30+ Tips to Increase E-commerce Conversions

How to increase the conversion of an online store, fill the site with quality, and not burn out. 

Conversion is one of the key indicators for an online store. However, this metric is not easy to improve. In this article, we will analyze what to pay attention to in the technical optimization of the site. Let's provide statistics and explain why 4% is an adequate conversion rate in e-commerce.

And a bonus from the #Whitepay team: a checklist of triggers that increase online store sales.

Conversion in e-commerce is the ratio of the number of visitors to the site who performed some targeted actions on it to the total number of visitors, expressed as a percentage. The conversion rate is one of the most important performance indicators in digital marketing.

Target actions in the online store can be:

• order on the website;
• registration;
• sharing contact details
• appointment, etc.

It is worth noting that the conversion rate can depend on many factors, such as country, industry, website design or even the time of year.

The conversion factor can be calculated using the formula: The number of targeted actions (for example, orders) / the number of visitors * 100%.

Let's look at an example. We will consider everyone who visited the website of the online store as a visitor. We will consider a completed order as a targeted action. Let the length of time be a month.

Let's say that 120,000 visitors visited the online hardware store in a month. Only 900 of them made an order. Thus, we divide 900 by 120,000 and multiply by 100 = 0.75%. This is our conversion rate in e-commerce.

Here are some data on average conversion rates by industry:

• Ruler Analytics #analyzed 14 different industries and calculated that the average conversion rate in e-commerce in them was 2.9%.
• Industries that sell higher-value goods and services typically have a lower-than-average conversion rate, Ruler Analytics says.
• A similar study #was conducted by Unbounce. According to their data, the average landing page conversion in the 10 industries analyzed was 4.02%.
• Of the 10 niches analyzed by Unbounce, the lowest conversion rate is observed in education (2.6%), and the highest is in professional research and training (6.1%).
• And here is another study for comparison. The marketing company WordStream #calculated that the average website conversion rate is 2.35%.

This data provides us with an approximate understanding of the average coefficient. But the key word here is approximate. Indicators may differ depending on the field of activity, region, season and many, many other factors. Therefore, it is better to study the local market and analyze the indicators of your direct competitors.

As we have already mentioned, conversion is one of the keys, but it is not the only important marketing metric. Let's analyze the others.

• Website audience. 
  Even with a lower conversion rate, a site with a large audience can make more sales than a site with a high conversion rate but a small audience.
• Exit rate. 
  This metric indicates the percentage of users who left the site after viewing only one page. The lower the number, the better, because it can mean that users find what they're looking for on the website and stay on it.
• The click-through rate (CTR) represents the ratio of the number of users who clicked on the ad to the number of users who saw the ad. This indicator is especially important if more than half of your customers come to the website through direct advertising. A high CTR can indicate that the ad is attracting users' attention and motivating them to take further action.
• The average session duration is the average time users spend on your site at one time. The higher this indicator, the more time users devote to the online store.

The impact of these metrics on the conversion rate depends on your site's goals. For example, a low exit rate and high CTR indicate the website engages and motivates the target audience. A high average session duration may indicate that users are interested in the product and are willing to learn more. Overall, these metrics can help optimize content and improve conversion rates.

The high-quality functioning of the site is one of the most important factors that should be paid attention to in the process of increasing the conversion of an online store. Of course, the best solution is to use the services of an SEO specialist. However, we have compiled a short list: how to improve conversion rate in e-commerce.

• The site is adapted for mobile devices. Currently, the Google search engine prefers responsive sites.
• Correct meta tags added to the website. A relevant key to the content on the online store page increases the likelihood that the site will appear in Google's search results.
• Loading speed. In order for potential customers not to leave the online store in the first minute, it is necessary to pay special attention to the speed and stability of the website.
• The site uses the secure HTTPS protocol. This protocol is an important ranking factor for Google. In addition, the secure connection mark in the browser increases user confidence.

And the promised 30 recommendations for increasing conversions in e-commerce (by Big Commerce):

1. Use optimized high-quality images and video on your product pages.
2. Offer free shipping.
3. Provide limited-time coupon codes.
4. Be competitively priced.
5. Tweak and test your e-commerce checkout process.
6. Use shopping cart abandonment software.
7. Use live chat software and chatbots.
8. Let customers know your e-commerce store is safe.
9. Structure your site, so visitors can easily find products.
10. Make your checkout form easy to understand.
11. Always show the shopping cart contents.
12. Let customers checkout as guests.
13. Give detailed product descriptions.
14. Allow customer reviews and provide product testimonials.
15. Make your “Add to Cart” and “Checkout” buttons prevalent.
16. Have a great product return policy.
17. Optimize for mobile devices.
18. Display your phone number prominently.
19. Provide valuable content.
20. Capture emails.
21. Grab visitors’ attention quickly.
22. Use calls-to-action sparingly.
23. Clearly state your unique selling proposition.
24. Spell-check your copywriting.
25. Measure your conversion in e-commerce.
26. Implement a browse abandonment campaign.
27. Always be testing.
28. Personalize.
29. Implement progress bars on checkout.
30. Add filters to your category pages.
31. Extra recommendation from Whitepay. Add more convenient payment methods: mobile banking, online wallets and #crypto payments.

Now that we've covered the simple tips, it's time to move on to analytics. To maximize conversion, you need to understand your audience: who they are, how they think, and how they act. Based on this data, you will be able to:

• improve the user experience;
• launch more successful advertising campaigns
• improve the recommendation system;
• expand the assortment with relevant products.

Here are some tools to help you collect data about CA.

This is a free tool from Google that allows you to measure the effectiveness of advertising, as well as track the activity of visitors on the site or in the application. Today, it is the most popular service for collecting web analytics.

Google Analytics makes it possible to understand which channels bring traffic, which pages generate the most interest, which actions users take on the site, and how often they return. Google Analytics also integrates with other Google products, such as Google Ads, Google Search Console and Google Cloud. Of course, the e-commerce conversion rate in Google Analytics is also displayed.

This is a free Microsoft tool that captures how real people use the site. #Clarity makes it easy to get on-site and start receiving data within minutes. The service provides features such as heat maps, session recordings, powerful analytical reports, etc.

Heatmaps depict where visitors click, what they ignore, and how far they scroll. Session logs allow you to observe how visitors use the site and identify design or functionality issues. Analytics reports help you quickly identify where users are getting frustrated or stuck. All this data will help you increase conversion in the future.

It is one of the leading tools for audience measurement. It helps to study the demographic and psychographic characteristics of its target audience. Quantcast Measure is based on the direct measurement of website or application traffic, providing accurate and timely data.

Quantcast Measure also lets you know what your abstract target customer buys, what brands they prefer, what cars they drive, what media they consume off-site, and more.

It is critical to how you tell your users about the brand and how you communicate. Can site content convert visitors into customers? Is there a corporate identity, and how exactly is it used?

Be sure to fill out the "About Us" section of the website. Especially if the brand has an unusual history. Just the canvas of the text looks outdated. Add videos, infographics, and more. Make site visitors feel involved with the brand. Now, imagine that the media will want to write about your site. Make it easy for them by providing complete information about the brand on the site.

A good example is the “#About” section of Tesla's website, which contains different types of content, such as videos and production photos.

A visitor to an online store should immediately understand why he should buy a product here. What can a unique business offer that competitors do not have? It is important to display promotions and exclusive offers on the site's main page.

For example, the United Humanitarian Fund (UHF) supports #crypto donations, which is really convenient.

uhf.fund

Product labels, such as discount information, are still a working tool for increasing sales and conversions. An excellent case is #the LEGO website. In addition to adding labels to the item, such as "Exclusive Products" and "Rare Ideas", some items can be viewed by the visitor in "360" mode.

Is it important to you that customers subscribe to the newsletter? Try adding a quiz. Do you need to add affiliate material to your site? A quiz can also be a good opportunity to attract the attention of potential customers.

Interactive texts and quizzes are a great tool for increasing conversion in e-commerce. An example can be a survey on #the Uncover the Glow website. After completing a simple survey, potential customers receive a detailed list of products suitable for their skin type.

Low-quality search bar settings can be found even on popular websites. For example, incorrect display of goods when entering article numbers or individual technical elements. This can lead to the loss of the buyer.

For example, a consultant in an offline store provided the customer with an article number by which he could look at the product on the website at home. And when entering this information, the online store issues a technical error.

Therefore, paying special attention to the search bar configuration is extremely important. After all, the customer will always find a more convenient way to purchase goods from your competitor. 

Some types of businesses can effectively use calculators to attract a target audience. A great example is Urban Architecture. A potential client can easily calculate the cost of construction using a building calculator.

Make content user-friendly and interactive. Site visitors will definitely appreciate it highly. And the business will get new customers and increase sales.

urbanistarchitecture.co.uk

#A study by JP Morgan found that approximately 20% of internet users abandon a purchase at the checkout stage due to the lack of a preferred payment method. And 80% of them will look for another service provider after such a bad experience.

Therefore, it is necessary to carefully research the market and add relevant payment methods, including digital currencies.

Different studies indicate a different average conversion rate: from 2.35% to 4.02%. But this indicator strongly depends on your industry, market situation, etc. Be that as it may, you need to work on increasing the conversion in e-commerce. Use the tips and tools from this article and you will succeed!