It can also have a big impact on the performance of your website and kickstart your marketing efforts by encouraging conversions – hence the name.

But what is it, how do you put it into practice, and why should you in the first place?

What Is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?

In short, conversion rate optimization (or CRO) helps to turn visitors into paying customers. It is a collection of processes that break down barriers to conversions on your website, or introduce new opportunities to elicit conversions that were not there in the first place.

It is not one thing. Rather, it is the sum of all efforts taken to make an eCommerce website as appealing to visitors as possible, eliminating all conceivable roadblocks to conversion, and actively encouraging users to “buy now!” no pun intended – although that CTA is one tiny drop in the bucket of CRO. 

Basically, the goal of CRO is to increase the percentage of visitors to your website who convert. If your current conversion rate is, say, 10%, CRO should make it higher. That’s what it all boils down to. 

The benefits of this should be self-evident, but I’ll enumerate a few here. 

On the Benefits of a CRO Strategy 

Unless your conversion rate is 100%, your website could benefit from a strategic conversion rate optimization plain. Here are some of the benefits.

• You’ll learn about your customers: Here’s one of the most valuable aspects of CRO, even beyond the fact that, on its own, it’s intended to drive higher sales figures. Let’s say you make an effort to remove extra content on your website because you are concerned it might be a distraction, but your conversion rate falls. You’ve just learned that your audience cherishes actionable, informative content and that it does not serve as a barrier to conversions. That intel can be used elsewhere in your marketing. 
• You’ll cut operating costs, specifically cost-per-acquisition (CPA): The more of your current traffic converts, the less your other operational procedures will cost because your margins will all increase.  
• You earn more without even attracting new customers: The great thing about CRO is that, unlike most marketing channels, it really isn’t about capturing leads. CRO assumes the leads are already there, you just want to get as many of them to convert. That takes a big component of the marketing lift out of the picture. By making (potentially) basic adjustments to your website, you can earn more from the traffic that’s already there. 
• You can maximize CLV: CLV, or customer lifetime value, is an important metric marketers use to determine how much one paying customer will spend during his or her lifetime. Ideally, you want this number to be as high as possible. By engaging in best practices for conversion rate optimization, you’ll help increase the percentage of visitors that convert, causing an upward trend in CLV.
• You’ll build trust with customers: A website that earns more conversions does so because it seems reputable and trustworthy. That will impact not only your actual marketing efforts, but your brand in general.
• You’ll be supporting your marketing efforts: While this is not often cited, it is true that conversion rate optimization can massively benefit your marketing efforts. For instance, take SEO and PPC. The more leads you get to a landing page, the better, but not if 95% bounce or just look around and then leave. By tailoring each landing page to the intended eventual action (conversion) you can align the page’s messaging and functionality with the visitor’s expectations, boosting the number that convert. In one fell swoop, you earn more and improve the metrical performance of your marketing efforts, both paid and organic. 
• And, the bottom line, you’ll increase sales and ROI: This almost doesn’t need to be stated, because it’s the ultimate end game, but the deal with CRO is that since more visitors convert, your business makes more money. That’s the bottom line. 

Conversion Rate Optimization: Actionable Advice 

If you’re here because you’re wondering what sorts of things actually go into conversion rate optimization, here are a few of the more common items:

• Make the page clear: This may sound like subjective or nebulous advice but it is actually among the most important aspects of CRO. Figure out what it is that your customers want when they land on each specific page and make it easy for them to get that, as quickly as possible. This will maximize conversions for that page and reduce customer frustration. 
• Simplify checkout: If possible, make a one-page checkout. It should require the customer to fill in as few fields and click the mouse as few times as possible. Every single action the customer takes is a chance for an abandoned cart to materialize. Make sure the process saves their info but allow for a guest checkout option, too. Also, do not include any hidden fees. Make them apparent upfront. If any random charges show up during the checkout process the chances of an abandoned cart skyrocket.
• Accept multiple payment gateways: Your online store should accept as many payment gateways as possible, including credit, debit, Stripe, PayPal, Amazon Pay and Google Wallet, to name a few. Fortunately, big SaaS platforms like BigCommerce and Shopify make this easy, but you should do the work if your platform doesn’t offer this functionality natively. 
• Offer multiple navigation options: You need, at minimum, a search bar and a mega menu on your homepage. Both are necessary to deliver a high quality user experience. Breadcrumbs are another nice feature, as is a logo that takes the user back to the homepage from anywhere on the website. The sitemap should be kept up to date and accessible from any page on the website, preferably through the footer. Lastly, the homepage should prominently display top-sellers with a quick add-to-cart/checkout feature.
• Make sure the page delivers on expectations: Have you ever walked into a room and forgotten what you were there for? Or have you ever visited a website and just had no idea what the purpose was? This will have a big impact on marketing. Basically, every page is intended to deliver on some sort of customer action. Is the page a contact page? A blog? A product page? In each instance, make sure it is as easy as possible for the visitor to find exactly what he or she is looking for. 
• Boost page speeds: A fast website is one of the most important elements of success. It doesn’t matter what you sell or how well the website performs in other areas, if it doesn’t load quickly, people will bounce. Studies suggest that users will bounce in three seconds or less but many of them are quite old and if I had to guess, online shoppers are even less tolerant of slow websites now. Plus, a slow website is just not enjoyable to use. 
• Site security is imperative: Have you ever gone to make a purchase online but stopped because you didn’t see the little padlock at the top of the screen? The same that goes for speed goes for site security. Let alone the actual risks of identity and financial theft, a website that doesn’t seem or feel secure just is not trustworthy, and that will hurt your brand in a big way.
• Incorporate Calls to Action (CTA): Something as simple as “Buy Now” that directs the user to purchase is a CTA, although it is an overplayed one. Get creative with it and encourage users to sign up or purchase by advertising unique selling points or what the benefits of signing up actually are. 
• Incorporate urgency plays: All else being equal, the use of urgency plays can be even more effective at encouraging conversions than calls to action. Great urgency plays include countdown timers to when a sale will end, or notifications about how many items are left in stock. If a customer wants to buy something, he or she will be more likely to if they see that product will soon be out of stock. 
• Showcase reviews: They say something like 95% of online shoppers read reviews before buying and the truth is it might be even more than that. The point is, displaying reviews on your website can help sell because it will remove doubt in the mind of the visitor. In addition to reviews, UGC, or user generated content, can also help sell because it shows that other customers have bought and used the product and are happy with it.
• Utilize multilingual storefronts: If your business does work internationally, having more than one storefront in more than one language can really help sell. This can help if some of your searches come from overseas or from areas in which potential customers speak a different language from yours. BigCommerce and Shopify both make this relatively easy. 
• Accept more than one currency: The same applies here. If you sell internationally, the ability to accept more than one form of currency will really help you convert visitors into customers.
• Offer live support: If a customer visits your website and can’t find what he or she came for immediately, there’s still hope. If that visitor looks for help and can’t get it, then you’re out of luck. Live support, either through a chat or a 24/7 customer support line, can help convert bounces into transactions by allaying customer concerns and in some cases even answering simple questions.
• Display UVPs prominently: Does your website offer a money back guarantee? If so, make sure it’s front and center and shoppers know about it. This gives them peace of mind so they know they can buy without risk. 
• Advertise your return/exchange policy: Likewise, customers will be more likely to purchase if they know they can return or exchange a product if they are dissatisfied with it after the fact. Make sure this information is visible on the homepage as well as on product pages.
• Integrate with social media: A social media presence wherein you post valuable content and interact with customers will make your business appear more legitimate, boosting your CRO in the process.
• Boosting the mobile experience: Nowadays, mobile optimization is conversion rate optimization, especially since upwards of 50% of eCommerce transactions are M-commerce, or mobile commerce, transactions. It just so happens to be the case that optimizing for mobile users will also result in happier, more satisfied customers, and benefit your SEO.
• Engage in split testing: Split CRO testing will enable you to continuously refine your website, adopting practices and design elements that encourage users further down the conversion funnel, and abandoning those that hurt or make no difference. 

This is just a very high-level snapshot of some of the many ways you can improve a website’s conversion rate among the target audience through a cohesive, unified conversion rate optimization strategy. 

But they work. Put some of them into practice for your website today and see average conversion rates rise.  

We Can Do That

You can encourage website visitors to take the desired action, increasing conversions by following some of the best practices invoked in this article. Higher conversion rates for your eCommerce site are within reach through some of these CRO strategies. 

It is a lot of work though, and some of the items here are only applicable to specific industries and websites. If you have questions about how to improve your conversion rate before you get started, contact us at 888-982-8269 before you get started and we’ll let you know where to begin. 

The post How Conversion Rate Optimization Can Help Your Business appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

To ensure your eCommerce business thrives during this crucial time, thorough preparation is key. In this blog post, we’ll explore the essential steps eCommerce businesses should take to prepare for the holiday season and maximize their success.

Plan Early

The first step in preparing for the holiday season is to start early. Waiting until the last minute can lead to missed opportunities and increased stress. Ideally, you should begin planning for the holiday season months in advance. As early as mid-summer, start setting clear, achievable goals for your eCommerce business. 

Determine how much revenue you want to generate, how many new customers you aim to acquire, and what specific products or promotions you want to highlight. Setting clear goals will help guide your holiday season strategy and give your team a sense of purpose. Make sure these goals are actionable and trackable. Here is a checklist of important steps for preparing an eCommerce business for the holidays, along with some suggestions. 

Optimize Your Website

Your website is your primary storefront so it’s one of the best places to start your holiday planning. It must be ready to handle the increased traffic and conversions that come with the holiday season. Here are some essential website optimization steps to take:

• Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly since many shoppers use smartphones and tablets to make purchases.
• Speed Optimization: Improve page load times to prevent potential customers from abandoning their carts due to slow loading.
• User Experience: Conduct usability tests to make sure the shopping experience is intuitive and seamless.
• Inventory Management: Ensure your inventory is up to date, and popular products are well-stocked to avoid out-of-stock situations.
• Security: Strengthen security measures to protect customer data, especially during the peak shopping season.

Develop a Strong Marketing Strategy

A well-planned marketing strategy is crucial to attract and retain customers during the holiday season. Consider the following tactics:

• Email Marketing: Send out holiday-themed email campaigns to keep customers informed about special promotions, discounts, and new arrivals.
• Social Media Advertising: Create eye-catching ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to reach a wider audience.
• Content Marketing: Develop holiday-themed blog posts, videos, or infographics to engage and educate your audience.
• Paid Advertising: Invest in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to drive traffic to your site and increase visibility.
• Retargeting: Implement retargeting campaigns to remind visitors about products they’ve shown interest in.

Offer Promotions

The holiday season is synonymous with deals and discounts. To compete effectively, your eCommerce business should offer promotions that stand out. Consider various options:Discounts: Offer percentage or dollar discounts on products or bundles.

• Free Shipping: Provide free shipping for orders above a certain amount, or for a limited time.
• Gift with Purchase: Including a free gift with specific purchases can help to entice shoppers.
• Loyalty Programs: Create loyalty programs or rewards for repeat customers.
• Flash Sales: Host limited-time flash sales to create urgency and excitement.

Enhance Customer Support

The holiday season often leads to an increase in customer inquiries and support requests. To ensure a positive customer experience:

• Customer Service Team: Increase staffing levels or extend support hours to handle the higher volume of inquiries.
• FAQ and Self-Help Resources: Update your website’s FAQ section and self-help resources to address common questions.
• Live Chat and Chatbots: Implement live chat support and chatbots to provide instant assistance.
• Returns and Exchanges: Clearly communicate your return and exchange policies to customers.
• Social Media: Keep an eye on social media channels for customer feedback and complaints, and respond promptly.

Prepare for Shipping and Delivery

Prompt and reliable shipping is crucial during the holiday season. Consider these shipping and delivery preparations:

• Shipping Partners: Communicate with your shipping partners to ensure they can handle the increased volume.
• Shipping Deadlines: Clearly communicate holiday shipping deadlines to customers to set realistic expectations.
• Tracking and Notifications: Offer order tracking and send shipping notifications to keep customers informed.
• Gift Wrapping: Consider offering gift-wrapping options to make the customer’s life easier.
• Returns Process: Simplify and streamline the returns process to minimize customer frustration.

Test Your Systems

Before the holiday season hits full swing, thoroughly test your eCommerce systems and processes. This includes:

• Load Testing: Ensure your website can handle high traffic loads without crashing or slowing down.
• Payment Processing: Test your payment processing system to prevent checkout errors.
• Mobile Testing: Verify that your website and shopping cart work flawlessly on mobile devices.
• Checkout Process: Simplify the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment rates.
• Backup Plans: Have contingency plans in place in case of system failures or unexpected issues.

Monitor and Analyze Performance

Once the holiday season begins, closely monitor your eCommerce business’s performance. Use analytics tools to track key metrics, such as website traffic, conversion rates, and sales. Continuously analyze data to make real-time adjustments to your marketing strategy and inventory management. This data-driven approach will help you capitalize on opportunities and mitigate challenges as they arise.

Foster Customer Engagement and Loyalty

The holiday season is an excellent time to strengthen customer relationships and build loyalty. Consider the following strategies:

• Personalization: Use customer data to personalize product recommendations and marketing messages.
• Thank-You Notes: Include handwritten thank-you notes or holiday cards with orders to show appreciation.
• Customer Feedback: Encourage customers to leave reviews and provide feedback to improve your products and services.
• Loyalty Programs: Launch or promote loyalty programs to reward repeat customers.
• Post-Holiday Engagement: Continue engaging with customers after the holiday season to maintain their loyalty throughout the year.

Evaluate and Learn for Next Year

After the holiday season winds down, take the time to evaluate your performance and learn from the experience. What worked well, and what could be improved? Document your successes and challenges to inform your strategy for the following year. Conduct a thorough debrief with your team to gather insights and identify areas for growth. The holiday season is a critical time for eCommerce businesses, and meticulous preparation is essential for success. By planning early you can position your eCommerce business for a prosperous holiday season and set the stage for continued growth in the year ahead. Embrace the holiday spirit, and your eCommerce business will thrive during this magical time of year.

The post The Season to Succeed: Preparing for the Holidays appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

This massive growth in eCommerce is primarily driven by the shift in consumer behavior towards online shopping, convenience, and accessibility. The convenience of shopping from home, the availability of a broader range of products, and the ability to compare prices easily have all contributed to the rapid growth of eCommerce.

Benefits of eCommerce for Customers

• Convenience: With eCommerce, customers can shop from the comfort of their own homes, at any time of the day or night.

• Wider Range of Products: eCommerce offers a more extensive range of products than traditional brick-and-mortar stores, allowing customers to find exactly what they are looking for.

• Easy Price Comparison: With eCommerce, customers can easily compare prices from different stores, allowing them to find the best deals.

Benefits of eCommerce for Businesses

• Increased customer reach: eCommerce allows businesses to reach customers worldwide, expanding their customer base and increasing revenue.

• Reduced Overhead Costs: eCommerce eliminates the need for physical stores, reducing overhead costs like rent, utilities, and maintenance.

• Better Customer Insights: eCommerce provides businesses with detailed customer data, enabling them to tailor their marketing and sales strategies to specific customer segments.

The Shift Towards eCommerce

The shift towards eCommerce has been happening for many years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend. With social distancing and lockdowns, consumers have turned to online shopping to fulfill their needs, and this shift in consumer behavior has forced businesses to adapt.

According to a study by Adobe, US eCommerce sales grew 44% in 2020, reaching $861 billion. This rapid growth in eCommerce is not just limited to the US, but it is a global phenomenon and has continued to climb year over year.

The pandemic has also caused a shift in the types of products consumers are buying online. There has been a significant increase in online sales for groceries, household supplies, and personal care products that were traditionally purchased at brick and mortar stores. This trend is likely to continue, with many consumers opting to buy these products online rather than in physical stores.

The Importance of eCommerce for Small Businesses

eCommerce is not just for large businesses. Small businesses can also benefit from eCommerce by expanding their customer reach, increasing revenue, and reducing overhead costs. In fact, for many small businesses, eCommerce may be the only way to survive in today’s market.

Here are some reasons why small businesses should have a foot in the eCommerce marketplace:
Increased customer reach: eCommerce allows small businesses to reach customers worldwide, expanding their customer base and increasing revenue. Small businesses can now compete with larger companies on a global scale.

Reduced overhead costs: eCommerce eliminates the need for physical stores, reducing overhead costs like rent, utilities, and maintenance. This allows small businesses to invest in other areas of their business.
Better customer insights: eCommerce provides small businesses with detailed customer data, enabling them to tailor their marketing and sales strategies to specific customer segments.

It is obvious that having a strong online presence is essential for any small business looking to grow and succeed. One of the most effective ways to improve your online visibility and attract more customers to your website is through search engine optimization (SEO).

What is SEO?

SEO stands for search engine optimization, which refers to the process of optimizing your website and online content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). The goal of SEO is to increase the quantity and quality of organic traffic to your website, which can lead to more leads, sales, and revenue.

SEO involves a variety of tactics and strategies, including keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and content creation. By implementing these techniques, you can improve your website’s relevance and authority in the eyes of search engines like Google, which can result in higher search rankings and more visibility for your business.

Why is SEO Important for Small Businesses?

Increased visibility and brand awareness
One of the primary benefits of SEO is that it can help increase your online visibility and brand awareness. When your website appears at the top of search results for relevant keywords and phrases, it can attract more attention from potential customers who are searching for products or services like yours.

By optimizing your website for search engines, you can also improve your overall brand awareness. When people see your website at the top of search results, it can help establish your business as a credible and trustworthy source of information or products, which can lead to more brand recognition and loyalty over time.

Higher Website Traffic and Leads

Another important benefit of SEO is that it can help drive more traffic to your website and generate more leads for your business. When your website ranks higher in search results, it can attract more clicks from users who are looking for products or services like yours.

By attracting more website traffic, you can also increase your chances of generating leads and sales. Whether you’re looking to collect email addresses, phone numbers, or other contact information from potential customers, local SEO can help you reach a larger audience and capture more leads.

Improved User Experience and Website Performance

SEO isn’t just about improving your search rankings – it can also help improve your website’s overall user experience and performance. When you optimize your website for search engines, you’re also optimizing it for users, which can result in a better website experience and higher engagement.

For example, optimizing your website’s load times and mobile responsiveness can help improve its overall performance, which can result in higher user satisfaction and more time spent on your site. Additionally, creating high-quality content that’s relevant and useful to your target audience can help improve engagement and reduce bounce rates.

Long-term ROI and Sustainability

Finally, one of the key benefits of SEO for small businesses is its long-term ROI and sustainability. Unlike other marketing tactics that require ongoing investment and maintenance, SEO can provide long-lasting results that continue to drive traffic and leads to your website over time.

By investing in SEO, you’re essentially investing in the long-term growth and success of your business. While it may take some time and effort to see results, the payoff can be significant in terms of increased traffic, leads, and revenue.

The first step in any SEO strategy is to conduct keyword research to identify the keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for. By targeting the right keywords in your website content and optimization efforts, you can increase your chances of ranking higher in search results and attracting more relevant traffic to your business.

The post Understanding the Shift Towards eCommerce appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

When you need to pay for them, why, then, would you want to pay extra for separate eCommerce website support services?

Well, depending on the scope of your existing agreements, you might not. 

Then again, I’ve come to realize that for some businesses, eCommerce website support services can be as good for a night’s rest as a rounded meal, a quiet room, and a comfortable bed. 

Finding and Fixing Bugs 

Are you an eCommerce merchant? Are you a coder? 

If your answer is only 50% yes, then you might find yourself up a creek whenever you make any sort of adjustment to your website and it doesn’t come out quite the way you expected. 

Don’t get me wrong. Platforms like WordPress and BigCommerce are extremely user-friendly. 

But at the same time, it is marvelously easy to “break” things. And for someone like me – a writer – it can be very hard to know what to do to put things back together. 

Sometimes when trying to make website fixes, we actually make things worse. I myself am guilty of that.

Google can be a great tool. I’ve fixed basic layout shift issues and coding errors with a quick search of the problem.

But for other more complex things, the consultation of a developer is simply necessary. 

And with eCommerce website support services, you get the peace of mind that there is a developer on call when you need it.

Executing Third-Party App Integrations 

As stated, WordPress and BigCommerce, and even Shopify, for that matter, are fairly user-friendly. 

Even I can install most compatible plugins with a few clicks of the mouse. Most plugins are easy to configure, too. 

But, all the same, there are some that are very difficult to understand, and some plugins, apps, and tools require more technical experience than others to integrate. 

Maybe you don’t want to hire a full-time developer to execute periodic integrations and updates. That’s reasonable. Support services work just as well. 

Coding Custom Apps 

Many businesses require custom or custom-like functionality to differentiate their eCommerce websites.

To be fair, there are some great apps out there that can do a lot, from CRM to automation. But, all the same, if you want a truly custom solution, someone will have to code and test the tool.

Maybe you want an AR app that will let your customers see what clothes will look like on them. Maybe you want a 3D product viewer. 

I can’t read your mind, but I can tell you that neither I nor (likely) you know how to code that. 

But a provider of support services will have developers that will.

Custom Theme Development/Design Updates

BigCommerce, Shopify, and WordPress all offer their users a wide range of free themes. Some of them are very suitable, configurable themes, too, and are optimized for SEO and UX.

They are not custom themes, though, and a brand does not succeed by being like all the rest. It succeeds by being different, unique, and irreplaceable. 

Your eCommerce store’s theme should be a reflection of that. 

Also, open-source platforms like Magento are notoriously difficult when it comes to custom theme development. 

For that sort of job, you would do very well to have an expert on call to provide eCommerce website support services. 

Brand or Logo Redesign Services 

In a sense, brands and logos are living things. They can be constant to a degree while still being mutative. 

If you are artistic at heart or are familiar with popular design tools, you may very well want to take the initiative to redesign, or at least update, your brand or logo from time to time.

But not all eCommerce entrepreneurs hail from a creative ilk. 

Website designers, however, do, and many of them are very well-versed in brand design and management. 

Digital Marketing Audits 

Are you certain there’s an opportunity for growth through digital marketing but aren’t sure which channel offers the best opportunities? 

It’s important to invest wisely. Social media management, eCommerce SEO, and PPC management are all expensive services. 

They are also all very different, and not each of them suits a given industry that well. For instance, some industries are PPC-restricted. Others are so competitive that paid search marketing strategies are the best way to ramp up traffic in the short term. 

That is, there is no one size fits all approach here and getting to the bottom of what will work and what won’t might put some eCommerce managers in too far in over their heads. 

Some eCommerce websites support providers offer free search engine optimization and PPC audits that can help you make wise decisions about where to allocate funds. 

Platform-Specific Expertise 

Just because you know how to make adjustments to a WordPress website does not mean you can fully customize a Volusion storefront. 

Far from it, in fact. The tools and features of WordPress, Shift4Shop, Magento, Volusion, BigCommerce, Shopify, and other eCommerce platforms are all starkly different.

And it takes different skills to manage and customize each.

Rest assured, eCommerce website services come with the peace of mind that there will be an experienced developer on hand with experience managing and customizing your platform. 

Migration Services 

Some day, you may find yourself in a situation in which it is the platform itself that is restricting you. 

When it becomes difficult to make upgrades, quick fixes, and minor adjustments to your theme, it could be your platform that’s holding you back.

The same could be said about making it difficult if not impossible to add new products or accounts, to accent new payment gateways or plugins, or to create product variations. 

When speed, security, and user experience are at stake, it costs more to stay on a platform that limits your operations than it does to leave it for greener pastures.

The prospect of an eCommerce platform migration is a daunting one, to be sure, but some eCommerce website service providers have proven processes that eliminate data loss and can cure your platform-induced headache once and for all.

eCommerce Consulting Services 

Last but not least, eCommerce support services can give you peace of mind through access to experienced eCommerce consulting services. 

What are eCommerce consulting services? Well, they are whatever you need them to be. 

Are you interested in new marketing channels? Wondering if there are any changes you can make to your checkout pages to increase conversion rate optimization? Curious to see how well your website will stack up when subjected to an SEO audit?

A team of eCommerce consultants can answer all of these questions and countless others you might have along the way. 

It’s an open-ended world out there, and consultants can help lend some insight into potential solutions to what your online business is facing, thanks to their experience and expertise. 

Think of consultants like experienced experts you can call on whenever you have a question about anything related to digital marketing, your online store, or eCommerce in general. 

And That’s Why eCommerce Website Support Services Are Great for Your Sleep Regimen

The general theme here is that “a provider of eCommerce website support services will be there to help you when you aren’t sure what needs fixing” and that rings true. 

Running a successful eCommerce business is work enough without having to worry about one-off bugs, integrations, and other website issues.

And that is exactly what a website support partner will be there to help you meet, if, when, and as those challenges arise. 

The post eCommerce Website Support Services: Great for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Success in online marketing also means keeping up with the trends and jargon. One of these insider terms is CRO, or conversion rate optimization. 

But what is this really, and how can an eCommerce digital marketing agency help you bring your online store to the next level using it? Let’s find out. 

What Is Conversion Rate Optimization? 

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is an important term used in digital marketing to describe the process of maximizing the effectiveness of your website. It is a process of increasing the percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action, such as filling out a form, making a purchase, downloading a file, or taking some other desired action. CRO is a powerful way to boost your website’s performance and increase the ROI of your digital marketing efforts.

In a nutshell, CRO is the process of understanding what motivates visitors to take a desired action on your website and then optimizing the design, flow, and content to increase the likelihood of conversion. This can be done through a variety of methods, such as A/B testing, usability testing, and heat mapping – among many others.

A/B testing is one of the most popular methods employed in CRO. It is a process of comparing two versions of a web page (or of some feature of a web page) to determine which one performs better. The two versions can be different in terms of design, content, or layout. The goal is to identify the version that generates the most conversions.

Usability testing is another form of CRO. It is a process of evaluating the user experience of a website or application. The goal is to identify any areas of improvement that can be made to make the user experience more enjoyable. This can include changes to navigation, content, or design.

Heat mapping is a form of CRO that uses data visualizations to identify areas of a website where visitors are most likely to click. This can be used to identify areas of improvement, such as where content should be placed or what changes can be made to the design to make it more appealing to visitors.

CRO is an important process for any website that wants to get the most out of its digital marketing efforts. By understanding what motivates visitors to take desired actions and then optimizing the site accordingly, you can increase the likelihood of conversion and maximize the ROI of your digital marketing efforts

In this blog post, we’re going to further explore 10 tactics used by eCommerce digital marketing agencies for boosting conversion rates on the eCommerce websites of their clients and partners. 

These are some of the best tips in the world of digital marketing, so take heed! 

1. Optimize Your Website for Mobile

More and more people are shopping on their smartphones and tablets (as much as 40%), so it’s essential to make sure that your eCommerce website is optimized for mobile devices. Make sure that your website is responsive, meaning that it will automatically adjust to fit any device or screen size.

Optimizing your website for mobile has other benefits, too – since Google started mobile-first indexing in 2019, if you have a mobile-friendly website, you’re more likely to rank more effectively in the organic search results, too. 

2. Create a Seamless Shopping Experience

Make sure that your website provides a seamless shopping experience from start to finish. What you don’t want to do is present roadblocks to conversions. Slow-loading pages, extra steps, or anything like that can give customers a chance for a second thought. Everything should be easy to find and navigate, and the checkout process should be quick and painless.

3. Focus on Quality Content

High-quality content is vital for any eCommerce website. Write clear, informative product descriptions and make sure to include images and videos that demonstrate the product in action. You should also create helpful blog posts and other content that will help to answer customers’ questions and provide value.

Another big tip is to use UGC, or user-generated content. This could take the form of reviews, videos, or images that show the product in action. Buyers trust their peers more than they trust your promotional materials, that’s a fact – so let your customers work for you! 

4. Utilize Social Proof

Social proof is a powerful tool for boosting conversions. Display customer reviews and ratings, and make sure to include any awards or recognitions that your business has received. Integrating with your current social media accounts can make this much easier, as can partnering with an eCommerce digital marketing agency that offers social media management services. 

5. Make Sure Your Website Loads Quickly

If your website takes too long to load, visitors will quickly become frustrated and leave. Make sure to optimize your website for speed and performance, and test it regularly to make sure that it’s loading as quickly as possible. Figures indicate that slow load speeds cause a direct impact (and not a favorable one) on shopping cart abandonment. 

There are free tools you can use, like Google PageSpeed Insights, that will show you how your web pages stack up. If your pages get low scores, consider compressing image files, use browser caching, or hire an eCommerce web developer to scrub your website and minify code.

6. Offer Free Shipping

Offering free shipping can be a great way to increase conversions. People are more likely to purchase if they don’t have to pay for shipping, so make sure to offer this option whenever possible.

Another important note here, if your eCommerce business is one of the ones that still charges shipping. We are entering an era in which as many as 66% of online shoppers expect free shipping on all orders. 

We’ll just call out the elephant in the room here. Amazon has entirely changed the game, and if you’re going to compete effectively in online sales, you may need to follow suit sooner rather than later. 

7. Personalize Your Offers

Personalizing your offers can be a great way to boost conversions. Utilize customer data to create tailored offers and discounts that will appeal to each individual customer.

Personalized marketing gives online shoppers the impression that you are catering to their interests even if you use automation and track user behavior to send personalized deals or emails. Either way, it’s a conversion booster. 

8. Leverage Retargeting

Retargeting is a powerful tool for boosting conversions. Utilize retargeting ads to remind customers of products that they have viewed on your website, and offer discounts and incentives to encourage them to make a purchase.

Retargeting also gives you the ability to capture potential customers at the point at which they are most likely to make a purchase. It’s not always the right time, but retargeting efforts will help to ensure you get in front of the customer when the time is right. 

9. Utilize A/B Testing

As described previously in this article, A/B testing is an important part of any conversion rate optimization strategy. Test different versions of your website to determine which elements are most effective in terms of driving conversions.

10. Make Sure Your Website is Secure

Last but not least, the security of your website is essential for maintaining customer trust. Make sure to utilize SSL encryption and other security measures to ensure that your customers’ data is safe.

In 2023, there’s basically no excuse for an eCommerce website not to have a secure website. We can’t front any figures, but we’re willing to place an honest wager that if your URL says “not secure” instead of having that little padlock, your conversions will respond – negatively. 

An eCommerce Digital Marketing Agency and You: CRO, Simplified

By following these tips, you’ll be able to optimize your eCommerce website for conversions and maximize its potential. If you need help with optimizing your website for conversions, 1DigitalⓇ Agency is here to help. Our team of experienced eCommerce experts can provide you with the tools and strategies you need to maximize your website’s performance and increase sales. 

For over 10 years, we’ve been a trusted eCommerce digital marketing agency that has stayed at the forefront of the differing trends in online marketing. From eCommerce SEO to PPC to CRO services, we are a full-service digital agency that offers everything your online business needs to reach the right customers, sell more, and maintain happy customer relationships. 

If you have questions about how to put any of these CRO tips into practice today or have industry-specific questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to reach out to us at Sales@1DigitalAgency.com and we would be happy to help. 

The post Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): What It Is and How to Put It into Practice appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

In fact, research conducted by 1Digital Agency shows that returns have grown exponentially in the last few years, with an estimated $369 billion in merchandise being returned in 2022 and $423 billion in 2023. This increase in returns has had a major impact on the bottom line of the retail industry, with some businesses facing significant losses due to the cost of processing returns. According to the research, the average cost of processing a return is around $8.50 per item, which can quickly add up for businesses that receive a large volume of returns. The issue of returns is even more pronounced in the online retail industry, where the cost of processing returns is even higher due to the added cost of shipping.

The question is, how can retailers minimize the cost of returns while still providing shoppers with the convenience of online shopping? The answer lies in understanding the pros and cons of returning merchandise online versus in store.

The Pros of Returning Merchandise Online

The biggest advantage of returning merchandise online is convenience. Shoppers don’t have to leave the house or take time off of work to return items, saving them valuable time and energy. Additionally, online returns are often processed much faster than in-store returns, allowing shoppers to get their money back quicker. Finally, online returns are often cheaper than in-store returns, as they don’t require the additional cost of shipping.

The Cons of Returning Merchandise Online

Despite the convenience of online returns, there are also some drawbacks. For starters, shoppers may have to pay a restocking fee for certain items, which can add up quickly. Additionally, it can be difficult to accurately assess the condition of an item when returning it online, as shoppers don’t have the opportunity to inspect the item in person. Finally, it can be difficult to get a refund in a timely manner, as online retailers often have long processing times for returns.

The Pros of Returning Merchandise In Store

Returning merchandise in store has some distinct advantages over online returns. For starters, shoppers can inspect the item in person before making a decision, which can help them make sure they’re getting the item they want. Additionally, shoppers can often get their money back faster when returning items in store, as the process is often much quicker than online returns. Finally, shoppers don’t have to pay any additional fees when returning items in store, making it a more cost-effective option.

The Cons of Returning Merchandise In Store

The primary downside of returning merchandise in store is the amount of time and energy it takes. Shoppers have to leave the house, wait in line, and sometimes fill out paperwork in order to return an item. Additionally, some stores may not accept returns at all, which can leave shoppers without any recourse. Finally, shoppers may be limited in their return options, as some stores may only offer store credit or exchange for returned items.

The Bottom Line

The issue of returns is a major challenge for the retail industry, as it can quickly add up to major losses for businesses. The key to minimizing the cost of returns is understanding the pros and cons of returning merchandise online versus in store. While online returns offer the convenience of shopping from home, they can also be more expensive and take longer to process.

On the other hand, returning merchandise in store can be more cost-effective and faster, but it also requires more effort from shoppers. Ultimately, the best way for retailers to minimize the cost of returns is to provide shoppers with both options so they can choose the one that works best for them.

Strategic eCommerce Consulting

Navigating these complex issues as an eCommerce merchant can seem difficult, especially if you are only just getting started in the world of online shopping. Rather than trying to figure things out on your own, we recommend speaking with an expert in order to come up with a customized and strategic business solution.

If this is something you are interested in, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us or explore our various support options, including our eCommerce consulting and marketing solutions. Whether it’s solving the online vs. in-store return conundrum or anything else, we’re here to help. Call us at 888-982-8269 to get started.

The post Online Shopping: The Pros and Cons of Returning Merchandise Online Versus in Store appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

According to Forbes, month-over-month consumer spending went down 6.8% in April, and most analysts are running around announcing that the sky is falling.

But, wait a minute. Let’s see what the data actually says. Last May, credit card spending grew a whopping 10%. So, why is everyone crying wolf?

Well, in 2021 credit card spending growth averaged 20% month after month and specialists claimed eCommerce jumped 10 years ahead during the COVID crisis. Now that we´re back to saner numbers, people think it’s the end of the world. It’s like watching your healthy teenager grow ten inches in one year and then losing your mind when she hits 16 and the growing stops.

We need to understand we got hooked on COVID growth and we´re now entering the COVID hangover period.

Bear Markets And Marketing

The funny thing about animals is that we can all agree that bulls are scary, but there is something about bears that riles people up the minute they are on the move.

Here is what a bear market means: the market is down 20%. No falling skies, no impending disasters, no second coming of Voldemort.

Now, a 20% market dip might sound significant, and it really is for many. But nobody loses their mind when their favorite products or appliances are 20% off at the store. That’s called a sale, and most of us are happy to run and buy while it’s hot.

A 20% market drop basically means investors are not buying stocks as much as they were, so prices go down 20%. They are on sale.

Put it this way, do we really think big companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, or Tesla are going to be worth zero come tomorrow?

Some of these companies, like IBM and Coca-Cola, have survived two World Wars, two significant recessions, several pandemics, and they´re still trading stock as if nothing happened.

Granted, many factors affect market drops and myriad ripple effects that we will all feel. But the important part is how we behave in times of recession.

Before we give you any pointers, remember that the most prestigious economist had determined that the US had entered a recession back in 2020. A lot of businesses bailed out and closed shop at the beginning of the pandemic, and we all feared it was the end of the world and emptied all the toilet paper shelves in less than 24 hours.

However, those who stuck to their guns ended up experiencing unprecedented growth that pushed eCommerce forward at least 10 years into the future. Many of them are with us today and it won’t be any different this time.

Today, there is no pandemic, the US is at full employment, and while there are really bad things going on, they´re mostly happening on the other side of the world. The only reason everyone seems to be losing their minds is that most media outlets are writing catchy headlines filled with scary adjectives and nouns. It’s a great SEO trick as it gets more people to click and brings in more traffic, but that’s all it is.

Our advice is to stop paying attention to things we cannot control and keep our focus on what we CAN control. So, what can we do?

Tips For Staying On Top During The Recession

Here are a few things you can do to make sure your business stays in great shape while the market readjusts itself.

Merchandise Decluttering

Because we hoped eCommerce growth would continue indefinitely, many of us diversified our inventory with tons of low-margin products. It was a great strategy last year as people seemed to have plenty of money to spare and it drove shopping cart averages up. However, right now many of us now hold a ton of dead inventory which is costing us money.

Companies like Walmart and Costco are getting rid of it by putting everything on clearance, and so should you. An added benefit is that clearance sales bring customers through the door, boosting your traffic, conversions, and repeat sales down the road.

Focus On Your Brand

Marketing campaigns focused on generic keywords and products are no longer advisable. Now it is time to reap the benefits of all the effort you put into branding during the last two years and solidify customer loyalty by beefing up customer service and user experience.

If you need help with brand building, contact our marketing team and get your eCommerce SEO work started ASAP.

It’s Time To Hone In On PPC

Right now, diversifying your marketing money on various PPC strategies is not as profitable as it was one year ago. That means we need to audit all of our channels and campaigns and focus on the ones that are bringing us the most sales.

Google ads reign supreme as it gives businesses the most bang for their marketing bucks. So, it is imperative to focus your PPC budget on that platform to push hard-margin products for the time being.

Stay Consistent With SEO: Stick with Your SEO Agency

The only people who get hurt in a rollercoaster are those who jump off in the middle of the ride. Remember, you´re not on this for a two-week play. Your SEO is a two or five-year play. All you should care about is where the market and your industry are going to be when you get there, not where it is today.

So, keep your SEO efforts going, continue releasing quality content that will bring views and sales for years to come, and stay in touch with your eCommerce SEO agency.

Weather the COVID Hangover with an Experienced SEO Agency

While now’s the time to double down on efforts with an SEO agency, retarget your PPC objectives and repurpose your inventory management, it’s also a prime time to start investing aggressively in purpose-driven digital marketing.

Get in touch with us to retool your current marketing efforts and leverage our years of experience in digital marketing to your advantage. We’ve helped other clients ride the rise and fall of waves before and we can do the same for you during this COVID hangover.

And we don’t bite – call us at 888-982-8269.

The post The COVID Hangover: What It Means, Staying Afloat During Recession, and Partnering with an Experienced SEO Agency appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

As you can imagine, installing a sliding barn door inside a home offers no standardized process. There aren’t really any sort of “one size fits all” options for homeowners that want to add barn doors to their homes’ interiors.

The process must be planned, carefully, and, as you can imagine, the act of creating a largely hands-off online ordering process is no walk in the park. It requires attention to detail, as well as forethought. At least enough to see what could go wrong with an order, and set up a purchase experience that does as much as it can to prevent those hiccups.

That’s the sort of thing we specialize in. Here’s how we did it for Barndoorz, with a little help from our skilled BigCommerce developers.

The Challenges of Ordering Barn Doors (Literally!)

As stated above, buying a barn door is not a typical process. Setting up an online purchasing process that works takes some additional foresight and creative firepower.

For instance, when you buy, say, a hammer online, you know what you’re getting. Excuse the blatantly simplified metaphor, but it serves the illustration perfectly.

There are few tools simpler than a hammer. Buy one online and you can easily see on a product page how heavy it is, what materials are used in its construction, and so on and so forth. You use a hammer to drive nails and stakes. It’s all right on the surface. What you see is what you get.

Well, with interior furnishings like sliding barn doors, sometimes what you see is not quite exactly what you get.

Size, finishes, compatibility of hardware, and other factors can complicate the process of buying a barn door that not only can be installed in a given location but also the process irself of installing it.

Customers that buy, large, expensive doors like these, understandably do not want to have them arrive only to realize they can’t install them as they’d have hoped. They also, understandably, don’t want to have to deal with the process of returns. It’s time-consuming and can be expensive.

So, basically, for a client like this, we knew we had to make sure that the end result – the product pages – we delivered removed as many question marks from the purchasing process as possible, and guided the buyer along the journey.

However, this was an atypical case.

Putting the Pieces Together

Barndoor originally came to us in a very unique situation. Typically, we work with clients on BigCommerce development and design projects from start to finish. We scope out the process and then design and develop the pages and tools as needed by the customer.

Barndoorz had already been working with another partner to complete its page redesigns and product page customizations. Barndoorz ended up needing some additional customizations that were better suited for an Elite Certified BigCommerce partner with extensive experience to handle – so they came to us with some of the design files ready to go, with others needing some adjustments.

Part of our work was easy. Barndoorz had most website design files queued up. All our developers had to do was implement those.

But it was the changes we made to the product page templates that really set the record in order for Barndoorz and their customers.

BigCommerce Development and a Near-Perfect Product Page

If you visit Barndoorz at the link above and take a look at, for example, their Mirror Barn Door, you will see just how we set the product page in order to guide the purchaser’s hand.

As you can see in the image above, the first thing the page template requires the users to do is take the measurement of the width of the door frame in inches. This comes before any other customizations can be made.

The purpose is, clearly, to prevent customers from investing too much time in configuring a door that won’t properly cover their door frame in the first place! It helps to prevent frustration and hiccups along the way, too.

Let’s say the customer determines that the door is, in fact, the proper size for their home. Then, in order to properly configure the order, the customer would also have to measure the height of the door as well in order to make sure it would fit. Detailed instructions for how to measure height and width are on the page as you can see from the image above.

We also added some custom functionality to the product page with respect to finish options with realistic photos showing customers what sorts of finishes are available with each barn door so they know what to expect before making the purchase. This can be seen below.

The process we created continues to guide the user through the journey of configuring and purchasing a door, helping to eliminate guesswork and ensuring that, at each step of the way, the customer is configuring a door that can be installed in the intended location and which comes with all of the necessary components and hardware.

As you can see from the image below, the process we created through this BigCommerce custom development project prompts the customer to choose “Rolling Hardware Options,” as well as “Rail Options.”

In the latter case, the page explicitly and prominently informs the user that this step is only necessary if he or she selects a hardware kit with the door.

As you can see from the image above, we also integrated helpful pop-ups with useful information into the product pages. All a user has to do is hover over a question mark icon and the pop-up will walk the user through the process of selecting a rail size that is compatible with the door.

The custom product pages we developed also prompt the customer to configure the purchase with front and back handles, handle placement, a privacy lock, and soft close and header board options.

Again, in each instance, the page layout guides the user’s purchase in order to ensure that everything that is necessary is added to the order and that nothing that is necessary is omitted.

Aside from a newly redesigned website with unique, differentiating functionality, Barndoorz has reaped a few additional benefits.

Primarily, this page has helped to provide a passive level of customer service. Instead of bogging down their customer service department with live queries on how to configure their purchases, customers can just use this easy, straightforward interface to make sure what they purchase meets their needs and fits in their homes.

This initiative to develop a better, “foolproof” product page has also been completed with the intention of improving customer satisfaction. Barn doors are a sizable investment and in many ways, each order is customized in some way or other.

It’s also discouraging to buy something like this and have it not meet your expectations – but rectifying the issues can be time-consuming and potentially expensive. This product page interface helps prevent simple mistakes and all but ensures that an order is configured and placed accurately and in a timely, efficient manner.

For this eCommerce client, it wasn’t just about optimizing the pages of the eCommerce platform for conversion rates. That was an aspect, but a greater aspect has been to create a page that not only encourages conversions but ensures that the customer gets what is needed, as needed, boosting buyer satisfaction.

See Past Your Own Hurdles (with the Help of Our BigCommerce Development Team, That Is)

A BigCommerce development project for expanded product page functionality that enhanced the user journey is exactly what Barndoorz needed. Some eCommerce clients like Barndoorz need similar development assistance. Others don’t, but need mobile apps developed, payment gateways integrated, or search engine optimization marketing plans devised.

Each eCommerce website has its own unique needs and serves an equally unique segment of the market. What your customers need may be entirely different from what this client needed. But it’s not about product page customization. It’s about customization as a concept.

Thinking critically, acting creatively, and understanding the strengths and limitations of the platform. That’s what our BigCommerce development team excels at, and it’s how we delivered success to Barndoorz.

For those of you reading this with BIgCommerce websites who are wishing the platform could deliver a little something more, don’t try to figure it out on your own.

Check out our eCommerce case studies to see some more examples of the work we’ve performed for past clients. Many of our projects have been for BigCommerce stores. Then get in touch with us for BigCommerce development services and let us do the in-depth creative problem-solving. We’ll create a high-quality, one-of-a-kind solution for your online store that will please you and your customers with a high-level user experience.

The post BigCommerce Development and Improving Customer Satisfaction appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

“Will eCommerce sales continue growing as they have been?”

All eyes are on that question, especially considering the unprecedented events of the past two years.

While no one can see the future, the outlook is certainly bright, and both brick and mortar stores and online stores are expected to profit. By all accounts, estimates for eCommerce growth are positive, with some such as eMarketer suggesting that eCommerce sales figures will surpass $1 trillion USD in 2022. The same source projects strong growth well through 2025 – at which point their projections estimate total eCommerce sales of over $1.6 trillion.

The takeaway? Sales are going to continue growing. Get your eCommerce store ready with these top eCommerce trends for 2022, expected to make a difference in this upcoming year and well into the future.

eCommerce Trends to Keep Your Eye On

For eCommerce businesses interested in long-term growth, sustainability is a matter of keeping ahead of approaching eCommerce trends. Think proactive, not reactive, approaches.

These top 11 trends are expected to continue shaping online retail in 2022.

1. Social media’s role will continue to grow

The growing presence of social media is not new, but it is slated to play a larger than average role in eCommerce in this upcoming year.

Social media platforms like Facebook (soon to be Meta), Instagram, and Tik Tok play a large part in the lives of their users, and most of these platforms allow shoppers to buy directly through them.

Not only do these platforms allow merchants to serve relatable, valuable textual, audio, and video content, but the ability to shop through these social platforms simplifies the online shopping experience overall.

In addition, utilizing social media platforms as sales channels enables merchants to gather extremely valuable consumer insights about user behavior and interests, something which expertly handled social media management can help streamline.

2. A website optimized for UX is a make-or-break factor

Optimizing your eCommerce platform is vital to search engine optimization, but it reaches far beyond it. Load times, site security, navigation, and other interactive features all play heavily into the user experience.

Website optimization – through insight custom eCommerce web development and custom web design projects – goes beyond offering a secure, fast eCommerce site with intuitive navigation and high-quality product imagery – although those are basic, vital features. It also gives you the ability to introduce cutting-edge technology like AR and VR into your website’s user experience, both of which are expected to have a significant impact on the customer’s online shopping experience in 2022.

3. Implementing augmented reality for a superior customer experience

Shopping online has become so popular because it is convenient, cost-effective, and secure; not to mention that for many, buying online saves them money on gas or on the price of goods purchased. The global marketplace is at consumers’ fingertips online as well.

But there is one glaring deficiency, and it is that there is no actual “in-person” online shopping experience. Customers cannot “try on” clothes, sample perfume, or otherwise interact with products that catch their attention before they buy them.

At least, they couldn’t, before augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Augmented and virtual reality allow online shoppers to use their mobile devices, tablets, and computers to visualize purchases and interact with products before they buy them. It could be as simple as an interactive 3D module or as robust as an application that simulates the user’s home and “plants” the products in it.

These trends are going to define eCommerce in the coming years.

4. The power of voice search: a transformative eCommerce trend

Back in the day, by which we mean just a few years ago, voice search was in its infancy. Over the past few years, it’s rapidly advanced and is quickly started to eclipse traditional methods of searching – primarily typing out a query in a search bar.

Voice search functionality has revolutionized shopping for products and services and even finding local businesses. In order to remain competitive as voice search gathers in importance, it’s going to become imperative that your business’s website is optimized for voice search.

This involves making sure that your website is optimized for information that customers search for, such as location, hours, and products and services offered. It also opens additional optimization opportunities for voice search keywords and long-tail search queries.

5. Personalization takes center stage

Personalized marketing is nothing new, but it’s becoming central to both traditional and digital marketing. It’s likely that one day, all marketing will be personalized marketing. It’s only getting more central to eCommerce brand strength and continued success in digital marketing. Personalized marketing techniques enable online businesses to make personalized product recommendations based on user behavior and interaction, past purchases, or even based on purchases other customers with similar attributes have made in the past.

A well-executed personalized marketing strategy can boost customer loyalty, improve customer satisfaction, increase customer lifetime value and result in higher sales, overall. Instead of blindly pushing products, personalization enables them to tailor their marketing strategies to the precise interests of customers on an individual basis.

6. Supply chain optimization is vital

Long lead times, slow shipping, stockouts, and other supply chain quandaries can absolutely ruin the customer experience. That has real consequences for online merchants. In recent months, we’ve all noticed the supply chain issues that are wracking the nation. Unfortunately, it looks like they’re going to continue through 2022.

No business can afford to lose customers due to supply chain inefficiencies. Improving supply chain visibility and planning procurement further into the future can help alleviate issues of short supply or delayed shipments. Investing in software to project or automate fulfillment processes may also help online businesses scale growth or effectively allocate limited resources.

7. eCommerce trends: Customer service management and automation

There is no substitute for good, responsive, attentive customer service that doesn’t just make customers feel valued but actually addresses their concerns and rectifies issues.

However, there is a time and a place for automation. It’s likely that the vast majority of customer queries could probably be addressed with a FAQ page or an automated chatbot.

Like voice search, artificial intelligence in chatbots has come a long way and can likely address the majority of client concerns without issue. You can also configure chatbots to give the customer the opportunity to bypass them in favor of a human representative if the genuine need arises.

All in all, this type of automation will keep the bulk of customers happy and well-served, while also freeing up your limited human resources.

8. Automate B2B transactions

Business to business is an interesting animal. Unlike B2C operations, B2B often involves much, much more negotiation, sometimes even the development of stringent contracts. The process of closing a deal may be longer – but often business to business sales are repeat sales and large in scope.

There’s a very real reason that these processes should be automated wherever possible. The more difficult it is for large accounts to conduct business with your organization, the more likely they are eventually to seek greener pastures elsewhere. Supply chain managers and procurement specialists don’t have time to click buttons and type out credit card information. They have other work to do; automate the process or set up a fulfillment schedule for large clients.

Invest in software that creates a fulfillment schedule, monitors inventory levels, and auto-orders for your business-to-business clients, where possible. It will save the buyer time, money, and resources and will keep both buyer and seller happy.

9. On that note, take the effort out of online purchases

The less work customers need to do, the better. One defining eCommerce trend for 2022 is to make buying as simple as possible, from the first step.

There are features that make buying possible through social media; one-click checkouts, and plug-ins that make it possible to save customer account information for future use. Let’s put it this way. You don’t want to add steps to the customer’s decision-making process once they’ve given a purchase the mental green light.

Every single button a user has to click, every field that needs to be filled out, is literally an opportunity for a customer to change his or her mind. Save information for future use, develop one-click purchasing, and your abandoned cart figures will drop while your conversions will rise. Assuming all else remains equal, that is.

Besides, this eCommerce trend is the way of the future. The sooner implemented, the better.

10. Subscription models and eCommerce: perfect together

On the topic of automation, let’s get into subscription models for a moment. This eCommerce trend may not be new for 2022, but it’s going to start picking up speed.

Subscription models basically offer customers the ability to sign up for products to be delivered as a part of a schedule. They’re typically billed on a reliable and rolling basis and know that they can expect a package every so often. One of the reasons that they are popular for consumers is that they are convenient, often entail bundled savings, and don’t require any extra legwork. One purchase can set a delivery schedule for a year or even longer. Plus, some customers give them as gifts.

But from the perspective of the merchant, they are even more valuable. Subscription models, if managed properly, are basically guaranteed income. It requires less work from both you and your customers and effectively secures you a revenue stream for some time into the future.

11. Expand payment options

The overall, average rate of shopping cart abandonment in 2021 has been over 75%. Daunting figures, especially for merchants whose living comes from online sales.

Now the good news; there are ways to diminish shopping cart abandonment, and some of them, like creating a simpler checkout experience, we touched on in this article. There’s something else you can do: expand your payment options.

Shoppers, especially younger shoppers, are more willing to use diversified payment options and may actually prefer them. Yes, accepting credit cards is a must, but in 2022, you’re going to need to expand to in-app payments and mobile wallets. Consider supporting or accepting Google Pay, PayPal, Apple Wallet, or platforms like Bolt or Stripe to streamline payment processing.

Making Sense of Continuing eCommerce Trends

These are some of the top eCommerce trends that you can expect to transform the online marketplace in 2022. More accurately, you can expect them to continue transforming the online marketplace in 2022. It’s already underway.

Savvy entrepreneurs require savvy partners to encourage growth and help them tackle challenges. Don’t feel like you’re on your own with implementing any of these changes. Our experts draw talent from all over the world and specialize in digital marketing, eCommerce website design and development, support, migration, and strategic planning.

Whether your personal goals for 2022 are significant organic growth through eCommerce SEO, optimizing your PPC campaign through expertly handled PPC management services, or a completely new, rebranded, custom web design with all-new features and functionality, there’s only 1Digital^Ⓡ for that.

Give our eCommerce experts a call at 888-982-8269 or contact us by email at info@1digitalagency.com. We’re ready to help you enter 2022 with confidence by staying ahead of some of these eCommerce trends.

The post 11 eCommerce Trends for 2022: What You Need to Know appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Today, we´re going to dispel all of the mystery surrounding digital marketing and discover exactly what digital agencies do for clients. But first, let’s go over a bit of history.

What Is Marketing?

Not many people know this, but marketing is an ancient concept initially proposed by Adam Smith. Marketing encompasses any effort proposed by an organization to anticipate the needs of potential customers more effectively than its competitors. The twentieth century saw the emergence of various techniques of marketing research that exponentially boosted the effectiveness of these efforts, and humanity was witness to the flourishing of a true market society.

As these efforts became more complex and specialized, companies saw the need to outsource them. This division of labor gave birth to marketing companies exclusively dedicated to promoting the flow of goods and services. In other words, marketing became an industry itself.

What is Digital Marketing?

Marketing channels and processes have changed a lot during the past hundred years, but its fundamentals have not. Digital marketing involves the actions a business undertakes to promote its products and services using electronic channels. These typically include SEO and PPC campaigns, social media strategies and email marketing. However, digital marketing can go as far as designing proper conversion funnels, crafting cold calling scripts, networking with potential partners, and much more depending on the scope of your campaign.

There are differences between traditional marketing and digital marketing. For instance, a traditional marketing campaign will focus mainly on visibility, trying to cast the widest net possible in the hopes of drawing the attention of the masses. This is the case of TV and radio ads, billboards, and neon signs. The problem with this approach is that it is costly, and extremely difficult to measure. Traditional ad investment felt more like gambling as there was no way of determining ROI.

Digital marketing allows for a more focused approach, reducing ad spend by going specifically after specific audiences and, theoretically, showing them precisely what they crave as soon as they show signs of interest.

Today, 60% of the global population spends close to 3 hours a day online. However, the internet is a big place. People spend their online time in different places; scrolling down their social media feeds, watching YouTube videos, reading online publications, finding information on Google or shopping.

Digital marketing today requires a careful study of audiences and their preferred channels. In the era of big data, audiences can be divided into categories and subcategories in order to maximize the impact of posts or ads, based on their intention and how far down the customer journey they are.

What Does A Digital Agency Do?

Simply put, a digital agency is a team of marketing experts who help businesses and brands understand their audiences better, find the most effective channels for promoting their products and services, and design uniform campaigns through the platforms that more effectively bring in customers.

A high-end digital agency is capable of crafting marketing strategies that combine professional graphic design, effective branding, compelling content strategies, all in a comprehensive package specifically designed to address the needs of your business.

Due to the dynamic nature of digital channels, digital marketers are responsible for keeping up with the latest trends and best practices, anticipating changes that could affect your specific industry or the way audiences interact with content and websites.

Selecting The Best Digital Agency For Your Business

When you want every dollar of your marketing budget to work for you, it is extremely important to hire a digital agency that understands your specific audience. Anyone can create generic SEO, PPC or Social Media campaigns. However, defining the intent your potential customers have when performing queries, or crafting the specific content they enjoy consuming and sharing, is a complicated process that only few agencies manage to master.

To illustrate this point, let’s take a look at some niche industries, determine their distinct needs, and how a specialized digital agency should address them for maximum impact.

As you can see, businesses require industry-specific digital marketing services and the help of talented and experienced experts if they expect to implement effective marketing campaigns and ensure success.

Learn how a professional digital agency can help your business, feel free to reach out to our team of marketing experts. They will provide all the information you need and tell you the next steps you need to take in your path to success.

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