Do you want to optimize your checkout page for more conversions? If so, you’re far from alone. We are all in a constant battle to get first-time visitors and repeat customers to complete orders on our sites.
The thing is, a lot of factors can get in the way and cause visitors to leave before they complete their orders. In fact, the average cart abandonment rate is a whopping 68%! In other words, 68 out of 100 people who decide to add an item to their shopping cart will leave before finalizing their purchase.
When you take users who visit your site but never add an item to their cart, the number of people who leave without placing an order gets even larger.
There are plenty of ways to optimize your checkout page and turn more casual, first-time visitors into loyal customers. Today, I will share several strategies you can use to skyrocket conversions and get more value from your checkout page.
Ready? Let’s begin!
Work on Your Checkout Flow
First, let’s talk about how people buy products or services from your website. If your checkout flow is clunky, incomplete, or otherwise broken, you will see people who were about to make a purchase leave without a second thought.
Everything from the look and feel of your shopping cart to your site’s performance can impact your checkout conversion rate. For instance, failing to add a visible sitewide shopping cart for users to add, remove, and edit items could lead to a high abandonment rate.
If people can’t see the items they want to buy in their cart, they likely won’t attempt to dig through numerous pages just so they can begin the process of placing an order.
Similarly, performance and speed are known to significantly impact how people engage with checkout pages. A 1-second delay in page speed can lead to a stunning 7% loss in conversions. With every second that passes, you can bet that more people will leave and look for a faster, more organized online store.
You can avoid many of these initial problems by speeding up your site and making it a pleasant experience for first-time visitors and loyal customers.
Optimize for Smartphone Shoppers
Did you know that over 51% of all internet traffic comes from smartphones and tablets? This startling statistic shows why it’s crucial to optimize your site for desktop as well as mobile devices.
Imagine shopping online with a company for the first time. You’ve managed to create an account and add a few items to your shopping cart. Now, you’re ready to pay. You click over to the checkout page, only to find it doesn’t work correctly on your smartphone. It’s nearly impossible to type in your payment details, you can’t tell how long it will take to complete the process, and you’re unable to edit your cart from the checkout page.
Would you keep trying, or would you give up and find another site with similar items? Most people fall into the second group, including your target audience.
You can do a few things to make sure your checkout page is optimized correctly for smartphone devices. I suggest using Google’s free mobile-friendly test so you can see where your site stands. This tool will give you advice that you can use to fine-tune your page for mobile users.
Beyond this step, you should also keep these mobile optimization tips in mind:
- Show a progress bar (Sets expectations and makes it easier for users to commit)
- Allow auto-fill (Speeds up the process for users who are in a hurry)
- Choose a responsive theme and design
- Test your site using real devices running the same software your audience uses
- Minimize steps to save users time
As of now, the average person spends 3.5 hours on their smartphone every day. I fully expect to see this number increase over the next several years. If you optimize your checkout page for these customers, you will undoubtedly see more engagement and conversions.
Advertise Time-Sensitive Offers
Next up, let’s talk about fear of missing out (FOMO). Have you ever made a split-second purchase because of a limited-time offer? If you’re like most people, the answer is yes! Shoppers across all industries are typically more likely to place an order if there is a limited supply or if the product is at an exceptionally low price.
If you’re wondering how big of an impact FOMO can have on your sales, consider this; an impressive 60% of shoppers report making a purchase due to FOMO, usually within 24 hours of seeing the offer.
One of the most effective ways to inspire FOMO is to host occasional flash sales. You’ll want to give your customers a significant percentage off of their order, a gift with every order, or bonus loyalty points for their next order. These types of incentives can encourage someone who is on the fence to go through with their order.
The best part about these types of sales is you can run different offers for different segments of your audience. For example, you can reach out to your email subscribers with a unique offer just for them. This strategy can help you reach a wide range of customers and further drive sales.
Highlight Reviews and Recommendations
Reviews, trust seals, and product recommendations can act as powerful social proof on your checkout page. Essentially, social proof is evidence that other companies and businesses trust and respect your brand.
Think about the last time a friend suggested you buy a product that they enjoyed. Odds are, you let your guard down and made a purchase without thinking about it too much because you trusted their judgment.
When on-site visitors see this type of feedback from other customers, they are likely to feel the same sense of trust in your company, even if they’ve never shopped with you in the past.
You can find reviews and testimonials on social media, ask through feedback forms, or by reading reviews directly from your product listings. Find honest feedback that highlights the benefits you want users to see, and strategically include it on your checkout page.
Research shows that 92% of people look at reviews before placing an order, so it’s easy to see how this tip can help you get more sales. Imagine a user is getting ready to pay but decides they want to see what other people think first. Instead of having them leave and risking that they don’t return, you can make recommendations and reviews visible directly on your checkout page.
Make it Easy for Users to Ask for Help
The last strategy I want to discuss today is adding customer service options to your checkout flow. We’ve all been ready to place an order, only to realize that we have a question about a product in our cart. Many people will go back to the product listing and try to find what they were looking for. Sometimes they come back and finish their order, and sometimes they don’t.
Instead of risking this situation with your online store, you should consider allowing users to reach out to your customer service team directly from your checkout page.
In my experience, it’s good to use a hybrid system that includes both chatbots and live chat agents. When you use both support options at once, you get the option to create better experiences for all of your customers.
Chatbots can help users with simple questions or requests, which is excellent for people who need a quick answer. This situation also frees up time, so your live chat team can help customers with complicated or more nuanced problems.
Not only will this help you generate more immediate conversions, but it can also help you create more repeat customers. Surveys show that 63% of people say they are more likely to return to a website if they offer live chat.
Back to You
As you can see, there are plenty of creative ways to improve your checkout page. The advice offered here today can help business leaders and marketers, regardless of their industry. The key is to use these strategies as a guide.
You’ll need to think about your target audience’s needs, goals, and pain points, as well as do plenty of split testing to see what works best for your brand. If you’re consistent and persistent, you will begin to see more checkout page conversions due to your efforts.
