How To Prepare For Google’s Mobile-First Index
Mar 26, 2018
10 min read
Google, which you may recognize as a search engine goliath, is at the end of the day a business trying to make profits. And like most successful businesses, they too want to provide their users (searchers), like you and me, with the best experience they can for using their platform.
Since mobile usage all around the globe has witnessed tremendous growth over the past years, it becomes fairly easy to understand Google’s decision to focus on mobile as well.
In November 2016, with their announcement of introducing a mobile-first indexing algorithm to show better search results to their ever-increasing mobile searchers, it generated quite a buzz about the future of mobile and the direction of SEO in general.
But this vague Google announcement created more confusion amongst webmasters than buzz and questions like ‘Does this announcement mean I should only focus on my mobile website?’ and ‘I don’t even have a mobile website, should I get one to increase my overall rankings?’ popped up in the comments soon enough.
Until recently, when Google cleared all the air about their new mobile-first index with an announcement stating that they are commencing their long promised and awaited ranking algorithm shift and have started migrating sites that follow the mobile-index best practices.
For those who are still new to this concept, Google’s shift to mobile-first indexing is actually not how things are admitted or prevented from inclusion in its index, but instead, how things are organized within the index, which is obviously going to be mobile-first from now on.
But the key takeaway of all this is that there still is only one index of your website and it will be heavily prioritized on the performance of your mobile website. So, if you want to get that front spot of Google, getting a fully optimized mobile website along with your desktop website is your best bet.
Here are some factors that will help you rank better in accordance with the new Google’s mobile-first indexing algorithm -
Know your type of site
You need to know what type of mobile website you currently have and set it’s metadata accordingly to let Google crawlers know as well. Usually, all separate mobile websites fall under the category of dynamic serving or separate URLs.
It will help your mobile website get indexed quickly and more often. Like, in a dynamic serving setup, a vary HTTP header must be added to its metadata to hint Google crawlers about your site’s dynamic serving.
Google prefers that you have a responsive web design instead of having separate URLs for your mobile website because of its crawler friendliness and the ease of sharing it provides to users. Moreover, if you choose to have a responsive web design for your mobile website, you won’t have to alter your desktop website content in any way.
No matter which type of website you choose, using any of the mobile optimization methods require that you let the crawlers know specifically under what category your mobile website falls in, as it will only help your website get crawled and indexed in a better way.
Speed
From July 2018, page loading speed is going to be a major ranking factor for mobile websites and Google is calling it the ‘Speed Update’.
Website performance, according to a Kissmetrics’ study, is the most decisive factor that can result in a good or bad user experience for mobile searchers. Accordingly, optimizing your mobile website for speed should be your top priority for 2018 if you are looking to jump up some places in your search results.
You can use Google’s own tool PageSpeed Insights to analyze and optimize your mobile website’s performance.
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
Talking about speed, making use of the Google’s AMP project is a nice way to book a spot at the top of search results in the form of carousels. See that lightning bolt on the bottom left corner of the carousels, that denotes that the pages are AMP.
AMP is light HTML pages that take advantage of various technical approaches to prioritize speed and deliver a quicker experience to users by instantly loading content.
If all your desktop website pages are built with AMP HTML, you won’t need to have a separate mobile website to cater to your mobile visitors.
Also, websites that are already using AMP pages enjoy greater Google mobile search results exposure across categories of e-commerce, entertainment, travel, news, recipe sites and more.
If you have a website hosted on Wordpress and want to make use of the extra benefits of AMP, you can install plugins that can help you with the same.
Schema and Rich Snippets
Schema or Schema Structured Data is a semantic vocabulary of microdata tags that you can add to your website’s HTML to improve the way search engines read and display your page in SERPs.
By adding this structured data markup to your website’s HTML, search engines will be able to better understand the content on your website and add a ‘rich snippet’ to your search engine results which can marginally improve CTR as searchers will be able to see better and in-depth information about your website.
With Google pressing webmasters to provide rich information to searchers, I think adding Schema markup to your mobile website now is more important than ever.
If you haven’t yet added schema markup on your mobile website, you can add it with the help of this detailed guide and test its effectiveness by using Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool.
Likewise, if you have a WordPress website you can make use of plugins to add information-rich schema markup to your website’s HTML easily.
Site Structure
When it comes to SEO, the HTML structure of your website matters. Your website’s technical configuration plays a crucial role in its organic performance and if you are using a dynamic serving or separate URL mobile website, you need to be more careful and double check your website for the following aspects -
1. Hreflang Tags
If your website caters to users of different nationalities, most probably you’ll have your website translated in other languages as well. But how do search engines know what webpage translated into a specific language needs to be shown to a specific user? Through Hreflang Tags.
If you have a ‘Separate URL’ mobile website, make sure that you have placed the correct Hreflang Tags on your mobile website’s HTML to redirect users to a webpage of the correct language.
2. Robots.txt
A website ‘Robots.txt’ file contains specific directives for search engine crawlers to follow when they crawl your website. If you have a ‘Separate URL’ mobile website, then you need to have a separate ‘Robots.txt’ file for your mobile website as well.
The ‘Robots.txt’ disallow directives on both your mobile and desktop website must be the same for search engines to crawl your website properly.
3. Crawl Rate
After this mobile-first indexing algorithm, the rate at which Google crawlers will crawl your mobile website is most likely to increase. So, it makes sense to gear up your mobile website for it in advance.
Make sure that the increased crawling doesn’t slow down your website by upgrading it’s hosting environment. Fast loading sites hurt no one!
User Experience
With this Google update, the quality of the overall user experience your mobile website provides is paramount. To rank better, I think it goes without saying that you absolutely need to focus on improving the end-user experience for your mobile searchers.
Having a slow loading website, scattered website layout, unplayable content, poor navigation, complex design, too many elements, infinite scrolling, improper font size or faulty redirects on your website is bound to upset visitors and make them leave which may hurt your website’s search engine rankings beyond repair.
So, it’s better to keep a close check on the user experience your mobile website provides using a service like Chrome User Experience Report which evaluates your website with a public dataset of key user experience metrics and offers quick optimization suggestions.
What to avoid
Anything that adds unnecessary friction and hampers customer experience must be avoided when it comes to a mobile website.
Google cleared it right from the start that anything that hinders content accessibility on a mobile website will be penalized and they targeted mobile interstitials first. Since then, they have come a long way in defining what webmasters must absolutely avoid having on their mobile website to see a positive effect on their search engine rankings.
Google has a list of all the common mistakes webmasters must stay clear of to improve their search engine rankings or to keep their hard earned rankings in place.
Mobile Friendliness Tests
There are many mobile friendliness tests available online to… you guessed it, check the mobile-friendliness of your mobile website.
After applying all the above-mentioned methods, you can check the results of your efforts on Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test orMobiReady.
These tools not only analyze your complete website for mobile friendliness, they also highlight what else you missed in making your website more mobile friendly.
Take Webmasters’ help
Google Webmaster Central Blog is Google’s official blog where they post about the latest developments in their algorithms and search results. Keep a close eye on this blog to stay on the same page as Google.
Another helpful resource Google provides to its webmasters all around the globe is Google Webmaster Central Help Forum, which is a place where webmasters can post or search for their queries and get straightforward solutions from the experts. Head over to this forum if you are facing any hurdles in fully optimizing your website for mobile.
The whole point of this blog is to convince you of the importance Google is placing on having a mobile website with their new mobile-first indexing algorithm. Just relying on your desktop site for search engine rankings will help you no more. You need to have a fully SEO optimized mobile website and provide a customized experience to mobile searchers who are actively searching for your website online.
Drive Exceptional Growth without an In-House Marketing Team
We drive business growth by optimizing every inbound channel to attract and convert high-quality clients for you
Share with Friends
Get The Ultimate Marketing Toolkit
100+ Tools on SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, Social Media, Viral Marketing, CRO, and more.
Free Download
Essential Legal Marketing Mistakes That Hurt Your Online Visibility
With online businesses becoming more and more popular, it is more important than ever to have a plan when bringing your law firm into the online sector of the market. Most people usually think that the hardest part of creating an online business is the site-building and hosting process, but the real work starts long before you even get your website online for viewers to see. There are a variety of legal marketing strategies to keep in mind, as well as a faux pas to avoid as early as the planning stages for your website. Here are five of the most common and most detrimental mistakes people make when transitioning their business to the web. A Lack of Research --> The biggest mistake beginners tend to make when building a website is that they don't do proper research on both the focus of their site, as well as on the competition. When making an online business in general, finding a niche topic that has a potential interest is key. While this mostly relates to subscription or ad-based sites that draw in revenue per click or subscription, many of the basic principles can apply to your law firm's website. Finding a niche approach or direction for your site can help increase your odds of being discovered organically online. On the flip side, you also don't want something that's completely over-saturated to the point where you're doomed from the start. Finding a creative spin on how you advertise your firm and landing in that sweet spot between totally obscure and overly saturated is key. Poor Quality Content This is a big issue for almost any site, regardless of model or purpose. Many sites just use SEO services to find keywords and then just cram their content full of them with little regard for the actual content quality. This results in a barely readable mess that, while it might get the initial click, won't retain customers, and actually drive them away pretty quickly. If you were just looking for clicks, this technique might have been fine in the past. Unfortunately, Google and other search engines have started picking up on these shady digital marketing practices. Google's Panda update has completely revised portions of their search engine to target such pages and drop them back down to the bottom of the search results list, promoting quality content that people actually would want to read. With that in mind, plan out your content, and put as many keywords in as you can get naturally in the article. Once the keywords start getting in the way of readability, you've overdone it. Improper Marketing While overstuffing your pages and creating duplicate pages just for more keywords is definitely a bad thing, that's not to say you should ignore page optimization altogether. The key is to find a happy medium between keywords and readability. Using keyword search and SEO service tools, find the keywords that best fit your content, and use only the ones you can fit naturally into said content. For example, if you specialize in criminal law, don't try to stuff the words criminal and law into every available opening on your main page. It will make the content clunky to read, and at the same time come off as obvious keyword stuffing. Just mention criminal law in key places where it makes sense to empha it, such as when introducing your firm and your services. Doing this will ensure you have quality content while still maintaining enough keywords to keep your listing high on the search engines. Using more keywords that are geared towards your target audience is also a great way to get traffic from people who are looking for specific content. Getting viewers like these is more likely to result in repeat visitors, as they already have an interest in your content, and if the content you provide is of high quality, they are more likely to have a positive experience and either look at other articles on your site or bookmark it to explore later. While SEO and keywords can take some time to build traction in terms of increasing hits, and it can take a lot of effort to cater your site to Google's new standards, but the payoff is cost-effective marketing and visibility through achieving pole positions on Google SERP. Start a Law Blog While having a website is a great way to let people know about your firm and the services you offer, setting up a law category blog is a great way to demonstrate your expertise. While you'll want to avoid blogging about specific cases you are working on so as not to break confidentiality and client privilege, commenting on major cases in current events, as well as general law topics such as things to keep in mind or checklists for what to do in certain legal situations (such as steps to take in a divorce, how to best respond to a civil lawsuit, auto insurance law, etc.) is perfectly fine. The rewards of setting up a law blog are multifaceted. First, as stated before, it lets you demonstrate your expertise in your field, proving that your firm is a solid investment for customers looking for legal aid. Second, blogs allow for open discussion, allowing you to answer questions directly and give general legal advice where possible to readers of your blog. The final benefit, though not as beneficial to the firm and customer growth, is that you can garner an income based on ads run on the blog itself. When it comes to topics, stick to what you know best, as well as what you find most interesting. For example, if you are an injury and liability attorney who primarily handles auto accident cases and the like, consider writing an article that breaks down liability law into layman's terms. This will provide your potential clients as well as anyone with a general interest in liability law the groundwork they need to assess whether or not they even have a valid case before coming in for a consultation. This also means less time spent with clients who refuse to believe they have no case for one reason or another. You'll still get a few who can't be reasoned with, but having an article that clearly explains the nuances of liability laws in your state will cut down on those cases considerably. The same kind of article can be written for most disciplines of law, breaking down the basic foundations of building a case and when the best time to get a lawyer involved would be. Lazy Visual Design The last piece of the puzzle is how your site actually looks, and the first impressions users get from using your website. One big mistake people make starting out is thinking that being original means shattering the mold when it comes to conventional design standards and concepts. While it's okay to experiment a little bit, adding a slightly unique twist to make your website engaging, you should try to stick within the fundamental rules of web design. Have a logo in the header of each page that links back to your homepage, put the navigation bar along the left side column or along the bottom of the page header, and keep your design simple and streamlined. The last thing you want is your page to be so flooded with images and clip art that it ends up looking like those old Geocities pages from back in the mid-90s. On the topic of images, it's also good to have a solid legal marketing strategy when it comes to assets and site design. Just because it pops up in a Google image search doesn't mean it's free to use. If you use a lot of visual elements such as product photos or stock imagery, consider either contracting a photographer for product photos or purchasing an account for a stock image website where you can purchase images for use. The last thing you want is to be hit with a copyright lawsuit for using images you didn't know weren't royalty-free. This mistake is especially embarrassing considering you're likely advertising your law firm, so you'll likely take a bit of a blow to your reputation on top of all those fines and legal fees from the DMCA and copyright suits. While these tips give a general idea of what pitfalls to avoid when bringing your business to the online sector, they only scratch the tip of the iceberg. If you're just starting out, do some research on SEO services and optimization, Google's Panda updates, along with some basic web design principles before you even start working on your site digitally. Work out a basic theme on paper, including a brief content map with the different content ideas you are interested in, and a rough layout of a page draft and web map going over the core pages that will make up the framework of your website. Once that's done, start your research, and after you have a marketing strategy and focus points for your content, begin site-building. ...
read more
Buy Now, Pay Later: Does BNPL Strategy Work for Businesses?
Sixty-seven percent of Gen Z respondents to a Statista survey the same year reported using a BNPL service during the previous three months. Buy now, pay later is a convenient and popular way to shop for a broad variety of goods and services. Mozo found that among Australians who are already utilizing BNPL services, 67% are buying needs like furniture and household appliances, 57% are buying luxury items like designer apparel and jewelry, and 27% are buying basics like food. A second payment method that firms might use is the "buy now, pay later" model. When they make a purchase, they may get their hands on it right away, and they also have the option to spread out their payments. Also, customers can feel more at ease purchasing an expensive item like luxury apparel or furnishings if they can spread out their payments over time. By allowing customers to make installment payments, you may be able to enhance both sales and client loyalty. A purchase now, pay later option can help customers whose budgets have been thrown off by the spread of COVID-19. History of how BNPL became so popular Let's go back to the beginning of BNPL to learn more about its history and how it got to be what it is now. Many of these warehouse stores have also experimented with layaway and other payment plans in the past. The widespread adoption of credit cards has led to the demise of these alternatives. Many stores now provide their own credit cards and actively encourage their use at the point of sale as a means of boosting customer loyalty and increasing sales. Key features of BNPL, according to researchers, are lower transaction values and the absence of a credit check or conventional underwriting. This debt is unavailable to creditors because BNPL services do not report user activity to credit bureaus. In most cases, a 25% down payment is required at the time of purchase, with the remaining 75% divided into three equal installments due every two weeks. The buyer must authorize automatic payments using a debit or credit card in order to complete the BNPL transaction. A definition of "Buy Now, Pay Later" With Buy Now Pay Later, a client may make an immediate purchase and then pay for it in monthly payments over a short period of time. In essence, you will be granted a short-term loan, the whole amount of which must be repaid either in monthly installments or in a single payment. If you repay the loan on time, you won't have to pay any interest. Though yet in its infancy, BNPL's promising future is assured by its rapid development. Online purchases are a common reason that borrowers seek out these sorts of loans. The speed with which loans may be approved sets it apart from more traditional approaches. As long as you don't postpone payments, it won't have any effect on your credit score, which is still its largest perk. There is a plethora of BNPL service providers in India. Mobikwik, Amazon, Simpl, PayPal, Alibaba Postpaid, and Paytm Postpaid are all part of the group. Nonetheless, at this point, you're probably wondering how BNPL makes money. Exactly how does BNPL function? It's finally here. Explaining the Operation of BNPL Read on to learn how the BNPL system benefits both shoppers and stores. The shopper continues shopping as usual and proceeds to the checkout counter. BNPL begins the same way that every other online purchase does for the buyer. You go to several internet retailers, choose items, and get ready to check out. The BNPL provider the store has selected offers a buy now, pay later payment plan. The consumer can pay with BNPL, along with other payment methods like credit cards, at checkout. The borrower's credit is given a "gentle pull" by the lender. When a consumer chooses to pay using BNPL, they must provide the BNPL lender with basic identifying information (such as a full address and Social Security number). In order to ensure that the borrower would repay the loan, the lender does a mild credit check right away. Since this form of credit check is not shared with credit reporting agencies, it will not have a negative impact on credit ratings. The store must pay a fee to the BNPL provider. The BNPL provider will deduct a fee from each sale made at retail and pass the cost on to the store owner. Fees (usually 2-8%) are withheld from the amount the BNPL lender transfers to the retailer. This is analogous to the partnerships between banks and shops that enable the use of credit cards. The consumer makes payments against the outstanding debt. In most cases, BNPL sellers may waive interest charges entirely if you pay off your debt in a very short amount of time (typically 30 days). Lenders often provide a variety of payment plans, each with its own set of terms and interest rate, to clients who may require additional time to repay the principal. As is the case with credit cards, the consumer will save money on interest charges if they pay off their balance quickly. Where do BNPL businesses get their money? The next obvious question is, how does BNPL make money? Who or what is providing the funding? Earnings via retailers: BNPL provides a platform for businesses to expand their clientele and hence their revenue. As a result, customers with low balances can still make purchases. Additionally, it provides a new method of vendor compensation. As a result, they will be charged a transaction fee of 2-8% of the total purchase price. This raises a red flag for the sellers who are footing the bill for the hefty transaction costs, but the rising average order size speaks for itself. Obtaining Funds from Customers: Interest- BNPL's clientele are a significant source of revenue. Depending on the customer's credit or the length of time before the balance is paid off, some businesses impose interest rates anywhere from 10% to 30%. The borrower is responsible for paying interest on the loan if he or she extends the loan's repayment term. However, there are a select few businesses that will not assess any fees so long as the loan is repaid on time. Payment postponement - The client is responsible for the late fees if the payment is not received by the due date. It is a major source of income for BNPL enterprises. It's possible to accrue interest at a rate of 30% or more. It is the penalty for late payment, even when the consumer pledges to reimburse the remaining amount promptly. They are also interested in developing their own online marketplaces in order to generate revenue. This will allow them to boost their earnings by encouraging customers to swipe their cards more often. As a result of referring clients to their business partners, they might collect a commission. Another significant revenue stream comes from the display advertisements they host. There are several brands that use ads to boost their credibility and sales. Inevitably, there is a cost associated with running this ad. In exchange for advertising space, these companies are paid by the brands that advertise on their site. Many still have not subscribed, thus the money from this source is low. Earning money from data is the way of the future. They now have access to a wealth of personal information about you that might generate income for them in the future. This information is extremely valuable and might be transferred for monetary gain. They may put that money into expanding their business in the future. Now that we've covered BNPL firms' primary income streams, it's time to learn about BNPL's benefits. What are the benefits of “buy now pay later” for business? It may be hard for you to see how accepting this kind of payment will benefit your company. That's hardly surprising, considering the prevalence of layaway plans in retail sectors. Here are four benefits that should help you see how this payment method may be used in a business-to-business setting: Reduce cash flow stress as much as possible. If most of your cash flow is already being spent, it may be impossible to pay for new or used equipment right once. Services that allow you to make a purchase now and then make a payment at a later time can help you better manage your finances. Smaller payments can be made starting after the selling date, rather than all at once. If the equipment can be put to work generating more money, then it more or less pays for itself. Second, don't use up all of your available finance options. Do you prefer not to use your available credit at the bank? Do you wish you didn't have to use all of your company's credit? You can think of BNPL as a distinct line of credit from your other options. In this way, you won't have to worry about draining your credit account in order to get the necessary tools. Third, think about arranging a special payment plan. Do you think it would benefit your company if you could finance machinery with no money down and only interest to pay for the first six months? Instead, how about a payment plan that adjusts with the seasons? With BNPL finance, there are several flexible payment options for business-to-business transactions. The sellers and their partner lenders may surprise you with their willingness to negotiate. Fourth, shop with complete ease. There are a plethora of BNPL system sites readily available on the web. In addition to checking out items, making automated payments, and downloading data for internal reporting are also options. Inquiring about the seller's ability to offer financing at a later date never hurts. After nearly two years of navigating the effects of global economic volatility, many small businesses are on the road to recovery. But most decision-makers are aware that they require the proper equipment to do the job and bring in money. If your business is ready to take the next step but needs a financial bridge, buy now, pay later services might be the solution. Is BNPL the Best Option for Your DTC Company? In recent years, the option to finance purchases with delayed payment has skyrocketed in popularity, and it's not expected to disappear anytime soon. As more and more vendors provide this choice, not providing it might put a store at a competitive disadvantage. You should thoroughly research your potential BNPL provider and make sure you have the funds available before committing to using BNPL for your company. Verify that the supplier you're thinking about will work well with your present sales infrastructure. ...
read more
Ecommerce Store Features You Need to Scale for your DTC brand
With the rise of technology and changing consumer behaviors, the world of e-commerce has become fiercely competitive. As a novice entrepreneur venturing into the realm of online retail, you are undoubtedly aware that building a thriving e-commerce business requires much more than just selling products online. It demands a strategic approach, careful planning, and the integration of key features that can elevate your store's performance. While finding the right products, legally establishing your business, and creating a captivating web design are critical components, focusing on customer satisfaction and addressing their needs holds the key to unlocking your business growth. This is where the importance of implementing indispensable e-commerce store features comes into play. In this article, brought to you by an experienced ecommerce development company, we will explore the essential features that can empower your e-commerce store to scale new heights. Whether you're using Shopify, Shopify Plus, or any other e-commerce platform, these features are universally applicable and can be implemented with ease. From enhancing the customer experience to streamlining operations, these features will help you establish a strong foundation and secure a competitive advantage in the vast digital marketplace. E-Commerce Features You Need to Consider Navigation When it comes to designing an e-commerce website, few aspects hold as much significance as simple navigation and an intuitive layout. As a rule of thumb, users should be able to access any information on your website within three clicks. In the case of an e-commerce site, the ultimate goal is to lead customers to the checkout process smoothly, and this is where superior navigation truly shines. Here are a few features that you should consider adding (if you have not already) Breadcrumbs Breadcrumbs greatly improve user experience by serving as a visual guide, indicating the user's location within the website's structure. They are particularly beneficial for e-commerce websites with numerous product categories organized hierarchically. Displayed as a list of links separated by symbols (such as ">"), breadcrumbs facilitate navigation and provide valuable insights for users and search engines. Advantages of breadcrumbs include User Orientation: Breadcrumbs help users understand their location within the website's hierarchy, allowing them to easily trace their steps and maintain a sense of orientation. SEO: Breadcrumbs present a clear structure to search engines, aiding in indexing and understanding the website's hierarchy. This can improve visibility and search engine rankings. Efficient Navigation: Breadcrumbs enable users to move seamlessly between product catalogs, categories, and homepages. Clicking on a breadcrumb link quickly takes users back to a higher-level page, saving time and effort. Menu A user-friendly menu is a crucial feature of any successful e-commerce website. Users typically expect to see a horizontal menu across the top of the website or a vertical menu down the left side. However, there are various options available to enhance navigation and improve the user experience. One such option is a mega menu, which offers an expandable menu with a two-dimensional dropdown layout. It simplifies website navigation by combining text, links, and graphic elements. Mega menus provide a comprehensive view of various categories and subcategories, allowing customers to easily find the information or products they are looking for. Search and Filter Search functionality and filtering options greatly enhance the user experience in e-commerce. Incorporating AI-powered search engines predicts user queries and provides relevant results. The advanced search function goes beyond keyword matching, utilizing AI and machine learning to understand user intent and deliver accurate results. Filters allow shoppers to narrow down product lists based on criteria like price, brand, size, color, or ratings. This streamlines the browsing experience, saves time, and improves user satisfaction. Combining advanced search and intuitive filtering empowers customers to find desired products easily, leading to increased conversions and customer satisfaction in the competitive industry. About Us The About Us page is vital for an e-commerce website, serving multiple purposes beyond building trust and loyalty. Surprisingly, it can also enhance user navigation. It provides an opportunity to introduce your team, share your mission, and showcase your products. An engaging and easy-to-read page with storytelling elements creates a meaningful connection. Including clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) prompts users to take action, improving engagement and potentially driving conversions. High Resolution Pictures High-quality product photos optimized for page load are essential for any ecommerce store. Here are some key tips: Image Quality: Use high-resolution images that showcase products clearly. Visual Appeal: Capture photos professionally with attention to lighting, composition, and background. Optimization: Optimize image file sizes for faster page load times. Multiple Angles: Provide photos from different angles, especially for jewelry, watches, or customized items. Consistency: Maintain a consistent style, background, and size for product photos. Consider features like zoom functionality to allow customers to examine products closely. Remember, appealing product photos are crucial for attracting customers and boosting sales. Swatches Color swatches are a subtle yet powerful feature that can greatly enhance the user experience on e-commerce websites. These thumbnail images represent specific colors, patterns, and shapes for product variants. Unlike traditional drop-down menus, color swatches provide an instant visual representation of the product, allowing customers to quickly and effortlessly visualize different options without the need for extra effort. Product Page An informative and engaging product page is crucial for an e-commerce website. It not only showcases the value of your products but also helps customers determine if they want to make a purchase. Here are some tips for designing an effective product page: Featured Products: Include sections highlighting featured products, best-sellers, exclusive items, related products, or top savers. This encourages customers to explore more of your website. Upselling: Show product bundles that are frequently bought together, offering customers additional value and increasing sales. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Techniques: Implement CRO techniques on the product page to improve conversions. This can include adding customer reviews, product recommendations, pop-ups, and micro-animations. Micro-Animations: Utilize micro-animations to enhance the overall user experience (UX) and draw attention to key areas of the page. Examples of micro-interactions include confirmation messages, hover animations, scrolling visuals, transition animations, sound effects, and error messages. Reviews Customer reviews are indeed a valuable and creative e-commerce website design feature that can drive social proof and improve customer loyalty. The statistic you mentioned, about 88% of consumers trusting online testimonials as much as personal recommendations, highlights the significance of customer reviews in influencing purchasing decisions. Offers and Discounts Special offers, discounts, and freebies on your e-commerce website can drive sales and engage customers. By prominently displaying these deals on the product page, you create a sense of value and urgency, encouraging customers to make a purchase. Limited-time offers and promotions like "buy one, get two" can motivate immediate action. Offering free shipping can also boost sales by removing a potential barrier for customers. Purchase and Checkout In an ecommerce website, the goal is to make the purchasing process as seamless and user-friendly as possible, just like in a brick-and-mortar store. Here are some key features that contribute to a smooth purchasing experience on an ecommerce website. In Conclusion Incorporating the right features on your ecommerce website can make a significant difference in attracting customers, boosting sales, and enhancing overall user experience. By prioritizing a user-friendly interface, you can build trust, engage customers, and drive conversions. Remember to continuously monitor and optimize your website's performance to ensure a smooth and efficient shopping journey for your visitors. If you're ready to take your ecommerce website to the next level, consider partnering with Saffron Edge, a leading provider of cutting-edge digital-tech solutions. With their expertise and innovative approach, they can help you implement these essential features and create a captivating online store that stands out from the competition. Don't miss out on the opportunity to transform your ecommerce business and achieve unparalleled success. ...
read more
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get fresh stories, case studies, and
advice
from successful creators and industry experts.
Subscribe now
Get The Ultimate Marketing Toolkit
100+ Tools on SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, Social Media, Viral Marketing, CRO, and more.
Free Download