Keeping Conversion Front and Center

Setting the stage for conversion optimization success

While most understand the need to focus on conversions, optimizing what we already have and trying out new ideas can be tricky. This article highlights key areas to watch for in 2024 and beyond, offering high-level guidance on which areas to dive more into to optimize for conversions. From ensuring fast website load times to creating a compelling checkout process, these insights are designed to help you enhance your online sales performance.

1. Make sure websites and apps are fast to load and easy to use.

People are impatient, so if any point of an e-commerce experience takes too long or is difficult to navigate, they are likely to leave before completing that purchase.

Google currently recommends that it should take no more than two seconds for an e-commerce site to load. One way to cut time quickly may be through implementing headless commerce.

2. Create a compelling checkout experience.

The checkout process is a critical step in the conversion funnel, so it’s important to make it as easy and seamless as possible.

This can include using strong calls to action (CTAs), which are the buttons or links that tell people what you want them to do. Make sure your CTAs are clear, concise, persuasive, and placed at appropriate points in the user experience flow.

3. Offer a variety of payment options

Consumers have specific preferences when it comes to paying online, so it’s important to offer a variety of payment methods. Read our detailed articles on local payment methods for everything you need to know on that subject.

4. Make sure everything is mobile ready.

The majority of online activity has moved over to mobile devices. According to Insider Intelligence, mobile paths to purchase are projected to account for 43.4% of total retail ecommerce sales in 2023.

And to take it one step further, many more businesses will need to consider social commerce as part of their conversion funnels in the coming years as well.

5. Take steps to build trust and credibility.

People are more likely to buy from businesses that they trust. Businesses can build trust online by displaying customer testimonials, reviews, security badges, awards, and other signals supporting credentials and reliability.

We’ve found that implementing preferred local payment methods can also go a long way to establishing trust.

Additional tips for optimising conversion:

• Implement A/B testing: A/B testing is a helpful and common practice for experimenting with different versions of a website and checkout process. Reviewing results for this kind of testing is a great way to see what works best for attracting and converting customers at different points throughout the entire online experience.
• Track conversion rates and identify areas for improvement: There are many analytics tools that analyze conversion and consumer behaviour, identifying areas to make adjustments.
• Continuously optimise the website and checkout process: Because conversion optimisation is an ongoing process, it’s imperative for a business to test and refine their website consistently to improve conversion rates and ultimately close more sales.

Continuing the journey of optimization

Optimizing for conversions is an ongoing process that requires constant attention and fine-tuning. By focusing on important areas like website speed, user experience, payment options, and building trust, you can make significant strides in turning visitors into customers. Keep an eye on these topics and use tools like A/B testing and analytics to find what works best for your business.

Staying up-to-date with the latest trends and continuously improving your strategies will help you stay ahead in the changing e-commerce landscape. Remember, this guide is just a starting point – the real success comes from consistently refining and adapting your approach.