eCommerce Best Practices: 10 Essential Tips (2024)

The longer a user engages with your site, the more likely they are to make a purchase. The secret to getting them to linger? Make your site more enjoyable by following eCommerce best practices.

Here are the 10 to follow if you want to optimize your conversions.

Section titled 1. Eliminate major conversion roadblocks at checkout 1. Eliminate major conversion roadblocks at checkout

Before diving into the finer details, you’ll want to eliminate these major issues at checkout first. These are UX choices that cause friction for your users and ultimately get in the way of them making a purchase. These include:

• Not providing a guest checkout option
• Unnecessary fields that need to be filled out
• Only showing additional fees right before purchase confirmation
• Not accepting your target audience’s favorite forms of payment
• Overuse of popups or intrusive page elements

These might seem small, but even seemingly insignificant annoyances with payment can seriously hurt your bottom line. Address them first to remove the worst roadblocks in your eCommerce store.

Section titled 2. Master SEO 2. Master SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a core eCommerce best practice as it directly impacts your store’s online visibility, traffic, and conversion rate. This is especially true if you’re in a competitive or oversaturated market. The higher up in the search rankings you are, the more likely you are to be spotted.

It’s also a long-term investment. SEO is an effective way to boost your organic traffic. Organic traffic is a more sustainable, cost-effective way of attracting customers than paid routes. Putting in the work to raise your ranking is thus a crucial component of a healthy digital marketing strategy. Here are three main ways to master your SEO.

Section titled On-page SEO optimization On-page SEO optimization

This strategy involves optimizing various elements within individual web pages to improve their search engine visibility and relevance. This includes using meta tags (title tags, meta descriptions, and headings) and alt text with relevant keywords related to what you’re selling.

It's equally crucial to optimize website content, including product descriptions, category pages, and blog posts, with high-quality, relevant content that incorporates targeted keywords naturally. Don’t forget the URLs, either: they should be descriptive and include target keywords without being too long.

Section titled Off-page SEO optimization Off-page SEO optimization

On the other hand, off-page SEO optimization involves activities conducted outside of your website to improve its search engine rankings and authority. This includes building high-quality backlinks from reputable and relevant websites, embracing social media marketing, and other online reputation management such as PR coverage.

Encouraging user-generated content such as product reviews, testimonials, and social media mentions can also contribute to off-page SEO efforts by increasing brand visibility and credibility. We’ll go into more detail on user-generated content and its other benefits later on in best ecommerce practice #9.

Section titled Technical SEO optimization Technical SEO optimization

In addition to using keywords and tags, you should also keep SEO in mind when it comes to the more technical aspects. There’s a wide range of improvements you can make behind-the-scenes to enhance your site’s crawlability, indexability, and overall SEO performance:

• Optimize page load speed and performance
• Ensure a mobile-friendly, responsive design
• Fix crawl errors and broken links promptly
• Use structured data markup
• Optimize site architecture and internal linking structure

The good news is that all these things are elements of eCommerce best practices on their own, so making improvements here will carry over to other elements of your site.

Section titled 3. Go mobile 3. Go mobile

We live in a mobile-first world. It’s not just your users, either – Google practices mobile-first indexing, which means it judges the mobile version of a site’s content first. That means one of the basic eCommerce best practices is to prioritize your mobile site. Some strategies for doing so include:

• Responsive design: Your website should adjust seamlessly to different screen sizes and resolutions, providing the best viewing experience on smartphones and tablets without the need for zooming or scrolling
• Fast loading speed: Optimize your site's performance to load quickly on mobile devices, minimizing delays and keeping users engaged by delivering content swiftly
• Thumb-friendly navigation: Simplify navigation by placing important elements within easy reach of the user's thumbs, particularly on larger smartphones, facilitating one-handed browsing and interaction
• Avoid clutter: Mobile users have smaller screens, so don’t take up too much space with unnecessary design elements
• Streamlined checkout: Simplify the checkout process for mobile users by minimizing form fields, removing unnecessary steps, and offering guest checkout options

Section titled Consider omnichannel Consider omnichannel

Mobile isn’t the only device to consider. According to the State of CMS 2024, users are anticipating a huge skyrocket in Internet of Things (IoT) options this year:

• Smartwatches: +12%
• Voice-activated speakers: +13%
• AR/VR: +20%

Consider choosing technologies that would allow you to adopt these new channels should they ever become valuable for your company. Moreover, there are also SEO benefits to making your site easily accessible to these channels, so that’s also a consideration.

Section titled 4. Optimize performance 4. Optimize performance

Users expect fast loading times. It leads to a better user experience and more conversions. Optimizing your site’s performance not only delivers on this demand, but also benefits SEO, mobile users, and more.

To know how you need to improve, you need to know how you’re performing. The best way to do so is by using analytics tools. Google Analytics is a popular option.

Google Analytics helps you track metrics like bounce rates, page load times, and conversion rates. This can help you understand where you need to improve as well as track your progress.

If you want to drill down into specific pages, PageSpeed Insights is another great tool.

Not only does this show your Core Web Vitals assessment, but it also provides targeted advice to correct any issues. Moreover, it shows you the performance on mobile and desktop separately, so you can ensure you’re providing the best UX possible regardless of device.

For more tips on optimizing your performance, check out our other article on metrics and success.

Section titled 5. Prioritize accessibility 5. Prioritize accessibility

Making your site accessible ensures that users with disabilities can navigate your site as easily and successfully as those without. The basic requirements that go into it also make things easier for users of all capabilities, enhancing the overall user experience. With accessibility, everyone wins.

Prioritizing accessibility comes from aligning your eCommerce store with the four core principles of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG):

• Perceivable: your website content and interface are fully identifiable through sight, sound, or touch
• Operable: users can easily navigate your website using their hands, voice, or assistive technologies
• Understandable: the website content, interface, and layout are easy for everyone to understand
• Robust: visitors can easily access the site on different devices and technologies

Section titled Add accessible iFrames for video content Add accessible iFrames for video content

An iFrame is an HTML element used for embedding content from another website into a webpage. For example, you can use iFrames to add a YouTube video to your blog posts, allowing users to watch the video without leaving the page.

To make your iFrames accessible, add alt text attributes to the iFrame in your CMS. Alt text attributes tell website visitors what a video is about, even if they can’t see it. In addition to other accessible features in Storyblok, you can also add alt text attributes to iFrames by creating nestable components for rich-text fields. This allows you to include titles and descriptions for embedded videos.

Section titled Control contrast ratio Control contrast ratio

The contrast ratio determines how dark or bright colors appear on your website — especially for visually impaired users. Visually impaired website visitors need strong contrast between foreground and background colors to view website images and read highlighted texts easily.

Your eCommerce store’s color contrast ratio should align with two important Web Content Accessibility Guidelines:

• A minimum contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and embedded images with texts
• A minimum contrast ratio of 3:1 for large texts and visual elements

You can use WebAIM’s contrast checker to test color contrast before UI implementation on your website.

You can further improve contrast by using multiple visual elements to convey information — not just colors. This means using other visual cues like arrows, asterisks, and bold and italic font formats to highlight important texts like calls to action.

Section titled Define assets attributes Define assets attributes

Asset attributes like titles, alt tags, and captions provide additional information about media elements on your website. Assistive technologies like screen readers use asset attributes to describe content to users with cognitive disabilities.

You can define asset attributes in your content management system, depending on its configurations. For example, if you use Storyblok, you can add new asset attribute fields in the Visual Editor.

Section titled 6. Personalize, personalize, personalize 6. Personalize, personalize, personalize

Personalization is the core of a positive online shopping experience and one of the most essential eCommerce best practices. It gets users to the products they’re most likely to buy with minimal friction for both sides. This helps your store stand out as one that’s efficient and provides exactly what users are looking for – the perfect recipe for creating loyal customers.

Section titled Localize for language and currency Localize for language and currency

If you’re getting users from more than one language audience, this is a crucial step. Users feel more comfortable navigating a website that’s in their native tongue, and payment goes over more smoothly when it’s done in their preferred currency. It improves the experience, fosters trust, and opens up potential audiences in different locations.

Section titled Honor the organic user journey Honor the organic user journey

Ads, organic searches, links sent from friends – there are countless different sources of traffic to your website. Keep this in mind when designing structure and content. For example, if you know a segment consistently comes in from your Instagram ads showing off a specific product category, make sure that link follows through to that category, not the homepage. This keeps your users interested and on the right path to a purchase.

Section titled 7. Perfect your navigation 7. Perfect your navigation

It might seem simple, but optimizing your site’s navigation is a cornerstone of effective eCommerce. A well-organized navigation structure ensures that visitors can easily find what they're looking for, reducing frustration and increasing the likelihood of them making a purchase.

Section titled Organize your menus Organize your menus

Menus should be well-organized with clear, logical categories and subcategories. Breaking them up into hierarchies can help prevent a wall of text that intimidates users rather than helps them.

Amazon, for example, divides the physical goods section into 4 top-performing categories. However, users can also select “See all” for more options. This keeps the menu useful without immediately overwhelming visitors.

Section titled Emphasize the search bar Emphasize the search bar

As a general rule, the search bar should be present and obvious on every page. This might feel like overkill, but it’s an easy way to provide users with a direct path to wherever they want to go. An exception is the checkout process, where you may choose to minimize potential distractions from a purchase.

Section titled Prioritize carefully Prioritize carefully

There’s a lot of content you could put on your menus. However, when it gets too busy, it’s no help to anyone. Try to prioritize the top menu for only essential information — popular pages, product categories, account settings, and so on. Save the less commonly used information that still needs to be openly displayed (like a customer service link) for the footer.

Section titled 8. Show them what they’re getting 8. Show them what they’re getting

Online shopping has a lot of benefits, but a significant drawback is that users can’t actually handle what they’re hoping to buy. If you sell physical products, you need to go out of your way to provide the best possible information about them. That way, users feel secure in knowing what they’re buying. It also adds to a polished, professional image.

Section titled What they see What they see

Create high-quality, consistent images of all your products from multiple angles. If it’s something that’s typically used in motion, consider a video too. Some brands go above and beyond with features that embrace Augmented Reality (AR), such as Wayfair’s app that allows users to visualize an object in their space.

Section titled What they read What they read

Earlier, we covered how eCommerce best practices demand SEO-friendly content, including product descriptions. However, that’s only one consideration. The descriptions should be informative, well-written, and comprehensive.

Aim to include not only the product information, but also aspirational content on what the product will make your shoppers feel. Does it solve a problem? Bring joy? Whatever the human angle is, don’t be afraid to emphasize it here.

Section titled 9. Earn their trust 9. Earn their trust

If you’re not a household name, the hard truth is that users don’t have a reason to trust you with their payment information. That trust has to be earned. Fortunately, there are a few key ways to do so.

Section titled Focus on security Focus on security

First and foremost, make sure your security is top-notch. This includes things like using read-only APIs which are difficult to breach, limiting the plugins you use behind the scenes, and using Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) as opposed to the regular Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

Section titled Feature user-generated content (UGC) Feature user-generated content (UGC)

UGC includes things like reviews of products and social media posts featuring happy users. Getting a third party to confirm your site is high-quality helps instill trust in new visitors. Similar strategies that do the same include using relevant influencers and investing in a content marketing plan.

Section titled Be consistent Be consistent

Keep your branding consistent and predictable. There should be no wild changes in tone, ad copy, visual design, or site layout. Doing so will confuse your visitors and make the brand seem less professional. When in doubt, relying on your brand’s messaging is a safe bet.

Section titled 10. Be ready to retarget 10. Be ready to retarget

People who leave your site without a purpose aren’t lost causes. Quite the opposite: they’ve signaled intent. To get the most out of the time and resources you put into attracting them, have a retargeting strategy at the ready.

Section titled Know your segments Know your segments

Segmenting your audience based on their behavior on your website is paramount. By identifying different groups such as cart abandoners, product browsers, and past purchasers, you can tailor your retargeting campaigns to their specific interests and needs.

Section titled Utilize dynamic retargeting Utilize dynamic retargeting

Dynamic retargeting allows you to personalize ads based on the products visitors viewed on your website. This highly targeted approach reminds users of products they showed interest in, significantly increasing engagement and conversion rates.

Section titled Set Frequency Caps Set Frequency Caps

To avoid overwhelming users with repetitive content, set frequency caps to limit how often they see your ads within a specific time frame. That way, you’re effectively reaching out without going overboard and becoming an inbox nuisance.

Section titled Use cross-device retargeting Use cross-device retargeting

We’ve covered the importance of an omnichannel approach. Let your retargeting strategy do the same. When ads reach users seamlessly across all devices, you’re creating a cohesive and professional experience.

Section titled Offering Incentives Offering Incentives

Sometimes, careful eCommerce best practices are best helped by a simple discount. A small, personalized sale, free coupon, or BOGO offer can go a long way toward getting a customer over the finish line at checkout. For an extra push, consider creating urgency with things like limited-time offers and exclusive deals.

Section titled Key takeaways Key takeaways

Building a site based on eCommerce best practices can be challenging. However, it’s also an involvement in your site that has real potential to boost your conversions and improve your overall user experience. It can feel overwhelming at times, but even small, gradual changes can have a massive impact.