5 important site optimization elements for effective eCommerce
There’s no question that having a website for your online business is essential to being discoverable and making sales. People want to find your web presence and see what you have to offer, beyond their initial introduction to your brand or product.
Because of this, it's important to do the due diligence of site optimization to equip your online store with effective design principles and stand out among the millions of not-so-friendly sites taking up space on the internet.
(Click here to skip down to the TL;DR. We understand)
5 proven design elements for site optimization
Getting content on your site is half the battle. These tips are designed to help you finish strong and make a lasting impact on your customer base.
1. Make it search engine friendly with SEO
You may be familiar with the saying, “If you build it, they will come,” but if you build a site that doesn’t use SEO best practices, they might not know where to find you!
Make certain the web developer building your site not only understands that it needs to be user-friendly for all devices, but also SEO-friendly so the site appears in searches.
Teach yourself the basics of SEO and be sure to use keywords, alt tags, meta tags,and meta descriptions, so that the knowledge you share on your site is discoverable by the people who need the product or solution you’re providing.
2. Keep it simple — easy design, easy navigation
A clean design (lots of “white space”) and clearly labeled tabs are good measures for simple but effective UX. It eliminates frustration or confusion and helps customers quickly to get to what they want. Keep it simple with five navigation (or less) tabs to start.
Also, making it easy and intuitive to get from one step of the process to the next (browsing products, returning to the homepage, checking out), enriches the user’s experience, which helps them get you your bag faster!
3. Write customer-centered copy
Let your customers see themselves using your product, and make the reason they need it – to solve a problem, make their life more convenient, or enhance an experience – evident and relatable.
Take a broad perspective (the whole website), then zero in page by page and determine what is the intended experience or action you want for the customer. Put yourself in their shoes:
Is the information accurate and easy to understand?
Is it valuable?
Is it interesting and engaging?
4. Keep the loading fast for convenience
Slow-loading web pages cause about 70% of shoppers to abandon your site and look elsewhere. Don’t let this happen to you.
You should anticipate the bandwidth you’ll use, and ensure the website host you get can withstand it. Make sure your loading time is within the recommended range (ideally 0-2 seconds, and no more than 4) by using a speed testing tool. There are free tools you can use like GTmetrix, or if you’re on Shopify you can use their Online store speed report.
You should also be regularly taking stock of (and optimizing) your photos and videos, updating your apps and libraries, and ensuring you have efficient theme code.
5. Make it mobile friendly
Always be aware of designing for mobile devices. About 85% of Americans own a smartphone, and many of them spend hours every day browsing the web and interacting with social networks. And it’s showing.
By 2024, experts are estimating that nearly half of all eComm purchases will be made through mobile commerce. And the total value? About $620.97 B. As in billion.
Don’t leave money on the table — turn potential customers into buyers by giving them a smooth and enjoyable user experience.
Bonus tip: Include a call to action
Now that they’ve found your site and had a pleasant user experience, what should they do next? Encourage shoppers with a call to action, such as:
Join our newsletter
Sign up for a premium membership
Call for more information
Go to check out
Download PDF
Schedule a consultation
Each page should make the suggested action obvious and noticeable with buttons, links or signage that is above the fold, so it gets their attention before they start to scroll.
TL;DR
Setting up an online storefront involves a lot of thought and planning. And it can sometimes be overwhelming to know where to start.
Add a little extra magic to your site by using these site optimization best practices.
Understand SEO basics and use keywords, atl tags, and meta descriptions to improve your site’s search engine rankings.
More white space, less clutter, and clearly labeled tabs makes for quick and easy navigation users will appreciate.
Write copy that speaks to your customers’ needs and how your offer will help them.
Update your software regularly and be sure your website host has the bandwidth for your uploads, to speed up the loading time for a better user experience.
Always make sure your site is mobile responsive!
Have a clear call to action for every web page.
