How to Increase Ecommerce Traffic and Conversions

Would you like to increase the conversions of your e-commerce shop at the same time and get more visibility in the search results in order to attract new customers?

Let’s take a look at three powerful and proven ways the leading online sellers are increasing conversion rates and search visibility through social proof, user generated content (UGC), and website security – and how you can do the same.

3 conversion questions that online retailers need to answer

When it comes to optimizing the conversion rate for ecommerce stores, there are three questions you need to answer as you want to eliminate uncertainty, build higher levels of trust, and convert more shoppers into buyers.

You need to convert more buyers into buyers.

As?

There are three questions visitors ask themselves when they visit your website:

• Do I trust this website or this seller? Can consumers trust that the retailer will deliver the product as described in a timely manner and provide customer service if necessary?
• Do I trust this product? Can consumers trust the product quality, specifications, features, functions and results as described?
• Do I trust this transaction? Can consumers trust that their personal information is secure during the checkout process? Can consumers trust that their financial and personal information is being protected?

Your website needs to eliminate uncertainty – the friction that leads to leaving, by answering all three questions. This creates a higher level of trust.

These three critical conversion questions can be answered quickly and easily with Shopper Approved’s so-called Traffic & Conversion Stack (T&C Stack).

Common Ways Ecommerce Merchants Convert Visitors

Analysis of the product pages of large ecommerce retailers shows how everyone uses similar trust building features and user experiences (UX) to convey that the website, product, and transaction are credible and trustworthy.

Amazon

Product reviews increase conversion

If you look under the product title in the Amazon list above, you’ll see the familiar links to the retailer’s product ratings and reviews, as well as the product questions and answers, in the same place every time. Create a familiar and trustworthy UX.

The ratings and reviews serve as social proof or as confirmation that other people trust the product as much as the seller who sells it.

In order to better understand the perception and value of these UX and especially these trust signals by consumers, Shopper Approved has a national opinion poll out of 600 US adults who discovered some interesting insights into the value of reviews and consumer behavior.

• 61% of consumers considered product reviews to be absolutely necessary or very important during their product research.
• 66% of consumers are strongly or very strongly influenced by the number of product reviews.
• 72% of consumers are strongly or very strongly influenced by the product’s average star rating.

The power of Q&A to convert

Just like customer reviews, questions from potential customers about the product fall into the category of user-generated content. A searchable question and answer (Q&A) area allows potential customers to get answers that remove uncertainty and influence their decision to purchase the product.

With the same consumer opinion poll, Shopper Approved, confirms how a Q&A section can help increase conversions:

• 94% of consumers are more likely to buy a product when there is a question and answer on the product page.
• 75% of consumers found it very or extremely important that a product page had questions and answers.

Visible security seals increase trust

In addition to social proof and user-generated content, Amazon places a secure transaction link under the A.dd in the shopping cart Button. When you click this link you will have the confidence and peace of mind that your transaction is safe.

The same trust building experience is replicated in the Shopper Approved T&C Stack. If the buyer clicks the “Safe Transaction” seal next to the Buy now or Add to Cart Click, they will see a pop-up from Trust Guard assuring them that the site is safe and has been scanned for malware within 24 hours and that the SSL certificate is active.

This Trust Guard website security seal alone became independent checked from Conversion Fanatics to improve Conversion Rate (CVR) by 19% and Average Order Value (AOV) by 71%.

When it comes to website security, the Shopper Approved survey found the following.

• 88% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a product page with a website security seal or secure transaction link through the Add to Cart Button.
• 83% of consumers said it was very or extremely important that a product page had a website security seal or secure transaction link from the Add to Cart Button.

More effective when used together

To create more confidence and convenience, consumers prefer to see all three elements together on the product page.

• 91% of consumers surveyed said they were more likely to buy from a product page that displayed product reviews, questions and answers, and a secure transaction seal than from an identical product page that didn’t.

RV upgrades

Although the major ecommerce brands use a very similar UX that has been tested and proven successful by Amazon, any website can now use the same trust-building and high-converting UX preferred by 91% of consumers surveyed. And this configuration and UX with the T&C stack from Shopper Approved generated a conversion rate of 75%.

Home depot

Is Amazon’s combination of social proof and user-generated content protected by copyright?

A similar formula is used by other online retailers, including Home Depot.

Under the name of the product you will find links to the number of product reviews and the question and answer area for the product. Although they don’t offer a secure transaction link under theirs Add to Cart Button, they provide the ability to buy through PayPal that the folks at eBay and other online marketplaces know and trust.

Macys

Macy’s uses two forms of social proof on its product pages. You have the:

• Link to product reviews under the product name.
• Total number of customers who bought the product using the “Add to cart” button. This serves as a signal of confidence that the transaction is secure.

Tractor supplier

Tractor Supply Company uses the area under the product name to provide social proof and user generated content alongside tabs for product details, specifications and documents.

Under hers Add to Cart Button link to a page that reinforces the guidelines for contactless pickup and delivery in one of your stores. While it does not increase customer confidence in the transaction itself, it does increase confidence in the seller and their terms.

How trust and Q&A improve search visibility and traffic