Let me ask you something: how often do you shop online?
If you’re like most people nowadays, it’s probably a lot, as shopping online is as easy as hopping on a computer and scrolling through one of the millions of online stores to find what you’re looking for.
In fact, according to BigCommerce, e-commerce is growing 23 percent year-over-year. Even crazier, at 51%, the majority of Americans actually prefer to shop online compared to brick-and-mortar stores.
Which is why there’s never been a better time to jump into the online world with a booming eCommerce store.
Although, while it’s easy for consumers to get all their shopping done in front of a computer screen, it’s increasing becoming harder and harder for eCommerce owners to turn regular, every day website visitors into paying customers.
I mean, with all the competition out there, not to mention consumers who have high expectations of websites and the attention span of a goldfish, it’s an uphill battle getting your eCommerce site off the ground.
That’s why it’s essential to have a great looking online store website that attracts, keeps, and wins over visitors. And it’s not just about making it look good -- it’s about strategically urging these visitors to take action… you know, like buying your products or services!
But how do you do that?
By creating an easy-to-use website that captures your target audience’s attention and cleverly draws them into making a purchase -- as well as following my top 10 design tips to boost your eCommerce websites success to get your online store ready for skyrocketing sales.
Top 10 eCommerce Website Design Tips to Boost Success
1. Maximize Minimalism
Did you know most online shoppers nowadays consistently rate minimalistic websites as more visually appealing? Not only that but they’re also much easier to use compared to a website that’s packed with nonessential links, irrelevant images, or odd design elements.
Optimize your website conversions by going with a simpler, easier to use eCommerce design that consumers will love. Discard unhelpful information, images and website elements (such as buttons) that don’t really fit with your overall branding image. And don’t forget to feature plenty of white space!
2. Utilize Strategically Chosen Colors
Picking out colors for your website is more than just going with red because it’s your favorite color or throwing a dart at a color wheel. Colors play an important role in how a consumer perceives your brand but also how they respond to your eCommerce site. To learn more about this, take a look at Neil Patel’s blog post on how website colors can increase conversions.
In addition to picking out the right colors for psychological reasons, choosing contrasting colors for things like buttons and graphics is a sure-fire way to capture your audience’s attention.
For example, don’t choose a pale pink or yellow for a button color because your potential customer might totally miss it while scrolling through your website (and we don’t want that happening, right?).
3. Include an Easy Subscribe Section
Who else wants an effortless way to get in touch with your potential and current customers?
Email marketing is the number one way to do so -- that’s why it’s essential to have an easy subscribe section where your website visitors can opt-in to hearing from you.
In regards to email marketing, make sure you also get a custom business email address. Just as a custom logo and business name is part of your overall branding strategy, so should a personalized email address. (You can find out how to get a custom email address through Wix here!).
Even better, with the Wix ShoutOut feature, you can create, design, and send out email newsletters to all your loyal customers in one place! And since this cool feature is part of Wix, you can seamlessly integrate handy subscribe boxes all over your eCommerce website.
4. Keep the Search Box Within Reach
There’s nothing more frustrating than hopping on an eCommerce website for something specific, only to find you can’t search for it because the search box is impossible to locate.
Make it easy for your customers to hunt down what their looking for within just a couple minutes with a helpful search box. Always keep it in view or, at the very least, keep it within a couple clicks. For example, the search box is one of Amazon’s main website features; it’s always at the top of the page, ready to be utilized.
Although, not only will a useful search box help turn website visitors into buying customers, it’ll also help them stay on your website longer, reducing your bounce rate and increasing the customers overall value (as they might purchase more than they expected!).
5. Categories are Key
Similar to keeping a search bar in view, having overall categories at the top of the page or in the main menu makes it effortless for visitors to navigate your website, which is key to keeping customers engaged.
All important information -- like the categories of products or services you’re selling -- should be at the forefront of your eCommerce site. For example, let’s say you sell phone accessories. In the top menu or main menu, use overall categories like phone cases, charging components, or car accessories.
6. Utilize Captivating Call-to-Actions
You likely agree that having a customer relentlessly search for the “buy” button probably isn’t the best for an eCommerce website, right? Thus, it’s essential to utilize captivating call-to-actions that make it easy for a potential customer to take the next steps towards purchasing from you.
Also, as mentioned above, keep in mind it’s important to use contrasting colors to make all your call-to-actions stand out.
7. Include Your Social Media Links
Now, it goes without saying… if your business isn’t on social media these days, you’re missing out on some valuable customers and money-making relationships. Utilizing social media to reach your target audience, use it for customer service, and update consumers on new products, important brand news, sales, and more is essential.
With that said, if you do have social profiles, make sure to link to them either at in the header or footer of your website. Even better, linking to social platforms is a great way to boost your SEO! Win-win.
8. Make a FAQs Page
As a business owner, you likely don’t have time to answer tons and tons of inquiries about your products or services. That’s why it’s important to include a FAQs page in your eCommerce website design to efficiently answer any general questions or inquiries your customers might have.
This not only simplifies things but also helps builds trust between your brand and customers, as it shows them you’re open to being transparent about what you do.
Make sure to include helpful tips and information about your products/services, business, shipping, or anything else you might think of. The more in-depth, the better! (Just make sure to keep it the answers relevant.)
9. Build Trust with Testimonials
Have some glowing testimonials from previous customers? Tell the world (and your website visitors) by showing them off on your product or services pages!
Nothing builds trust faster than social proof, right? The more people see that other customers love what you’re dishing out, the more likely they are to go through with a purchase.
10. Include a Contact Us Page
Did you know the “Contact Us” page is typically one of the most visited pages on a brand’s website? Hence why it’s essential to have a thorough “Contact Us” page on your eCommerce site to make it easy for customers to get in touch with you.
Additionally, having a solid “Contact Us” page helps build rapport, as it shows customers there’s a real person behind the brand they can talk to.
Interested in hiring a team to build out your perfect eCommerce website? Book your Free WTA Breakthrough Strategy Session.