E-commerce simplifies much of a business’ operations and sales funnels, but conversions can be much slower than one would expect. Without the guide of a salesperson and easy access to competitor sites and online marketplaces, e-commerce conversion is left to the web developer or SEO analyst to solve. While most customers prefer online shopping, it takes significant work on the part of the digital marketing team to secure sales online.

Marketers research and spend ample time optimizing their landing pages and calls-to-action (CTAs) in an effort to encourage site visitors to purchase or go another step further into the sales funnel (by submitting contact information).

Website Optimization

The most important aspect of web conversion is, of course, the website functionality itself. A website that is fast and easy to use will bring back repeat customers.  If you need a boost in online conversions, try these easy changes to your website that can make a big impact on sales:

• Optimize your site search with product filters and auto-suggest, so customers can easily find products and spend less time browsing non-product pages.
• Increase site speed as much as possible – not only does this provide a better customer experience, but it encourages purchases to be made more quickly.
• Speed up your checkout process, so customers don’t become frustrated and leave your site (guest checkouts, where an account isn’t necessary, are preferred)
• Rid your landing pages of distractions, such as social menus and links to other pages.
• Prominently display reviews under products
• Make the price easy to find on the landing page preferably – displaying it upfront will automatically weed out customers who won’t make the purchase based on price (the biggest factor for most consumers)

Copy Optimization

If your website is up to speed and easy to use, you should then revise the content on your pages for conversion optimization. Simple changes to your copy can make a big impact on click-through rates and overall online sales.

• Add numbers to headlines – list articles (or “listicles”) receive more clicks than traditional articles because they are easy to process and guarantee a certain amount of information. The higher the number (i.e. the more reasons or facts you give), the more visibility your page gets.
• Make your headlines very specific, or somewhat shocking. The amount of detail or the sheer intrigue will make more customers click on your page over competing pages.
• Give plenty of information. If someone is going to purchase an expensive item or subscribe to a service, they should have all their questions answered as soon as possible in the sales process.
• Use a variety of CTAs throughout and at the end of your copy. Don’t just add a “click here to subscribe” at the bottom; offer internal links and other options for your viewers.

CTA Optimization

Your call-to-action must be the most powerful piece of any page. It takes the website visitor one step closer to the sale and needs to have enough prominence to convince them without a sales person. Use these ideas to improve your existing CTAs:

• Add a benefit or unusual language to your CTA. For example, rather than saying “Subscribe Here,” say something like “Free e-Book when you sign on with email.”
• Add urgency to your CTAs. One of the most popular ways to add urgency is to add an “X left in Stock!” next to your product or offer a discount for a limited time. This urges consumers to buy now rather than compare prices or wait on the purchase.
• Offer site visitors multiple options, other than buying now or signing up. Your CYA could be to watch a video, like or share on social media, or to read a top blog post.
• Add bonuses to a purchase, such as a free gift or extra service.

Conversion optimization is a great place to start for an overall SEO or digital marketing campaign.