End-of-year sales are a big opportunity for any brand, but the new year comes with a new slump you have to contend with. Why not use that time to shake off some of those cobwebs and refresh your eCommerce brand? This isn’t going to be necessary every year, but if it’s been a hot shake since you’ve given your website or even the brand itself an update, now is the time.
You want to give your customers reasons to keep returning to your eCommerce website, which means your website needs to offer something different. Trying new things is so important to keep your brand fresh and fun for customers, even if not every idea works.
It shows you’re still alive and kicking, and it’s also how you’ll eventually strategize your way toward a competitive edge.
Not sure where to begin? No worries, as this guide will, well, guide you through the process:
Figure https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-imac-s-with-keyboard-and-phones-on-desk-326503/
Signs Your Website Needs a Refresh
There are so many signs that your website and eCommerce brand itself may need a refresh:
- Slow traffic
- High bounce-rate
- Outdated design
- Slow site
- Mobile glitches or issues
- Old branding
- And more
If it’s been more than five years since you’ve given your brand a refresh, now is the time. Not only has technology changed considerably, but customers also just get bored. There are so many brands out there, and the biggest of them always keep things fresh and new. You need to keep up.
Top Ways to Revamp Your eCommerce Brand
The good news is that revamping your brand (or even rebranding) is entirely possible. To make the change, follow these steps:
Start with Feedback
Before you touch your website or head to the drawing board, you need to get feedback. Ask your customers what they think of your website and brand identity. Get feedback in the form of questionnaires, through social listening, and even by looking at your analytics. Try to get a full picture of the current opinion on your brand identity. Not only will this help you understand how much of a change is needed, but it’s also a great way to glean a few ideas on how to make changes your customers will love.
Craft a Fresh Brand Approach
Regardless of whether you make a big change or not, you will want to plan out at least some form of brand refresh. This can be done by changing up or at least refining your content guidelines, by tweaking the logo and visual assets, and so on. Something small can make a big impact if you’re brand has a mostly positive reputation. However, if your reputation has been flagging, you’ll need bigger ideas.
Audit, Audit, Audit
Once you have a better idea of where you want to take your brand it’s next time to audit your website and digital presence. This is how you will one, understand the full scope of what needs to be changed, fixed, or updated.
Two, it’s also how you can start to put together a to-do list by priority. Try to do behind-the-scenes changes first. This way you boost the useability and performance of your online brand, and then the look. If you do the opposite, you’ll have a site that people will be curious about, but slam the door on their faces in the form of glitches and technical issues.
If you aren’t sure how to run an audit, what to look for, or even what to do, now would be a good time to hire on eCommerce SEO services. These services cover everything from the audit to on-site optimization to content marketing and beyond.
Top Design Features for Your Website Redesign
One of the big changes that you can and should make for your website is to how it all looks and performs. There are many big trends you can consider for your new web design (or update) as well, so pick and choose what you find most exciting for your brand:
- Dark and Light Modes: These are simple changes that can make it easier on the eyes of your customers in dark or light conditions.
- Interactive Elements: Apple has mastered this with its engaging, stunning product pages that take customers on a journey through their tech specs. While you won’t want to do this on each product page, adding a few interactive elements can help massively.
- Personalization: Give your customers control. An easy way to do this is by improving the filtering features. For example, if you have a large catalogue of clothes, allow customers to input their measurements and see all available products that should fit – with their exact size automatically selected when they click on the product.
- Mobile First: If your website is only responsive, it’s time to redesign it. Mobile-first design is the way to go. This means you should design the mobile version of the site first, and then the desktop second.
These are just a few of the ways you can update your eCommerce brand. You’ll also want to look at how to change up your content, including your social media content approach, to keep up with trends.
How to Blend Content and AI
AI makes it easier to add value where you previously couldn’t. For example, you can use AI to write and update your product descriptions where, before there might have just been too many to do. You can also use AI to keep a vibrant blog and more.
The problem with using AI is when people just put in a few lines of prompt and then post. This is terrible! You need to edit through to make sure all the information is accurate, adheres to your TOV, and, most importantly, works towards your content goals. You can use AI, but a human should be quality checking every step of the way to give customers the best possible experience.
Figure https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-woman-shopping-online-at-home-3769747/
Top Takeaways
Your website and eCommerce brand deserve a refresh. Even something as simple as a new coat of paint (figuratively speaking) can help your brand feel fresh and exciting for customers. Loyalty is invaluable, so give your returning customers something new to look forward to this new year.