Ever feel like your BigCommerce store is getting lost in the vast e-commerce market? You’ve invested time and effort into developing a beautiful website and listing top-notch products, but the sales aren’t quite hitting the mark. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
With over 60,000 active BigCommerce stores competing for attention, standing out requires more than just a pretty website. It demands a strategic playbook filled with innovative tactics that captivate customers and drive conversions.
In this blog, we have shared 10 proven and practical tips to increase your BigCommerce store sales. Let’s start the list with:
1. Optimize the UX and Layout of Your BigCommerce Store
Whether it’s in digital or real life, first impressions matter. Imagine walking into a store with cluttered aisles, confusing signage, and a frustrating checkout process. You would probably turn around and walk right out, wouldn’t you? The same principle applies to your online store.
An easy and enjoyable user experience (UX) is crucial for keeping visitors engaged and encouraging them to convert into paying customers. According to a study, a well-designed user interface could increase your website’s conversion rate by up to 200%, and a better UX design could yield conversion rates up to 400%.
Here’s how to create a UX that delights shoppers and boosts sales:
- Don’t settle for a generic look. Tweak colors, fonts, and layouts to create a unique and memorable brand identity. Check out this example.
- Make it easy for shoppers to find what they’re looking for with clear and logical product categorization.
- Don’t hide those “Add to Cart” and “Checkout” buttons. Make them stand out to encourage conversions.
- With over 50% of online traffic coming from mobile, neglecting mobile optimization is a recipe for disaster.
- Reduce friction by minimizing the number of steps required to complete a purchase. Offer guest checkout options and consider using address autofill to speed up the process.
2. Leverage BigCommerce's Built-In SEO Features
Let’s take a scenario where your ideal customer is searching for a product you sell. Wouldn’t you want your store to be the first one they see? Search engine optimization (SEO) is the key to making that happen. Fortunately, BigCommerce comes equipped with built-in SEO tools to help you climb the search engine rankings.
1. Keyword Research
Identify the keywords your target audience is using to search for products like yours. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush can help you find these valuable terms.
2. On-Page Optimization
Sprinkle those keywords naturally throughout your product titles, descriptions, meta tags, and image alt text. Write compelling headlines and meta descriptions that make your visitors click! Follow these guidelines by Meta.
3. Native SEO
BigCommerce’s Native SEO helps you take advantage of Google and Microsoft Bing-friendly URLs. You can also tackle technical SEO using BigCommerce’s built-in SEO features like:
Automated URLs:Â BigCommerce automatically generates clean, keyword-rich URLs for product pages and categories, boosting your SEO right out of the gate.
Enhanced Listings: Â Your product listings get a boost with built-in microdata, showcasing star ratings, prices, and more in search results.
Increased Site Speed: Our content delivery network (CDN) ensures your site loads in a flash, keeping both shoppers and search engines happy.
Simplified Robot.txt Editing: Control which pages get crawled by search engines, fine-tuning your SEO strategy for maximum impact.
3. Utilize BigCommerce's Multi-Channel Selling
Don’t limit yourself to a single platform. BigCommerce seamlessly integrates with popular marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart, allowing you to tap into their massive customer bases.Â
You can also sell directly on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram through BigCommerce’s integrations. And if you have a brick-and-mortar store, consider connecting your point-of-sale (POS) system with BigCommerce for a unified omnichannel experience.
4. Enhance Mobile Shopping Experience
Let’s be real, most of your customers are glued to their smartphones. Did you know that 72.9% of all e-commerce sales are expected to come from mobile devices by 2025? If your BigCommerce store isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re practically leaving money on the table.
So, how do you make sure your store is mobile-friendly?
- Make your website Gen Alpha-friendly by adapting your website layout for finger scrolling.
- Integrate popular mobile payment options like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay for a frictionless checkout experience.
- Don’t test the patience of your visitors. Include big CTA buttons like ‘’Add to cart’’ on all pages.
- Consider developing a dedicated mobile app for your store to further enhance the mobile shopping experience and build brand loyalty.
5. Offer Flexible Payment Options
A smooth and convenient checkout process is the final hurdle to a successful sale. Offer a variety of payment options to cater to different preferences.
1. Multiple Gateways
A study shows that offering multiple payment options can reduce cart abandonment by up to 35%. BigCommerce already integrates with a wide range of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, Square, and Apple Pay. All you have to do is make sure you give your customers the freedom to choose their preferred method.
2. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)
37% of consumers have used BNPL services, and this number is expected to grow.
This is the right time to integrate with BNPL providers like Klarna, Afterpay, or Affirm to attract budget-conscious shoppers and increase average order value. Remember, doing something different first and fast will always help you get the sale before your competition.
3. Digital Wallets
Simplify checkout for your customers. Consider accepting digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay. These options offer a fast, secure, and convenient way for customers to complete their purchase
6. Optimize Checkout Process
Don’t you just hate when shoppers fill their carts with goodies, only to vanish without a trace? It’s the e-commerce equivalent of a ghost story, and it’s more common than you might think.
In fact, the average cart abandonment rate hovers somewhere around 69.80%. But it’s ok! There are tricks to exorcize those abandoned carts and turn them into sales:
1. Streamline Your Checkout
Nobody likes a checkout process that feels like an obstacle course. Simplify it by reducing the number of steps, pre-filling customer information, and offering a variety of payment options.
2. Guest Checkout is a Must
Don’t force customers to create an account just to make a purchase. Offer a guest checkout option to cater to those who value speed and convenience.
3. Recover Abandoned Carts
Set up automated email reminders to gently nudge those forgetful shoppers back to their carts. You can even sweeten the deal with a discount code.
4. Auto-Fill Forms
Do something special for customers willing to make repeat purchases. The least you can do is implement auto-fill features to save their information and their time.
7. Consider Influencer Partnerships
Influencers aren’t just for Instagram selfies and TikTok dances, they’re a powerful marketing resource that can drive significant sales. Partnering with the right influencers can expose your products to a whole new audience and build trust in your brand.Â
Let us guide you through the process.
1. Find Your Perfect Match
Look for influencers whose audience aligns with your target market and whose values resonate with your brand. Remember, authenticity is key, so choose partners who genuinely love your products.
2. Collaborate Creatively
Don’t just send free products and hope for the best. Collaborate with influencers to create engaging content that tells a story and showcases your products in a way that feels natural and authentic.
3. Track Your Success
Measure the impact of your influencer campaigns by tracking clicks, conversions, and overall ROI. This will help you identify your most valuable partnerships and refine your strategy over time.
Feeling overwhelmed? We understand finding and managing influencer relationships can be a time-consuming and complex process. But fret not, Upfluence is here to simplify your influencer marketing efforts.
Our BigCommerce integration API allows you to:
1. Discover Hidden Influencers in Your Customer Base
Upfluence goes beyond surface-level data by analyzing your BigCommerce customer database to identify influential individuals who are already passionate about your brand.
We look at social media following, engagement rates, purchase history, and more to pinpoint potential brand advocates who can authentically promote your products.
2. Activate and Empower Your Brand Advocates
Upfluence provides the tools and resources to onboard, manage, and nurture affiliate relationships, fostering a community of passionate advocates who will amplify your brand’s message and reach. You can even integrate your favorite tools like:
3. Execute Campaign Management with Custom Discount Codes
Enough with manual code creation and tracking. With Upfluence, you can easily generate unique discount codes in bulk, customized with specific values, usage limits, and expiration dates.
Share these codes with your influencers to incentivize promotions and track their impact on sales in real-time.
4. Track, Measure, and Optimize Your Influencer ROI
Upfluence’s advanced analytics dashboard gives you a comprehensive view of your influencer marketing performance.
Track key metrics like clicks, conversions, engagement, and ROI, gaining valuable insights into which campaigns and influencers are driving the most significant results. Use this data to optimize your strategy, reallocate resources, and maximize your return on investment.
Ready to get started? Take one step at a time by booking a completely free demo with our team,
8. Improve Customer Service
Exceptional customer service can make or break your brand’s reputation. In the world of e-commerce, where impersonal interactions are the norm, going above and beyond can set you apart from the competition. After all, a happy customer is a repeat customer, and a repeat customer is a profitable customer!
Here are a few ways to significantly improve your customer service:Â
1. Live Chat Support
Studies show that 44% of online consumers say that having questions answered by a live person while in the middle of an online purchase is one of the most important features a website can offer. Without thinking twice, start implementing live chat software like LiveChat or Olark to offer real-time assistance.
2. Comprehensive FAQ
Create an FAQ section to answer common questions, troubleshoot issues, and enable customers to find solutions on their own. This not only reduces the burden on your support team but also provides a convenient resource for your shoppers. Consider using tools like Help Scout or Zendesk to create and manage your knowledge base.
3. Multi-Channel Support
As mentioned earlier, don’t limit yourself to a single channel. Offer support via email, phone, and social media to cater to different customer preferences.Â
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This shows you value customer convenience and are committed to resolving issues promptly. So make sure you’re accessible where your customers are.
9. Implement a Referral or Loyalty Program
Repeat customers are kind of like the holy grail of e-commerce success. They spend more, refer their friends, and become brand advocates who sing your praises. Not to forget the smile they put on your faces! Researchers have also observed that an increase in customer retention rate by 5% can lead to a spike in profits by 25% to 95%.Â
Try the following tips to convert your one-time buyers into loyal fans:
1. Rewards System
Establish a loyalty program that rewards customers for repeat purchases, referrals, and other actions. BigCommerce offers a variety of loyalty program apps to choose from, such as Smile.io and LoyaltyLion. These apps make it easy to set up points-based systems, VIP tiers, and exclusive rewards that keep customers engaged and coming back for more.
2. Exclusive Offers
Give your loyal customers VIP treatment with early access to sales, special discounts, personalized product recommendations, and other perks that make them feel valued.
3. Gamification
Make your loyalty program fun and interactive with gamification elements like badges, levels, and challenges. Yotpo Loyalty & Referrals is a popular BigCommerce app that can help you gamify your rewards program and turn loyalty into a game that customers love to play.
Checkout How to Set Up an E-commerce Loyalty Program on BigCommerce
10. Harness the Power of Social Media Marketing
Don’t let your BigCommerce store be a well-kept secret. Use multiple social media platforms to sing the praises of your products. You will be surprised to know that 90% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands they follow on social media.Â
Let’s see how you can do that:
1. Build Brand Awareness
Share engaging content that showcases your brand’s personality and resonates with your target audience. Think behind-the-scenes glimpses, customer testimonials, user-generated content, or even funny memes related to your products. Remember, social media is about building relationships, not just blasting promotional messages.
2. Shoppable Posts
Turn your social media posts into mini storefronts by integrating with platforms like Facebook Shops and Instagram Shopping. This allows users to discover and purchase your products without ever leaving their social feeds.
3. Engage with Your Audience
Respond to comments, answer questions, and participate in conversations. Social media is a two-way street, so make sure you’re actively engaging with your followers to build a loyal community around your brand.
Key Takeaways
These 10 strategies are your roadmap to BigCommerce success in 2024. Remember, it’s not about implementing every single tip, but rather choosing the ones that best align with your brand, audience, and goals.
The e-commerce industry is constantly evolving with the rise of AI, like the introduction of AI overview in Google search results. Instead of running, adapt to the new trends and make the best out of BigCommerce tools to make more sales. In the end, it’s all about staying curious, experimenting more, and never stopping learning.
FAQs About Increasing BigCommerce Store Sales:
Focus on improving site speed, enhancing the user experience, and optimizing for search engines. Consider implementing a mobile-first design and utilizing BigCommerce’s built-in SEO features.
There are several ways to increase sales, including optimizing your product pages, implementing effective marketing strategies, offering personalized experiences, and leveraging influencer marketing.
Optimize images, leverage browser caching, consider using a Content Delivery Network (CDN), and choose a lightweight theme that loads quickly.
Utilize a multi-channel approach that includes SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and influencer marketing.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to unlock the full potential of influencer marketing for your BigCommerce store. Book a free demo today.
