trust you enough to place an order. It is important that you pay attention to the functionality and appearance of your site, manage your online reputation, and show your buyers how valued they are, so you can benefit from increased visibility and word-of-mouth advertising.
