Conversion, as many an ecommerce entrepreneur knows, is the holy grail of the sales website. Sales! One thinks -- I need more revenue! I need more conversions! 50% of my visitors just browse. When it comes to ecommerce websites, conversions are the key to revenue, increasing subscribers and increasing sales.
The ecommerce newbie may wonder at the exact meaning of the word conversion, which is simply business speak for the number of sales your website makes per visit. But conversion can mean different things and depend on your website goals. For example, your conversion can mean the number of people who sign up for your site on a daily basis.
Conversion rates are often used to evaluate a site's profitability, usefulness and impact on revenue. They can be used to tailor the website to your customer's needs and wants, as well as trim inventory. It helps site owners and managers see what sells and what does not, which can in turn affect later product acquisition.
Websites, especially ecommerce sites, use formulas to optimize conversation simply because customers can be unpredictable. In a day, several different demographics can access any ecommerce site and these factors vary by age, times and location.
Optimization focuses not just on completing the sale, but getting the customer to stick or stay on the landing page of the website. Customers make a decision about a website in 0.5 seconds, sometimes less. The moment is loads, they take it in and decide whether to stay or go.
Reducing the Bounce Outs
In many cases, a customized site (versus a site built from a template) was one of the factors that reduced visitor bounce (visitors leaving the site before exploring other pages or completing a conversion). Customized websites often feature faster loading times simply because they have been optimized and tested for different browsers. Although templates go through a testing phase, many of them are optimized to work best on one type of browser only.
Customized for Visitors and Users
Customized sites bring in more conversions because they are often created for the target demographic -- they have layouts, colors, images and navigation that appeal to visitors. For example, a site that specializes in children's products will often have bright, sunny layouts that fit the product range. However, they feature sophisticated navigation because parents, not children, buy the actual products.
Personalized "Service"
Custom web designs are often more user friendly -- and more personal. This means the ecommerce entrepreneur can focus on the necessary elements that create the user experience he or she knows the target demographic wants -- without sacrificing the site's architecture. Templates, although easy to use, are generally more restrictive when it comes to customization.
For example, certain website hosts do not accept certain programming languages or make it difficult to include them on the template. Others prefer to use a certain type of programming language to maintain a unified look or feel. These limitations can affect a site's feel and in turn, the amount of conversions made.
Custom Content
Finally, custom web design often comes with custom SEO and content, which encourages web site traffic by making it easier to find and encourages "stickiness" simply because the content is compelling, the products of high quality and the prices reasonable.
Easier Recognition
Sales are higher for custom design websites for one other reason: they are easy to distinguish from the
competition. Many ecommerce owners ask their design teams to take the best elements of one site and create a different look and feel for their brand, so customers can distinguish the websites at a glance. Unlike traditional retail, in many cases customers can patronize your competitors at the same time. Custom looks and unique feels can help your customers make that split second decision.
Custom designed websites also create more conversions because they are tailored to fit into an overall marketing plan. This means that your customers' brand recognition will cross media and mediums, making your brand easier to recognize and connect to.
Before you set up that website template, consider your budget and your goals. Even the most bare-bones budget can contribute to a compelling, personalized custom designed website that can help you reach your sales goals.
