13 Essential Ecommerce Conversion Hacks for Smaller Businesses

Given the fact that there are somewhere in the region of 50 million web pages all competing for the same attention, it is hardly surprising so many sites fade into the background. Not that these are the kinds of statistics that should put you off the idea of getting started with your own ecommerce venture. Instead, it’s simply a case of acknowledging the fact that when you do attract customers to your website, absolutely every conversion counts. So assuming you’ve already hit the nail on the head when it comes to attracting at least a modest stream of regular traffic, here’s a quick rundown of 13 essential ecommerce tips to help ensure you never miss out on a potential sale:

1. First of all, speed is your friend when it comes to conversion rates. From page loading times to swift navigation systems to the fastest possible checkout time and so on, the faster, the better.

2. Think more about conversions when you are making your SEO keyword considerations. Try to target those who are more likely to convert, rather than just general traffic.

3. There’s no such thing as too much testing when it comes to the various layouts you could use for your site. Try something, try something else and continue trying new things until you find the layout your customers respond to most positively.

4. While it may well come down to simple psychology, research has shown that consumers tend to have more trust and are more likely to make a purchase if the firm’s contact details are readily available at all times.

5. Responsive design is one thing, but actually testing your site across multiple devices to make sure you are not short changing many potential customers is something else entirely.

6. It’s also worth experimenting with your CTA buttons as research has shown that even so much as a change in colour, size or position can have a direct impact on conversion rates.

7. Ensure you are offering recommendations and related products alongside those that are being purchased, in order to maximise sale value and volumes.

8. Tap into the power of social media, which is in every way just about as powerful as it gets these days. Use testimonials, feedback and social media in general to show just how much the consumer public adores what you do.

9. On the same note, rather than sitting back and waiting for the social proof to find its way to your door, get proactive and pursue it personally.

10. Never underestimate how important site security is these days in the eyes of the average consumer. If you are protecting your site appropriately, be sure to display all relevant credentials and seals.

11. Ensure that your product descriptions and pictures are not just good, but are quite simply spectacular. This in its own right has the potential to make or break an entire ecommerce operation.

12. Make it incredibly easy to purchase anything from your store with just a few clicks. The easier you make it, the greater the potential for impulse purchases.

13. Last but not least, think about offering a price-match guarantee with everything you sell and the most generous returns policy you can. The more doubt you remove from the purchase process for the benefit of the customer, the more likely they are to actually buy something in the first place.