The goal of any e-commerce website is to make sales. But not everyone who visits will buy. They might only be browsing or gaining more information. And sure, perhaps they may buy next time. Regardless of where they are in the sales funnel* , your site must impress them. Performance is therefore everything!
* Sales funnel is the journey a potential customer takes from being aware of a product or service to making a purchase.
Take a mobile-first approach to design.
In South Africa alone, nearly 70% of online shoppers shop via mobile devices. It is therefore essential that you take a “mobile-first” approach when it comes to design and layout. Neglecting to design for mobile, or having a site that isn’t responsive for these devices, will alienate potential customers and cost you lost revenue.
Ensure your site looks great and is highly functional.
Visitors need to enjoy the look and feel, and functionality of your website.
Therefore:
Make sure it is super easy to navigate around it and search for products.
Invest in high-quality photographs of each product at various angles and make videos if you can.
Write compelling content for your website.
Make sure your designs are flawless and engaging.
Don’t forget to include call-to-actions** on every page.
Simplify the payment process as much as possible.
Offer multiple payment gateways.
** A call-to-action is a prompt or button that encourages visitors to take a specific action, such as “Buy Now,” “Add to Cart,” or “Sign Up.”
Get your website to load as fast as possible.
Would you shop at an online store that takes too long to load? Didn’t think so. A slow to load e-commerce website is essentially giving visitors a reason to click away.
Take these steps to ensure a super-fast site:
Invest in the best WordPress Hosting package for your particular needs.
Compress all images and thumbnails, without losing definition.
Ensure there are no broken links.
Use fewer and better-quality plugins.
Implement automatic website caching.
Perform on-page Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
On-page SEO refers to all the optimisation efforts you can take on the website itself. It includes relevant keywords and the writing of good, quality content for your pages. But it doesn’t stop there. For a simple guide, read our blog entitled “Top on-page SEO factors to include when building your website
Buy a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Certificate.
An SSL Certificate is a form of security you add to your website, which encrypts communication between your site and a visitor’s online device. Apart from protecting sensitive data, SSLs also build trust with customers. While this is essential for any website is it especially important for e-commerce websites. If you are unsure which SSL is best for your needs, perhaps this article on SSLs could help you.
Run updates ASAP!
When any update is outdated – run the update immediately. Outdated plugins and software can affect the performance and the security of your site. Unfortunately, this is not a once-off action but needs to be prioritised on an “as and when” basis.
Good to know: WordPress Hosting by Domains.co.za our Smart Plugin Updates will automatically do this task for you.
Track analytics and audit your e-commerce website regularly.
These days we don’t have to guess whether something is working or not, we can simply look at the data. Data does not lie and by having these facts you can take the necessary actions to rectify issues.Website Metrics: What to track, why they matter and how to fix them
Strategy #2. Make Use of Digital Marketing to Boost Traffic to Your E-Commerce Website
While a great performing e-commerce website is key, there’s no point if there aren’t any visitors. Digital marketing is an effective way to generate brand awareness, targeted traffic, and repeat customer purchases.
Digital marketing requires ongoing commitment, but you don’t need to be an expert.
Try these 7 steps to get started:
Choose a marketable domain name and Top-Level Domain (TLD).
One of the first and most important things you should do is choose a domain name and TLD that will serve your e-commerce website well . This will make every marketing effort you ever invest in digitally or traditionally worth the effort.
Choose a domain name that is short and easy to recall. A unique TLD like .store or .online could also be a good idea. The more memorable your domain name, the easier it will be to market and get direct traffic to your site.
Utilise email marketing.
Focus on building an email database from the start and send targeted email marketing campaigns. Email is still a very effective tool to engage with customers, drive sales, and build brand loyalty. By doing this you can connect with both existing and potential customers, informing them about new products, promotions, and special offers.
Tip: Make your emails personal.
Create content marketing material.
Content marketing is high-value content that you create for your website, as well as other platforms. Content marketing includes social media, blog posts, guest articles, videos, and infographics. The content is generally educational in nature, helps to address customer questions, and showcases your expertise in a specific area. The purpose of creating this content is to help attract and engage with your target audience, while building trust and authority in your niche. Added to this, content marketing can drastically improve your search engine rankings.
Obtain and display reviews and user-generated content.
Word of mouth matters. People generally don’t tend to trust what brands say about themselves. They want to hear from customers. Positive reviews can help to boost sales for your products. Focus on getting reviews before you launch your e-commerce website, and continuously add as many as you can going forward. The same applies for user-generated content. Use your “new small business” status to ask customers to do this for you.
Get an influencer onboard.
Find an influencer in your industry. Influencers have built-up a following of people that adore and trust their opinions. Influencers also have a unique and practical approach to content creation. Their reels and videos can help to market your products in a very creative and effective way. This not only expands your reach but also helps you connect with your target market on a more personal level.
Run Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising campaigns.
Your digital marketing efforts will take some time to build up momentum. Don’t become discouraged. Instead, consider running PPC ads to instantly boost traffic with targeted audiences. With paid ads, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, therefore making it a cost-effective way to reach potential customers. Additionally, PPC platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads allow you to reach users based on demographics, interests, and online behaviour.
Perform off-page Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
Off-page SEO is not something you do overnight. But the earlier you start the better. It involves building backlinks from reputable websites and social media marketing, with the aim of improving your website’s visibility and authority on the internet. Doing this not only drives more traffic to your site but also conveys to search engines that your site is relevant and trustworthy. Thereby, enhancing your ranking.
Strategy #3. Invest Heavily in Customer Service
Poor customer service can ruin all the hard work you’ve put into your e-commerce website. That’s because people don’t just talk about bad experiences these days, they have become very vocal about it on sites like Hello Peter, Google, Facebook and any platform they feel like using.
To remain successful online you, both your staff and your website need to up the ante when it comes to quality of service. If you get it right it will lead to enhanced customer satisfaction and customer retention, as well as helping to boost your brand’s reputation and credibility.
Offer exceptional and timely support.
Provide good quality assistance and resolve customer queries without delay. This builds trust and confidence in your brand.
Do the following to improve support:
Add an FAQs or self-service section on your website
Consider adding a Chatbot to your site
Provide a WhatsApp line to streamline questions
Engage on social media by responding to queries
Make your service personal.
Large e-commerce businesses cannot provide the level of personal service that your small business can. Let that count in your advantage. Bring a personal touch to every question, email, and order. Offer lovely packaging and include a hand-written note or sticker to every parcel.
Follow-up with customers.
Make a point of following-up with every new customer after they’ve received their order.
It allows you to obtain valuable feedback that could help you improve your offering.
It presents an opportunity to personally ask for a review or to subscribe to your database.
It promotes a good relationship with your customers.
Offer free or affordable delivery that’s fast.
While online shopping is very convenient, there is one snag: after buying, a customer doesn’t get to take their purchase home straight away. Do whatever you can to speed up the delivery process, or make the wait worthwhile.
Try these tips:
Offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount.
Give your customers multiple delivery options.
Make use of trusted courier companies.
Invest in product development.
Product development is an important part of running a lucrative e-commerce website. That’s because people enjoy it when they see “new”, “better” and “improved”. It shows that your company takes their satisfaction seriously. Run surveys and do whatever you can to improve the quality of your current products. It is also beneficial to develop and bring to market new products every now and again. This keeps your offering fresh and makes your online store “sticky”.
Make use of cart abandonment software.
Cart abandonment software recovers potentially lost sales. It allows you to send personalised email reminders or notifications. This is not only good for business but also ticks the customer service box. It reminds customers about items they were interested in, and encourages them “not to miss out”.
Give back!
Show your customers you care, by giving back.
Consider doing the following:
Include a gift or free sample in their orders.
Reward loyalty with discount vouchers.
Run exclusive promotions for customers only.
Support a charity.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Start your e-commerce website now to tap into South Africa’s growing online shopper base, but brace for tough competition and arm yourself with essential strategies for success.
Performance and user experience can make or break your website. Invest in the best hosting, an SSL Certificate, and take other website-critical actions to prevent visitors from clicking away.
Make use of digital marketing to drive targeted traffic to your e-commerce site and convert visitors into loyal customers.
Keep your customers happy at all costs to ensure repeated business.
FAQs
How do I choose the right E-Commerce platform for my website?
Consider factors like scalability, ease of use, payment options, customisation, and integrations. Popular options include Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento. A website builder like Domains.co.za Site Builder can offer you an affordable yet professional DIY e-commerce solution.
How can I build trust with my customers on my E-Commerce website?
Display trust signals such as customer reviews, secure payment badges, clear contact information, and a professional website design. Provide transparent pricing, shipping, and return policies to reassure customers. There are numerous free, professionally designed website templates with our Site Builder and WordPress Hosting products.
How can I measure the success of my E-Commerce website?
Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rate, average order value, customer acquisition cost, customer retention rate, and website traffic using analytics tools like Google Analytics.
What role does content play in E-Commerce success?
Content helps educate, engage, and persuade potential customers. Utilise blog posts, product descriptions, videos, and user-generated content to showcase your products, address customer concerns, and establish authority in your niche.
What is E-Commerce?
E-commerce, short for electronic commerce, refers to the buying and selling of goods or services over the internet. It involves transactions conducted online, typically through a website or mobile app, where customers browse products, make purchases, and arrange for delivery or digital fulfilment.
Chantél Venter is a creative writer, strategic thinker, and a serious gesticulator. She’s passionate about storytelling, small businesses and bringing color to the world – be it through her words or wardrobe.
She holds a four-year degree in Business and Mass Media Communication and Journalism. She’s been a copywriter and editor for the technology, insurance and architecture industries since 2007 and believes anybody can run a small business successfully. She therefore enjoys finding and sharing the best and most practical tips for this purpose.
