The Path To a Mobile-Friendly Ecommerce Website

                  

Ecommerce has undergone a sharp shift over the past few years to mcommerce with users not diffident to make payments on their mobile as well. To leverage this advantage though, you need to optimize your mobile ecommerce website. In this article, we look what you need to do to make sure you maximise the mobile potential.

The first thing you notice when you search anything on the net on your mobile is the look and feel of the website. But this alone will not ensure visibility. The site needs to have good content, navigation, check-in and check-out processes and show robust performance in order to get to the top. In case you wanted a bullet list of what to do, we have a checklist ready for you.

1. Keywords - The first thing that comes to the mind of any consumer when he/she searches for content on the internet is the keyword. All important keywords need to be covered during the first phase of writing itself so that it becomes easy to search related material. Also try and make use of the keywords with the help of hyperlinks to attract more traffic to your website. 

2. SiteMap – Just as the contents page of a novel helps the reader easily find the page, so does site-map with links help a user navigate web pages on a mobile website the user is looking for.

3. Social Media - Promotion of websites, blogs, groups, forums, etc. by linking online communities in social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc. )

4. Advertisements – This involves hard-selling your website through advertisements, pay per click ads and updating relevant content on the website.

5. Email Signatures – Here, the customer gets in touch with the owner of the website through the designated signature format used at the end of the emails. 

Here, you need to ensure that your mobile website is appropriate in all respects, i.e. in terms of images, icons,content, tools and more. All said and done, your web pages should not crash or hang as it ensures all the good work gets lost. With a majority of people accessing e-commerce websites through mobile phones, it is important to ensure proper backup of the website during server downtimes as well. Lastly, get the best developer in town to design it for you!

How To Ensure Your E-commerce Website Is Mobile-Friendly

With mobile becoming the go-to medium for anyone wishing to capitalize on developing markets, it is important to ensure that your website is built for the mobile. This means optimising your mobile ecommerce website as more than 75% of the people purchase through their mobile phones. In this article, we look at the boxes you need to check to make sure you maximise the mobile potential.

The first thing you notice when you search anything on the net on your mobile is the look and feel of the website. But this alone will not ensure visibility. The site needs to have good content, navigation, check-in and check-out processes and show robust performance in order to get to the top.  In case you wanted a bullet list of what to do, we have a checklist ready for you.

 1. Keywords - The first thing that comes to the mind of any consumer when he/she searches for content on the internet is the keyword. All important keywords need to be covered during the first phase of writing itself so that it becomes easy to search related material. Also try and make use of the keywords with the help of hyperlinks to attract more traffic to your website. 

2.  Website SiteMap – Just as the contents page of a novel helps the reader easily find the page, so does site-map with links help a user navigate web pages on a mobile website the user is looking for.

3. Social Media –  Promotion of websites, blogs, groups, forums, etc. by linking online communities in social media (Twitter, Facebook,  Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc. )

4.  Email Signatures – Here, the customer gets in touch with the owner of the website through the designated signature format used at the end of the emails. 

5.  Advertisements – This involves hard-selling your website through advertisements, pay per click ads and updating relevant content on the website.

It is extremely important to ensure that your mobile website is appropriate in all respects, i.e. in terms of icons, images, content, tools and so on. All said and done, your web pages should not crash or hang as it ensures all the good work gets lost. With 80% of people accessing e-commerce websites through mobile phones, it is important to ensure proper backup of the website during server downtime. And finally, make sure you have a valid certificate for the same. 

The Mobile Impact on Ecommerce

                                       

First, it was online shopping. Then it became full-fledged ecommerce. And now, it has gone mobile. If we look back we will find that shopping has evolved rather dramatically over the years. It used to involve newspaper ads, clipping coupons and driving from store to store to compare deals. Now social media and mobile innovations allow shoppers to post photos of their purchases, ask their friends for recommendations, read reviews etc without having to leave the store aisle. We look at how retailers can use mobile to improve consumers’ overall shopping experience.

Social media is increasingly influencing shopping habits with 3 out of 4 customers admitting to having used Facebook to choose a shopping destination or restaurant. A majority of customers also hold online conversations with brands to seek a better experience in the future. So, how do businesses use mobile to provide that extra value to the consumer?

1. Store-specific apps

Retailers with their own apps can follow shoppers to create lists, find relevant coupons and deals, and even load these deals directly onto loyalty cards. Some businesses have taken doesn't even further by allowing users to start shopping on one device and pick it up later from another.

2. Help shoppers find items

Some apps offer in-store location features that can help customers find a specific product without flagging down a salesperson. This is very useful as users like to be guided to the product without third-party intervention.

3. Compare/Contrast

When it comes to making a purchase decision, shoppers are always looking for easier ways to read reviews, check prices and compare multiple products. For example, Best Buy puts QR codes on all of their products to help with this, allowing customers to simply scan the codes for additional product info and compare up to 4 Best Buy products at a time.

4. The checkout needs to be easy!

While in-store mobile payments are still in their infancy, the appeal of speeding up the checkout process is undeniable. Sloppy checkout processes are foremost among the reasons for customer frustration and easing it would go a long way in ensuring satisfaction.

5. Ask them to visit again

Every store wants repeat business and an app is the perfect way to get customers back. Apps can send alerts about new items, notify customers when their prescriptions need to be refilled, or promote limited-time sales.

6. Give them the whole picture

Retailers can use apps to ensure a positive brand experience even after customers leave the store. Offering ‘how-to’ videos and suggestions based on customers’ past purchases would be a good idea. For example, a customer who just bought an iPod might be interested in a speaker.