How to create a sales funnel for eCommerce

Today, the use of eCommerce websites is dominating us. Even some of the biggest names in the online business industry are using this platform; the most popular is Amazon.

If you have an online store and people will visit it, it is natural that you wish them to fill their shopping carts with your products and spend more on the payment section. But what if it does not work that way?

Consumers are always sourcing information online but sometimes they do not act immediately. There are instances that your visitors just might wander in the social media, they found something interesting, read some reviews but in the end, they just exit the website. 

Whatever the scenario is, we can never force our customers when it comes to the final decision on the first visit to your page.

However, you can drive them into your eCommerce conversion funnel. Optimize the process and achieve a blazing high conversion rate and sales profit.

If you are still reading this, you might be striving hard in optimizing your marketing efforts. Allow me to share with you the answer on how to make your sales funnels for eCommerce a successful one!

Conversion Funnel in eCommerce Defined

The first thing you need to understand is how an eCommerce funnel can help you. eCommerce funnel is very effective when it comes to measuring and optimizing the processor showing the route of your customer right from being aware of your brand, sourcing new potential purchasers, closing a sale, and repeating business. Plus this also includes cross-selling, upselling, subscription-based types, and retention.

Here’s a quick rundown on how to map your buyer’s journey

• Classify the needs of your content users. This will help you to involve with your brand and conversion plan.
• Strategize well your marketing efforts focusing on the resources users and platforms. If you review your buyer journey, it will be a great help in skyrocketing more leads.
• Look for more growth opportunities within your online store and work them out.

Each business has a unique eCommerce conversion funnel; it depends on the details of the navigation of their users towards the business. However, the stages have the same pattern but the specifications depend on your audience’s activities and the products you sell. 

There will be instances that some businesses may not need a longer conversion funnel since they market a cheaper product. Hence, you can easily convert your visitors since the price will most likely have fewer hurdles.

You also need to learn the different types of eCommerce funnels

• Paid traffic conversion funnel
• Inbound marketing funnel or content marketing
• Organic social media funnel

The Stages of Conversion Funnel

Conversion Funnel Step 1: Acquisition or Awareness

The topmost of your funnel is also the starting point of the buyer journey. Here, the users become aware of your product brand and what you can offer to them. They spot that they need a solution to a problem or are aiming for something, so they look for a possible answer. 

They might have discovered your business website through a wide-ranging platform that provides digital ads

At this point, your visitors are looking for some educational content coming from your brand. So, you need to employ some content marketing. Show to them that you are generous in giving informational kit such as the following:

• Blog articles
• Videos
• Guide
• Webinars
• Reports

An effective tactic to employ for Stage 1:

• Write high-quality and compelling blog articles.
• Look for useful videos like tutorials or the “how-to” videos.
• Use direct to the point and brief copy to focus the benefits over the features.

Conversion Funnel Step 2: Consideration or Interest Stage

Now that you capture the attention of your audience, your next goal is that you don’t allow them to escape. They are now your list of prospects that are now aware of the existence of your online store and understand its beneficial proposals.

These users, who have stayed at the first stage of the sales funnel, are most likely interested in your eCommerce business. They are browsing thoroughly your product or service list and chances are they are considering purchasing from you.

Your next target is to make these prospect clients add to cart a product or add it in their wishlist and move them to the next stage of the funnel.

You can eliminate any remaining reservations of your visitors. This time, by engaging them with these types of content marketing:

• Product case studies
• Client testimonials
• Product demo videos 
• In-depth product descriptions

Continue to nurture them with educational and entertainment value so that they will remain hooked on your products.

Improve your product pages- Product pages are fundamentals for successful conversions. Align your product copy with FAQ questions regarding the product. Add keyword research to optimize the pages for SEO. Feature pertinent information and elements such as:

• Product type
• Product name
• Product information 
• Calls-to-action such as “add to wishlist”, “buy now “, “enquire”
• Delivery or shipping, and return information

Conversion Funnel Step 3: Desire/ Conversion Stage

This phase is wherein you move a customer from interest and the feeling they desire independently. You need a powerful convincing tactic to purchase at the end.

• Buyer’s incentive during checkout- This should be distraction-free and offer them various payment options and convincing call-to-actions (check-out button). Add extra incentives like free shipping, and a clear stated money-back guarantee can be a compelling decisive factor for your potential buyers.
• Employ exit-intent popups- These are popup notifications that usually show when a user begins moving their cursor right to the exit button or click the new tab. Their function is to motivate the user to finish the purchase by showing them last-minute discounts and more perks. 
• Email campaign for abandoned cart-Study shows that almost 70% is the average rate for cart abandonment. If your potential shoppers leave your page, you can try to bring them back by using a highly targeted email campaign. You can also post ads that follow them on social media with the product they almost check out. Invite them again to finish the purchase and offer something to them like discounts.

Conversion Funnel Step 4: Action

The final step is when the shopper converts, the final action of your visitors purchase your product. This needs simplified optimization of your checkout page for a smooth buying experience. You need streamlined forms with enough spaces for promo codes and many more. 

You need to revisit your shopping cart software to make sure that is more user-friendly. This final step can have a big effect on your entire funnel especially your shopping cart abandonment.

(READ More: How to create a sales funnels for eCommerce)

Preparing Your eCommerce Funnel

There is no easy way when it comes to your sales funnel for your eCommerce store. This will always depend on your visitors, products, and the mapping journey of your viewers.

It takes time to discover the peak of your eCommerce funnel. You might also want to determine your metrics to see which particular stages of the funnel is not doing well most of the time. 

Once they arrive on your site, you can begin by monitoring your customer behavior at every stage of their journey inside your funnel.

• The visitor is looking at the product page.
• Adding an item to their cart.
• The potential shopper reviews their cart.
• They enter the checkout phase.
• The customer finishes the checkout.
• They arrive on a thank you message page.

Set up these metrics for your numerous marketing platforms and landing pages, so you can easily identify which funnels are more operative. Monitor closely the following metrics: bounce rate, traffic, conversion rate, sales and revenue, and shopping cart abandonment rate.

Whether you have been selling products for long, or you are just a newbie and getting ready to present a new product line to your digital store. You can always optimize your eCommerce funnel to nurture your customer and boost your sales. 

Also, remember to follow these simple practices to ease conversions once shoppers arrive on your site.

• Less is more. Keep your navigation easy and simple. –Make it hassle-for buyers to find your product. Remove all distractions for landing pages so that the customers will focus on the “Buy Now” button.
• Don’t overwhelm the shopper with text, use white space- Create compelling headlines, and provide shoppers with key product details.
• Remove any reservations- Use persuasive banner ads. Install software that can answer pre-sales queries. 
• Re-target your potential customer who abandoned their cart, and don’t let them leave without an exit offer-Use exit intent pop-ups
• Make it easy to buy- Include several payment options like Apple Pay or PayPal. Simplify your checkout flow process.