Creating a Shopify store is merely the first step to building a successful eCommerce venture. For entrepreneurs, the primary challenge lies in how to get the store off the ground. Creating a custom product line, locating the right apps to use, and driving traffic to the store can help you get going.
The reason many start-ups fail is because their owners failed to develop a strategy or they ended up stepping out of it. If you look at the leading Shopify stores, you'll notice that they have several things in common: their commitment to customer experience, the quality of their store designs, and, most importantly, a winning strategy to help them excel.
Below are eight tips you can use to showcase custom products on your homepage.
The fastest way to learn more about your target audience is to collect and analyze customer data through customer relationship management software. Surveys and web analytics tools can also help you with this task. Use the information collected to segment the target audience into distinct groups with shared interests.
While trying to personalize experiences on your Shopify store, you'll need to collect diverse sets of data. Some of the information you may need will include:
• Age
• Job Industry
• Location
• Interests
• Purchase history
• Job title
Using these vital details, you can now begin to tailor your custom products to your visitors' unique needs and interests.
Photography on a Shopify store serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it enables your target audience to see and "feel" the details of each product. Remember, just because they can't try it on, taste it, or touch it doesn't mean they can't imagine themselves using the said product. High-quality imagery can make this a possibility.
Secondly, photography can work as a branding tool. You can use the theme customization tools provided by Shopify to convey the aspirational lifestyle the target audience can achieve with the products on offer. You should note that imagery can impact conversion. According to Consumer Insights, 85% of shoppers make buying decisions based on the available images.
Therefore, you should consider implementing galleries or sliders to help display the available products. If you ask any experienced web designer, they'll tell you that customers will always judge a book by its cover when it comes to matters to do with eCommerce. Make it a point to invest in quality photography if you want to succeed.
Content marketing and SEO go hand in hand. The latter seeks to increase the rankings and visibility of your store online. The best way to achieve this fete is to incorporate engaging product descriptions into your marketing. Besides providing interesting content, you also need to ensure that your store has a clear structure.
With product descriptions, you don't always have to use a bland voice. The best technique is to spend some time and effort to engage your target audience directly. For example, you can try to connect with the customers by sharing the story behind each product. Try to provide a vivid description of the process that has gone into making each item.
Sharing social proof will also help your store stand out. Social proof works best when you borrow from some of the techniques employed in landing pages. For every item, add reviews, embed user-generated content, and try to feature expert testimonials to back up your claims. Testimonials work well when dealing with food, beauty, fitness, and wellness brands.
Getting customers to visit your Shopify store is not cheap and is not an easy undertaking. Furthermore, you must remember that even though they're in your store, they probably have other tabs open in their browsers. Once you get them to your site, you'll need to retain their attention.
This is where the built-in features in Shopify come in handy. Aside from onsite notifications, consider using targeted pops or banners for special announcements related to your products. You can use them to announce limited editions, new designs, and even upcoming sales. When integrating them, consider using countdown timers to promote a sense of urgency.
While at it, use these tips to help you optimize your product category pages:
• Integrate relevant keywords
• Add alt text to photos
• Add category text copy
• Integrate breadcrumb navigation
Getting users' attention and getting them to complete a purchase isn't an easy task. Some of them passively scroll through Shopify stores and leave without buying anything. However, you can get them to become more involved using interactive elements in your store. Your product pages need to spark interest, and you can do this using the tools available at ProductCustomizer.com.
Examples of interactive elements you can deploy on your store include:
• Animations
• Forms
• Social media sharing buttons
• Video
• Surveys and quizzes
• Interactive infographics
If you can, consider adding a virtual try-on option. It's an option that enables your customers to visualize themselves wearing your custom products. Its presence can help with conversion as customers will want to buy a product they believe will look good on them. The same holds true for those who can picture themselves using it at home.
Promotions, discounts, and exclusive offers can entice a customer to complete a purchase. Gift cards, on the other hand, provide them with a personalized gift option. The best thing about using either of these to promote a homepage is that you can adjust the pricing as needed. You get to choose how much discount to offer to remain within your profit margins.
It's possible to generate discount codes by visiting the store admin panel. Once generated, you can reuse these codes in any way that you see fit. For example, you can generate a popup that rewards a customer with a 15% discount on their first order. With regards to gift codes, consider offering "free" product samples to get more customers interested in your offerings.
You can also use the homepage section to announce upcoming releases and collaborations.
The product pages on your Shopify store have one job: compel store visitors to add products to their cards. You'll need to use a clear call to action button to guide customers in making a purchase. The area surrounding the button will need to be free of clutter if this is to work. Decluttering means ensuring there are no obstacles or destructions to the customers.
As you declutter the call-to-action buttons, remember to optimize the store for mobile users. According to eMarketer.com, 60% of US adults now believe that mobile shopping is a must-have, demonstrating the increasing shift to mobile shopping. This means that if you're to increase your conversion rates, you have no option but to optimize for mobile shopping.
ProductCustomizer.com was launched in 2012 by a team comprising Cornell graduates and veterans in the hospitality industry. Its goal was to help solve problems faced by business merchants running Shopify stores. Since then, the platform has specialized in product personalization, and its work is guided by five core values:
• Innovate
• Communication
• Customer value
• Excellence
• Take ownership and be accountable
There are three reasons for choosing this platform: increase conversion rate, boost retention, and reduce returns. Productcustomizer.com allows you to tailor perfection and deliver bespoke products to your clients. Moreover, it's designed to cater to the needs of various industries, including jewelry, pets, and fashion.
As a Shopify store owner, it's crucial to choose the best strategies to showcase your custom products. Understanding your audience, using storytelling, and optimization are some of the strategies that will help you get started. However, if you want to really stand out, you should make use of the features provided by ProductCustomizer.com to provide variance to customers.
Reach out to the team at ProductCustomizer.com today to learn more about how this new platform can benefit your eCommerce business. While at it, remember to share your success stories from implementing the eight tips above and from using ProductCustomizer.com's features.
