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New Web Store? Your Checklist for Success in 2018

Tag: online store

New Web Store? Your Checklist for Success in 2018
Mohab Growth Hacks 0

New Web Store? Your Checklist for Success in 2018

The world today is way more digitalized than ever before, and this has immensely impacted the way stores, showrooms and even small merchants are getting their business done! Everyone has an online presence and every business is trying to rope in as many potential customers possible through web stores or online stores. Naturally, the competition for attracting the target audience is high, and if you too have joined the bandwagon of online merchants recently, here are some cool tricks that can help you stand out!

Web design that attracts and engages

No matter how great the product or service you sell is, without a wonderful web design, your marketing campaign will fall flat on its face. Either you can learn to create a visually appealing web store yourself or you can hire a professional web designer. The investment will be worth it. Or, check out sites such as TonyTemplates or TemplateMonster to get hold of an attractive e-commerce template with the latest designs and layouts. Minimal text and high quality full-width images are the way to go.

Focus on “About Us”

Your “About Us” page is the biggest bait after your landing page to hook potential customers. Keep the design minimal and mention clearly how your brand was born, what you offer, and why it is important. Include testimonials and achievements to gain customer trust and also mention contact details like address, email, and social media pages.

Don’t ignore the power of online support

Your interaction with the customer is not just till the moment he or she makes the payment and gets the product delivered. It should go beyond that in the form of awesome online support or after-sales services that they might need before using the product. Pre-purchase support in the form of live chats on your website can boost the conversion by more than 10% as well. It will also encourage new buyers to trust your store. Make sure that the chat box or the phone line is clearly visible on your homepage.

Choose the perfect payment gateway  

Without a secure and fast payment gateway, your online business will do anything but prosper. So, go for a gateway like PayTabs which lets you sell your products globally and receive payments even within 24 hours! It has a very robust 2-layer fraud protection system, and accepts 168 currencies too. You can integrate PayTabs very easily into your system and benefit from features like online invoicing, mobile apps, and convenient payment processing. Customer details and purchase history are well-protected, and PayTabs also generates financial reports that can help you monitor cash flow. This payment gateway is ideal for every type of business, it can make your business cycle easier to handle and it will keep a track on recurring customers too.

Make your website and blog SEO-optimized

Ensure that both your website and blog (everyone has one these days) follow Search Engine Optimization or SEO. This means, that the content, product titles and descriptions must contain keywords that will help you rank higher on organic search results. Or in other words, using the right keywords will increase your visibility to the online audience. Before incorporating the keywords which you think will work, type them into a search engine like Google and see who your business competitors are. If they are big ones, change your keyword to something that is not so competitive. For your blog, use SEO tools and Google Analytics to track page views and see which posts do better.

Other tips

Advertise creatively on social media, track analytics of your site, make your site is mobile-friendly, offer free shipping and assured refunds, use email marketing, and network with industry bloggers, traditional reporters and social media influencers to create a buzz about your product. Don’t forget to keep an eye on your competition too.

6 years ago
The complete guide to launching your very first online store – tools and strategies inside
Mohab Ecommerce 0

The complete guide to launching your very first online store – tools and strategies inside

“If your business is not on the internet, your business will be out of business” – Bill Gates

Starting an online business isn’t a trend but a necessity. It is comparatively easier to set up than a brick-and-motor store, less resource intensive and allows you to experiment and iterate quickly as per your customer’s demands. There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow… and here’s your guide to get started.

Find a problem to solve: From selling cars to buying accessories to finding dates, the digital world is uniquely finding ways to solve problems by making lives convenient, and   saving time and money. The key to create a successful business online is to not only find the right problem to solve but also have the expertise and skills to solve it. What is your core expertise? What problems do people face in that industry? Why are YOU the best entrepreneur to do this job? Once you have the answers, you’ll know what your online business will be.

Build your website: Your website is your store front. It’s key to determining how you’ll sell and how much time, effort and maintenance you are willing to put up. You may have a store with hundreds of products which will need back end management that you’ll have to think through like updating stocks, offering discounts and being search engine friendly. In this case, you’ll have to make your choice between options like Shopify, WooCommerce, Open Cart, Get Shop and other such services based on their terms and feature list.

Write copy that sells: This is one of the most important parts of your online business. Once people come to your website, they’ll give you a minute or less to make your pitch. Your content will have to be cutting edge, to the point and push people towards the sales funnel. Explainer videos and infographics are strongly recommended to deliver your punches in the shortest possible time.

Choose a payment gateway: A payment gateway is a very important feature for your store. Its functionality will ensure that you can get paid not only in your native currency but from anywhere in the world where people can pay in their own currency and you can receive the money in yours hassle free. The right payment gateway can ensure you can reach any corner of the earth with your products.

Choose a fulfillment partner: A fulfillment partner is as important as your payment gateway. If your products have the chance of getting damaged in transport, you’ll have to find someone who can deliver with care. Some countries have restrictions on the products you can ship and you may need to work with different fulfillment partners who know the local regulations and ensure you aren’t selling anything that can’t be delivered in that country.

Start with PPC and then jump in to SEO: Pay per click advertising on Facebook and Google will allow you to do a quick market validation. Start this as soon as your basic website is ready. You’ll know if customers are understanding your website and products and if they are willing to trust you and make the purchase.

Get social: Social is a great place to build your community. Get together people who have similar likes and you’ll eventually find customers there.

Use email marketing: Build your email list from day one and offer incentives for people to sign up. Email marketing will allow you to sell, up-sell and cross sell, automate your communication and be in your customer’s inbox.

Go on, try it for a few months until you have proof of market. Your online store, if done well, can fetch amazing returns.

6 years ago