8 Essential Ways to Tap into Mobile eCommerce

In recent years mobile traffic has escalated and it doesn’t look to be stopping anytime soon.

More than half of all internet users are accessing the web through their mobile devices – whether that’s using smart phones or tablets.

But where to start? That’s the big question. Here are eight essentials to ease you into this new market:

#1 Responsive design

Note that we recommend a responsive design and not a mobile-specific design.

This is because a responsive design can adapt to any size screen display, theoretically making them future proof, whereas mobile aims to fit your site onto a standard phone display (typically iPhone dimensions) and won’t work across the board.

A responsive design will make it much easier to browse and buy while on the go, stopping you from losing customers simply because they can’t navigate your site on their mobile. If you take away nothing else from this list, make sure it is this!

#2 Keep it simple

Strip your website back to the very basics, removing everything that isn’t absolutely essential. People want to quickly, access, browse and buy on your site.

Add-ons and extra features will slow down loading time and can interfere with how easily your site can be navigated. While people will be impressed by a sleek design, functionality will always be more important when it comes to shopping.

#3 Blog, blog and blog some more

You would probably be surprised at the number of eCommerce sites that don’t blog, even though every bit of research points out its benefits.

Build up a content base of unique content and you’ll find that a lot more relevant traffic will start coming through and potentially convert to sales. In addition to this, really good content will be shared and therefore boost your SEO.

#4 Speed up payment with PayPal

The speed of purchases is key on mobile devices. After all, nobody wants to fill out their card number, name and address every time they make a purchase. What’s more, small keyboards make entering lots of information by hand a real drag for mobile users.

Other studies have found that mobile users want to go from browsing to buying in under a minute. If you allow them to save their details on your site or accept payments through PayPal then you make it easier to buy and you are much more unlikely to lose customers at the checkout stage.

#5 Offer a highly visible search function

Probably another point that relates to speedy purchases. If someone knows what they want make sure that your search function is visible enough and works well enough to let them find it straight away.

Many mobile themes have a poorly designed search function – ensure yours works well and you’ll be head and shoulders above the competition.

#6 Keep it Consistent

Try to ensure that the design doesn’t change too much from desktop to mobile, as this can confuse customers and lose their confidence. Try to maintain as many of the familiar features and layout as you can, while making it as easy as possible to navigate on the mobile – not as impossible as it may sound!

#7 Connect with Social

Social Media and mobile devices go hand in hand. So use this to your advantage! By making it easy for people to share your products or content on social media you can increase your brand awareness and gain free advertising of your products – 80% of people say they are more likely to buy a product when someone they know recommends it.

#8 Think About Voice Search

Voice search and commands are becoming increasingly popular, especially on mobile devices. Think about ways that you can incorporate this into your website, either through the onsite search function or simple navigation.

This also means that you will need to be using much more natural language in your site copy, targeting questions rather than keywords.

If you’re trying to tap into the mobile market and are looking to redesign your website then come talk to us and start investing in your company’s future today.