Creating an online store is just the first step toward running a successful business. The next task is to get customers to your ecommerce website. You should always have clear goals and a plan for growth.
Fortunately, there are plenty of strategies to boost traffic and increase online sales. Here are 31 ways to help get more visitors to your ecommerce store!
1. Provide customer testimonials
Most internet shoppers read reviews. Testimonials show potential customers the value of your product, which greatly increases their likelihood of making a purchase. For this reason, displaying reviews of both your products and your business is one of the top ecommerce tips.
You can put testimonials on your "About" page, your product listings, or your homepage. You could make a separate page just for testimonials, too.
Ask your most loyal shoppers to write a review. Your testimonials will ideally be positive, but note that even negative remarks can benefit your business as well. If potential customers see that you respond to less-than-glowing comments with respect and attention, they’re more apt to have a greater amount of trust in your brand.
Other trust signals can also boost sales and build your brand's reputation. If you have professional accreditations, certifications, memberships, or anything else that establishes you as trustworthy, I highly recommend including them on your site.
2. Hold a competition
A competition is an underutilized but effective way to generate buzz around your brand. The competition should be somehow related to your product or industry, and it should encourage entrants to spread the word.
A voting-based competition can be particularly helpful because participants may ask their friends to vote.
Photo contests, caption contests, and quizzes are some popular forms of competition for internet businesses. You could also do random prize drawings or sweepstakes for shoppers who join your email list, follow your Facebook page, or share your content.
3. Give free samples
To convert as many customers as possible, it should be easy for shoppers to try your products. Sometimes, shoppers are hesitant to buy an item online since they can't see it, hold it, or feel it in person first. Free samples fix that problem.
Complimentary samples aren't always ideal for internet businesses because the production and shipping costs may not outweigh the sales. However, if you can make it work, you can greatly increase your customer base.
You could send samples to bloggers or internet influencers in exchange for their honest feedback, too. If they like the product, they may send a big influx of traffic your way for a very small investment on your part.
4. Examine your site speed
If your page takes longer than a few seconds to load, you may lose a massive number of visitors. According to Neil Patel, 40% of users abandon a website when it takes longer than three seconds to load, and 52% of internet shoppers report that fast loading speed is a factor in their store loyalty.
There are many tools on the internet that you can use to measure your page speed. To quicken your loading speed, compress images and other data. You can also utilize caching, which temporarily stores your site data so that the page loads faster for returning visitors.
However, when you create your online store on the WiziShop platform, your website will be built automatically with the AMP format. This means that your visitors will get to quick page-loading speeds when they check out your site!
5. Create an awesome "About Us" page
Your "About" page is your chance to tell people about your background, your mission, and your values. Be clear about who you are and what you sell, and use your "About" page as an opportunity to tell your story.
The page should be fairly brief but compelling. Use short paragraphs and bulleted lists to help readers skim through the content. Determine the most important two or three pieces of information you want consumers to know, and structure the page around those ideas.
6. Supply a money-back guarantee
A money-back guarantee minimizes the risk for the customer, which is a great incentive to make a purchase. Buying an item on the internet feels like much less of a commitment when you have the option to get your money back.
By offering a money-back guarantee, you can even entice shoppers who weren’t satisfied with their initial orders to purchase another item from your store in the future. If you provide high-quality service throughout the return process, they may be happy to give your business a second chance.
7. Propose incentives for buyers’ first purchases
Having difficulties making your first online sale?
Why not give a small discount to first-time buyers to encourage them to try out your products?
Whether you provide a 15% discount, $10 off the order, or a free bonus gift, incentivizing the first purchase can have excellent results. Make sure the offer is noticeable to users when they visit your online store.
8. Optimize for mobile users
Mobile browsing has increased in popularity immensely in recent years. Your shop should be accessible for both mobile and desktop users so that you don’t miss out on any potential customers.
Google’s search engine algorithm uses the mobile versions of each page to determine ranking. If your mobile version is slow, difficult to navigate, or lacking information, your chances of ranking highly in the search engine results page are slim.
The best way to optimize your store for mobile browsing is to use responsive web design, which is provided automatically for stores on the WiziShop platform. This adapts your website to any screen size so that you don't have to create separate versions of each page for different devices.
Whether consumers are visiting your site from their laptops or from their mobile phones, they’ll be able to have an enjoyable shopping experience!
9. Employ an effective SEO strategy
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of appealing to search engines with your website design and content. Because there’s so much competition, it’s difficult to rank highly on Google without a strong SEO strategy.
Search engine optimization involves a wide variety of tips and tricks. It takes a long time to fine-tune an SEO campaign, but you can start with the basics. You should first identify the target keywords that you want to rank for.
Use highly specific keywords related to your merchandise. Then, incorporate those keywords naturally into your website content, page titles, and meta descriptions.
You can use keywords to optimize your product pages, "About" page, or home page. You could also start a blog on your ecommerce website to create more opportunities for web content and keyword use.
Never try to "stuff" keywords into a page, though. Google recognizes when a business is attempting to manipulate their way to the top of the results page, and the penalties can be severe.
10. Write clear, honest product descriptions
The descriptions for your goods may be the first thing visitors see if they discover your store through a Google search.
A well-written description can help you perform better on search engines, and it increases conversions. Be honest and transparent in your descriptions. If you include misleading information, you'll risk getting bad reviews from upset shoppers.
11. Provide a new product or service
Introducing a new item is an excellent way to expand your audience. You may reach a whole group of loyal shoppers by branching out and supplying something new.
You don’t even need to present an entirely new item to attract more customers. You could rebrand or repackage an existing item. In fact, simply marketing a product differently can often bring a new wave of traffic.
12. Offer a smaller number of products
Offering fewer options may sound counterintuitive if you’re trying to boost the number of visitors. However, some ecommerce retailers make the mistake of giving too many choices.
This can overwhelm the purchaser and cause indecision, which may ultimately result in lost sales.
Focusing on a smaller, core set of goods can make it easier for your shoppers. It also can help you hone your internet marketing strategy. You can spend more time optimizing your site for fewer keywords instead of putting only a little effort into many keywords.
13. Ensure that you have a user-friendly web design
User experience is an important part of search engine optimization. More importantly, though, a user-friendly site creates a better experience for the shopper, which makes them more likely to return to your store.
Your internet boutique should be intuitive and easy to navigate. There should be a clear system of organization for your products so that people can quickly find what they’re looking for. A search bar can also be a great way to help visitors explore your shop.
14. Start a referral marketing program
A Nielsen report found that 84% of respondents trust recommendations from friends and family the most. A referral program encourages your loyal customers to spread the word to those who will listen.
You can provide an incentive like a discount or a small gift to patrons who share their cart on social media or refer a friend to your business. This helps to grow your audience, and it also increases loyalty from your existing clientele.
15. Send an email when customers abandon their carts
You don’t have to give up hope if a customer abandons their cart during the shopping process. People often leave a shop simply because they’re distracted. They may just need a reminder to complete the purchase.
By reaching out to visitors to encourage them to return to your shop, you can recover a large portion of your abandoned carts.
With the WiziShop ecommerce solution, you’ll have access to our special “Auto-Mail Booster” feature. This allows you to customize and automate emails, such as for situations involving abandoned carts, making checking in with your customers a breeze!
16. Make the checkout process easy
The best way to keep shoppers on your website is to make the checkout experience as easy as possible. One of the most frustrating experiences for ecommerce retailers is for shoppers to make it all the way to the checkout and then click away.
Allow your customers to check out as a guest to speed up the process. Only ask for the most essential information, and try to keep the checkout condensed onto one or two pages.
In addition, be up-front about shipping prices, taxes, or other fees. Shoppers are very likely to abandon their carts if they’re hit with unexpected costs at the last step of the checkout.
17. Provide a variety of payment options
The more payment options you can supply, the better. Some people are willing to type in their credit card information, but others may prefer methods like Google Wallet, Apple Pay, or PayPal.
This is especially important if your store gets a lot of mobile traffic. When visitors have one of these alternative payment methods synced to their phones, the checkout process becomes faster and easier. They’ll have less time to get distracted or change their minds about the purchase.
18. Use a trusted, secure online payment system
Shoppers will abandon their carts if they're unsure of the payment system’s security. When you ask visitors to give their personal information, you’ll need to have the appropriate security measures in place.
There are many different security badges you can add to your shop. Some of the most popular include Norton, Better Business Bureau, and Visa-Mastercard.
Most importantly, your security seal should demonstrate to your customers that you’ve taken measures to keep their information safe.
19. Add high-quality product images
Great lighting and a neutral background are essential for your product photos. A high-quality image can make shoppers feel more confident in what they want to purchase.
Include photos of the item from all angles. When it comes to shopping on the internet, people rely on images to decide whether or not they’re interested in the item. The photos should clearly show every important feature.
20. Use consistent messages across your ad campaigns and website
Shoppers click on ads because the message appeals to them. If your website doesn’t align with the ad, they won’t stay for long.
To retain shoppers, make sure your messages are consistent and relevant across the web. The photos you display in your ad should also appear on your internet store. An ad for a specific item should link directly to that product’s listing page.
21. Create buyer personas and target them effectively
A buyer persona is a specific, detailed representation of your target customer. When you create your buyer persona, consider your target audience’s age, financial status, goals, and patterns of behavior.
As you create and market your store, keep your buyer persona in mind. Think about how they would interact with your website and what they would want to see. This can help you build a shop that appeals precisely to your audience.
22. Use clear calls-to-action
A strong call-to-action prompts your visitors to interact with your shop, which can improve your search rankings. Encouraging shoppers to sign up for emails is especially important. Most web traffic will not result in a sale right away, but email marketing is an effective way to reconnect with your store’s visitors.
Your call-to-action should be striking and easily visible. It can be helpful to run A/B tests with different text and designs. Even slight differences in color or layout can have a significant impact on user engagement.
23. Send promotional emails
Once you’ve gotten people to sign up for emails, your job now is to send out emails that actually encourage them to return to your store. Repeat customers often spend more money than new ones, so traffic from your existing customers is very valuable.
Remember WiziShop’s “Auto-Mail Booster” tool I mentioned earlier? You can also use it to send emails with discount codes, special offers, or news about merchandise or events.
For the best results, you may want to segment your email list based on your customers’ demographic information or purchasing history. You can then send targeted emails that reflect the individual needs and preferences of your shoppers.
24. Create a rewards program
It’s no secret that people like to feel appreciated. Rewarding shoppers for their loyalty makes them much more likely to come back.
For instance, you can offer a rewards program that includes a points system. For every dollar the customer spends, they accrue points that they can redeem for discounts or free items.
Make it easy for purchasers to see their point totals so that they don’t forget about the program. If they have enough points to redeem a reward, send them an email to remind them of the offer.
25. Build a sense of urgency
A sense of urgency will encourage your customers to complete the sale now rather than waiting until later. It can draw people to your shop because they don’t want to miss out on the special offer.
You should never be dishonest or misleading with your customers. Don’t pretend that a sale or a reward is time-sensitive if it isn’t.
However, offering limited-edition products, complimentary shipping on a certain date, or other short-term deals can be a great way to gain traffic and boost conversions.
26. Provide a chat option for customer service
Shoppers are drawn to internet stores that make the shopping experience simple and straightforward. Most shoppers don’t want to take the time to call or email customer support, but a chat box that’s built into your site is much more convenient.
You could even use an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to supply 24/7 support. In the last few years, AI has gotten very advanced. These days, an AI chatbot can assist customers with a wide range of issues that would have previously required human aid.
27. Supply demonstration videos
Videos are even better than photos for accurately representing your product. Internet shoppers are more likely to make a purchase when they can see the item in action.
You could upload demo videos directly to your site, or you could create a YouTube channel for your business. “How-to videos are very popular on YouTube, so this can be an effective way to build your audience and drive traffic to your store.
28. Display your best-selling products
Some shoppers visit your ecommerce store knowing exactly what they’re looking for. Others are there to browse. To avoid overwhelming visitors with options, feature your best-selling items on your home page.
Your top sellers are popular for a reason. If you feature them, many visitors will take an interest right away. This helps to keep them on your site for longer. People will also have more trust in your goods that have a significant number of positive reviews.
29. Offer free shipping
Amazon and other major retailers have set the precedent for free shipping. Now, many shoppers expect it.
If you can’t provide complimentary shipping on all orders, you might want to at least offer it for orders of at least a certain dollar amount. Shoppers may add items to their cart just to qualify for free shipping, which can aid in boosting your average order value!
30. Engage with customers on social media
Social media is a valuable tool for engagement. It provides a direct line of communication with your customers, and it helps you expand your store’s visibility on the internet.
While your business does need a social media presence, you’ll also need to ensure that you’re actively engaging with your followers as often as possible. Respond to questions or comments, and thank people for tagging your brand in their posts.
This builds customer loyalty and can attract new shoppers.
In addition, social media can boost your store’s search engine rankings. You can use social media as an SEO tool by linking back to your website in your posts and by increasing the number of times you mention your company's name, address, and phone number.
31. Try Google Ads and/or targeted Facebook Ads
Paid advertising can be a significant investment, but it usually offers a good return. Google and Facebook will display your ads to users in your target demographic who are likely to click through.
As you design an ad campaign, remember your buyer persona. What are they looking for? What would draw their attention and convince them to click?
Conclusion
You don’t have to leave your site traffic up to chance. There are so many ways you can make your store more visible and more appealing to potential customers.
By optimizing your site, advertising carefully, and creating high-quality content, you can bring both new and existing customers to your online retail store.
No matter what strategies you use to increase the number of visitors to your shop, the most important consideration is your target audience. If you keep your target market in mind at every step, you'll see major growth in both traffic and sales!
