Groove Top Secret eCommerce Plays
Follow our playbook and you’ll have higher conversion rates, happier customers and better search rankings.
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aka Use Google Website Optimizer
If you have the traffic for it (roughly 30,000 visitors monthly), there’s absolutely no reason you shouldn’t be running a new multivariate test every month. Google website Optimizer is free, easy to setup and does a nice job of reporting. Start to test basic elements like copy and images, and before you know it you’ll be experiencing a nice boost in conversion.
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aka Promote Live Chat in Your Checkout
We highly recommend using live chat throughout your entire site, as long as you have someone consistently available online. Many eCommerce websites make the mistake of removing it in the checkout to avoid distractions; however, it turns out that the checkout is the place that users can most benefit from live help.
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aka Perform Usability Testing
Anyone who has worked on a website of their own or for an agency knows how much time and effort goes into every project. As much as we hate to admit it, it’s easy to get tunnel vision from time to time. The best way around this is to do some 3rd party usability testing and see what the first impression is from others. We bet you’ll be surprised by the results.
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aka Connect with Your Industry Organizations
This may seem like a no-brainer but many startup eCommerce companies overlook this benefit. Contact organizations that are involved and support your industry and suggest a link swap. Linking to industry organizations adds credibility to your site as well as enhances your SEO rankings. Learn more about how Groove can help improve your SEO rankings.
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aka Check up on Your Competition
It’s always smart to be aware of what your competition is doing. Are they investing in paid search? How much are they spending? How much organic traffic do they get? What are their top keywords? A few good tools we’ve found for researching competitors data are Spyfu, Compete and SEM Rush. Don’t want to do the dirty work? Try a Groove Website Analysis Report.
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aka Do Coupon Blogging
Coupon blogging is a creative way to build back links, increase your brand awareness and boost sales. Reach out to blogs that are talking about your products or industry and offer them a free product of their choosing. In return, ask them to write some content reviewing the product, offering a custom coupon to their readers and a link back to your site.
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aka Impress Visitors with the About Us Page
Way too many eCommerce websites make the mistake of having a boring About Us page. Include pictures of your staff (or just you if you’re the sole owner), pictures of your office/warehouse, and some information about why you got started and your interest in the industry. Create a personal connection with your visitors, it’ll go a long way to building a repeat customer. Check out Groove’s About Us & Team Member Pages.
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aka IP-Based Results
Take advantage of technology by serving geo-targeted promotions to your visitors. This can do wonders for relevance and conversion. You could show a free shipping coupon for anyone based 200 miles from your distribution center, or offer state-specific coupons.
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aka Always Hold Contests & Giveaways
You should be holding a different contest on your site for two reasons: it gives you an easy way to collect someones email address and have them opt into your newsletter; and it generates interest in your site and gives visitors a reason to come back. Want to get even further ahead of the game? Promote your giveaway on social media as our client Shipping Supply did via Facebook.
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aka Focus and Remove the Fluff
It’s easy to get caught up in the sales! features! more! mentality and forget about visual heirarchy. Visitors may only spend 20 seconds on your website, each page should be focused in a way that easily navigates the user’s attention. Sometimes less is more and prioritizing is a must. Visit Groove’s portfolio to see some before and after website strip downs.
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aka Test the Pages in Your Checkout
There will always be debate about single page checkouts vs. multi-page ones. The optimal number of steps for your checkout directly relates to your industry and what you’re trying to sell. This should be one of the first things you test. Visit the Groove’s blog post – The Holy Grail: The Checkout.
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aka Optimize Your Site
Optimize your page size whenever you make major site changes (or give it a check now if you haven’t done so recently.) Are there 200kb PNGs on your homepage? Do everything you can to decrease the overall download time for your site, it will help lower overall bounce rates. We suggest free tools: Pingdom Tools & Yahoo! YSlow.