It’s no secret that running an online store can be a highly lucrative endeavor. In fact, ecommerce has exploded in growth within recent years, and many businesses are beginning to operate solely online in order to take full advantage of the benefits it provides.
But, not everybody knows what platform to use for the website or what online store software to integrate. We’ve put together a guide full of the details you need to keep in mind.
Let’s get started.
What Should I Look For in an Ecommerce Platform?
Leveraging the right ecommerce platform is essential when it comes to facilitating your long-term success. Although it might seem complicated to find the right one, it’s not as difficult as you anticipate.
Let’s explore a few of the most notable factors to consider.
Usability for Beginners
For those who are unfamiliar with running an online store, you’ll want to find a platform that is highly intuitive. Fortunately, many platforms are specifically designed for beginners.
This will allow you to configure your store and design your website as easily as possible. Additionally, an intuitive platform also comes with plenty of utility for more advanced users.
So, you won’t have to worry about your long-term potential since you will have all the tools necessary to scale your online business.
Detailed Analytics
You can’t expect to maximize your performance if you don’t have a solid understanding of your analytics. The platform that you choose should provide easy access to key metrics that you can use to determine whether or not you are on track toward meeting your goals.
This includes values like web traffic source, the amount of time that users stay on a particular page, the number of customers who leave items in their cart, etc.
With this information in mind, you can then make the appropriate changes to resolve any issues that you may encounter. Afterward, you can double down on strategies that have proven to be effective and boost your performance even further.
Aesthetic Appeal
Interestingly, not every store owner prioritizes the aesthetic appeal of their website as much as they should. While it’s possible to make your store look any way you want if you have enough experience in web design, not anybody has this capability.
Choosing a platform that provides access to high-quality storefronts and website templates is a reliable way for users of any skill level to maximize aesthetic appeal.
What Type of Software Should I Consider?
After you’ve decided which platform is most appropriate for your needs, you can begin to consider ecommerce software to integrate. When used correctly, these applications can help you drastically improve your overall revenue and user experience.
Listed below are a few essentials.
A Popup Builder
For those who are unfamiliar with this tool, it doesn’t refer to the annoying pop-up ads that plagued the Internet in the 90s and early 2000s. Instead, it allows users to build sleek windows that you can use to convert your leads.
One of the most common examples is utilizing a pop-up window that prompts website visitors to enter their email addresses in exchange for something free. This is often an e-book, an email newsletter, etc.
After you have this contact information, however, you can then add that person to your email list and reach them through your future email marketing campaigns. So, don’t neglect the potential that a pop-up builder can have for your online store.
A Comprehensive Ecommerce Plug-in
Ironically, not everybody understands that choosing a platform doesn’t mean that you immediately have a working online store. In the past, this was an entirely separate process that used to take a significant amount of time and effort.
Today, however, you can make use of a comprehensive ecommerce plug-in to help get your store up and running.
When looking for software that can help you achieve this, keep an eye out for applications that facilitate multiple payment options, come equipped with an inventory editor, and allow the sale of both digital and physical products.
SEO Tools
Search engine optimization is one of the most essential practices to follow if you want your store to be successful. Unless you have a significant amount of experience in SEO, you may not know where to start.
Additionally, you may not be able to easily recognize problem areas. SEO software that is specifically designed for ecommerce can help ensure that your product pages generate as much traffic as possible.
Security/Firewall Software
Of course, you can’t neglect the security of your online store. Since the cybercrime industry is projected to be worth over $10 trillion by the beginning of 2025, it’s more important than ever before to prioritize.
Quality security software will protect against brute force attacks, allow you to blacklist certain IP addresses, and display detailed info about user activity. This provides store owners with a notable level of control when it comes to preventing attacks in the future.
Since even a short period of downtime can cost your business thousands of dollars, be sure that you take the necessary steps to secure your website.
Choosing the Right Online Store Software Is Essential
So, it’s imperative that you keep the above information in mind. From here, you will be able to use this guide to choose the online store software ideal for your situation.
Want to learn more about what we have to offer? Feel free to reach out to us today and see how we can help.