Easy & Efficient Strategies to Refresh Your Site

How long have you been promising to refresh your site and provide much needed update to your eCommerce store? Likely, it has been that item lingering on your to-do list across weeks or months. But as an eCommerce entrepreneur, you have a core business to run and manage. That is why most eCommerce merchants don’t update their website regularly enough. We get it. While the team at 1Digital Agency is always thinking about SEO, digital strategy, and content marketing, but an eCommerce owner doesn’t have time for that. It can make a redesign of your site feel insurmountable and even a refresh of your site requires time and effort. However, it doesn’t have to take your blood, sweat, and tears. Instead, these five ways you can refresh your site all on your own are simple tasks, tricks, and tools to keep your website up to date.

Why Is It Important to Refresh Your Site?

Many eCommerce merchants look at updating their online store as a need-based requirement. When content is outdated or a product is discontinued, then it is time to login and make the necessary changes. This is an important reason to refresh your site. For many merchants, their Shopify, Volusion, or BigCommerce store has replaced a physical space, and it can help to think about it that way when taking on updates. If your online store isn’t accurate to your products or services, customers are going to look elsewhere. Fresh content is also important for SEO. If you want Google and other search engines to look favorably on your website, you have to do regular maintenance. This lets the search engines know that your website is active and you are open for business. In turn, Google will give you a better ranking in the search results. It also signals to customers that your brand is vibrant. As well, a regular refresh of your site can prevent security issues that creep up over time. If you are regularly interacting with your eCommerce platform and plugins, you will know when something is outdated or needs an update. Keeping the tools that power your website updated can prevent hackers from attacking your online store.

Utilize the Value of Compelling Product Descriptions

The easiest way to hit the refresh button on your website is by updating your product descriptions. This may seem daunting if you sell a number of products or services, but there is no need to revise every description simultaneously. Begin with any products that have been modified or have a new version. It is most essential to ensure your product descriptions are 100% accurate. Once you have clear, correct descriptions for every product or service, the next step is refreshing your site to build interest. Compelling product descriptions lead to conversion. Do your product descriptions tell a story? Are the descriptions enticing to read? Can you update them for consistency with your brand? Is there a new angle on these items? As well, you can consider if your product descriptions address the entirety of a customer’s experience. Often, we are stuck describing what a product is and we forget to tell customers how they benefit.

Capture Your Customers with Graphics and Images

The camera phone photos you took back in 2012 are unlikely to make any customer’s heart race in 2017. And 2016’s holiday photos probably aren’t winning you any new business either. Across digital space, images are gaining importance. Even on blogs and corporate pages, images, video, and infographics should be high-quality and interesting. As well, more and more of our digital communication is happening via image. If images are taking on this much significance for professional service providers and everyday conversation, imagine the value of good graphics to your eCommerce company. A huge number of customers will never read your product description. The images you provide will form their entire opinion of your brand, and whether or not they decide to move from viewer to customer. Therefore, quality, fresh images on your product page are a must. Consider giving your photos a seasonal or interesting twist; this will also encourage your to update them more often. Keep in mind that video is on the rise. If video appropriately fits on your site, whether as part of your landing page, product pages, or introducing your team, now is a great time to start using it. If you need assistance learning how to incorporate video into your eCommerce site, 1Digital Agency can help.

Rotate Client Testimonials to Build Trust in Your Brand

A large number of eCommerce merchants rely on positive customer reviews and customer testimonials to provide an outside perspective on their brand and products. It is a useful tactic because new customers see these individuals as reliable and upfront. A refresh to your site can be as simple as rotating the reviews you highlight on a product page or updating the testimonials provided on a separate page of your website. Of course, this change requires some preparation. To make this work, an eCommerce company obviously needs happy customers who are willing to go on record for your brand. The current testimonial page probably features the customers you know best or those that have demonstrated significant brand loyalty. To update this information, it may require seeking a new crowd of satisfied customers. You can request feedback in your weekly email blast or integrate a post on social media that asks for a review. Otherwise, personal emails to repeat customers is a great way to obtain the testimonial you need and build repertoire with some of your best shoppers.

Not Feeling Ready to Refresh Your Site Alone?

If this is your first foray into maintenance and revision to your eCommerce site, it is understandably intimidating. This is particularly true if you are are not tech savvy. However, eCommerce platforms try to make these frequent changes intuitive for their users. Spend some time learning about the platform and its features before you make any changes. Of course, if you have questions, 1Digital Agency has the expertise to assist with your website maintenance. Call our Philadelphia-based office at (215)-809-1567.

The post 3 Ways to Regularly Refresh Your Site, All on Your Own appeared first on 1Digital®.