Incorporate a clear “call to action”: A call to action (CTA) offers website visitors options to take action. It might be “click here”, “add to shopping cart” or “sign up for our newsletter”. Whatever the CTA is, explain why your visitor would want to act. One quick way to test how perceptible your CTAs are is to zoom out to 50% on your website browser. You should easily see “click to buy” button.
Use a clean, simple design: Simple designs help visitors focus and make it easier for them to find and buy your products. For a website, less is more.
Integrate your social media accounts: Social media is an excellent platform for consumers to browse, buy from and schedule appointments with their favourite brands. Offer social network sharing features from your website to encourage existing customers and browsers to share your content on their social networks.
Put important information “above the fold”: When people bought newspapers from newsstands, “above the fold” meant anywhere on the front page that was visible when the paper was folded up. The online equivalent is the content that can be seen on a single screen without scrolling down. This is your prime real estate, so use it wisely by placing your most important and attractive information here. For example, an eye-catching picture of your products or a clear value proposition that quickly explains your business.
Display shipping terms prominently: Customers may abandon e-commerce sites halfway through a purchase if the price of shipping was higher than expected or not displayed properly. Help your visitors out by displaying shipping terms prominently on your website—that way there are no surprises.
Make sure your site is mobile friendly: Your customers might be checking out your site on their phone or tablet. If your site doesn’t look right or doesn’t offer the same functionality as it does on a desktop, you could be missing the mark with some of your customers.
With customers wanting a more connected, digital experience, businesses are in an exciting position to grow and connect with consumers in a meaningful way. Focusing on building a strong online presence provides the opportunity to outpace, outsell and outrun the competition.