Website design is one of the most important things you need to consider when it comes to e-Commerce. Even if it doesn't seem important at first, once you realize what the benefits of a well-designed website are, you'll understand better why you should do your best to make it as good as possible. If you’re looking for a better way to attract new customers or if you want to retain your current customers, the website design is equally important. A well-designed website is useful, easy to be used, and represents your brand perfectly.
The most important eCommerce website pages
What you must remember is that every page on your website is essential and each of them affects the way your customers will perceive you and your brand. When they first come to your website, people will quickly form opinions about your business. In order to make sure that they think of only the best adjectives to describe your brand, you need to make each of your website pages as good as they can get.
However, some pages on eCommerce sites do get more attention. These are the homepage, product pages, and checkout page. These are the pages that will win over your potential customers and make them want to buy from your business.
The homepage
The homepage is the first thing your potential customers will see once they decide to visit your website. This is the first time they’ll see your business and you want to make this first impression as good as possible. Your homepage should be made in such a way that it clearly communicates who you are and what your business is about. This is the page where you should convey the message of your business. That’ll help the customers realize what they can expect and the website will already be pretty useful.
There are a couple of things every good homepage should have. For instance, the most important thing you should put on your homepage is contact information. You should have a concise description of the company as well. A clean design goes without saying here. Finally, a well-made homepage has simple navigation which is always greatly appreciated by the customers.
Product pages
Product pages are also very important when it comes to eCommerce websites. When designing your product pages, the safest way to go is to make them for your ideal customer. Namely, it's always good to know who your ideal customer is. You should have a clear image in mind of the type of person you're making your product for. That will make the process of production easier, and it'll also facilitate website making.
The main thing your product page should do is convey the value of your product. The purposes, features, and benefits of the product should all be presented on the page. Make sure to include things such as size, colour, material, weight, and ways in which the product can be used. All of this will help you sell faster and it’ll also build your brand’s personality. With some high-quality images, clear and fair prices, and relevant information about the product, you’ll have the perfect product pages.
Checkout page
The reason why the checkout page is so important is that it reflects the way in which we live today. Namely, people live fast. They are always in hurry. When they decide to visit your website, they’ll want to do it as quickly as possible. The overcomplicated processes of registering and creating accounts are usually very annoying.
On the other hand, a simple checkout page with only the necessary elements is much more efficient and it'll make the whole shopping experience much more pleasant for your customers. If there are too many unnecessary additions, the customers are more likely to abandon the cart and give up on the purchase completely. Now that you know what to pay attention to first, you can look for the trend you want to go for on your eCommerce website.
Personalized experiences
The secure way to your customers’ hearts is by making them feel special and valued. Your customers don’t want to be just another number in your business. They want you to see them as people. The way to do that is by offering a personalized experience on your website. Your customers will see that you care about them and they won’t feel as if you’re just after their money.
One simple way to do this is by using targeted email marketing campaigns. With the URL tracking on the website, it is possible to follow the actions of your customers on the websites. That will help you see what the customers are interested in the most in and you'll be able to send emails that will enhance the customer experience.
Micro-animation
The next simple and yet effective idea that will help your customers find their way around your websites is by using micro-animation. These brief animations are there to improve the impression the customers will get about the products.
With these animations, you’ll have a website easy to use and the products will seem livelier and more interesting than ever before. For instance, you could have the images zoomed with a mouse hovered over them. There are plenty of similar ideas that will be equally simple, yet even more effective.
Accessible design
Even though it is talked about as a trend here, accessibility is much more than that. Your website should be there to meet the needs of any potential customer and it would be pretty bad not to include people with disabilities as well.
Some simple tricks can make your website more accessible. For instance, ensuring that the colours between text and backgrounds are contrasted is one way to do it. You can also add alt tags on the images and add visible labels. With some high-quality web design, you could do even more and make the shopping experience on your website even better.
Minimalism
Another name for minimalism is flat design. This is a trend which becoming more and more popular and the main reason for that is that it is really simple. Your customers, once they visit a minimally designed website, can find only the things they care about without any distracting elements.
Flat design could be applied to an eCommerce website in any industry. People mostly use white spaces for this, but there are other ways to stay minimal as well. For example, you could use neutral colours for your website with some daring colours that will keep the navigation even simpler on the website.
Visual commerce
Another trend in the eCommerce website design is going strong for the visual cues. For instance, you can do a lot for your website with some videos, close-up shots, and 360-degree views. All of these will not only take your product on another level, but they will also significantly improve the customer experience.
When people are buying online, they lack the idea of actually getting to know the product before making the purchase. What they see online is what they get and that sometimes isn’t enough. If you want people to be happy with what they see, make sure to incorporate visual commerce as soon as possible.
Unconventional layouts
Changing the layout of your website is really a simple thing to do and yet it can do so much for your customer experience. What you want to do is to make the experience of your customers memorable. A unique and unconventional layout is definitely a way to do so. The traditional layouts aren’t bad, but some distinctive ones will do much more for your customers and your business.
Another thing you may want to do is to stand out, especially when it comes to competing companies. By using these bold and unique designs, you’ll make the image of your company even more dynamic and exciting. For instance, asymmetrical website design will emphasize the product and make your company seem livelier.
Mobile shopping
Finally, you should know who your target audience is. This knowledge will make it possible for you to create a website perfect for your typical customer. This could also tell you in what percentage people are buying from their mobile devices. If it turns out that a lot of your customers visit your website from their mobiles, then you should make sure that your website is made for mobile devices.
Mobile-friendly websites aren’t difficult to be made and they are only expected to become more and more popular in the future. Devices such as smartphones and tablets should be in your mind when creating this type of eCommerce website. This website will bring even more people and new customers to you which makes it an amazing investment.
Conclusion
Ecommerce websites can be a space where you can get very creative. They are there to provide the necessary information about your company and your products. However, the website isn’t made for you, but your customers. By remembering that, you’ll ensure that the website is always high in quality and that it meets the needs of your customers.
