Conversion Optimisation: A Checklist for More Success [Part 4]

We’ve all been there. Hungry and shopping without a grocery list… NOT a good idea. You bought things that weren’t just expensive, but also that you don’t end up using or eating because they’re not as good as you expected. Oh and that toilet paper you really needed? Forgot it. So you could say lists are important. They can help you improve performance and conversion rates on your own site!

It doesn’t always require a big relaunch to make an impact. To know which parameters are important at all times, a checklist is helpful. And voilà. In the last part of our series, we focused on conversion rates and performance optimisation.

Conversion optimisation with our checklist: What is there to do in general?

The most important point is clearly communicating the USPs of a shop. What makes a store unique? Why are our supplies and services different from others? It’s not easy to pin down and translate that into good web design, but it’s worthwhile to work on it.

A further, more important aspect: The advantages of a having customer account should be emphasised. Preferably in the shopping cart and checkout. Registered customers are more likely to return and companies have better opportunities to develop their customer relationship management. You can create incentives like coupons or free shipping.

If customers leave product and shop reviews, they must be evaluated and staged. Hardly anything generates more credibility with customers than the reviews from other customers.

Another point on our checklist sounds simple, but it is crucial: It’s important to optimise websites for all devices and resolutions to increase performance. Users are annoyed within milliseconds when pages don’t load quick enough or are mobile-optimised and will seldom wait for a page and exit quickly. Since Googlebot crawls like a mobile device, images in about a single resolution are about fatal and the ranking is equally bad.

Finally, Invest time and money to improve the design of the website. A contemporary look will make users eyes go wide!

Speaking of trust… If websites are a shop, you should emphasise its quality by getting certifications and placing proof of them on the website, especially if you’re entering a German-speaking market.

Conversion optimisation with our checklist: Internal search

Only a search that finds what you’re looking for is a good search. The basis for a functioning search is to be able to permanently guarantee the finding of high data quality of the product data from an ERP, PIM or MDM system.

You should also make sure that you find the search bar well. Placement of the internal search in the header is optimal, with mobile-optimised pages, it should also never be hidden.

Automatically appearing auto-suggestions of what you wanted to look for, also enjoy great popularity and prevent typos.

At the same time, it’s important to consider typical typographical errors and related product names: For example, customers might have different names for the same products! They too must be able to find what they’re looking for.

Conversion optimisation: What to look out for at registration and checkout

Nothing is more annoying than bureaucracy. And because it doesn’t just increase the willingness of customers to buy, a retailer wants to query all possible data. Although they are not actually needed for the transaction, one idea that can hardly be underestimated is to remove unnecessary input fields in the checkout and registration process.

While it’s good for the retailer’s customer relationship management, not every customer likes to spend time creating their own customer account. So it may make sense to allow guest orders.
Furthermore, you should enable users to log in via Facebook, Google, and/or PayPal. Speaking of PayPal, we need to talk about payment methods.

In order to really close purchases and conversions from customers, it’s in your best interest to have popular and up-to-date forms of payment available and not billing or credit cards.

Conversion optimisation with our checklist: Looking at each point

Here’s the checklist we just went over. Points are there step by step so you can implement them.

• • Clearly communicate USPs of the shop
  • Communicate benefits of having an account in checkout and shopping cart
  • Allow customers to rate products and display reviews
  • Optimise page for different devices and resolutions to improve loading times
  • Winning interest and trust of users through contemporary and attractive design
  • Authenticate shop with seals and elements of trust (especially in German-speaking markets)
  • Detailed data about products for internal search from ERP, PIM, or shop system
  • Placement of internal search in the header with sufficient space for other page elements
  • Provide quick and helpful suggestion
  • Account for typos and synonyms of product names
  • Remove unnecessary fields for entering information when it comes to registration
  • Allows guest orders
  • Provide alternative logins over Facebook, Google, etc.
  • Provide clear error messages and appropriate correction notes
  • Make the transaction contents clear, offer popular payment methods

Conversion optimisation: Even more tips for success

Inspired by the series? Want to know what’s trending and how others are approaching their digital transformation?

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