Have you taken a look at your sales numbers recently? How is your online shop performing? Are you seeing good traffic and a high conversion rate? Or are things…less than ideal?
If your online shop isn’t performing as well as you’d like, don’t panic. The issues are most likely with the shop itself, not your brand or your offers.
So before you decide to scrap your current offer ladder or sink into despair, take a little time to optimize your WordPress shop site. Make some changes and see if those traffic and sales metrics change — we bet they will!
Are you ready to give your online shop a boost? Let’s get started!
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1 | Optimization Tip #1: Check Your SEO
Before we jump into the design and appearance of your online shop, let’s look at the technical side. How’s your search engine optimization?
Without a good SEO strategy, your site won’t perform very well in search engine results. And that means that fewer people will even know your shop exists, much less browse and decide to make a purchase from you.
SEO is crucial for every part of your website, including your shop. That means knowing your keywords and using them in your product titles and descriptions. It’s also crucial to build (working) internal links and create a logical site hierarchy that’s easy for people — and search engines — to navigate.
Related post: WordPress SEO Basics to Help You Show Up More Online
2 | Optimization Tip #2: Improve the Aesthetics
Most of those SEO measures are focused on making your shop more attractive to search engine bots. Now let’s talk about how to make your site more appealing to humans — specifically, to your target audience!
- High-quality product images: Show your potential customers what they can expect when they buy from you. Use top-notch images that clearly highlight the key features of your products.
- Compelling product descriptions: Good copy sells! Take some time to freshen up your product descriptions. Focus on including all the key features, specs, and benefits.
- Showcase ratings/reviews: Most online shoppers rely heavily on user reviews and ratings. So showcase those in your shop! Consider adding star ratings and highlighting a few flattering reviews or testimonials that describe the benefits you want to highlight.
Once you’ve added or updated the images, copy, and testimonials, take a look at each product page as a whole and ask yourself some questions:
- Is it easy to find the key features of the product?
- Do the images load quickly?
- Does the copy point out the best features?
- Is the “buy now” button easy to find?
As you update your shop’s appearance, try to imagine yourself as a potential customer. Is your shop a place you’d want to buy from?
Related post: Our #1 Trick To Drive More Sales for Your Online Shop
3 | Optimization Tip #3: Streamline the Navigation
Now let’s look at your shop’s navigation.
- Is it easy to find specific products and categories?
- Do you have a search function for shoppers to use as they look for products?
- Does your shop include clear, intuitive menus?
The key here is to make it as easy as possible for shoppers to find the things they’re looking for (and then purchase them). That means you need to simplify the process of searching for individual items or types of products and make it easy to move back and forth along the path taken to get to each product/category page.
Consider adding breadcrumb navigation and a search bar. Internal links, recommended products, and thumbnail images are other ways to make it easier for shoppers to navigate your site.
Related post: The Website Pages You Must Have If You’re an Online Shop Owner
4 | Optimization Tip #4: Upgrade the User Experience
Now, let’s consider how it feels to browse your online shop. It’s important to make sure that your shop is easy to use no matter how your potential customers access it.
Check all of these aspects to make sure they’re working correctly:
- Images load quickly and support zoom functionality
- Responsive design makes your shop look good on any device
- Recommended products show shoppers additional items based on their history or past purchases
- Prices, shipping costs, and tax information are easy to see
- Return policies are clear and easy to find on the site
- Checkout is fast and intuitive
Don’t forget about accessibility! Create alt text for your images, offer keyboard navigation, and consider color contrast when making design choices.
Related post: 7 Ways To Improve The User Experience On Your Website
5 | Optimization Tip #5: Get a Better Shopping Cart System
You’ve worked hard to create an online shop that looks great and functions well. Now for the final step — making it easy for your visitors to buy your products!
It’s crucial to have a secure shopping cart system that’s also easy to use. Here are some things to consider as you check and upgrade your store’s shopping cart system:
- Include a clear, colorful “add to cart” or “buy now” button.
- Make sure the cart shows the number of items, so shoppers can see whether their selections have been added.
- Ensure the cart is editable, so shoppers can easily remove products, change feature selections, or update the number of items.
- Offer a “save for later” feature
- Make it easy to add a promo code
- Use a secure checkout system with multiple payment options.
Think about the last time you bought something online. How did the checkout process feel? If you liked the experience, emulate it in your own shop. If you didn’t have a good checkout experience, you know what to avoid!
Related post: 8 Ways to Boost Your Sales for Your Online Shop
Final Thoughts
If you want better sales from your online shop, you have to optimize your WordPress shop. That means upgrading the aesthetics, navigation, appearance, SEO, and shopping cart system.
Once you’ve taken those steps, keep tracking your metrics. When you see those numbers start to dip, you know it’s time for another audit and some changes. Optimizing your WordPress shop site isn’t a one-time task — it’s an ongoing process.
But you don’t have to handle everything yourself. Start with an optimized online shop template, like our ChicShop WordPress theme!
Like all of our templates, this one has already taken care of the essentials: SEO, navigation, user experience, and WooCommerce compatibility. All you need to do is jump in, customize the fonts, colors, and images for your brand, create your product pages, and you’re ready to sell!
Want some inspiration to get started? Check out these brands that have all used Bluchic templates to create their online stores.
Ready to find the perfect template for your brand? Browse our full list of WordPress themes and sales funnel templates. Then, install, customize, and watch your sales skyrocket!