Getting more traffic for a new online shop is a top priority for eCommerce businesses but retaining online visitors takes precedence. High traffic volumes do not amount to higher conversion rates if no sales are being generated. E-commerce business owners and marketers need to optimize their online shop for customers to spend more time on it and make a purchase. Optimizing an online shop requires careful planning and timely execution. Here are some practical tips to optimize a Shopify store so that customers spend a lot of time on it and ultimately make a purchase.
Improving Google PageSpeed Insights score
The first rule of UI/UX design is creating a website that does not take long to load. Once a website takes a long time to load, customers are more likely to leave the site, increasing bounce rate metrics. Other websites try to trick customers by optimizing their landing pages to load quicker, but navigating from one page to another takes forever. This trick does not last because customers do bounce websites even after going through the landing page.
If a website’s speed is not satisfactory, potential customers might not spend as much time on the site, and this significantly impacts conversion rates. One rule of thumb to fix a slow website is using Google PageSpeed Insights. Shopify store owners have this tool at their disposal that generates a comprehensive report on how to improve their site’s speed.
Google PageSpeed Insights highlights key points such as optimizing and compressing images. Since Shopify stores have a lot of images that need to be used, consider lazy loading any visual content or using a CDN. These efforts will improve the store’s PageSpeed Insights score and entice customers to stay longer on the site.
Simplify site navigation
Site navigation maps out how users can move from one page to another. Viewing multiple pages on an e-commerce store improves the chances of getting higher conversions and loyal customers. Unfortunately, beginner store owners complicate their site navigation to make the online shop appear larger than it is. In contrast to the belief that seemingly large online shops get higher conversions, if you read e-commerce books, you’ll be surprised to learn that less is more.
It will be easier for potential customers to move from one page to another effortlessly if the site navigation is less on a Shopify store. It all starts with simplifying the navigation bar because it makes up the better part of a website’s sitemap. Having a few options on the navigation bar optimizes the user experience by making it easier to find products.
Removing unnecessary subcategories simplifies navigating to other store pages, which creates a positive overall user experience. Some Shopify store themes come with a prebuilt sitemap and navigation bar, and these features need to be customized before making an online shop live.
Leverage email marketing
Email marketing has several benefits for online stores. Leveraging this marketing strategy can increase the time visitors spend on the Shopify store. Creating email lists with customers and frequent visitors allows store owners to reach out whenever they become inactive.
Another great scenario where email marketing saves the day for Shopify store owners is if customers abandon their carts. Email marketing can prompt those customers to come back to the store and check out. These emails could have specials or discounts that are personalized for specific customers.
In the long run, those customers might convert and become loyal virtual community members. Another side benefit of email marketing is preventing customers from being scammed. Once customers are part of the virtual community and receive correspondence frequently, this can prevent frauds from taking advantage. The customers will understand your brand voice and can easily tell whenever someone is trying to scam them.
Optimize mobile device UI/UX
Mobile devices are the bread and butter of online shop conversions because more customers use tablets and smartphones to use eCommerce platforms. Almost 79% of smartphone users in the U.S. have made a purchase using their mobile devices. That captures the scope of mobile device compatibility importance in a Shopify store. Mobile devices require a responsive design that scales per screen size.
An online store must not be stretched or load a view that is out of proportion when used on a smartphone or tablet. To avoid this, it is very important to use a fully responsive theme that does not only scale down in an emulator but also in real-life use. Carefully choose a theme and test it on different devices and browsers to ensure it functions properly.
Some Shopify stores provide additional mobile device compatibility by providing a mobile app for shoppers. The mobile app is generated from the theme and is made to be fully responsive and function properly on customer devices. This could also be an option for you when optimizing your Shopify ecommerce platform to make customers stay longer and make a purchase.
Content marketing
Your Shopify store might have good copy, product descriptions, and images, but this might not be enough to retain users. Content marketing can pick up the slack and prompt users to spend more time on the site and potentially lead to conversions. The main idea behind content marketing is familiarizing potential customers with the brand and converting them to loyal followers and customers.
Store owners can use this marketing strategy to highlight the brand’s culture and heritage through brand storytelling or other effective methods. In addition, content marketing can be used to expound and share more details about products listed on the Shopify store. Store owners have the option of posting blog articles with how-to content giving customers ideas on how to use their products.
Content marketing efforts that are angled in this direction serve two purposes. The first purpose is to make customers stay longer on the site and appreciate its informative nature. Whereas, the second purpose is directly selling to readers that are browsing the store’s blog. Add a blog to your Shopify store and start creating content that can help with increasing the time users spend on the platform and lead to conversions.
Write immersive web copy
To complement a good UI/UX design, you should write copy with the targeted audience in mind. Nowadays, online shoppers do not like lengthy web copy but need more visuals. The world is fast-paced now, and potential customers need to be able to quickly read or scan through website copy.
Do not be afraid of leaving some white space for web copy to be more visible and easy to read. Use catchy phrases on headings that are relevant to product collections or the message you’re trying to get across.
Instead of writing long paragraphs, keep it brief and use visual elements like photos and videos to finish the job. The copy must also be placed carefully, away from margins, and must not camouflage with background images or colors. Most importantly, ensure that the copy works both on desktop view and mobile devices.
In conclusion
Shopify stores can be easily optimized by ensuring that the website has a responsive U.I. and the user experience is seamless. Simplifying navigation plays a critical role in prompting users to spend more time on a website. If customers can’t find the products they’re looking for conveniently, they are more likely to churn and look for alternative e-commerce platforms. Also, ensure that your website copy is optimized for mobile devices and a friendly user experience. Finally, consider implementing content marketing to make users stay on the site longer and make a purchase.
