Retention
MCOMMERCE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS | A SHOPGATE PUBLICATION | SPRING 2017
FEATURING
THE TIPPING POINT: MOBILE COMMERCE IS ABOUT TO OVERTAKE DESKTOP
“NOT HAVING A MOBILEOPTIMIZED SITE IS LIKE CLOSING YOUR STORE ONE DAY A WEEK” Take the pain out of mobile purchasing / P20
See how mCommerce is changing the retail landscape / P4
BOOST RETENTION, MASTER MOBILE.
Our 3-step approach to maximizing customer loyalty / P12
NOT JUST SMOKE AND MIRRORS: VAPE+APPS Smoking the competition / P18
BIG INVENTORIES. MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY. Auto wins big with apps / P24
FROM THE CEO
RETAIL IS EVOLVING— Every step of the buyer journey has been disrupted, expanded and improved through technology. While eCommerce overall has seen its fair share of change, the true revolution has come from mobile commerce. Where traditional online shopping requires a customer to seek out the retailer, mobile commerce allows merchants to proactively reach customers via the device already in their hands. Between the top-of-mind awareness that comes with an app living on a user’s home screen, and the continuous, direct communication channel that push notifications provide, the path toward truly optimized mobile experiences is clear—and it’s through apps. As the mobile marketplace becomes more and more crowded, retailers must place their focus on retaining customers—not just acquiring them—to capitalize on the lasting value of each user. With increasing competition comes higher acquisition costs, further driving home the importance of building a loyal customer base that will purchase from you again, driving consistent, long-term revenue. At Shopgate, we’re continuously energized by the opportunity we have to empower retailers to harness the power of mobile, more simply and affordably than they’d ever known. So we hope that within the pages of this magazine—our inaugural print publication—that we can help you find ideas, inspiration and motivation to capture and master your brand’s piece of the mobile commerce market.
Marc Biel, CEO
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RETENTION STAFF Marc Biel CEO Casey Gannon VP, Marketing & Partnerships Louis Lepine Art Director Amanda Laviana Content Manager Andrew Chase Marketing Manager Samantha Deese Product Marketing Manager Angie Reynolds Marketing Coordinator Alex Samuely Contributing Blogger
COVER STORIES & CONTENT APPS ARE LEADING MOBILE COMMERCE
MOBILE WEBSITES
4 / The Tipping Point: Mobile Commerce is About to Overtake Desktop
26 / The Google Algorithm Explained: Why Mobile is Now a Must 27 / The 4 Ways Smart Banners Ramp Up Retention Rates 28 / 6 SEO Missteps that Can Sink an Online Retailer—Contributed by Shopgate Partner ROI Revolution 30 / 6 Quick Tips to Optimize your Mobile Web Shopping Experience 31 / eCommerce Battle Royal: Mobile Dedicated vs. Responsive
See how mCommerce is changing the retail landscape
6 / The Push for Push Notifications 8 / The Three-Ingredient Recipe for Driving App Downloads 10 / Hungry for More Conversions? There’s an App for That
MOBILE MARKETING 12 / Nailing Customer Retention: A Three-Pronged Approach Boost retention, master mobile; essential steps for loyalty
14 / Mobile is Changing the Way Customers Interact with Brands— Contributed by Shopgate Partner Guidance 15 / Shopgate Spotlight: Kid Dangerous 16 / Cracking the QR Code: Driving Repeat Purchase Through Quick Scans 18 / Not Just Smoke and Mirrors: Why Shopping Apps are a Perfect Fit for Vape Shops on the Rise Vape Shops are smoking the competition, thanks to apps
19 / The Retailer’s Guide to Mastering ASO
BETTER BUYING JOURNEYS 20 / Taking the Pain out of Mobile Purchasing 21 / New Tool Alert! One-Touch Login with Facebook 22 / Better Conversion Rates Are Just a Fingerprint Away 24 / Big Inventories. Massive Opportunity. Auto wins big with apps
PUSH MESSAGING PULLING YOU DOWN? USE OUR 4 PROVEN TIPS FOR NAILING ENGAGEMENT / P6
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01 ›› APPS ARE AS MOBILE LEADINGCOMMERCE MOBILE COMMERCE LEADERS
THE TIPPING POINT Mobile Commerce is About to Overtake Desktop
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on-demand usability whenever and wherever, every retailer needs to have a strong mobile strategy to embrace the changing shopper mindset. Not surprisingly, sites with a high mobile friendliness rating saw the highest conversion rates. While this is an expected statistic, it further proves the vitality of mobile for brands across the board, especially those that may not be ready to join the mobile revolution.
riteo, an esteemed digital performance advertising agency, recently released a study that revealed, for the first time, that smartphones are delivering the majority of mobile transactions in every major global market. This is big for retailers in every format. For brick-and-mortar-focused brands, it gives a clear direction in which digital efforts should be faced. For those already focused on the larger eCommerce space, it directs a shift to small-screen experiences, and a mobile-first mindset.
Another first for apps: in 2016, mobile apps saw higher average order value than desktop or mobile websites, averaging a $127 order, versus $100 and $91, respectively.
No matter how you spin it, the news is big for online retailers. But how big? That depends on the retailer. If brands can stay focused on the importance of mobile-first strategies, and provide experiences that Industries trending ahead include the are not just adequate, but outstanding, fashion and luxury sector, which grew by they’ll find a promising future in mobile 17% year over year, and sporting goods, retail revenue. which jumped 23%.
For those already owning the mobile shopping space, it drives a need for faster, more efficient innovation to stay ahead of the curve and provide exceptional mobile user experiences.
THE MOBILE EXPERIENCE As the study shows, retailers and marketers who want to cash in on mobile need to innovate with mobile sites and apps. However, as smartphone purchasing forges on, transactions on tablets fall. Tablet purchasing fell 15% year over year, according to Criteo, while smartphones lunged ahead to take 70% of the mobile purchasing market.
THE NEW ONLINE SHOPPER With smartphones now delivering the majority of mobile transactions, the online shopper is certainly not confined to a desktop. With innovative features only a smartphone can provide, like fingerprint recognition for speedy payment and
Apps are a strong leader among the two channels, and were shown to drive conversion rates three times higher than mobile website counterparts. Because of improved user experiences, apps drive more shoppers to complete purchases and help combat cart abandonment.
“Mobile commerce has reached a turning point and is surpassing desktop purchasing, as retailers continue to evolve their mobile shopping platforms” ELIE KANAAN, EVP, MARKETING, CRITEO
MOBILE SHARE OF RETAIL ECOMMERCE TRANSACTIONS IN THE US % Mobile Share of Transactions 52%
30%
40% TOP QUARTILE
35%
YoY Growth Rate
30%
17%
AVERAGE
Q2 2014
Q2 2015
Q2 2016
State of Mobile Commerce 2016 © Criteo
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01 ›› APPS ARE AS MOBILE LEADINGCOMMERCE MOBILE COMMERCE LEADERS
The Push for Push Notifications
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ush notifications are the talk of the industry. And considering the fact that they increase engagement by 278% in the eCommerce industry, there’s good reason for this trend. While email is still an effective channel in terms of communicating with consumers, nothing beats the ability to offer a direct, one-touch path to purchase right from someone’s smartphone screen; a screen that’s viewed over 50 times a day. We all know that push notifications work. What some may not know, however, is the diverse range of options you have as a marketer to leverage this underutilized feature. There are plenty of resources offering guidance on the type and timing of push notification content, so let’s explore what the experience should look like once a user taps into your app. PUSH IT REAL GOOD Just as push notifications are an incredible tool for merchants, they’re a welcomed means of communication for consumers as well. It’s easy to see why push messages have such higher conversion rates than more traditional channels. Why go through a lengthy email about all of your seasonal sales, when I can just receive a short, timely and relevant product coupon directly to my smartphone? Furthermore, being able to apply that coupon in your app with onetouch is a handy shortcut in my path to purchase. Whether you’re introducing your app to a potential customer for the first time or directing traffic toward a limited-time sale, push messaging is one of the most effective omnichannel assets that merchants have at their disposal. WHERE TO LAND ‘EM So you’ve tested your messaging, determined an appropriate cadence and targeted the right audience. Now it’s time to decide where you want them to go inside your app. Let’s look at a few options.
4 PROVEN PUSH STRATEGIES TO DRIVE ENGAGEMENT 01/HOME If you’re looking to re-engage dormant users or make a solid first impression with new users, your standard home page is an obvious landing zone. It’s a simple, yet strong place to start, especially if you’re leveraging a “Deal of the Day” banner or front-andcentering a new product.
02/PRODUCT If you’re looking for a more targeted approach, try using segmented push notifications to drive a particular demographic to a specific product. Again, this could serve as an opportunity to introduce something new, or as a way to suggest a specific product to a consumer who may be interested. Either way, it only requires one tap, and it brings you one step closer to a conversion.
03/PRODUCT WITH COUPON Speaking of one step closer, using coupons in conjunction with push notifications can skyrocket conversions. If timed correctly, push messages with coupons can create a true sense of urgency, and/or severe FOMO, capitalizing on that impulsive buying behavior that apps all-to-often expose.
04/add coupon to cart And of course, if you don’t feel like getting persnickety with your push messaging approach, you can always just cut right to the chase and send consumers directly to the cart, with a well-timed coupon in tow. Again, you should be creating some urgency with your message, but at the end of the day you want the experience to be seamless and the path to be clear. It doesn’t get much more clear than with a coupon waiting to be used in a consumer’s cart.
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01 ›› APPS ARE LEADING MOBILE COMMERCE
3
Ingredient Recipe for Driving App Downloads
By Alex Samuely
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very app marketer wants to add a few zeros to their number of total user downloads. However, capturing higher spots within the Google Play and Apple App Stores may prove to be an elusive task for some brands—unless they follow the three cardinal rules of convincing customers to relinquish their prime smartphone real estate in favor of yet another app.
Driving app downloads is not an unachievable task if a marketer’s mobile budget is slim. By simply following this simple 3-step plan, you can build your brand’s recipe for app download success.
#1 Welcome Incentives Few can resist an enticing welcome incentive accompanying an app download. This can take the form of an exclusive mobile coupon for a free item—a strategy used by many quick service restaurant chains—or a discount code usable on a future purchase. In the case of Chick-fil-A, the restaurant brand was able to nab the highest spot in the App Store—despite late entry into the mobile app market—by giving each new user a coupon for a complimentary chicken sandwich. For a limited time, individuals could take advantage of the offer for in-store or mobile purchases, a strategy that significantly paid off for the chain. Other competitors, such as McDonald’s, have also fueled app downloads by offering new users a free menu item, regardless if they are loyalty members or not. Few people can turn down a free product with no purchase necessary, making this practice a must-have for any marketer in the food and beverage or retail industries.
#2 Social Media Savvy This one places a focus on promoting the app to a preexisting social media following. A brand’s arsenal of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Pinterest followers is already somewhat interested with its latest business happenings, making those channels an ideal kickoff point for organic promotion. Have a highly engaged Instagram audience? Offer those followers a sneak peek of the mobile app several days before making the launch announcement. Another option is to run a promotional social media contest with a designated campaign hashtag. The most effective way to leverage this strategy, however, is to combine it with the previous one. If social media fans are the first to find out about a new mobile app featuring a hefty welcome incentive or coupon, half the battle is already won.
#3 Exclusive Offers The final download-driving cincher is exclusivity. Brands attempting to incite app installs should reward users with sneak peeks for upcoming collections, and—if possible—offer app-only flash sales and discounts. Retailers such as Gilt and Rue La La have cultivated strong mobile followings thanks to their daily flash sales, proving that the anticipation of waiting for fresh inventory is enough to convince consumers to rope off some smartphone real estate for a new app. Additionally, new customers who have not yet downloaded a specific brand’s app may be persuaded to do so with the promise of a first glimpse at a highly-anticipated product line. Better yet—if they find the continually refreshed content engaging enough, they may decide to stick around even after the initial novelty has worn off.
Recipe recap 1 Part download incentives A Dash social media know-how 1 Hearty dose of exclusivity Once each ingredient is prepared, retailers must implement each piece of the recipe in an individualized way to effectively drive downloads. By focusing and balancing strategies based on budgets and audience response, brands will find their best value in a combination of the three methods. As long as the focus remains on representing the value of the app via rewards and engagement, marketers are likely to watch their app download numbers jump higher and higher.
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01 ›› APPS ARE LEADING MOBILE COMMERCE
In
a world that’s gone mobile mad, there’s not much you can’t get in a few taps of a smartphone. Retailers selling everything from computers to clothing, closets to caffeine, have tapped into the eCommerce marketplace. With the inherent convenience of ordering our favorite specialty items online, come new demands from consumers, namely: the expectation of finding their favorite brands in the app store. With more than a third of consumers buying groceries online in 2016, the packaged food industry has grown explosively as a key vertical in the eCommerce industry. The stage has been set for food and beverage retailers. The next step is to simply reach out and grab the opportunity.
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In the age of “craft goods,” consumers have the knowledge and expectation to discover and demand the best of everything, a trend that’s paving the way for specialty retailers who cater to an exacting clientele. With simplified technologies allowing smaller, specialty retailers to make waves selling their wares online, consumers have unprecedented access to anything they seek—right on their smartphone. Overcoming the traditional barriers that long plagued small sellers has been a major jump forward for these retailers.
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Shopgate retailers like Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC) are using these plug and play solutions to maximize their share of the mobile market. A veteran-owned company, specializing in small-batch, roast-to-order coffee, BRCC is a company hyper-focused on serving their customers the freshest, highest quality single origin coffee available. For a company which places such a heavy influence on providing the best coffee drinking experience, they needed a mobile solution that would provide a similar level of performance. Choosing Shopgate as a mobile provider meant having a partner that provided the very best in customer service, and a platform that seamlessly integrated their existing Shopify store. Vice President of BRCC, Charles Waldron said, “Honestly we were behind because we didn’t have a mobile app. We saw the impact Shopgate had and could deliver… It’s really taken off.” Implementing the powerful features their Shopgate dashboard provides, BRCC drove app downloads and higher user engagement than ever. With a 33% open rate for push notifications, they were able to proactively and directly communicate with users who had already downloaded their app, giving them unprecedented access to the pockets of loyal customers. Thanks to their direct communication style, sleek app design, and option for one-touch payments through Apple Pay, BRCC has earned an impressive 6.3% app conversion rate, and a 4.9 star rating in the app store. It’s clear that for food and beverage retailers, like BRCC, finding customers on mobile is not only smart and savvy— but profitable. Put your brand in the hands of the people who love it, and they’ll be happy to keep coming back for another batch from you.
1. Black Rifle’s Coffee, or Die design | 2. Complete Mission Fuel Kit— essential sampling of all BRCC roasts | 3. Effective communication to their most dedicated customers using push notifications
“Honestly we were behind because we didn’t have a mobile app. We saw the impact Shopgate had and could deliver… It’s really taken off.” Charles Waldron, Black Rifle Coffee Company
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Nailing Customer Retention
A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH What is customer retention—and why do you need it? Customer retention—it’s a phrase that pays—and a concept that can tank or propel your business beyond almost any other factor. At its core, customer retention is all about the long-term, and leveraging the value of a satisfied, existing customer, over the cost of acquiring a new one. According to a study out of the Harvard Business School, in the apparel sector of online retail, new customers cost 20-40% more than they would for their brick-and-mortar counterparts. This underscores a challenge many online retailers have become all too familiar with—acquisition costs are higher for digital customers than traditional ones.
The good news? That same study showed that increasing customer retention rates by just 5% increased profits by 25-95%. While that’s a pretty broad range of success, even the bottom end of that increase is incredibly valuable for any business, and points straight to the value of retention over acquisition. “So, it’s as simple as that? Just keep my customers around and my profits will soar?” Well, sort of. Customer retention is a touchy formula, with many moving parts. But do it right, and you’ll indeed see an increase in happy, loyal customers who stick around for the long haul.
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SHOW THEM THE WAY
REDUCE PAIN POINTS
KEEP IT FRESH
One of the strongest ways you can convince customers to keep coming back for more—and more from you—is to show them what their lives are like with and without your product. When you communicate with them, whether it be through push notifications, email, social media, display ads, or good old-fashioned snail mail, clearly articulate the benefit of your products. Target customers based on previous purchase behavior, and cater to their interests, rather than trying to expand their investments into other categories they’re probably not concerned with. If Customer A has made multiple tie and cuff link purchases from you, they’re more than likely not interested in your new line of women’s clubwear. Stick to
what works for them. These aren’t the people to talk to about the newest and most unique. These are customers who already like you, just for being you. It’s all in the delivery. Your customers don’t want a loud, flashing sign telling them they have a problem. They want to be shown in relevant, tactful ways how the retailer they already trust wants to help them again. This is another opportunity to meet the customer where they are. For your mobile users, connections are right at hand, with push notifications that are strategic and relevant.
Pain points are the moments during online purchases that make customers roll their eyes, groan, and all too often, abandon shopping carts. Two major pain points for mobile shoppers are cluttered marketing offers to sort through, and tedious checkout processes.
slow his attempt to find the coupon code you sent for a tie—the one he’ll actually want to use. Once again, it’s all about keeping your marketing efforts targeted, strategic and considerate.
The former has a simple solution. Don’t bombard your loyal customers with information and offers they’ve shown no interest in, and frankly don’t give a damn about. Remember ol’ Customer A? When ordering his newest cat tie for the growing collection, having to sort through an inbox full of offers for discounted halter dresses will seriously
A hugely important aspect of your marketing and branding is the display of your products. You’ve done all the work to find or create the perfect products, analyzed the market, and the kicker—acquired customers! All vital parts of the journey. But if you’re not focusing on how to best highlight your products’ features and aesthetics, you’re hurting your bottom line. I know, you’re thinking “but they must like my product display well enough, if they’ve converted in the past!”
SIMPLE MESSAGES LIKE:
“Winter is coming, don’t be left out in the cold! 20% off outerwear through Friday” (Ned Stark reference optional)
The other major mobile pain point is the dreaded checkout phase. Even an enthusiastic customer may reluctantly wipe their hands of your brand if checking out on a small screen is made difficult. Luckily, with innovations like a simple app integration with PayPal or Apple Pay and credit card scanners, the solution for this issue is simple. A typical checkout routine takes around 2 minutes, while checkout on platforms like PayPal or Apple Pay takes just
While you’re right about that, this is no time to rest on your laurels. Focus on continuously improving the user’s visual experience in your online store, while maintaining a recognizable brand presence. Highlighting your innovation focus is one of the strongest ways to remain relevant and respected among your customers. So, what now? Let your products do the heavy lifting. If you’re truly selling what your customers want and need, much of
This timely message reminds your customers of a three part formula: Event → Cold weather Challenge → The lack of a coat - oops! Solution → Discounts from you, a retailer they know and like The formula reminds customers of their problem, and provides a solution, without pitching a seemingly random promotion that might come off as spammy. When the need is seen as valid, your business becomes so too. Even if purchase isn’t completed right away, it plants a seed in the back of their mind—they now need a jacket.
30 seconds. That minute and a half may seem like minutiae to you as the retailer, but to the hyper-speedy mobile customer, it might as well be a decade. And after all, this is your opportunity to cater to your customers, not expect them to take pains for you. At the end of the day, your customers should have no problems finding relevant items or checking out. They should come to your site or app and find a clean, useful interface, with savvy solutions that make shopping with you a singular delight.
the battle is already won. Keep customers engaged with conversations that keep your brand, and their need for it, top of mind. Make shopping your store pleasant and efficient, and never stop your mission to improve your customer’s satisfaction with your brand and your store. Use these tips to craft a formula that works for your unique business, sit back, and enjoy the relationships you’ll maintain with your most loyal customers for years to come.
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PARTNER CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE
MOBILE IS CHANGING THE WAY CUSTOMERS INTERACT WITH BRANDS Mobile eCommerce is becoming an increasingly important contributor to retailer sales FSXL HMVIGXP] EW E GLERRIP YRXS MXWIPJ EW [IPP EW E QENSV MRƥYIRGIV SJ VIXEMPIV WYGGIWW outside of the mobile eCommerce channel. And while competent mobile strategy and execution have long been important success factors for most retailers’ eCommerce business, mobile’s reach extends far across the brand experience and can heavily MRƥYIRGI XLI WYGGIWW SJ RSR QSFMPI GLERRIPW
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Mobile TYWL RSXMƤGEXMSRW helped increase in-store revenue 3.7x and in-app revenue by 3.2x
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Contributed by Guidance, a trusted Shopgate partner Excerpt from The Mobile Retailer Whitepaper Guidance is a customer centric commerce service provider dedicated to growth oriented mid-market and enterprise branded manufacturers and merchants in both B2C and B2B with industry leading practices in multichannel retail strategies, mobile, customer experience, innovative design, and complex system integration. Since 1993, REXMSREP ƥEKWLMT VIXEMPIVW ERH GSRWYQIV branded manufacturers have relied on Guidance’s expertise to facilitate more than $5 billion in web, mobile and social commerce. Brands such as Foot Locker, Johnny Was, Robert Graham, TOMS Shoes and others, have engaged Guidance to build more than 300 world-class, omni-channel websites and apps that captivate, engage and encourage loyalty. Learn more at www.guidance.com.
SHOPGATE SPOTLIGHT
SHOPPERS LOYAL TO THE GRAPHIC TOPS and T-shirts designed by fashion-forward Kid Dangerous are spending nearly twice as much through the company’s new app as they did on the mobile website. The app’s average shopping cart spend is $90 year to date, compared with $50 for the mobile site. The company’s mobile users, who’ve downloaded the app 1,000 times since its January 2016 launch, have spent more than $17,000 collectively so far—all with no download incentives.
KID DANGEROUS “We’re seeing that app customers usually have purchased from us before and have a deeper loyalty to the brand.” Steve Nanino, Kid Dangerous President
“Our app customer is now our best customer,” says Steve Nanino, president and one of four high-school friends who founded the Los Angeles-based Kid Dangerous nine years ago. Nanino said he wasn’t sure people would download an app for a small, niche retailer. The surprise gain revealed trustworthy brand loyalists who are willing to spend more money more often than Kid Dangerous’ executives had anticipated. “We’re seeing app users buying more than one shirt, more than one time, rather than one-time purchasers,” Nanino said. “We’re seeing that app customers usually have purchased from us before and have a deeper loyalty to the brand.” Nanino credits this in part to the Shopgate app’s ease of use: Shoppers can get push notifications directly from the app and click to shop in a few seconds, rather than opening a web browser, typing in a brand name and spending time clicking through several steps to checkout. There’s also the company’s hip image. “I think apps and fashion companies make a good pairing because there is an allegiance from customers who like the message and who like getting a deal,” he said. The brand, which forecasts a 15% jump this year in its sales online and through boutiques and major retailers such as Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Urban Outfitters, will expand its app’s content to include music reviews, fun-to-watch videos and other cool, unique content, Nanino said. The compelling content is necessary to keep Kid Dangerous’ app users from feeling the angst of being bombarded by sales pitches, he said. Nanino doesn’t foresee the app replacing Kid Dangerous’ mobile website, but he expects app sales to exceed desktop sales within the next two years. That’s powerful, he said, because app recognition reflects a brand’s value. “We’re increasing the value of our brand by being a leader in this space,” he said.
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he era of instant gratification is upon us. Many embrace it. Some of us butt heads with it. Others want nothing to do with it. Some marketers even have nightmares about it. But, the truth of the matter is, consumers’ expectations are evolving along with their shopping habits.
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While many of the modern conveniences we’re so keen on using, such as Apple Pay, have made our personal lives easier, there’s no doubt they’ve put pressure on retailers to deliver what consumers want, right when they want it. With common pain points like card entry information solved with digital wallets, retailers must move to minimize the drag of repeat purchasing, especially with frequently purchased products, or for retailers with massive product catalogs. Rather than tediously searching through filters and searching product numbers, utilizing QR (Quick Response) code technology can create a streamlined user experience that maximizes efficiency. While QR codes aren’t a new concept, having really taken off in 2011, marketers are still finding them to be powerful. In one Experian survey, 95% of marketers surveyed rated QR codes “effective” to “very effective.” However, the curious looking barcodes have gotten a bit of a bad rap from consumers and marketers alike. A common talking point across the marketing industry is the death of QR codes, thanks to the misbelief that they’re simply an ineffective tool. Research, however, shows that their usage may actually be on the rise—data from Scanbuy revealed that the number of QR code scans completed by individuals actually grew 7.5% from 2014 to 2015.
CRACKING THE QR CODE: DRIVING REPEAT PURCHASE THROUGH QUICK SCANS 16 RETENTION | A SHOPGATE PUBLICATION
One major issue surrounding the use of the codes is broken links or landing pages that aren’t optimized for mobile. However, when used correctly, QR codes can make consumers’ lives easier and result in effortless purchasing experiences. The key to mastering the QR code lies in effectively channeling relevant products to the right user, in the right way—a task that requires a thoughtful engagement strategy and seamless mobile execution.
Putting the code to use Joe loves coffee, so much that he’d be willing to spend that extra $8 on a top notch bag, just to make a really, really great cup of, well—Joe. However, he hates the hassle of dodging traffic to get across town to his coffee bean spot. Even worse? Waking up in the morning, reaching for his trusty mug, and realizing his remaining supply of coffee is only enough for half a cup. Joe had jotted down a note to pick up more coffee beans on his to-do list, but, as most to-do lists go, this task went unchecked. It’s not Joe’s fault, he has a busy life, and between his daughter’s ballet recital, traveling for work, and a flat tire, coffee buying just wasn’t a priority. Alas, Joe sits in his kitchen, groggy, irritated, and coffee-less. What could have been for Joe was a much simpler re-ordering experience. Joe, days before the incident, realizes he is low on coffee beans. He picks up his coffee bag, grabs his phone and quickly scans a QR code. The coffee shop’s app opens automatically, placing the same products and quantity in Joe’s cart that he usually orders, even providing a discount code for ordering directly from the bag. With the push of a button, Joe reorders his coffee, and continues on with his day. A few days later, with an extra day to spare before the incident would occur, Joe’s coffee arrives. Joe wakes up the next day, and enjoys a full cup of coffee, incident free.
Points for Practicality Aside from being a coffee connoisseur, Joe also happens to be a weekend warrior in the garage. Whenever he’s able, Joe can be found tinkering away under some hood, whether it’s a vintage beaut he’s recently acquired, or his wife’s SUV. Dedicated to his craft, Joe doesn’t skimp on supplies. Whether a wiper blade or 40-year-old headlight, he takes no chances with getting the right part, from the right place, the first time. But between all the parts, tools and accessories, remembering the specs for each one can be an impossible task. Overwhelmed with product ID numbers, brands and names, Joe needs a simple solution to track down the parts he needs, without having to sift through pages and pages of similar products. When he needs a replacement part, instead of heading to the website of his favorite parts store, searching through multiple levels of filters, brands, and components, Joe can simply go to the original part, scan its QR code, and be directed right to it on the retailer’s app. In the time it takes to complete this scan, he’s found exactly the item he’s looking for. With a product catalog that includes many thousands of items, this shop’s mobile site wasn’t the best option for our mechanic on the go. So the next time Joe needs a gallon of 10W-30, reordering from his favorite store will be a no-brainer. Shopgate Tip: Make QR codes easy to spot, and provide simple instructions on usage. The more straightforward the experience, the better.
Shopgate Tip: No need to use outside services to generate QR Codes. Within the Shopgate Platform, you can generate your own QR codes with the tap of a button. You can direct scans to lead to product detail pages, your app’s homepage, a category page, an outside link, or use it to place the product with optional discount code right in the cart.
95% of marketers surveyed rated QR codes “effective” to “very effective.”
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WHY SHOPPPING APPS AREE A PERFECT FIT FOR VAPE SHOPS ON THE RISE By Anddrew Chhasse
It
seems like everywhere I go, there’s a handful of folks standing around with their various vaping apparatuses out, which often look more like something out of a Star Wars movie rather than a smoke shop, throwing out thick clouds of smoke that somehow always smell like fruit or cereal. It’s a thing now. Get used to it. THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING 10% of U.S. adults vape, which equates to about 24.5 million people for those of you keeping score. 70% of current users started vaping in the last year alone. While I’m not a “cloudripper” myself, I get it. They’re a far better alternative to cigarettes, when you consider the fact that they’re cheaper, presumably less harmful, generally allowed indoors and usually produce a far less-gross odor—usually (looking right at you, nacho cheese flavor.) Retailers are doing their best to keep up. There are now more than 3,500 vape shops in the US, with the industry looking at an annual sales growth of a mind-blowing 70%. New FDA regulations or not, things are looking up for Vape Nation. THE PERFECT APPLICATION FOR VAPE SHOPS Here’s another trend on the rise: shopping apps. By 2020, mobile will make up nearly 50% of all transactions. And with
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shopping apps being the fastest growing category of apps in 2015, and sessions on shopping apps increasing by 174% year-over-year, apps will soon become our preferred method of consuming goods. On the flip-side, apps are preferred by retailers as well. Shopping apps are a critical component when it comes to customer retention, especially when your products mandate frequent repeat buys like, say, e-juice. With the average vaper needing to refill their e-liquid every 7 days, shopping apps are perfect for retailers looking to capture consistent repeat business from loyal customers. Also consider the strong use case for some of Shopgate’s marketing tools here, like segmented push notifications and coupons. It’s a match made in vape heaven.
VAPE BY THE NUMBERS sales growth 70% Year-over-year 3500+ vape shops in the US
Avg. vaper refills every 7 days
in 24.5M Vapers the US
The Retailer’s Guide to Mastering ASO ASO—are you familiar with it? If you’re a retailer with an app, App Store Optimization (ASO) should be high on your list of priorities. But when it comes to ASO, it’s important to understand what matters, what doesn’t, and what you can do to increase your visibility in the app store. While apps are indexed in Google search results, Forrester Research finds that 63% of apps are still found the old-fashioned way—through app store searches. Which makes search, in the app store, the single most important strategy for driving app downloads. If you want your app to be found, you’ve got to set it up for success. ASO is somewhat similar to SEO—search engine optimization—but instead of only trying to optimize results in search engines, you’re working toward being found more easily in the App Store and Google Play store. However, unlike SEO, app store optimization is still something of a mystery—since it’s so new, many aspects of the field are unknown. Some methods for optimizing an app’s visibility are well established, but the exact algorithms for ranking are not known. We’re going to break it down for you today in two parts, and help you streamline your ASO using two different methods: keyword optimization and asset optimization.
Keyword optimization begins with understanding which keywords are mostt relevant to your target audience. Use these ese keywords in your title and description to make sure your app is right there when those hot keywords are entered. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on what your competitors are up to in the app world, to monitor how you measure up on an ongoing basis. The second step is asset optimization. Assets are all the pieces of your app store listing, like ratings, reviews, icons, screenshots and descriptions. Pay close attention to each of these aspects, as they ey can have a big impact on how enticing your app is to potential users. First off, give ive your app icon an eye-catching, original and clean design. Make it easily recognizable e with your branding, but if your existing logo ogo is complicated or overly colorful, consider er creating a simplified version for your icon. n. This will help not only in attracting users for the initial download, but can boost subsequent usage. Your app store listing g will include up to 5 screenshots of your app. Take advantage of this and show off ff your app’s design and functionality. With h your screenshots, include enticing and informative copy Finally, ratings and reviews. While you’re e not totally in control of these things, you can most certainly harvest positive feedback k from your satisfied customers. One method hod is to contact existing users within your app pp and request feedback there, or in some cases, contacting loyal customers directly ly may be an option. While some bad reviews ws might just be inevitable, combating them m with great reviews is an excellent solution. on. Mastering app store optimization comes down to having strong keywords, great descriptions, attractive icons and screenshots, and excellent customer reviews. All essential ingredients in the ASO success pie.
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TAKING THE PAIN OUT OF MOBILE PURCHASING S
hopping today doesn’t quite mean the same thing it did 20 years ago. The images of chaotic shopping malls cluttered with eager deal scavengers and the tortuous lines snaking through the hosiery aisle are long past. What has replaced these iconic stereotypes are more efficient processes, and happier consumers. Online shopping has become the preferred purchasing channel for millions, and an attractive option for much of the rest. And with mobile commerce growing at twice the rate of traditional eCommerce, it’s a channel that cannot be ignored by smart retailers. Where half a decade ago, stellar mobile experiences were thought of as one of the many prongs in a larger eCommerce strategy, the landscape has shifted dramatically, proving mobile to be an inarguably critical aspect of the shopper journey.
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Google says “Not having a mobile optimized site is like closing your store one day each week.” With mobile commerce expected to overtake desktop purchases by 2020, it’s time to start answering the call and provide customers with worthwhile mobile experiences. But with the ever-present mobile devices we carry through life, come the challenges of tiny-screen navigation. The first of these is simple—a user experience not built for mobile. If customers can only access your website in the desktop iteration, they’re going to have a bad time. And they’re almost certainly not going to convert. Herein lies the most prevalent challenge in mobile purchasing. Building a mobile dedicated site, or a responsive site if you’ve determined this is a better fit, is a logical first step. But populating it with screen-appropriate content, carefully curated for usability on the go, is also a requirement. Mobile sites aren’t just desktop sites that get crunched into a smaller perimeter—they’re individual channels with different objectives than the rest.
“Not having a mobile optimized site is like closing your store one day each week.” Set your mobile site up for success by placing commonly accessed tools like store locators, contact info and account login in obvious and logical places on the site, and minimizing design clutter. While these assets can have a great impact on your mobile success, one of the most important ways to maximize it is to provide ideal payment options for customers in a hurry, who don’t care to go through tedious checkout processes. Fortunately for merchants and customers alike, solutions abound. Payment processors are continuously innovating to create finger-friendly payment options that both ease checkout pain points, and answer the call for seamless traditional, desktop and mobile integration for merchants. Smart payment platforms provide end-to-end payment solutions that empower brands to convert visitors into customers. Combining powerful mobile shopping solutions with onestop payment processors, any merchant can cash in on the mobile revolution with ease.
NEW TOOL ALE RT !
ONE-TOUCH LOGIN With 1.7 billion active Facebook users, and 1.5 billion active mobile Facebook users, it’s no question that offering a simple, one-tap login to users is an asset to your mobile presence as a whole. The few seconds spared during login can equate to a significant difference in a customer’s buying journey. When logging in with an existing account, a user is likely to be supplying valid credentials, while with traditional registration, there’s a chance they’ll enter filler information simply to bypass the process. Considering the massive share of eCommerce transactions happening on mobile devices today, cutting out unnecessary hunting and pecking can drastically improve the user’s experience, with a login that’s very likely already saved in their phone.
With so many users already registered with Facebook, paired with its status as the single most used website on earth, your customers are already familiar with the name and brand, giving your app an extra layer of legitimacy. 65% of customers report that they are more likely to return to a website with social login, and 67% say it’s a highly attractive option for them. Of course, you don’t have to take my word for it: a consumer study by Janrain revealed 92% of consumers may bail from a site if they can’t remember their login information, with a third of those saying they do this often. Your customers are tired of creating new logins, and tired of trying to think of and remember passwords. Social login solves the problem of timeintensive registrations for them, while offering you an inside look at useful pieces of their information. These simple processes ultimately make it more likely that a customer will complete a purchase. Combine the streamlined Facebook login with quick payment options like Apple Pay or a credit card scanner, and you’ve put the ultimate mobile shopping experience in your customer’s hands.
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W
hile the use of Apple Pay in apps isn’t necessarily a new concept, our 2016 implementation of Apple Pay as a payment method was a significant step forward for Shopgate retailers. As a consumer, consider the difference between having to manually enter your credit card and billing information during checkout on a 5-inch screen, versus holding your thumb on a button for a moment. Realistically, it might only save couple of minutes, but the ease of use has huge implications in the world of mobile payments and abandoned carts.
Apple Pay is still relatively non-existent on mobile web, which is seriously detrimental to the conversion rates for online retailers without an app. When you consider that mCommerce will make up nearly 50% of all eCommerce by 2020, one-touch payments are more important for online retailers than ever before. WHAT APPLE PAY MEANS FOR MOBILE SHOPPERS Shopping should not only be fun and exciting, but easy as well. Nothing kills my impulse-buying mood more than having to reach down and take out my wallet, stumble through my cards until I find the right one, and then attempt to successfully tap on and type in each line of a checkout form. Think about how many times you’ve had to type in your address and credit card info during a mobile checkout this year. In 2017—why are we still doing this?
On the flip side, when I’m shopping through an app that supports Apple Pay and I make the decision to buy something, there’s nothing sweeter than seeing that magical notification pop-up asking me to Pay with Touch ID. One simple touch. It seems like a given these days, but it’s an incredible step towards a truly seamless shopping experience, to the point where it’s frustrating to see that so many online retailers have yet to adopt the technology. WHAT APPLE PAY MEANS FOR ONLINE MERCHANTS On average, apps convert customers 120% more often than on mobile web, and 20% more often than desktop. While that staggering contrast is due to a number of factors, such as repeat business from loyal customers, there’s a more important concept to keep in mind—the experience. Again, capping the buying journey off with a one-touch payment option is a sure way to not only capture a conversion, but to ensure customer loyalty going forward. You know what they say about first impressions. APPLE PAY NOW AVAILABLE ON SHOPGATE With the added benefit of a one-touch payment option, such as with Apple Pay, the customer buying journey has never been so seamless. And now that customers are starting to adopt a mobile-first approach when it comes to shopping, it’s time that online merchants adopt a strategy that parallels this trend.
ON AVERAGE, APPS CONVERT CUSTOMERS 120% MORE OFTEN THAN ON MOBILE WEB, AND 20% MORE OFTEN THAN DESKTOP 22 RETENTION | A SHOPGATE PUBLICATION
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03 ›› BETTER BUYING JOURNEYS
BIG INVENTORIES. MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY.
APPS MAKE FAST WORK OF AUTO PARTS ORDERING
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s an auto parts retailer, things move fast. Between updating inventories, keeping in contact with suppliers and managing logistics, keeping your mobile site optimized and updated might not always seem like a top priority. But with online sales in the industry expected to top $8 billion in 2017, failing to heed the mobile opportunity could be a serious detriment to the future of your online business.
COMING BACK FOR MORE Once you’ve provided customers with a painless system of re-ordering, you’ll substantially increase the likelihood of repeat purchase. When the process is as easy as pulling out their smartphone, tapping the app icon, searching a few keywords and ordering with a fingerprint, the decision to return to your store is obvious. AUTOMATIC INVENTORY UPDATES The Shopgate app solution is a plugin that connects directly with your existing eCommerce platform. Which means you don’t have to lose sleep over keeping separate systems up to date with pricing and inventory. Because of the sizeable product catalog you keep, this can save an incredible amount of time and effort. Some app platforms don’t allow for this seamless integration, seriously compromising the efficiency of their performance.
mobile presence, your brand can be the go-to resource for your customers, one that’s available anywhere they go, anytime they need it. However, simply having a mobile website isn’t enough to effectively capture the market. With the huge number of SKUs that most automotive retailers have, the user’s mobile experience is often sacrificed in the name of inclusiveness. Clicking through pages and pages of categories, searching filter REORDERING IN A SNAP after filter, brands on top of brands—the Leveraging the existing features of a smartphone, a mobile app can give your convenience factor can be lost. customers even easier access to your products. Tools like a QR code scanner By nature, an online auto parts business ENTER: MOBILE APPS can become massively complicated, fast. Even more important than simply being allow your customers to capture a quick However, it can also create a uniquely present on mobile, auto retailers need scan of an item they’ve already ordered, fruitful opportunity to meet users where their mobile experiences to be easy to and be directed right to it with absolutely they are—on mobile. For the on-the-go navigate, quick to load, and straightfor- no searching or navigating. It doesn’t get mechanic or casual weekend car guy, the ward enough for any customer to under- easier than that. Pair this feature with tools ease of ordering parts online is becom- stand. With an app, customers can easily like push notifications to spread the word ing the norm, and ordering via mobile is search your large inventory, and find the on promotions and re-stocks, and built-in proving to be a lucrative extension of this right product using smart categories and order tracking, and you’ll have customers hooked on your mobile app in no time. convenience. With a robust, user-friendly intuitive interfaces. With the gap between brick and mortar and eCommerce transactions continuing to narrow, online sales of auto parts are projected to grow 16% this year, following a 21% increase in 2015. As online sales grow, customers are more frequently engaging in purchasing that’s influenced by multiple touchpoints, such as in-store research, followed by online buying. For retailers with both types of storefronts, it’s vital to provide customers with consistent experiences that maintain the integrity of your brand, no matter where they find it.
ONLINE SALES OF NEW AUTO PARTS & ACCESSORIES, EXCLUDING ONLINE AUCTIONS
$11B $10B $9B $8B $7B $6B
Each of the next three years is expected to break a new billiondollar barrier
$5B $4B $3B 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017,
2018,
2019,
(projected) (projected) (projected)
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04 ›› MOBILE WEBSITES
Algorithm Explained: Why mobile is now a must
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earch algorithms are a highly relevant factor for online businesses and marketers alike, because they can have some huge implications for the success of your digital presence, especially in the mobile context. The day mobile took over search: “Mobile-geddon.” This notorious announcement by Google in April 2015 made it clear that mobile search would soon be changing for good, as the company had defined a new set of parameters that would change the way mobile search results appeared, giving strong preference to sites optimized for mobile viewing, making responsive sites, mobile dedicated websites and apps become more important than ever. In its announcement, Google said: “If you haven’t made your website mobilefriendly, you should. The majority of users coming to your site are likely to be using a mobile device.” While we recommend a mobile dedicated site, if you’re going to go responsive, there are a few things to keep in mind. TESTING: Audit your website to figure out how much work you need to do. Just use Google’s mobile-friendly testing tool to determine how Google sees your site, and see what factors are hurting its mobile friendliness. If your site has small text, too many links, incompatible plugins, or doesn’t let the Googlebot crawl its CSS and Javascript, your site may get a non-mobile-friendly result. The Google Search Console can help you identify and repair some of these issues. TUNING: Keep in mind that your mobile site isn’t just a smaller version of your desktop site, and its content shouldn’t be the same either. If your site is heavy on video, choose universally playable videos to provide better experiences for your users, and in turn, better rankings from Google. Make simple navigation tools like product categories, contact info and account login obvious and functional. Testing + tuning—put these two essential elements to work for you to ensure Google’s algorithm is working in your favor.
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“If you haven’t made your website mobilefriendly, you should. The majority of users coming to your site are likely to be using a mobile device.” —GOOGLE
COUNTING ON CUSTOMIZATION: A smart banner can be customized to complement its host mobile site’s layout and theme. Brands can select the colors featured in the banner, the words used to craft the ultimate call-to-action, and the banner’s placement on the page—all of which may entice more visitors to click on it. Full-level customization also promotes a more consistent feel across the mobile site. Additionally, users who feel as though a mobile experience has been personalized for them are much more likely to want to continue their browsing and shopping on an auxiliary branded channel—in many cases, an app.
THE 4 WAYS SMART BANNERS RAMP UP RETENTION RATES E
very new season brings about a new, must-have item that people can’t stop talking about and coveting. This year, marketers have set their sights on smart app banners as a crucial customer retention tool. Customer retention is always at the top of most retailers’ wish lists, but the new season puts an even bigger focus on it—the competition is rife, and brands are fighting for prime real estate on consumers’ smartphones just as much as they are on desktops. Smart banners offer a slew of benefits that their stationary counterparts don’t, making them ideal for brands wanting to ramp up their mobile web conversion rates and shine a spotlight on their well-crafted apps.
PATH TO PURCHASE: Smart banners have a unique capability to eliminate even more steps in mobile shoppers’ paths to purchase. If, for instance, a consumer spots an attractive designer handbag featured in a smart banner, he or she can click on the banner and get taken directly to that product’s page within the designer’s shopping app. This prevents the potential customer from combing through dozens of product pages to locate that particular item, and makes it much easier to complete an impromptu purchase—and make room for a new app—with just a few taps. INTUITIVE EXPERIENCE: Instead of appearing as an obtrusive, full-page advertisement to download an app, smart banners will appear strictly in their designated spot on the webpage. A large close button makes them easy to dismiss, a departure from other interstitial ad units that roll up into full-screen takeovers or pop-ups with little prompting. This makes these tools less likely to drive potential customers away, simply by removing the annoyance factor. SHOWING OFF THE APP: Another way to retain customers who visit a retailer’s mobile site is to shed light on the benefits and positive reviews and ratings of the complementary app. Brands that employ smart banners can highlight this information—such as a number-two ranking in the shopping app category in the Apple App Store—in the unit, giving individuals more incentives to download. If a shopper is perusing her favorite retailer’s mobile site and spots a smart banner advertising the brand’s high-ranking app, she may be more likely to think there is relevant content in the app, as opposed to a generic rehash of the mobile site. Ultimately, smart banners offer several features that can easily ramp up shopper retention on mobile devices and drive more app downloads. While other types of ad units and advertising channels—such as carousel or video ads on social media—may provide more interactivity upon first glance, smart banners are ideal for brands seeking to cinch that elusive app download from an already-loyal customer.
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PARTNER CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE
6 SEO MISSTEPS THAT CAN SINK AN ONLINE RETAILER Search engine optimization is crucial for KEMRMRK SRPMRI XVEJƤG 3VKERMG WIEVGL EGGSYRXW JSV VSYKLP] SJ EPP ZMWMXSVW XS [IFWMXIW -R E WMRKPI QSRXL +SSKPI KIXW SZIV FMPPMSR searches! Thinking that your website can XLVMZI [MXLSYX E WXVSRK JSGYW SR 7)3 MW E fool’s errand. The problem, however, is that many online retailers still utilize some FEH 7)3 LEFMXW XLEX EVI EGXYEPP] LYVXMRK XLIQ QSVI XLER LIPTMRK -R SVHIV XS FIXXIV YRHIVWXERH [LEX ]SY WLSYPH FI HSMRK PIXÅW ƤVWX JSGYW on six of the key problem areas eCommerce companies run into when XV]MRK XS MQTVSZI XLIMV 7)3 Low Quality or Repeated Content -R E WYVZI] SJ QEVOIXMRK MRÆ¥YIRGIVW F] 1EVOIXMRK'LEVXW XLI RYQFIV SRI QSWX IJJIGXMZI ERH EPWS QSWX HMJƤGYPX XEGXMG MR 7)3 MW GVIEXMRK VIPIZERX GSRXIRX ;MXL SJ MRÆ¥YIRGIVW WMXMRK GSRXIRX GVIEXMSR EW QSWX IJJIGXMZI ERH EW QSWX HMJƤGYPX MXÅW IEW] XS WII why creating quality content is both a pain point and an opportunity for many retailers. 3RI SJ XLI QENSV XEWOW MW QEOMRK WYVI XLEX XLI GSRXIRX MW VIPIZERX XS [LEX ]SYV FYWMRIWW HSIW *SV MRWXERGI 63- 6IZSPYXMSR MW E HMKMXEP QEVOIXMRK EKIRG] WS E TSWX PMOI XLMW SR XLI XSTMG SJ 7)3 QEOIW WIRWI -X [SYPHRÅX QEOI WIRWI MJ [I [IVI TSWXMRK WXYJJ PMOI 8ST 'EX Memes of All Time, or How to Make Great Guacamole, even though both of those topics are certainly dear to our hearts! Keep your content relevant, use keywords that make sense for your industry, and make it interesting. /I][SVH 7XYJƤRK Speaking of keywords, there’s a good way to use them and a bad way to use them. Tactically placing them throughout your copy [LIR ETTPMGEFPI MW KSSH [SVHW SJ GST] MW E KSSH FEWIPMRI
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Repeating them over and over simply to try and optimize your page for web crawlers is bad. Not only will readers be turned away by this tactic and leave your site on droves, but search engine algorithms can scan for this type of approach and your website can be severely penalized. The goal should never be to try and game the system with keywords. There’s a natural way to incorporate them: hire a quality copywriter! And don’t get clever and think that if you just make the text white and put it on a white background you can fool the search engines. This isn’t 1998. Those keywords will be invisible to the viewer, but not to the site crawler. Bad Internal and External Links Generating backlinks from external websites is an excellent way XS MQTVSZI ]SYV WIEVGL VEROMRK 3VKERMG FEGOPMROW JVSQ WLEVIH GSRXIRX GER LIPT XS IJƤGMIRXP] KVS[ ]SYV WMXI VIEGL ,S[IZIV JSVGMRK backlinks by signing up for link directories that may be banned or ƥEKKIH F] WIEVGL IRKMRIW TE]MRK JSV FEGOPMROW YWMRK QMVVSVIH WMXIW to create many backlinks from the same domain, or linking to or JVSQ FVSOIR [IFWMXIW EVI EPP UYMGO [E]W XS KIX ]SYV WMXI ƥEKKIH ERH removed from SERPs. Instead of focusing on these tactics, focus on writing content that TISTPI [MPP [ERX XS WLEVI 6IEGL SYX XS WSQI MRƥYIRGIVW XS WII MJ ]SY can write a guest blog and have it link back to your site. Talk to people with a big social presence to see if they want to test your products and then write about them and share it on social. There are many opportunities to increase your backlinks without resorting to the EFSZI QIRXMSRIH XEGXMGW Internally, if there is poor navigation throughout your site, it will generate a poor user experience. People will get frustrated and leave quickly, which reduces page visits, time on site, and your overall search ranking. Make sure that your pages link to each other in an IJƤGMIRX QERRIV XLEX JSGYWIW SR YWIV I\TIVMIRGI 8LMRO SJ MX JVSQ the perspective of a user and how they would navigate your site, then optimize for that.
Neglecting Social Media &] XLI IRH SJ XLMW ]IEV MX MW IWXMQEXIH XLEX XLIVI [MPP FI FMPPMSR EGXMZI WSGMEP QIHME YWIVW %W SJ %TVMP *EGIFSSO EPSRI LEH FMPPMSR YWIVW -J ]SYV GSQTER] MWRŭX YWMRK WSGMEP QIHME SV ]SYV website isn’t linked to your social media accounts, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to reach potential customers. Aside from being able to pitch directly on social media platforms, XLIVI MW EPWS XLI EHHIH FIRIƤX SJ TISTPI WLEVMRK ]SYV GSRXIRX ERH creating additional backlinks for you. Don’t neglect this constantly growing medium, embrace it!
New Customers Cost 7x More Per Purchase Than Retained Customers Time to make customer retention a priority for your business.
If that doesn’t motivate you, perhaps this will. Research has shown that companies which build out a strong social media following which showcases their site content have improved search rankings over those that don’t. So get out there on social networks and start creating some buzz about your content. Get “Above the Fold” A picture is worth a thousand words. Yes, that’s true. But where you place that picture can be worth many thousands of dollars in revenue. Website real estate is incredibly important to think about, ERH GER LEZI WSQI QENSV VEQMƤGEXMSRW SR ]SYV SZIVEPP 7)3 ;LMPI it may look pretty to have large images at the top of every page XLEX ƤPP YT ]SYV [LSPI FVS[WIV WGVIIR MX GER EGXYEPP] RIKEXMZIP] impact your ranking. Sites like Google are now running page layout algorithms, and if all of your meaty content is only available below XLI JSPH QIERMRK ]SY RIIH XS WGVSPP HS[R XS WII MX ]SYV WMXI GSYPH be penalized and reduced in the rankings. Make sure you’ve got a FEPERGI SJ LMKL UYEPMX] MQEKIW ERH LMKL UYEPMX] GSRXIRX RIEV XLI XST SJ IEGL TEKI XS JYPP] QE\MQM^I ]SYV 7)3 Cloaked Links Cloaking, though always frowned upon, used to be a tactic that could MQTVSZI ]SYV 7)3 8LI MHIE [EW XS WLS[ E HMJJIVIRX HIWXMREXMSR JSV a link to users than was shown to website crawlers. Basically, this allows sites to show a completely different experience to a user than XS XLI [IFWMXI GVE[PIV % LMKLP] 7)3 STXMQM^IH TEKI MW WLS[R XS XLI website crawler, while a much prettier page is shown to the user. The problem is, search engines are all easily able to detect cloaked TEKIW RS[ ERH [MPP IMXLIV ƥEK XLIQ SV GSQTPIXIP] FER XLIQ -XŭW important to note that cloaking isn’t always bad, and it won’t always get you banned either. If the intent of cloaking is positive for both YWIVW ERH IRKMRIW WYGL EW GSRXIRX XLEX MW GSSOMI FEWIH ERH PSGOIH FILMRH E WYFWGVMTXMSR SV KIS XEVKIXMRK ]SYV [IFWMXI F] PSGEXMSR XS FIWX STXMQM^I E YWIV I\TIVMIRGI ]SY EVI QSWX PMOIP] MR XLI GPIEV Basically, if your intent isn’t deceptive, it’s probably ok.
Contributed by ROI Revolution, a trusted Shopgate partner ROI Revolution is an eCommerce-focused digital marketing agency providing expert full-service management of paid search, online shopping, social media advertising, and search engine optimization. Learn more at www.roirevolution.com.
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04 ›› MOBILE WEBSITES
6 QUICK TIPS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR MOBILE WEB SHOPPING EXPERIENCE 1 / RESPONSIVE VS. MOBILEDEDICATED SITE: BUILD IT FOR THE DEVICE According to Google, more than half your search traffic will come through mobile. While responsive websites can be a great mobile solution in certain industries, eCommerce requires some additional considerations. A responsive site takes what you’ve already set up for desktop, and resizes it for whatever screen it’s accessed from. With this method, you have less control of the mobile path to purchase. Also, desktop sites have much more space and often much more content, which can result in a cluttered mobile experience and decrease site speed. For mCommerce, dedicated mobile websites allow for cleaner navigation, mobile-specific content, and an optimized shopping cart. Read: an experience dedicated to your mobile users.
2 / NAVIGATION: MAKE IT FINGER-FRIENDLY A mobile website should be easy to navigate on the device being utilized, meaning everything on the site should be accessible with the tap of a finger. A misplaced click or a required pinch-tozoom is both frustrating for the user and costly for retailers. An MIT study found that the average width of an index finger is 1.6–2cm, converting to about 45–57 pixels—slightly larger than Apple’s recommended pixel sizing for icons. 30 RETENTION | A SHOPGATE PUBLICATION
So do yourself and your customers a favor—make sure all buttons, images, and navigation bar icons are tappable for even the most sausage-y finger. No one likes an accidental tap.
3 / DESIGN: KEEP IT CLEAN Mobile design should be clean and uncluttered, with your message and your product offering easily apparent from the landing page. Most users spend less than 15 seconds on a page, so make sure the first thing they see is captivating and designed for mobile. Logos should be resized for mobile dimensions, copy should be brief and concise, and images should be engaging and sized for mobile.
4 / CONTENT: CONDENSE YOUR STORY A lot of times it’s hard to part with the content you worked hard on for your desktop site. It’s your brand. You’re proud of it. We get it. However, smaller screens require less content. Keep the homepage focused on helping the user find what they came to your site to find with clear navigation and categories. Make deals and offers clear and leave only the essentials for your brand story. The goal is to hold the user’s attention, and lengthy copy or overwhelming content options is your shortcut to a high bounce rate.
5 / SPEED: OPTIMIZE AND RESIZE YOUR CONTENT Page speed can have a huge impact on bounce rates. In fact, according to a Kissmetrics study, a 1-second delay in page load can result in a 7% reduction in conversions. That is a huge profit loss wasted in an actual second. To avoid this unnecessary cash reduction, make sure the content served on your mobile site is optimized for your user’s bandwidth. Images and media files should be sized for the device and the number of page elements should be prioritized and streamlined. This will greatly decrease mobile web page load time, improving customer browsing and reducing page abandonment.
6 / FORMS & PAYMENT: SIMPLIFY THE CHECKOUT You’ve done it. They got to your homepage. Clicked on some categories and products. And they actually added something to the cart. But you’re not out of the woods yet. They still have to provide you their account info, shipping info, payment method, and then hit that purchase button. The checkout process is tricky and mobile web cart abandonment rates average as high as 97%. To make sure your customers actually hit purchase, streamline your checkout forms. For account info, options like Facebook Login and guest checkout can help impatient customers bypass first steps. For shipping info, saved addresses and address autocompletion can reduce the finger tapping pains. And for payment, options like credit card scanners that use a mobile device’s camera to scan payment information avoid manual entry.
CASE STUDY: CRUCIAL VACUUM So, what can happen when you provide your customers a dedicated mobile website optimized for the mobile shopping experience? Just ask Crucial Vacuum. Crucial Vacuum was founded in 2008 by eCommerce entrepreneur Chad Rubin, who saw the need for a better way for consumers to access the essential vacuum cleaner accessories every home needs. Crucial Vacuum was founded around a mission to provide affordable products to all, exclusively via the internet, with no cost-prohibitive middleman. As a company with a focus on providing value through the efficiency of onlineexclusive ordering, Crucial Vacuum needed a mobile solution that would fall in line with its efforts. After launching a mobile website with Shopgate, Crucial Vacuum saw a significant increase in online orders, yielding a formidable 7.5% conversion rate on mobile web.
You’ve most likely heard the term “responsive design” thrown around quite a bit. It’s a style of website building that’s ideal for a lot of businesses and companies, but also involves some shortcomings, especially for eCommerce sites. To determine which style is better for your business, head to Google Analytics, where you can determine how much of your traffic is coming from mobile. Many retailers have no idea how much of their traffic comes from mobile in the first place. Once you’ve established this, you can move forward with a plan to optimize for conversions and usability.
from the desktop site to make it look and work better on the tablet screen. View the site on a mobile device, and you’ll see an even more condensed version of the site. For sites like news outlets or blogs, responsive sites can be an excellent solution. If content is the only thing being delivered, functionality isn’t as vital.
Responsive designs provide a single website, built for all devices. If accessed from a computer, it’s displayed in full size, with full functionality. When viewed on a smaller screen like a tablet, it’s condensed, rearranging the same content
However, when conversion is key, responsive sites just don’t measure up. In a series of A/B tests we performed in 2016, we saw that our custom-built tablet site saw conversion rates 74% higher than an existing responsive
site. The more customized a site is for the device it’s shown on, the better the user’s experience will be. Responsive sites are essentially cookie cutter experiences that scale for different screen sizes—they’re jacks of all trades, masters of none. Custom mobile and tablet sites are the specialists in their fields—the grizzled veterans who know exactly what they’re doing and how best to do it. Using a device’s native features and sizes, these sites help increase your conversion rates while giving your customers smoother interactions with your brand, no matter what screen they find you on.
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