As more and more brands are stepping into eCommerce, whether starting on its own website/dot com or a platform like (Amazon, JD, Tokopedia, Shopee, Lazada etc). (You may find more different business model here). In this post, we are going to share 7 Key Elements that are crucial to gain a strong foothold in eCommerce.
We need to emphasize, existence in eCommerce is not only about stock availability and product packshots.
These 7 elements are highly relevant to a customer journey while browsing for products at eCommerce.
Element 1: Search
Search Bar is the first thing consumers would look for when they land on a platform/website. Consumers have a shorter attention span compared to previous times. On a general rule of thumb, consumers will lose sight after browsing and searching for more than 7 seconds. Hence, it is recommended for brands to have their products at the top 10 keywords of the page.
For their own website, brands could put their best sellers or new arrivals at the top.
Whereas for brands listing on platforms, it would be wise to bid for keywords to appear at the top [example as shown below circle in red].
Without optimization for eCommerce search, brands will be invisible at the first point of contact.
Element 2: Perfect Name
Product name is the primary factor in determining search results across most retailers and also impacts Google search results. It helps to increase discoverability and click-through-rate (CTR)
Click-through rate (CTR) is the ratio of users who click on a specific link to the number of total users who view a page. Example, 10 people view the same page, but only 2 people click on the same product to understand further. Here the CTR is 20%
Some examples from brand like Dove:
Element 3: Hero Image (A+ Content)
Shoppers navigate the online aisle through high speed scrolling, looking at the primary/first image only (They tend to avoid reading the full product naming)
Here are five (5) basics in short you can story in one image, if you are selling shampoo as example:
- Brand (xxx)
- Format (Shampoo/ Conditional)
- Variant (Rose/Lavender)
- Pack Count/ Size (500ml, 375ml)
- Official Brand Logo (Top Left/ Top Right)
Taking one of the best-in-class example from Unilever as below:
Element 4: Product Content (A+ Content)
Product Content allows consumers to fully understand the product before purchasing. They are also a key search optimization opportunity. Here are some key things to take note:
- Keeping it in bullet points (6 would be recommended) to story about product Unique Selling Point (USP), benefits, claims, differentiation.
- Word count in 200+ words max would be suggested
- Step Up Content (Regime, example, if you are selling shampoo, it would be good to suggest on the next step item like conditional and serum)
- Product Videos (not more than 30 seconds)
Product page with videos delivered 55% more sales
Element 5: User Generated Content
Consumer reviews are highly influential with 48% of shoppers stating that they trust text, pictures, and videos from other users, more than brand communication.
Element 6: Legal & Nutrition
Nutrition info and ingredients label is mandatory to include for FRIC. Shoppers increasingly utilize legal and regulatory information on eCommerce sites as a reference for allergy and nutrition decisions, whether shopping online, prior to purchasing a store, or before use.
It could be shown in either product description or supplementary images
Element 7: Goes Well With
Goes Well With mapping recommendations are critical for cross selling executions.
Bottom line:
The 7 Elements above serve as a recommended guidance for jumping into eCommerce. This would be the first step into this business world, there are more jobs to be done in fine tuning and improving the sales performance (from knowing more on customer journey, understanding brand DNA, product differentiation, performance marketing etc)
Note: We will be sharing about performance marketing in the coming post 😉