So, you're proud of your product and your Woo Commerce site is set up and ready to go. But, is it doing as well as you thought it would? If not, what can you do to optimise its performance and attract as much traffic as possible?

You need a few nifty tips and tricks up your sleeve and this list will get you started.

1. Simplify the checkout

Fundamentally, your goal is to get browsers to turn into customers. So, make it easy for them. Internet users are often impulsive buyers, which means you should provide a clear, legible link to your checkout at all times. And, when browsers click on it, ensure that the purchase process is simple and straightforward. If possible, reduce your checkout to just one field. That way, there's no cause for confusion or second thoughts.

2. Facilitate specific searches

Internet users often don't have much time on their side. Most of the time, they know what they want and they're wired to get their hands on it as quickly as possible. So, provide them with the tools to find it easily, by adding a few search filters.

For example, Woo Commerce allows searching by particular qualities, including size and colour. What's more, users can also filter results according to reviews, letting them see five-star products only, if that's the option they choose.

3. Put the spotlight on individual products with images

Rather than using just one image to represent a group of products, give every product the attention it deserves with a unique photo. For example, rather than merely stating that a pictured item, which might be red and made of vinyl, is available in purple leather, show it visually. Prospective buyers want to feel confident that what they're seeing and paying for is what they're getting. Accurate photos provide an opportunity to encourage trust and build loyalty.

If you'd like some more ideas to optimise the performance of your Woo Commerce platform or you're looking for expert help with any aspect of web design in Canberra, please get in touch with us today.

5 things an online store needs

For many online retailers, ecommerce and online stores are the core of revenue and profit. People can spend countless hours and funds creating an amazing and visually appealing website but often neglect to focus on the most essential part of their online presence - their online store.

To ensure effectiveness, online stores should be built by a professional and external website developer. Investing in a professional service will ensure nothing gets missed. The best platforms to build online stores are Magento, Open Cart, Mojo Shop and Woo Commerce and these are the benefits they offer:

1. Mobile functionality
   
   The world is turning digital. The age of laptops being a necessity to conduct business is dying; many people purchase goods and services while in transit – from their phone. If an online store is not mobile compatible, a large percentage of potential customers will be lost.
   
   
2. Visual clarity
   
   People are busy, they don’t want to spend countless time scrolling through pages to find the goods or service that they require. A clearly defined list with images or a grid is the best way to have a consumer clicking through faster and securing a sale.
   
   
3. Branding
   
   A company logo and colour scheme should be the most prominent thing on an online store. The store should seem like an extension of the consumer-facing website. Having clear branding ensures consumer trust and confidence when processing payments.
   
   
4. Deal plugins
   
   What drives customers to purchase? Bargains! An online store should always have the option to run promotions, offer free shipping or even freebies. The latest deals should be advertised in a prominent position on the homepage of the online store in order to grab consumer attention and create a sense of urgency to purchase.
   
   
5. A cart, login and search bar
   
   These three things may seem like simple additions to an online store; however, they are often missed. A login portal will allow a consumer to save payment details, their address and to track orders faster. A search bar eases the shopping process for the consumer and a cart allows people to clearly identify what they are purchasing – and spending – which may encourage them to purchase more.

Online stores are vital to business success and should always be built by professionals. If you're looking for web design Canberra, get in touch with us at Canberra Web. We will ensure the design and functionality of your online shop perfectly match your brand and target your customer.

What you need to know about your online store

Too many businesses today think that going online will net them instant profits. Platforms like Opencart,  Woo Commerce, Magento, and others make it easy for any business to sell online.

There are many factors businesses need to consider before they jump on the online store bandwagon.

1. Planning
   
   More often than not, businesses make the mistake that as long as they are Wi-Fi enabled, they can immediately open their online store. Most do not sit down to plan or to understand how the digital environment operates. Ensure you do this by consulting with an online shop builder beforehand.
   
   
2. SEO
   
   SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) or how much Google prioritises your website in its search results is important if you want your online store to succeed. If people can't see your store when they are searching they are not likely to buy from you.
   
   SEO is achieved through content, page titles, keywords, tags and links.
   
   
3. Platform
   
   Picking the right platform for your online store is another consideration. With so many free platforms in the Cloud today, how do you know which will give you the maximum result for minimum effort and cost?
   
   
4. Cost
   
   Do you know your cost? Hosting platforms may appear free but they usually come with a price tag if you want more features. Don’t end up in a situation where you’re slapped with a bill that you did not budget for.
   
   
5. Backend operations
   
   Backend operations are just as important as front-end sales. Your online store must be able to carry out all the activities involved in completing a purchase from order confirmation to payment, to delivery.
   
   
6. Social media
   
   Social media platforms are good supplementary selling tools. Have you decided how and what content you want to incorporate into your company’s social networking sites?
   
   
7. In-house or outsourced?
   
   Do you want a store customed designed for your business or are you happy with a shopping cart style site? Both have cost implications.

An online store can increase reach and improve sales but building one may involve quite a lot of work. Simply putting a store online will not guarantee you that people will flock to your site to buy from you. An effective online store requires careful planning and strategic choices.

For more information on how Canberra Web can help your business design a winning online store strategy, contact us today.

As 2020 arrives, many people make such resolutions. In terms of your ecommerce website, be it a Wordpress, Joomla or other design, our Canberra Web team have come up with a few possible resolutions to help make the most of your online shop. Which of these might be useful for yours...

I'd like my site to be easier to navigate

It's important that potential customers have a smooth transition from arrival to spend! As an insider, you understand the processes they'll be following; it can be easy to forget that their understanding of finding their way to a purchase can be less expert than your own.

I want my online shop to be more effective across all devices

There are still many sites around which look great on a desktop, laptop or even tablet, but haven't been effectively configured to be as welcoming, navigable and impressive on increasingly relied upon mobile devices. Whether your shop is built using Magento, Woo Commerce, Open Cart, Mojo Shop, or other options, its appearance and functionality need to be right for all different access possibilities.

I need my online welcome to be more targeted

Searches are undertaken using the criteria that are important to the searcher. Appreciating these, and assessing how they'll be expressed in the terms and phrases used, it's possible to create specifically designed landing pages to gain an instant connection with their needs or wants. In such cases, this is likely to be more productive than simply directing arrivals to a homepage or general category introduction.

I want more people to be aware of my online presence

Having an effective digital marketing strategy, from carefully targeted email campaigns to a vibrant, constantly refreshed, and engaging presence on Twitter or Facebook, allows a business to make more of all the efforts to craft a responsive web design. Such avenues allow an exponential sharing of information, rapidly increasing and diversifying the reach of your communications.

How can we help?

For the above, and other possible online business-building resolutions, we are ready to help. From app development to digital marketing and web design Canberra wide, our team are ready to discuss your needs. Please call us, obligation-free on 02 6223 2222. Finally, can we wish you a Happy and Productive New Year!

When it comes to choosing a platform to use for your e-commerce system, there is a range of options to choose from including Woo Commerce, Open Cart, Mojo Shop and Magento. There are benefits to all platforms, but here we explore why Woo Commerce is the best e-commerce platform for you.

Integrates easily

Woo Commerce integrates easily with a whole host of platforms. It will work on your website and your app development team in Canberra will easily be able to link it to your mobile platforms too. Woo Commerce is easily integrated into any WordPress website.

Handles SEO

Inbuilt into Woo Commerce is the ability to add keywords and boost SEO. This is a massive benefit in enabling you to get products out there and make them visible to potential customers. Woo Commerce also makes analytics tracking very easy. Simply plug it in and you'll be provided with the information that you actually need to improve your business and conversion rates.

Secure

Web security is vitally important when operating e-commerce systems and Woo Commerce is very secure. This system is regularly updated and the system is easily managed to keep your customer details secure.

Flexible

Woo Commerce is very flexible, allowing you to use it to achieve the things that you need from your e-commerce system. The flexibility of design will allow you to set it up how you want it. Woo Commerce can also accept a range of payment methods, making it easy for customers to purchase.

Free

Unlike most e-commerce systems, Woo Commerce is free to set up and use for your company. This is great news for people starting out with online trading, as it will enable you to sell without any extra overheads.

While Woo Commerce is by no means the only e-commerce platform, this easily customised and highly secure system is a great system for businesses to work with. Choosing Woo Commerce for the e-commerce arm of your web design in Canberra is a decision that you will not regret.

Transform your website or blog into a powerful online store and reach more customers

WooCommerce is the most customisable e-commerce platform for WordPress websites and blogs. When designed properly, it becomes a powerful tool for you to reach and sell to more customers. If you are thinking of starting an online store or considering improving your existing e-commerce platform, talk to us. CanberraWeb is Canberra’s leading WooCommerce developer. We have helped a wide range of businesses in Canberra and the ACT build their online stores and will be able to help your business set-up your online store to grow your business. Here are three ways that WooCommerce can turn your website or blog into an effective selling tool:

1.  As an online store to sell products/services
2. As a dynamic marketplace offering products/services of other vendors
3. As a powerful booking/renting system.

Our WooCommerce services

We are the experts in WooCommerce development and site support.

WooCommerce development

We take care of all the technical, security and legal aspects of your online store. We also have a design team to look after aesthetics. Your online store must be easy for you to manage, appealing for visitors, and memorable for shoppers. Check out some of the online stores we have built here (LINK).

WooCommerce audit

If you have an existing online store that needs refreshing, we provide a full review and recommendations for improvement. Register here to book an audit (LINK).

WooCommerce maintenance and support

We offer full support for ongoing maintenance including plugins, upgrades and additions, automated backups, uptime scans and so forth. View our plan click here (LINK).

Analytics & Digital Marketing

We design dashboards that you can access to get information on product/service performance, customer buying behaviour, and trends. We also help you design effective marketing campaigns to target and build customer relationships.

Search engine optimisation

Getting ranked high on Google requires a series of steps including plugins and content that we will take care of.

Your WooCommerce store

WooCommerce store, marketplace or booking/renting system designed by CanberraWeb incorporates the following:

• Customisation and branding
• Receptive to all devices
• Store management – track orders, payments, and deliveries, create coupons/promo codes
• Payment processing and gateways
• Up-selling/cross-selling and related product features
• Dashboards – product/service performance, analytics, e-marketing
• Advanced search filters
• Superior customer service support – purchase history, feedback, FAQ
• Social media integration
• Additional – Multilingual translations.

View online stores we have designed here.

Marketplace also has:

• Vendors customisation
• Automated vendors registration
• Vendors product management – add/amend/remove products/services
• Automated commissions payment.

Check out the dynamic online marketplaces we have created here (LINK).

Renting/booking system also has:

• Google calendar synchronisation
• Automated email replies and notifications
• Payment features that include deposits / full payments
• Price, resource and category configurations
• Pickup/return locations.

See what we can do with a renting/booking system here

Designing and building your WooCommerce store requires careful thought and planning. You want to get it right the first time so you can start selling immediately to customers. Contact CanberraWeb today for the best advice for your online store.