If you have successfully set up your eCommerce store, it’s time to optimize it for maximum sales. If you’re wondering how and where to start, get some insights from our previous article - How to start a successful online store. Customers will shop with you if they know and trust you. These elements are built over time. Here are four simple things that will give you a head-start and help your store gain a competitive edge.
One simple but mostly overlooked way of building trust is by including an About Us section on your website. It helps let in your customers into your world albeit in a small way. This section can briefly detail your company philosophy, team members and so on. Including customer testimonials and reviews also goes a step further in building trust. Adding video content is a plus. Ensure that your business contact details are also prominently displayed on the website.
In this case, it could be worth the thousand shillings in your check-out cart. Humans are visual beings. We respond to visual content better. Visual content drives engagement. Your images need to grab your visitors’ attention and compel them to take action.
Whereas we highly recommend creating your own stock photography, this can be costly and might require a budget to execute. Use clear, concise, and quality product images that showcase what you are actually selling.
Where applicable, show the product in action - for example a model fitting a dress is a lot better than having the dress laid down or hanging on it’s own. Include detailed product descriptions to make it easier for the buyer. Avoid using images that misrepresent what you have in stock.
It’s one thing to have an online shop and another to have customers actively buy from the store. A solid marketing strategy will come in handy. Help your site rank higher on the search engine results page (SERP) by ensuring that the site is optimized. Should you have a blog page, start by creating a simple content schedule and write and share articles consistently. If your blog has great content that your customers can relate to, it can be a great opportunity to nurture and build your email marketing audience. Social media marketing is also a great low-cost way to build engagement and reach thousands of potential customers. These channels can be used to build a community, share content around your products/service as well as run promotions and discounts. That said, ensure that you share on these channels consistently.
Your role is to make the customer’s experience enjoyable. Having factored all the above, it is also important to offer customer support - for example through a live chat. If a customer contacts you through your contact form, ensure that you respond as soon as possible. That customer could be a hot lead and leaving your inquiries unanswered could be the difference between making a sale and losing the customer.
Never miss a sale with our secure online payment tools
Start accepting online payments
