Everyone’s shopping via online stores now. After the pandemic, even those who were averse to the idea have accepted and come to love the ease and convenience of shopping with online stores. In fact, online retail purchases are expected to rise to 22% next year, with 300 million online shoppers in the U.S. alone.
While this is great news for online businesses, it also means that there’s more competition than ever. With that said, there are definitive strategies that can help you maximize sales right now – here’s how.
The Most Effective Methods to Boost Online Sales
1. Focus on Clean, Clear Copy
Even if you understand your target market, that means nothing if you can’t attract them. Build out your website and social media profiles with on-brand, clear copy that speaks to the person you’re trying to draw in. By having a consistent copy, including everything from product descriptions to Instagram posts, you create more brand awareness and foster a trustworthy appearance that makes customers feel comfortable buying from you.
Of course, your website may not be found at all without SEO. In fact, 65% of all eCommerce shopping sessions begin with a search. Be sure your customers can find you by doing SEO research (or hiring someone to do it) and them employing those keywords on your website.
2. Update Your User Experience
Everything about your website should be easy for the customer. They should be able to find what they’re looking for in seconds. The check-out process should be fast and efficient. Any barriers during the sales process could lead to a lost sale. Review your website from the customer’s point of view and look for any areas of friction that need to be cleaned up.
For example, try offering a guest checkout option so that your customers don’t have to fill out a long-form to make a purchase. It can also help to break the checkout process into multiple pages so they don’t feel overwhelmed with all of the information fields. Likewise, having a payment gateway that speeds the process is also imperative. Check out exactly.com for the most reliable payment gateway on the market.
3. Drive Traffic to Your Site With Content
Another part of SEO is content creation. People come to Google when they have a question. By creating a steady stream of interesting, relevant, searchable content, like blogs, you can reach potential customers who are searching for something related to your product.
You can also share clips from the blog posts to your social media and drive more customers to your website via that route. This helps create trust with your customers, so they’re more likely to make a purchase. You set yourself apart as the expert in your field and get the SEO boost – it’s a win-win.
4. Use Social Proof
One study found that 67% of customers’ purchase decisions are influenced by online reviews. Use this to your advantage by putting customer reviews on your product pages. Not only do positive reviews drive customers to make purchases, but they also boost your trustworthiness and increase engagement, which can increase sales over time.
5. Make an Irresistible Offer
Be sure you know what your unique selling proposition is – what are you providing to the customer that no one else is? Is there a meaningful story behind your products? Use this to guide your marketing to create an emotional connection with your customers – this has been shown to boost revenue by 23%.
You can make your offer even more enticing by offering freebies, free trials, and discounts. Freebies and free trials show the customer that you believe in your product so much that you’re willing to let them test it out for free. Again, this builds trust. With nothing to lose, why wouldn’t they test it out? Likewise, offering a limited-time deal can help customers make that instant purchase decision so they don’t miss out. It can also get price-sensitive customers to make a first purchase, which will bring them back for more later.
6. Utilize Email Marketing
If you’re giving away freebies or free trials, be sure to capture emails! You might also capture emails during the checkout process, via a newsletter, or by offering a loyalty program. However you get them, be sure to have an email marketing plan in place. Email marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies, bringing in $42 for every $1 spent.
Most importantly, you have to be consistent to grow your online store sales. Be sure to have an effective payment gateway, like exactly.com, and keep the user experience easy, clean, and trustworthy. Your customers will thank you for it!
