Being able to tap into the benefits of consumer demand is a requirement for any online store in the digital age. Unlike local businesses that have more control over their consumers, online shoppers can easily decide to shop elsewhere if you are not able to accommodate them in the here and now.

This not only pertains to products, but also relates to page speed, ease of use and capturing consumer information. The stores that are well-positioned to take advantage of sudden spikes in traffic can benefit greatly from the boost. In order to ensure you’re able to take advantage of peak traffic, let’s look at some tweaks and tips you should use to ensure you’re ready when customers come knocking.

Verify Your Hosting Provider Parameters

Before you can truly be ready for peak traffic, sales and any other positive benefits, you must first be sure that your website can handle the traffic. We’ve all seen examples over the years of websites and brands that suddenly get a ton of national attention; in very little time at all, their website crash and become inaccessible. This can be a terrible outcome for online stores; while it may not ever be a situation in which millions of people are suddenly pinging networks for your store, higher levels of traffic at certain points may grind your website to a halt if your hosting provider plan is bare-bones or otherwise unsuited for your needs.

As such, verify that your domain has access to sufficient levels of bandwidth, inquire whether your website is able to automatically access additional server resources in the event of a surge, and consider switching to a more reliable provider in the event that fast, definitive access cannot be guaranteed. Another option to consider is a cloud back-up service that can kick in when your website is under heavy duress.

Capture New Customer Information

You’ll want to make sure that you’re able to put all of these new visitors into your database for future marketing potential: is your store prepared to handle a seasonal jump in traffic? While you’ll certainly be able to secure contact information for those who purchase products, it’s important not to forget about those who may visit during these peak traffic times but who do not buy anything on the first visit. If you can capture their information via subscription pop-ups, first-time customer coupon offerings or other measures, then you’ll be able to plug them into your email marketing and retargeting campaigns for the future. As those who have demonstrated prior interest in your store, converting them in the future – assuming you have a way to reach them – will be much easier.

Convert Those Visitors

Speaking of conversions, how can you maximize the peak traffic during certain periods after you’ve collected information from visitors? The most commonly used method is email marketing, which gives you an effectively permanent line with which to connect with your initially one-time visitors. This allows users to easily find out about products and services from your store that are relevant to them and gives you a low-cost marketing solution that is highly effective.

 

Whether you’re pinging networks with new product listings or are enjoying a holiday rush, being ready for a surge of traffic is essential to long-term store growth. By following the basic pointers above, you’ll be able to seize the day whenever traffic begins pouring in: you don’t want to miss out on plenty of sales because you were unprepared!