Why a Strong Online Storefront Is the Best Investment for Small Business Growth
Every small business owner wants more traffic, more sales, and more customers. They know that growing their business faster than the competition is the only way to succeed.
But here's the secret no one wants to tell you…
Online traffic doesn't come from nowhere. And it sure doesn't begin with Facebook ads or Google Adwords.
If you want more customers. If you want to beat the competition. Your first step has always been (and always will be) to create a stunning eCommerce website.
The good news?
A professional online storefront is one of the best investments your business can make. Compared to other forms of advertising and promotion, website design simply stacks up better.
It gets your store found online. It builds trust with your ideal customers. It creates an incredible user experience that converts.
Ready to learn how to do eCommerce website design right?
Here's What You're Going To Learn
Why eCommerce Website Design Matters
How Website Design Builds Trust and Credibility
Key Elements of High-Converting Website Design
How To Build Your Store (The Right Way)
eCommerce Website Design: Why Your Storefront Matters
In 2021, online shoppers spent $4.28 trillion globally….and that number is expected to grow every year until it reaches $6.86 trillion by 2025.
That's right. Buying things online is quickly becoming the new normal. And yet, so many small businesses ignore eCommerce website design and wonder why they're not getting any sales.
If you don't have a strong online presence, you might as well hand over your profits to bigger brands that do.
Today's consumers like to browse online before spending a single penny. In fact…
People who arrive at your store through organic search are 40% more likely to convert than non-organic traffic.
And for good reason. If your website looks legit and professionally designed, visitors are more likely to trust what your business has to offer. Investing in professional Shopify website development is one of the most effective ways to build a store that looks great, loads fast, and converts well from day one.
Sure, some competitors will try to squeeze every last drop of profit using black-hat SEO tricks and questionable website design tactics. But you're not like those guys. You care about providing real value. And that starts with building a professional online storefront.
Build Trust With Professional Website Design
You know how they say "Don't judge a book by its cover?"
Flip that on its head.
When someone visits your website for the first time, they are judging your business by its cover.
Research from Stanford shows that 75% of people form an opinion about your business based on your website design alone. Imagine walking into a store to find broken shelves, dusty products, and poorly lit decorations. You wouldn't feel very confident buying something would you?
Your eCommerce store is no different. You need to design a professional online store that looks modern and builds trust with customers. It's your opportunity to showcase who you are and what you stand for.
Here are some key factors that contribute to trust:
Site speed – Research shows that 47% of customers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less. Faster site speed = more conversions.
Mobile friendly – Did you know that more than 55% of website traffic comes from mobile devices? Make sure your store looks great on all screen sizes.
Simple navigation – Can visitors easily find what they are looking for? Everything on your site should be laid out logically.
Website design is more than just a way to look "pretty." When executed correctly, your site builds trust with potential customers and turns browsers into buyers.
Key Design Elements for Converting Online Stores
Okay, so you know why good eCommerce website design is important. But what actually makes a website convert better than others?
Well, it's a mix of psychology, marketing, and basic common sense. Here's what you should be focusing on:
Clear Call-To-Actions (CTAs)
You know those big buttons that tell people what to do next? Those are called CTAs.
Examples include "Buy Now", "Add to Cart", and "Download Here".
Online stores lose sales every day because their CTAs aren't prominent enough. Push your customers towards taking action on every page of your website.
Compelling Product Descriptions
Most business owners make the mistake of thinking people will buy their stuff without explaining what it is.
Wrong.
You need to paint a picture that showcases the value of your products. Compelling product descriptions answer every question a person could have about what you're selling.
Easy-To-Read Fonts
Keep fonts simple, clean, and consistent throughout your entire site. Avoid anything that's too hard to read (or too distracting).
You want visitors to focus on what's important…which is selling them stuff!
High-Quality Product Images
Better quality images = more sales. Period.
Make sure your images are high-resolution, professional, and accurately portray your products. Also, if you can, include video wherever possible.
Shoppers will buy from you when they can't see or feel your product physically. It's your job to make them feel confident with their purchase decision.
Customer Reviews
Who wants to buy a product from someone they don't know? Nobody.
That's why allowing customers to leave reviews and feedback is critical to building trust and cementing your brand as a leader. Just make sure you respond to each review nicely (even the negative ones). Buyers want to see that you actually care about what they think.
How To Build Your Online Store The Right Way
Having a nicely designed website is great. But if you don't know where to start…your site won't look pretty for long.
Don't let website design become a stress point. Pass it off to experts that know what they're doing.
1. Choose A Proper Platform
This is where most people mess up. Sure, building your own site from scratch using something like WordPress is fine if you're a developer.
Rather than wasting months trying to figure out how websites work. Save yourself the headache and choose a purpose-built platform like Shopify.
Think of it as buying an app instead of making your own from scratch.
Shopify has been around since 2006, is used by over 1 Million businesses worldwide. It's also incredibly easy to use, and won't force you to learn HTML or code just to get your store set up.
2. Website Design
This goes hand in hand with the first step.
Pretty much every platform has access to awesome design templates. These templates are what allow you to create a professional looking online store in a matter of minutes. Not days or weeks like if you were to DIY it.
3. Speed & Responsiveness
Lastly, make sure your site works perfectly on mobile devices and loads super-fast. The importance of site speed to your bottom-line cannot be overstated. The faster your site, the better your conversion rates will be.
As mentioned above, use Google's PageSpeed Insights tool to see where your site stands.
The Bottom Line
Investing in professional website design is far and away the best decision for any small business. It helps attract organic traffic. Build trust. Shape brand identity. Convert more visitors. Outrank the competition.
If you're not yet spending money on having a professional storefront built for your business, then you're doing it wrong. Online shopping isn't going anywhere. So make sure you have an attractive, high-converting eCommerce website before it's too late.