2019 is here, and the new year provides a great opportunity to refresh your e-commerce website by adding new features and updating content.
#1. Add web banners
Web banners are a great way to (a) keep your e-commerce website homepage looking fresh, and (b) make viewers aware of the latest news about products and offers.
They can be easily modified to serve a range of purposes, are potentially eye-catching if they are placed in the appropriate area and are a good way of promoting a specific product or offer on a homepage whilst also retaining the core brand visuals elsewhere.
The image below is an example of a web banner being built. We’ve put together a handy guide for building your own banners, click here:
#2. Add new features
New features on your e-commerce website can add value through improved functionality, which in turn improves the usability for customers and users.
Add features that allow for easy modification to products that they wish to purchase, such as different colors or quantities, or a social login function that lets users create an account through their Facebook credentials.
Such responsive features make the e-commerce process as painless and easy-to-use as possible, (a) limiting the barriers between browsing and purchase, in turn (b) improving conversion rates and the chances of customers returning for more in the future.
For example, one of the new features we use from Amasty is Magento 2 Improved Layered Navigation. This extension gives customers browsing products on websites the ability to use filters on the page to narrow down what products they are searching for. For example, these filters can allow customers to only shop for a certain brand, or in a certain size.
We use this extension on a lot of our websites, including Googifts, as seen below:
#3. Improve optimization
Whilst you’re reading this, grab a smartphone or tablet and have a browse around your website.
How does it look?
Are the images stacked or overlapping, or is there text missing?
This means your website has not been optimized for mobile devices, making it unusable for a large percentage of potential customers browsing with their iPhones, Samsungs, etc. Users are extremely unlikely to fight through images and texts to find the products they need, and will quickly become frustrated and depart for a different site.
Don’t neglect these customers! Get your site optimized for different devices to reach as wide an audience as possible.
2018 data shown below in the graph from Statista, tells us that 52.2% of all browsing online was done on a mobile device, a trend which has grown exponentially year-upon-year:
This underlines the importance of ensuring that your website is fit for use for all potential customers. You’re potentially missing out on reaching these customers if your website doesn’t meet their demands, and, with the trend of mobile browsing only set to rise, making sure your website is optimized and fit for use is quickly becoming a necessity for online retailers.
Our Liquidshop e-commerce program is designed to provide the best user experience for your customers through responsive e-commerce. Optimization on every device of all sizes allows your website to be user-friendly for as many potential visitors as possible, (a) expanding your reach and enhancing the user experience, leading to (b) increased sales as a part of the smooth and responsive overall e-commerce experience.
#4. Keep branding updated and consistent
This ties into removing and updating content on your website, but with the idea that all new content must be consistent within the overall brand, giving the brand identity and a clear image.
There are few things more off-putting when navigating onto an e-commerce website that a poorly designed logo at the top of the page, or old, pixilated imagery taking up the homepage. A consistent brand image across the pages (a) improves brand recognition for customers and (b) gives the impression of a modern, well designed and cared for website and business as a whole. You can also create specially themed logos for winter holidays like we did with our logo (see above).
What’s most important is to put time and effort into keeping your website updated. Whatever that entails, whether that’s imagery, information or branding, putting the time into maintaining an attractive and cohesive e-commerce site means you keep your customers and new visitors engaged and ensure that there are as few barriers as possible between browsing and purchase.
For more information about Liquidshop and what we do, click here.