To all the e-commerce website owners and managers of the world; Ignore this at your peril. Why is mobile conversion important? Plain and simple; because as things stand, desktops and laptops might soon become obsolete.
The world is running towards convenience and luxury on a daily basis and our gadgets are getting smaller as the day passes by.
We don’t use desktops anymore; did you realize this fact? Only a few years ago, desktops were all over the world and this is where we are now; without much indication or warning.
Smartphones are well and truly alive in the world right now. And this is where all the internet surfing happens. An estimated 10 Billion mobile-connected devices are currently in use.
As of now, almost as much as 90% of Internet access occurs through a smartphone. Hence, if you don’t pay attention to optimizing mobile conversion, you will risk losing business by a substantial margin. And this is not something an e-commerce business can afford now, can it?
No wonder your eCommerce website design company will ask you to prioritize this matter before everything else – to have a device-responsive website, especially mobile responsive i.e. your website should open in a similar manner across all devices and should open like an app on mobile phones.
Now that we’ve penned down the premise, the mobile conversion rate is critically important because that is where the major strata of the audience lie. Hence, if you master that; you win the battle.
Science Behind Mobile Conversion Rates:
Conversion rate can be labeled as the percentage of visitors who after landing on your web page perform the desired action. Hence, you need to define your end goals in a way that helps your business and gets you in line with your targets.
A mobile conversion denotes the % of visitors who accessed your e-commerce website from their mobiles and ended up buying something from your site within a specific period of time.
However, do keep in mind that these aren’t the only parameters you should judge your website with. Other parameters include the likes:
1. A user adding a particular product to their cart
2. Signing up for e-mails and newsletters
3. Social media sharing
4. Adding an item to their wish list
5. Filling a form on your website
Being a very broad term, all in all, conversion rate optimization covers all the steps you need to make to optimize the overall shopping experience in an attempt to boost sales and drive up KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) specific to your business.
You’d be surprised to read that 1-2% is the average range of conversion rates for eCommerce websites globally. Ergo, even if you follow all the right processes, you might be stuck with a 2% conversion rate. This should be your benchmark though; pushing you to move on further.
How to calculate: If you are getting 1000 visitors on your e-commerce website for a specific time period and 10 of them are indulging in a purchase; it means you have a conversion rate of 10/1000 i.e. 1%.
Let’s check out how you can optimize the mobile conversion rate for your e-commerce website:
1. Offer Free Shipping
This is the name of the game currently and something that your fellow Magento eCommerce developers won’t be able to suggest. You might want to blame it on Amazon or another big e-commerce juggernaut.
Why is it needed? Because customers seek it every single day and they’ve become highly accustomed to it; so much so, that it is a given. Everyone loves a deal, isn’t it? And the aspect of free shipping makes customers think that they’re getting a great deal even if there is no discount on the products being ordered.
If you think you can’t offer free shipping, you might want to up your prices by a small margin to cover it up. For more often than not, this is more of a psychological game than an actual ‘numbers’ game if you will.
2. Incorporate Device Detection in your Strategy
Why is this needed you ask? This is kind of self-explanatory. Because you don’t know the kind of devices your customers are using to access your website. With the advent of technology, we are not just limited to 1-2 options anymore. A customer could be using a high-definition desktop or a teeny tiny tab or a smartphone with a large crystal screen; hence your website needs to be equally responsive and compatible with the likes.
Also, it is not just about the size your customers might be using your website in a variety of lighting conditions and surroundings. Hence, sometimes a particular website that is opening up seamlessly on a desktop might not have the same desired effect on a smartphone. It might look smaller and the elements might be hard to see. This is where device detection makes all the difference.
3. Speed Matters
You heard it right! As many as 40% of potential customers will close your site if it takes more than 4 seconds to load fully. That’s a threatening number in itself. Imagine losing almost half your customer base. This is why website speed is a matter that needs to be taken seriously.
And this doesn’t just fall under the jurisdiction of the project manager; ecommerce web designers, content writers, and graphic designers – all play a key role here. As the website speed is dominated by all these factors primarily. Apart from conversion rate – there’s another massive plus side i.e. helps in SEO directly.
Google wants to showcase fast websites to the general folk. Hence, you need to pick and choose the information bits that you want your customers to see; especially on the landing pages.
4. Tweaking and Testing – Never Stop
Never stop testing and introducing minor tweaks in your marketing strategies. The e-commerce world is forever evolving and you wouldn’t want to lose out on the competitive edge. Ergo, keep a check on every single element of your website, especially the customer-oriented bits.
Most importantly, keep a check on how your checkout process is doing. Is your checkout process too complicated? Are the images being loaded on time? Is the slider content properly visible without the need to zoom in? Are the coupon codes working in all cases?
There’s much more to an e-commerce website than what meets the eye. Never be afraid of doing the dirty work; ultimately, these minor ticks and tweaks are what will make all the difference.
5. Close Tabs on the Checkout Process
You will have to give close attention to the website checkout process as it can be a deal-breaker if not integrated properly. You might lose readymade customers if the checkout process is too long and tedious.
Opt for a single-page checkout than multiple pages as that only deters customers in the wrong direction. Ask for only those details that matter and don’t overdo with forms, sign-ups, and pop-ups.
Do double-check periodically if every checkout option is working with respect to the gift vouchers, coupon codes, payment options, etc.
Make sure your customers have an option to add/delete quantities of products on the checkout page itself apart from deleting the product altogether.
6. Continue Shopping on Another Device
Even if the customers might think otherwise, this option will always put you in good stead. Even though we’ve become totally advanced now; however, there are some customers who will always need a second check/opinion.
Some customers prefer mobiles for research but do their shopping on a laptop or a desktop. Hence, give them an option to save their current shopping carts, and add products to their wishlist or e-mail.
7. Seamless Product Return Policy
Almost half the customers have a tendency to read the return policy carefully before taking a decision. Why? Again, you have to blame the Amazons and the Myntras of the world; websites that offer free returns and replacements under a specific time frame. Don’t go overboard when it comes to promises though.
Just make it easy for customers to return their products with minimum hassle. Now they wouldn’t want to ship the product themselves; hence, you will need to figure out cost-effective solutions at your end. Always remember – a customer is a king.
8. Safety Is Necessary
Your customers should feel safe and secure while browsing through your website. How will they feel that way? Through safety labels and solid payment gateways. This level of trust and credibility isn’t built in a day and normally takes a lot of time.
But once you hit those safety nerves positively; you will make it very easy for yourself to successfully retain that particular customer. Customers enter their most private credit card information on your website; which is why the responsibility rests in your hands to make them feel comfortable.
Make the users feel that they are dealing with a professional entity where industry standards and protocols are being practiced every step of the way. Install SSL (Secure Socket Layer) at the checkout and site-wide as well if possible. Show visually appealing icons of PayPal, credit cards, and other relevant payment methods applicable.
Displaying security badges like McAfee, and GeoTrust will further act as good add-ons and register in the minds of the users.
9. Top Notch Product Images
And I can’t stress this enough. First impressions can’t be made twice! And what is a website all about more than most? Visual appeal. Think about what your customers are laying their eyes on while going through your website.
This is the difference maker in online shopping. Customers can’t touch their product; can’t feel it or use it. They can only ‘see’ and ‘read’. Hence, the best thing that you can do is provide HD and detailed images that capture your products in their best form. Showing product explanation videos on the products pages is another great way
10. Allow Guest Checkout
Not everyone wants to be in a relationship with you; pun intended. Give the users an option to checkout as guests i.e. in a fast-paced yet orderly manner. Don’t force anyone to give you something they might say no to.
11. Try SMS and Push Notifications
Why I said try is because not everything works for everyone. But this surely demands a try! Check if your business responds well through this particular mobile marketing strategy. Don’t go all-in though. And keep the notifications to a moderate number.
12. Use ‘Call to Actions’ Only Where Necessary
Don’t flush the entire screen space with ‘Buy this’, ‘Call now’, or ‘Get offer’. This is something that drives customers away, at least the polished ones.
You wouldn’t want to portray yourselves as a desperate brand in need of sales by hook or by crook. Hence, uses these CTAs sparingly, only where they make sense.
13. Give Mobile SEO the attention it deserves
How is this different from basic SEO? Not too different to be honest. However, there are still many avenues you can reach and measures you can take specifically for mobiles. Ask your professional SEO agency to be on point and stay informed yourself.
Keep the matters of device responsiveness, website speed, and relevancy in check. You can take help from Google’s Mobile Testing Tool as well to see how you’re doing in this domain.
14. Your Checkout and Add-to-Cart Buttons Shouldn’t be Hidden
Sometimes, just looking at these icons is what prompts a user to make a purchase and do the deed. Something as small as this can drive your mobile conversion rate up. And this doesn’t even qualify as a CTA; you’re just giving customers an option to hit the targeted pages at will, whenever they feel comfortable.
15. Pay Heed to Product Descriptions
Make sure you are detailed, concise, relevant, and original when it comes to writing product descriptions for eCommerce websites. This not only helps improve conversion rates but immensely helps in boosting SEO as well. Adding all the necessary product information will help reduce product returns as well.
16. Allow Customer Reviews
When was the last time you went through a couple of reviews before buying a product? Well, this point is kind of a given. Users want to know how other customers have felt about your product after use. Ensure maximum transparency and it will benefit you in the long run.
“Because of the increased use of social media on smartphones and social media’s involvement in retail sales, “social selling” has become red hot. Anyone hoping to improve their online sales success must take advantage of emerging trends.”- Eddie Machaalani, co-founder and co-CEO, Bigcommerce
Conclusion:
Next time you sit down and assess your WooCommerce website development company’s performance; use this as a barometer. What? How good they are when it comes to optimizing the website for smartphones and the likes. Here are some factors which you can go by to get there; however, don’t just stick to them.
Do your due diligence when it comes to research and staying up to date with industry norms and trends. The e-commerce world keeps on evolving day in and day out; are you ready for it?