Small reminder: Method to calculate the conversion rate
Before getting into the heart of the matter and giving you our practical advice, find below how you can simply calculate your conversion rate.
(Total number of received orders / total number of visitors) x 100 = e-commerce conversion rate.
So if you have 20,000 visitors/month and you have totaled 800 orders for that month, then your conversion rate will be 3.2% (800 / 20,000 x 100). This is a good conversion rate if we refer to the average conversion rate of 2.96% found for 2021. However, keep in mind that the average conversion rate can vary greatly depending on the industry you operate in.
1. Make it easy to navigate
If you want to increase the conversion rate of your site, optimizing the navigation will really make a difference.
Your primary goal is to keep users on your site as long as possible and to lead them to finalize their order. To help users find their way around your product pages, the navigation bar should be designed in a simple way and should preferably be fixed at the top of the page.
You can also include a prominent search bar in the navigation bar that will allow users to find a product at a glance. Make sure your search bar accepts spelling mistakes and synonyms and minimize the likelihood that users will end up on a page displaying: “no results for this query”.
2. The role of A/B tests in the conversion rate
A/B testing is an effective technique to increase your conversion rate. When you can’t decide between two headlines on a web page, you can conduct an A/B test to see which option works best.
By creating two alternatives for the same page (one A and one B), 50% of the traffic will be sent to version A and 50% will be sent to version B.
Important: both versions must include a call-to-action that allows you to analyze the conversion, i.e. the proportion of users who have performed the desired action.
To determine what is important to test, there is nothing like using data such as the bounce rate of certain pages. If it is too high, it may be worth changing some elements of the page such as the title, navigation, font size or even the wording of the call-to-action.
3. Optimize your site for mobile navigation
Users on cell phones buy faster than those on desktop, yet there are still too many e-commerce sites that are not adapted to mobile browsing. In 2020, m-commerce represented 40% of total e-commerce sales according to Fevad figures. To increase your conversion rate, navigation must be fluid on a smartphone. This is called responsive design.
A site is said to be responsive when its form and content adapt to all types of screens whatever their size and resolution.
To find out if your site is responsive, you can use free tools such as the Am I responsive?
If you notice that your site takes too long to load on a smartphone or that it’s not easy to scroll to find information, possibly consider opting for a mobile-first design for your website.
4. Show that you are trustworthy to increase your conversion rate
In order to encourage users to finalize their order, you must make them feel confident and reassure them about the quality of your products, the seriousness of your services, the security of payments and the availability of your customer service.
It’s always a good idea to keep your “about” page clean and provide as much information about your company as possible. Consumers want to know who is behind your brand, who your employees are and what values you represent. In e-commerce, content and information will reassure consumers who cannot touch, test or physically interact with your customer service.
To show your availability, post your phone number and/or email address so users can contact you if they have questions.
Another element that helps to reassure your future customers is the payment: what are the payment methods offered? Is the payment secure? Make sure that the transactions are encrypted and the credit card numbers are secure and inform your customers on your home page that they can buy with confidence.
If you want to display additional trust, you can also opt for the Trusted Shops Trust Mark, issued after an audit of your site by specialized e-commerce consultants. Visible at first glance, it will increase trust and your conversion rate.
5. Use user-generated content
User Generated Content (UGC) is a great way to boost your visibility and conversion rate, and to solidify your e-reputation.
User-generated content is any form of content produced by a user and not by your company. This content can be in the form of comments, customer reviews, images, videos or even posts on social networks.
More and more used in marketing, UGC has shown very good results. Indeed, consumers trust more the opinions of other users and spread widely the generated content on social networks.
Thanks to customer reviews, it is your customers who promote your brand and reassure the users of your site about the quality of your service. Be careful, however, to choose an authentic review provider who will attest to the impartiality of the review collection. The Trusted Shops review system, for example, guarantees that the reviews posted are reliable and correspond to a real buying experience.
6. Responding to customer reviews impacts your conversion rate
To showcase the content generated by your customers, you need to show that you respond to comments and reviews. This will help you create a positive image of your company and your team, and value the customer’s process of taking the time to leave you a review.
Often, e-commerce managers focus on the evolution of their average customer review score and neglect responses to reviews. If you want to increase your conversion rate, focus instead on the way you react to negative reviews…And positive ones! Users of your site frequently consult customer reviews and are particularly sensitive to the professional’s responses. Did he offer solutions to the customer? Did they take the time to thank their customers? Do they respond often?
Our tips for responding to a customer review:
- Remain calm in the case of a negative review and do not take it personally
- Respond within 24 hours to positive and negative reviews and thank your customer
- Apologize if appropriate to the situation
- Contact the customer directly, in addition to your answer, to propose a concrete solution
7. Keep in touch with your customers with Web Push Notification
The Web Push Notification is an effective marketing lever that will allow you to retarget and keep in touch with your audience. In other words, you will be able to communicate with a part of the visitors who have left your site.
The advantage of this marketing tool is that it works without cookies and that it is 100% respectful of the Internet user, who gives his prior authorization to receive Web Push Notifications. The e-merchant can then set up personalized, scheduled or automated Web Push campaigns.
This alternative, in particular to the e-mail of relaunching abandoned carts, allows you to widen the audience that you target since they are not necessarily users who went to the order process. You will also be able to target users who have not left their email address.
Charlotte MERLE
Guest writer
Focusing on improving your conversion rate will allow you to increase the number of your sales and even your average basket. While there is no magic formula, there are some effective levers that will reassure your visitors and reinforce their decision to buy. By putting your customers at the center of your concerns and by applying our tips, you will be able to improve your conversion rate and your sales. It’s up to you!
