Ecommerce stores are plenty out there but there isn’t much of attitude and chutzpah, if you know what we mean?
We see a lot of ecommerce stores but not all of them get our attention. Maybe it’s the way those ecommerce stores are designed. Perhaps, it’s the product images. Or maybe it’s the copy. Of course, the utility and the ease of navigation also matter. Somehow, they don’t get our attention. There’s a lot happening out there on the Internet.
Now, if we feel it that way, chances are that a lot of others are thinking the same too. Is there a way to grab attention? Can you make your ecommerce store stick? Is there a way to bring down that dreaded bounce rate or the deadlier shopping cart abandonment rate? Fortunately, there are ways to work with this. Here are some of them:
Start with the design
You know what really works online today? Great design – not so much about looks but about being minimalistic. It’s about simplicity and function. It’s also about being responsive (as in design) – your website should adapt and render itself to any device (mobile or not, and more mobile than anything else). Colors have a way to influence moods, invoke emotions, and affect our behavior. Make sure you pick the right choice of colors for your ecommerce store.
Product imagery
We are all visual, and we’ll continue to be. Graphics and authentic product photos go a long way to gran attention and make customers stick around for more. Don’t skimp on product photography. If you are serious about your ecommerce business, invest in taking help from a professional photographer. There’s a lot to those angles and shots than amateurs or complete non-photography enthusiasts can ever wrap their heads around. And please, avoid stock photos for ecommerce stores. Stock photos are all right for blogs and other online publications; just not for your online store.
Make that copy work
Whatever you do, avoid using boring product descriptions. Boring copy kills. It’s the worst piece of asset (if you can still call it that) on your ecommerce store. What you need is completely original, authentic, and refreshing copy for each of your products. Copy obviously spills over to the rest of the content you might have on your store such as for blog posts, the downloadable reports, and even the updates you publish on social media.
Don’t be afraid to unleash a certain character or personality. Go get that voice.
Personality in the parallel universe
As far as marketing is concerned, there’s this little universe – a parallel one. You know those slide decks, the graphics, the guest posts you’ll end up writing for other publications, and all other forms of content you might want to create.
Borrow your own voice. Dwell on your character. Make sure you talk to your customers straight. Look them in the eye through your digital content. As long as you are passionate about your products, this wouldn’t be so hard to bring on.
How to plan to plant the sizzle on your ecommerce store? What do you intend to do to make your customers stick? Share your ideas with us.
img credits: Songglog on Flickr