If you will just stick to your brick and mortar business, you are robbing yourself of a lot of exciting opportunities. Thus, the need to build your own website has become more imperative than ever. Here are some rules you might want to keep in mind:

Prepare A Business Plan

Just like other businesses, you need a good plan to run a successful website. An absence of a plan means lack of direction. And when there’s no direction, you will never be able to make a strategy, or determine if you got off the track. Consider your website plan or concept in the same way that you would your brick and mortar business. it includes adhering to the laws of filing and incorporation in your state.

When you find it hard to create a business plan, you can always take online business courses. These courses can help you in two primary ways. They can offer you the business knowledge required for running a thriving website, and help you build your professional network. if you ever find yourself requiring some extra investment or funds in the future, you will be in a better position in getting them.

Proceed With Website Building

You can never have an eCommerce platform with no website. You can hire one, create your very own using a platform such as WordPress, or you can code it from scratch. Depending on your business needs, and what you are selling, a WordPress website is usually enough. You don’t have to take on the extra cost of making something which already exists. You can choose from numerous WordPress themes meant for eCommerce.

Design For UX

No one will bother buying from a site that is difficult to understand, tiring to navigate, and has a long loading time. The best way to keep your customers happy is by having a responsive design for all devices. You will only lose customers if your site lacks a responsive design.

It is also important to have a seamless checkout experience. You have to be upfront with shipping costs since this is the first reason why many shoppers abandon online carts. Try to request for information only when it is required to process the sale. It means easy to understand and clean pages, less amounts of clicks for checking out, and no unwanted distractions. Don’t force customers to register on your website, and instead, allow guest checkouts.

Implement Social Proof On Products Page

Reviews and social proof are all important on eCommerce websites. These drive sales through improving confidence and establishing trust in you and all your products. You can encourage your customers to talk about their purchases to their friends, and request for product reviews when these don’t occur organically. Social posts and reviews increase time on your page, drive traffic, and expose you to more target audience.

Invest in Marketing

While social shares can widen your reach, extra marketing is also imperative. Increase your sales and audience through highlighting your brand new products, offering product demonstrations, and improving your SEO.