Since the dawn of the internet, businesses and brands have sought ways to capitalize upon the revolutionary concept that a world wide network has created for everyone. When it comes to commerce, the internet has opened doors that can never be shut again; instead of paying a premium for services and products at a brick and mortar store, many shoppers now turn to the internet and its lower-price offerings instead. This has shaken the foundation of commerce to its core, but regardless of your feelings on the matter, this trend will not reverse. If your ecommerce business is not performing as it should or if you simply want better conversion rates, then continue reading to find out how exactly to do that.

Make Things Seem Urgent

We’ve all been tricked into buying something for fear that if we didn’t, it would soon become unavailable. This is a tried and true tactic of businesses – both internet-based and brick and mortar alike – and is used so widely because it works. You can start pinging users with this sense of urgency by including a few elements in your store and website. Out of stock and low stock indicators are one good to way to create this effect. Limited time offers and promotions through your marketing efforts on sites like Google and throughout social media make for another excellent approach. When you combine these elements with more traditional offerings (like free shipping), you give shoppers the incentive to act today rather than tomorrow. Even the most well-intentioned people who plan to shop with you in the future may forget to do so if they don’t convert the first time, so creating that sense of urgency is a prime way to boost conversions.

Attract the Right Audiences

When it comes to ecommerce success, all forms of traffic are not created equal. While engagement among a wide array of niches may prove to be beneficial for your SEO efforts in the long run, you still need to be focused on a narrow swath of potential customers who are most likely to engage. There is a good chance that you are already using multiple forms of marketing (both free and paid) to attract visitors to your website. If not, now is a great time to begin; if so, then this is a perfect opportunity to re-evaluate your metrics and see if that traffic truly is worth the expenditure. Ecommerce sites must advertise in order to be successful, but blanket advertising is inefficient. Learn more about the demographics of your audience through an analytics program, cut loose the proverbial dead weight, and double-down on the audiences and niches that are producing the best results.

Communicate Timely and Effectively

In the age of the internet, most shoppers expect prompt responses. After all, what is the point of shopping online if communication takes longer than it does in the real world? When customers have questions, concerns or complaints, being available as often as possible (and more importantly, responding as soon as possible) has multiple benefits. You don’t want review sites pinging users and potential shoppers with negative opinions about your brand, and some of these review sites can even affect how much exposure you get through various search engines. When you respond effectively and in quick fashion, your loyal customers’ opinions will be reinforced (and your detractors may even come around, too).