Do you want to simultaneously increase your ecommerce store’s conversions and receive more visibility in search results to attract new customers?
Let’s look at three powerful and proven ways the leading online sellers increase conversion rates and search visibility through social proof, user-generated content (UGC), and website security – and how you can do the same.
3 Conversion Questions Online Retailers Must Answer
When it comes to conversion rate optimization for ecommerce stores, there are three questions you must answer if you want to remove uncertainty, create higher levels of trust, and converts more shoppers into buyers.
You need to convert more shoppers into buyers.
How?
There are three questions visitors will ask themselves when they visit your site:
- Do I trust this website or seller? Can consumers trust the merchant to deliver the product as it’s described, in a reasonable timeframe, and provide customer service if needed?
- Do I trust this product? Can consumers trust the product quality, specs, features, functions, and results as described?
- Do I trust this transaction? Can consumers trust that their personal information is safe during the checkout process? Can consumers trust that their financial and personal data will be protected?
Your website must remove uncertainty – the friction that creates abandonment, by answering all three questions. This will create higher levels of trust.
These three critical conversion questions can be answered quickly and easily using what Shopper Approved calls the Traffic & Conversion Stack (T&C Stack).
Common Ways Ecommerce Retailers Convert Visitors
Analysis of product pages from major ecommerce retailers shows how each uses similar trust-building features and user experience (UX) to convey that the website, product, and transaction are credible and trustworthy.
Amazon
Screenshot from Amazon.com, October 2021Product Reviews Increase Conversion
If you look under the product title in the Amazon listing above, you will see the familiar links to the retailer’s product ratings and reviews, and product Q&A, in the same location, every time. Creating a familiar and trusted UX.
The reviews and ratings serve as social proof or confirmation that other people trust the product as well as the vendor selling it.
To better understand the consumer perception and value of this UX and specifically these trust signals, Shopper Approved conducted a national survey of 600 U.S. adults, during which they discovered some interesting findings about the value of reviews and consumer behavior.
- 61% of consumers found product reviews to be absolutely essential or very important during their product research phase.
- 66% of consumers are highly or very highly influenced by the number of product reviews.
- 72% of consumers are highly or very highly influenced by the average star rating of the product.
The Power of Q&A to Convert
Just like customer reviews, questions posted by potential customers about the product fall into the category of user-generated content. A searchable question and answer (Q&A) section allow potential customers to get answers that will remove uncertainty, and influence their decision to purchase the product.
In the same consumer survey, Shopper Approved validated how a Q&A section can help boost conversions:
- 94% of consumers are more likely to buy a product if a Q&A is present on the product page.
- 75% of consumers found it very or extremely important that a product page contains Q&A.
Visible Security Seals Increase Trust
In addition to social proof and user-generated content, Amazon places a secure transaction link beneath the Add to Cart button. When you click on this link, you get the trust and reassurance that your transaction will be secure.
This same trust-building experience is replicated within the Shopper Approved T&C Stack. When the shopper clicks on the “Secure transaction” seal next to the Buy Now or Add to Cart button, they see a pop-up from Trust Guard that ensures them the site is secure, and it has been scanned within 24-hours for malware, and that the SSL certificate is active.
This Trust Guard website security seal alone has been independently tested by Conversion Fanatics to improve conversion rate (CVR) by 19%, and average order value (AOV) by 71%.
Trust Guard security confirmation popupIn regards to website security, the Shopper Approved survey found the following.
- 88% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a product page with a website security seal or secure transaction link by the Add to Cart button.
- 83% of consumers said it was very or extremely important that a product page displays a website security seal or secure transaction link by the Add to Cart button.
More Impact When Used Together
To create more trust and greater convenience, consumers prefer to see all three elements used together on the product page.
- 91% of consumers surveyed said they were more likely to buy from a product page that displayed Product Reviews, Q&A, and a Secure Transaction seal over an identical product page that did not.
RV Upgrades
Although the major ecommerce brands use a very similar UX that has been tested and proven successful by Amazon, any website can now use the same trust-building and high converting UX preferred by 91% of consumers surveyed. And this configuration and UX with the T&C Stack by Shopper Approved have generated a 75% conversion rate.
Screenshot from RVupgrades.com, October 2021
Home Depot
Screenshot from HomeDepot.com, October 2021Is Amazon’s combination of social proof and user-generated content proprietary?
A similar formula is used by other online retailers, including Home Depot.
Beneath the name of the product, you will see links to the number of product reviews and the questions and answer section for the product. Although they do not offer a secure transaction link beneath their Add to Cart button, they do offer the option to buy via PayPal, which people know and trust from eBay and other online marketplaces.
Macy’s
Screenshot from Macys.com, October 2021Macy’s employs two forms of social proof on their product pages. They have the:
- Link to product reviews beneath the product name.
- Total number of customers who have purchased the product above the add to bag button. This serves as a trust signal that the transaction will be secure.
Tractor Supply Company
Screenshot from TractorSupply.com, October 2021Tractor Supply Company uses the area beneath the product name to offer social proof and user-generated content alongside tabs for product details, specifications, and documents.
Beneath their Add to Cart button, they link to a page that reinforces the policies for contactless pickup at one of their stores and delivery. Although it doesn’t increase customer confidence in the transaction itself, it does increase confidence in the seller and their conditions.