eCommerce has become today’s buzzword as it provides previously unavailable opportunities for all kinds of businesses. Companies like eBay and Amazon have seen the success that is impossible to ignore. The creation of such a competitive market has given brands in all sorts of industries the many benefits available online.

In this growing market, it can be difficult for brands – big and small – to be visible. Some businesses will eventually close their doors to the public, but there are strategies to make any eCommerce website successful. However, they need ample time and effort to pay off in the long run.

Consider Your Web Host as an Important Partner

Your business is different from any other one, despite any apparent similarities. Your business is an eCommerce business, and it is run online – the virtual world of the internet. You probably have a website already but is your website hosted right?

Many business owners do not pay requisite attention to their choice of web host for their eCommerce business. When problems arise, as we expect they will, they begin to understand the full import of their earlier decision. The choice of a web hosting provider must be taken seriously.

Many companies exist, offering broadly similar plans and features. This does not mean they are all equal. There are hosting companies, and there are impostors. Do everything possible to host your website with a trusted hosting provider.

If all web hosts look the same to you, these are a few things you may want to consider:

Uptime Assurances

Every web host must offer some uptime guarantee. Many hosts are quick to claim a percentage as close to 100% as possible.

First, it is vital to understand the meaning of this figure. For instance, 99.5% means your site will be inaccessible for a total of 50 minutes per week.

Second, the claims are not as important as independent reviews. You need social proof to make the correct decision for a web host.

A site that is always available means you can concentrate on growing customer loyalty, and win more traffic to your site.

Also, the availability of your site matters because site availability impacts SEO. Search engines waste little time in penalizing websites that are inaccessible when users need to visit them.

Speed

Today’s website visitors are less and less patient as general attention span keeps dropping. Your site should load in a twinkle of an eye. This improves your conversion rates because a good percentage of your traffic stick around much longer.

Another important thing is how fast your web host’s servers can process requests. Another way to look at it is that you are compensating for customers who are to get the best value for their money. They have to be able to handle your load, or else their performance could hinder your eCommerce success.

Features

You would likely install a blog or shopping cart on your site. It’s normal for web hosts to offer one-click installations. Web hosting providers can provide a streamlined process for clients like you. An online store, integrated cart, and payment facilities can be easy additions to your website if your web host thinks customer-first.

A fast and accessible website makes e-commerce success possible. To avoid reviewing web hosts yourself, use detailed third-party reviews of web hosts available here.

Everything’s Got to be SEO-first

The eCommerce bandwagon is booming. Robust Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) requires a strategy to fight off fierce competition, probably operating from halfway around the world. With a plan in place, you can work out a way to stay in control.

SEO is urgent for eCommerce businesses. It is hard, but there are tools to educate anyone. Ensuring your SEO is up-to-date removes the risk of low traffic and conversion rates.

Google is always evolving its SERP factors. You have to evolve your SEO strategy too. Doing this often helps you avoid penalties. Research and get expert help – the investment will pay off as many competitors will likely be ignoring this significant factor.

Think Mobile-first!

The number of people accessing the internet from devices other than a laptop or a desktop computer is growing. 73% of mobile phone users in the US access the internet from their devices. 87% in the UK, and 90% in Japan. What does this mean for you and your eCommerce business?

Well, websites must be custom-built to adapt to desktop and mobile environments. A mobile-first eCommerce website means you have optimized the buyer journey to be seamless for mobile users.

Customers love to talk about a great product that’s built thoughtfully. Traffic, conversions, and search engine rankings will grow if you follow through with this line of action.

You might also hear the term responsive quite often. It is a simple way of saying that your site displays and functions correctly on mobile as on desktop computers, taking into account the peculiarities of mobile environments.

Engage Several Brands in Interesting Partnerships

The companies that work with you can be a good indicator of your reputation. You can subtly show off your endorsements like this.

If consumers trust a particular company, it will help your brand immensely. You can both exploit each other’s non-competing features and offerings.

Customers will have increased faith in you, and your business will grow accordingly.

Offer Products on Social Media for Free

Promotions will help your business grow fast. If you can engage your clients and prospects in a compelling way on social media, you have a goldmine of customers for the long haul.

Established brands do this effectively. Promote your online store to your niche. Give something away for free – but make sure it is valuable. This makes people feel indebted to your brand and come back to your website, expecting more of the same.

In conclusion

Running an eCommerce business is fun and engaging. One may say, inspiring. It is certainly plenty of work, but it is work that counts. Always remember that an excellent web hosting company guaranteeing excellent speed sets your business up for success.

Emily Jacobs is Happiness Ambassador for SpeedCheck.org

She loves to write latest technology trends and love to share her knowledge through her articles.