We don’t think we’re stating it too plainly when we say that the survival of the majority of businesses depends on making sales.
And perhaps we’re continuing to speak aphoristically when we say that, in 2022, making sales requires a strong online presence.
Indeed, since the pandemic hit, more people have been shopping online, and as the digitisation of our lives continues at pace, the proportion of purchases that are made online as opposed to in a bricks and mortar establishment is only likely to increase further.
In 2021, the number of people buying online stood at 2.14 billion, meaning approximately one in four people on the planet are online shoppers. And, honestly? We’re surprised that number isn’t even higher.
A third case of stating the obvious, then, by way of reaffirmation; you cannot afford to neglect the optimisation of your online presence after seeing figures like that. But what’s the best way to increase online sales? Let’s explore further…
Implement An SEO Strategy
Only a few years ago, the follow-up to that header would likely have been another question… SE…Who?
But in 2022, the concept of search engine optimisation has entered the mainstream, with online retailers, platforms and personalities all well aware of its power.
That said, it’s one thing to be aware of SEO. It’s another to be skilled at it, and because of this, if you haven’t already, you’ll need to implement an SEO strategy to get your website to rank highly on search engine results pages, and as a result, receive more clicks that you can translate into sales.
Here are a couple of ways to improve your ranking without the help of a dedicated optimiser:
- Be clever with keywords. Keywords are a crucial part of the SEO equation. However, you need to be clever with them. Using keywords that relate directly to your business is clearly important, but try to get creative by discovering other keywords that your target audience might use and implement them in your content, web pages, headings and image descriptions.
- Create valuable content. Keywords mean very little without great content. But remember that content isn’t just a vehicle for keywords—to convert customers, you need to offer valuable resources. Great content comes in many shapes and sizes, but we recommend that you create blog posts, videos, infographics, how-to guides, guest blog posts and product reviews to attract new prospects to your website.
Prioritise Web Design
Your website is where you nurture bottom-of-the-funnel leads, so a good user experience is absolutely essential. After all, your website needs to make a good first impression. One survey found that 42 per cent of people will leave a website if it has poor functionality, so you could be losing around half of your potential customers because of a bad website!
When you revamp your website, you will (potentially) improve its credibility significantly. A clean, user-friendly website will mean prospects feel comfortable browsing, making it more likely they’ll purchase your products or services. The importance of your website and how visitors perceive it cannot be understated.
Fortunately, the internet is a treasure trove of useful information on the subject, with websites such as youtube.com/@createwpsite ready to guide you through the the process of revamping your site if you’re doing it yourself, as well as helping you learn some new tips and tricks along the way.
Embrace Social Media
If you haven’t taken the leap into the social media world yet, firstly, get with the times! Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and TikTok have millions (sometimes billions) of users – and these are users who might be interested in engaging with your business. Accordingly, social media is arguably the best way to increase online sales.
Social media platforms might seem complicated at first. However, creating engaging and valuable content will improve the visibility of your business by attracting prospects to your website, and represents an affordable, relatively low-effort way to promote your products with maximum reach.
Try Pay Per Click Marketing
Another way to get more online sales is to try PPC marketing. An effective PPC campaign will allow you to rank highly on search engine results pages and get near-instant results. Because you will only pay when someone clicks the link to your website, every penny you invest in this strategy will get your targeted traffic.
Build Email Lists & Use Email Marketing To Stay Engaged With Your Customers
Email marketing is a great way to market your business because it gives you the ability to stay engaged with your customers, and it’s a really easy and cost-effective method of marketing.
What many companies don’t realise is that email marketing isn’t just sending out one banner ad or promotion… You can actually send out promotional ads in the form of an email. This is a great way to reach your customers and gain brand loyalty and it’s also a great way to promote new offerings.
Simple ways to get started with email marketing is by simply building your mailing list, cultivating relationships with readers, and sending them relevant content that still interests them. If you make it seem like they’re getting something, they’ll more than likely be eager to receive the emails you send them.
The Bottom Line
To increase online sales and transform clicks into customers, you must try a range of methods to attract new visitors to your website. By implementing an effective SEO strategy, creating a user-friendly website, embracing social media and giving PPC marketing a try, you’re bound to increase website traffic and get more online sales in the process!