Building and launching a successful eCommerce business requires you to deliver more than products and services that are currently in-demand. In an age where customer service and mobile shopping have become top priorities among millions of shoppers worldwide, business owners have had to shift their perspectives on what is important when it comes to creating a thriving online business. Knowing how to build your own thriving eCommerce business does not require hours of research, but simply 4 steps to set you up for success.
Choose Your Shop’s Layout and Design Wisely
Whenever you are building a new eCommerce storefront, it is imperative to choose your shop’s layout and design wisely. With millions of individuals choosing to shop online over locally today, you only have one opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression with the overall look and feel of your eCommerce store.
Before choosing a layout and look that is right for your eCommerce company, consider the audience and the demographics you want to reach. What are the demographics of your users (age, gender, income level, location, etc.)? How do you intend to reach your prospective shoppers and which methods of marketing do you prefer? Will you be expanding the type of products you offer in the future?
Ask yourself a variety of questions before choosing the color scheme, aesthetic, and overall look and feel of your eCommerce store to ensure that it will appeal to those who visit.
The Importance of Powerful CTAs
Using CTAs, or calls-to-action, is one of the most popular methods to drive attention to a promotion, a website, or even to a specific product. A powerful CTA can ultimately turn an individual who is on the fence about an item into a quick sale.
When you are building your eCommerce website, it is important to consider the type of calls-to-action you are using with each page you have published. Including a CTA somewhere on each of your store’s website is a way to motivate visitors to complete their purchases. Some locations throughout your eCommerce store where a CTA can work in your favor as a powerful tool include:
- Homepage: Use a CTA at the bottom of your homepage to encourage visitors to remain on your website or to visit a specific product, sale, or blog you have published.
- Shopping Cart: Always include a strong CTA on your store’s shopping cart page, as most visitors only view their digital shopping cart once they have added items to it. Using a powerful CTA can help solidify the purchase of the item(s) they are interested in.
- Blogs: You can also include a CTA anywhere in a blog update, especially if you are promoting a new product or an exclusive offer that is unavailable anywhere else.
- Product Pages: Include a CTA on product pages that are relevant to any sale you are having or any additional promotion you want to share with shoppers.
Use the Right Extensions for Your ECommerce Shop
If you are using Magento to host your eCommerce storefront, it is important to ensure that you are using all of the necessary and beneficial extensions and plugins available. Using a plugin or an extension for your website can help with SEO, or search engine optimization tactics, currency formatting, and even keeping track of the inventory you have in stock. Track sales and manage your eCommerce store without all of the hassles when using extensions and plugins available for CMS solutions such as Magento.
Managing the shipping of your online store has also never been easier than with Magento plugins and extensions. With the Magento 2 shipping extension, smooth the process of calculating shipping costs and tracking shipments. Using the Magento 2 shipping extension is just one example of the many Magento extensions that are extremely valuable to anyone who is building an eCommerce store with the intention of maximizing their ability to reach their intended audience of consumers.
Know How to Effectively Reach Your Audience
Knowing how to effectively reach and appeal to your audience is a must as the owner of an eCommerce store. Conducting adequate market research is imperative to learn more about the demographics, wants, and needs of those in your target market. Spend time getting to know how your target consumers live and what they want most from their online shopping experience to create an eCommerce storefront that truly delivers.
Use your eCommerce store’s official blog along with your social media pages to interact and engage with current followers, prospective customers, and loyal shoppers. Answer questions and respond to comments directly to showcase your company’s transparency and how much you care. Building trust and loyalty goes a long way when creating a new eCommerce store and brand.
Always respond professionally and with courtesy whenever you are engaging with users online, even if you receive a negative comment or a personal insult. Appearing professional is key to building a positive and trustworthy reputation with an online store. Ensure the satisfaction of your customers with the knowledge of how they live what they need from their online shopping experiences.
Although building an eCommerce business from scratch may seem tedious, overwhelming, or even daunting, it is possible with a complete understanding of your target audience and the right tools. With the right brand look, website layout, and marketing strategy, quickly scale your eCommerce store while experiencing continuous success.
