5 Important Features to Consider for Your WordPress Online Store
You decided a long time ago that you wanted to run your own online store and you know what you’re going to sell. The next important step to take is to design your store. This is quite possibly one of the most difficult stages you’re going to need to deal with, and it’s likely to take up a lot of your time, for the next few months at least. More than a quarter of the web runs on WordPress, and there are plenty of good reasons why. For the complete novice there is a heap of free information, and it’s relatively easy to get a site up and running. Before you get started, here are five of the most important features you need to include.
Top Notch Security
Hopefully, consumers who visit your site are going to want to make purchases. This means you need to make sure your online store is compatible with credit card processing systems. You need a secure e-commerce platform such as WordPress, as it will include a variety of sophisticated security features. Other security features to consider are an SSL certificate which establishes a secure connection between the user and your website. Consumers are constantly advised to look for HTTPS and a green padlock in the address bar before sharing any personal or financial information. So you need to make sure your site has both of these. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security. Use a firewall to help block malicious traffic while permitting traffic that’s authorized.
Social Connections
Engaging with customers is an important strategy to follow if you want to grow your business. Connecting with them via social media is a great way to do it as it helps to create customers for life. There are a wealth of different opportunities provided by social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. Post content, discounts and promotions on these platforms, and be sure to speak to your followers. Engagement humanizes your brand, which is what the younger generations are looking for nowadays.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When you can’t connect with your customers face-to-face during a purchase, it’s vital you provide them with all the information they need. Provide the consumer with as much product information as possible and answers to frequently asked questions helps to establish credibility and build confidence in your brand. A FAQs section should also provide a self-help area where customers can find the solution to any problems. Include sections relating to product support, returns, lost account passwords, payment options, and delivery information, for example.
Ease of Use
You must have heard the adage “keep it simple stupid.” Well, this certainly applies to the design of your e-commerce site. For many consumers, this is the most important feature of a website. Simplicity should be the goal in your design because you want shoppers to find what they want easily, before quickly moving on to making a purchase. To sell to any prospective customers online, you have to hook them in a matter of minutes. Make sure the focus is on the user experience and provide shopping categories, filters, and comparison capabilities. Include customer reviews and lots of useful FAQs.
High-Resolution Photos and Video
Today’s consumer wants to see your products from a variety of different angles and see people using or wearing your products in a range of different environments. It’s not possible for them to touch what you are selling so you have to make the experience as real as you possibly can. Give them the opportunity to zoom in and get a feel for the product. It has been shown that images sell, rather than text, so make sure your site has multiple photos per product. There are certain technical considerations you need to bear in mind. For example, images that don’t load or take forever will soon result in a drop off in customers.
Another consideration worth mentioning is to ensure your site is mobile-friendly. A statistic to help convince you of its importance is that one third of online purchases are now made using a smartphone. Your e-commerce site needs to be responsive and adapt to whatever device is being used to access it. There are still a number of sites that haven’t taken this important step, and you’ll be beating them hands down.
Other features to consider include user-generated reviews, special offers, wish lists, related items, detailed shipping information, returns policy, and a number of ways to get in touch. Whatever field you’re going to be working in, your e-commerce site is an incredible opportunity to create an awesome shopping experience for your customers. Do it right and you’ll have customers for life.