Psst!
Want in on a secret?
Whether you have an established ecommerce website or an online store, you can boost customer conversion rates up to 400%! Impressive, right?
According to findings from Forrester Research, you can do that simply by developing a frictionless UX design.
The world of e-commerce is extremely competitive. Businesses are fighting for the same space and online recognition. So you’ve got to grab your customers – the more, the better – and make them keep coming back to your brand.
The simplest way to make the online experience memorable is to help customers find information or complete a transaction as quickly as possible. Here are some ways you can create a pleasant experience for your customers and stay a step ahead of the competition.
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1. Optimize for mobile
Today’s topmost demand is mobile optimization, enabling consumers to multitask while on the go. Everyone is using a mobile device, so this is where you have got to be. Statista claims that mobile devices account for 48 percent of all web page views. What’s more, all new sites are being indexed using Google’s mobile-first indexing. Google’s crawling, indexing, and ranking systems will now utilize the mobile version of your page to rank you for mobile-initiated searches.
Pro tip:
Identify the metrics that define your audience and where you stand in the industry. Use tools like Alexa to check the audience demographics and engagement of your visitors. Understand the core priorities of your customers and make their interaction as convenient as possible.
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2. Maximize loading speeds
People are busy and have shorter attention spans. They expect rapid responses. Visitors will abandon a slow site.
People expect you to offer them a smoother and speedier shopping experience. So if your website fails to upload quickly, you are at risk of losing your customers. According to CrazyEgg, a one-second delay decreases customer satisfaction by 16% and 7% loss in conversion.
Pro tip:
Use a software application like Gzip to compress your CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files. Reduce redirects and optimize images. More importantly, improve server response times by looking for performance bottlenecks.
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3. Make it easy to navigate
A cluttered site with poor navigation can easily confuse and disorient people. The design should guide customers through your estore. KoMarketing says that you could lose 37% of your customers through poor website design.
Make it easier for shoppers to explore all the options that your brand is offering. Notice how retailers such as Walmart offer an organized main menu so customers can immediately navigate to pages that are offering products that they need.
Talk about navigation, we can’t forget Amazon. This online ecommerce giant has extensive vertical navigation links. They don’t clutter the page and keep the whole website fully accessible.
Pro tip:
Online shops and e-commerce websites should provide additional assistance through search and sort options. Categorize all your products highlighted in your main menu. Enhance UX by offering extended services through filters such as price, color, size, location, etc.
To create extra oomph, add voice search. Nearly 30-50% of future searches will be completed through voice in the coming years.
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4. Personalize the experience
People are perpetually busy, trying to squeeze in tasks while waiting in line or during lunch break. Establish a more meaningful relationship with customers by personalizing content. Provide suggestions based on prior transactions. Help people find products that they are more likely to approve of. Not only does this speed up the shopping process, but it also finalizes a sale in the shortest time possible.
Pro tip:
Add on to the level of personalization that you are currently offering. Save the customer’s spot in previously searched content. Users that have been interrupted while searching can continue where they left off. I don’t know about anyone else, but this one’s a winner for me!
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5. Create great product information
Before buying anything from a store, you’re tempted to examine it thoroughly. The online world has limitations in this respect. To fill the gap, you need to highlight concise, compelling product descriptions alongside clear, engaging photography. Details should be comprehensible and visible.
Pro tip:
Users are busier and have shorter attention spans. They typically scan information about products and services before a purchase. Red Website Design pointed out that 70% of users prefer to look at lists with bullets. Techie Drive was able to increase its conversion by 20% by just using bullet points.
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6. Experiment with interactive design
You are losing customers running your business on a simple site. Cater to the consistent needs of your customers with a seamless online experience through interactive design. It allows you to engage actively, interact, and automate the visitor’s experience, thereby improving their UX. Examples of interactive actions include voting, filling out a form, entering a location, using simple tools like budget calculators, or leaving a comment.
Pro tip:
Use an attractive CTA button to help boost UX and get higher conversions, nearly by 13%, according to CrazyEgg. With the right aesthetics and location, CTAs are a gift to all e-commerce platforms.
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7. Implement simple and secure checkout processes
Once a customer finds a product and decides to buy it, you need to seal the deal as quickly as possible. Improve UX by streamlining the process as much as possible. Baymard reported that 27% of customers leave because the checkout process is too complicated.
More importantly, provide a secure environment where customers do not doubt your website. Robust site security guarantees an exceptional browsing experience. For instance, customers are more likely to trust sites with SSL certificates. Since ecommerce deals with sensitive personal and financial data, consider choosing WordPress ecommerce plugins and extensions that will secure your website.
Pro tip:
To boost UX at checkout, consider the following points.
- Refrain from asking your customer to register in order to continue with checkout.
- Avoid asking customers to provide repetitive information.
- Allow customers to use Google or Facebook accounts instead of creating a new profile.
- Remove distractions from the checkout page.
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8. Get on social media
Whether it’s a complaint or a compliment, it’ll be on social media. It is one of the best ways to connect with your customers, whatever platform they are on. Maintaining an active presence on multiple platforms helps customers feel valued. Acquire vital feedback about your brand and smoothen out any issues that are causing glitches in a user’s experience.
Reviews allow customers to relate to one another. According to Nielsen, 84% will purchase a product based on a recommendation from someone they know, and 71% are likely to make a purchase based on social media referrals. Reviews help visitors to develop trust in your brand, clearing up doubts, and creating a better UX.
Pro tip:
With the aid of data analytics, utilize social intelligence not only to measure likes and followers, but it can also provide vital insights around every stage of a user’s journey. Research and analyze information to understand customers within your market and their needs. Monitoring your reviews is a crucial part of online reputation management.
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9. Offer virtual assistance
As I mentioned earlier, customers demand attention. Posting regular updates on social media, writing blogs, or uploading videos is a great way to offer additional assistance. Today, email, phone support, and social media are all widely considered standard practice.
Pro tip:
Many customers demand promptness as well as assistance 24/7. You’ve got to be there to resolve any issues. In this digital era, the simplest solution is implementing chatbots and other AI-enabled tools to enhance customer support as well as customer service. According to MindShare, 63% of people consider communicating via chatbot.
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10. Establish trust through transparency
Customers are in the search for information. They need to be able to make informed decisions. Since all successful businesses are constructed on the foundations of transparency and trust, you need to provide the answers to your customer’s queries.
Information about product details, exchange and return policies, shipping and delivery regulations, additional costs, etc. should be easy to comprehend. When you establish expectations upfront, customers are satisfied that you live up to them. This encourages customers to continue to interact with your brand. And it’s not only about a single transaction. Entrepreneurs understand that transparency and honesty breed customer loyalty. Label Insight quotes that 94% of consumers are loyal to transparent brands.
Pro tip:
Consistency is the key to success, not only in the service but also the online experience. Users expect a fully functional site where there are no errors so that they can switch from an element to another smoothly.
Final thoughts
What do Uber, Amazon, and Apple have in common?
They are successful brands that focus on a customer-first design approach. They anticipate what a customer needs, provide relevant results, create ways to maximize UX and leverage these experiences to generate better ones.
Remember, it’s all about enhancing the level of engagement. And while your website should concentrate on UX, other aspects such as functionality, speed, performance, visual aesthetics, simplicity, and accessibility are just as crucial for success.
