If you’re looking to boost your eCommerce conversion rates, you must understand one critical (but complex) concept: human psychology.
All successful eCommerce businesses are selling something, but more importantly, they’re tapping into consumer behaviors and thought processes. This is a quintessential aspect of conversion rate optimization (CRO), and yet it’s one many brands overlook.
Did you know the average landing page conversion rate is only 5.89%?
In other words, most landing pages are failing to generate sales – and that’s likely because they’re not optimizing with the right psychological strategies.
It doesn’t matter if you’re selling business to business or business to consumer: you need to understand your audience, their emotions, and their online shopping experiences.
In this blog post, we will delve into psychology-driven eCommerce CRO tips to drive sales and conversions to your online store.
(1) Make a Resounding First Impression
First impressions matter, especially when talking about your landing page.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management, 55% of first impressions are made based on what we see, and at least 7% are made by the words we hear or read.
This means your landing page needs to (1) look great and (2) say all of the right things. If you don’t check these two boxes, your eCommerce business can (and will) lose new visitors in seconds.
To increase your online sales, focus heavily on creating a landing page that encourages people to stick around. Use strong visual elements that align with your brand identity, as well as concise, hard-hitting content that snags users’ attention.
Think of your landing page as a firm handshake in a business meeting. Does it give visitors an attractive, positive first impression – or does it have the appeal of a limp fish?
(2) Prioritize Persuasive Headlines
Never underestimate the power of the words on your landing page, especially your headlines. These are the first pieces of text your potential customers will encounter, and like we just talked about, they need to make a positive impression immediately.
More specifically, landing page headlines need to persuade. That’s a fancy way of saying they need to make humans believe something and take action on that belief – likely by purchasing a product or signing up for a service.
An example of a non-persuasive landing page headline: Check out our products!
An example of a more persuasive headline: Transform your lifestyle with our limited-time solutions.
That’s a general example, but you get the drift. When people are online shopping, you can’t just present them with information – you need to push them to take that final step and convert, and that starts with convincing, compelling text.
(3) Use Color Strategically
Color and psychology are intimately connected. By learning to leverage this concept on your landing page, you can evoke certain emotions in your audience (and increase the chance of scoring a customer).
According to an interview with the American Psychological Association, color associations are pretty much universal. That means no matter who you’re selling to or what country they’re in, they likely have similar feelings about different colors. Red is associated with anger and love, yellow with joy, black with sadness, and so on.
In online marketplaces, you’ll likely notice that many online stores stick with white or light gray coloring for a sleek, modern look. Others opt for blues, greens, and soft colors that feel inviting and soothing.
We’re not going to tell you which color scheme is right for your landing page – that depends on your eCommerce business. What we are telling you is that color matters, so put some serious thought into the emotional associations of your page’s design.
(4) Offer Social Proof and Trust Signals
FOMO isn’t just something people talk about on TikTok. The fear of missing out dictates many human behaviors, and it often propels people to buy popular, trendy products.
That’s why social proof is vital to every eCommerce company. When creating your landing page, clearly display product reviews and user-generated content. This is one of the best ways to get people on board and reassure skeptical shoppers.
Interestingly, people often don’t even seem to care about the kind of reviews on your website. In many cases, it’s the quantity that counts — how many people have purchased and/or used what your eCommerce business is selling.
Don’t get us wrong: you still want quality social proof. It’s not just a numbers game, but the more people who seem interested in your products and services, the more likely others will be to join the crowd. Most of us are pack animals, and if we feel like we’re missing out, we’ll act.
(5) Create a Sense of Scarcity and Urgency
“Limited-time offer!”
“Act now before we sell out!”
“Get your one-day discount!”
As cheesy as these scarcity tactics might sound, the truth is they work. Whether you’re creating a full eCommerce store or a specific landing page, it’s a good idea to encourage a sense of urgency.
We’re not saying to rile people up or lie about the availability of your product. What we are saying is to give people reasons to act quickly, rather than encouraging them to put something in their cart and think on it for days.
The scarcity mindset is a core tenant of psychology. When we believe an item is in short supply or temporarily available, we attribute a higher value to it. The product seems more unique and desirable – and that encourages more effective conversion rates.
When building a landing page for your eCommerce business, find opportunities to implement tactics that elicit immediate action. Share limited-time offers, highlight seasonal sales, or even include a countdown timer for a big discount.
(6) Streamline the Page’s Navigation
Just like any winning eCommerce website, a well-optimized landing page should be straightforward and easy for any shopper to navigate. We humans are easily aggravated, and a confusing, chaotic website will quickly drive us away.
An effective landing page should be fairly simple and get straight to the point. More importantly, it should deliver a clear message to visitors and offer an easy way to collect customer data for further communication and marketing purposes.
A cluttered landing page layout will almost certainly lead to high bounce rates. Ensure that key information is easily accessible and the user journey flows seamlessly. Use clear call-to-action buttons that guide users toward the desired conversion point, and whenever possible, reduce friction to enhance the overall experience.
(7) Make Your Audience Feel Special
One of your leading branding strategies should be zeroing in on YOUR target audience. This allows you to better personalize to individual groups and make them feel understood, catered to, and valued.
Countless philosophers have said it many different ways, but John Dewey put it most succinctly: “The deepest urge in human nature is ‘the desire to be important.’”
This is especially true when customers are shopping online. If they stumble across a dedicated landing page tailored to people just like them, they’ll be more likely to stick around, learn about the product, and maybe even convert.
As you build landing pages for your eCommerce business, pay attention to your customer data. Who are you targeting? What are their unique needs and goals, and how can you offer them a one-of-a-kind solution or experience?
That’s what your landing pages need to tap into.
(8) Optimize for Painless Mobile Commerce
How do you want your mobile users to feel when they use your landing page: frustrated or engaged? If you’re shooting for the latter, mobile responsiveness is a non-negotiable.
At the end of the day, humans are pretty simple. If we form positive associations with something, we’re more likely to engage with and revisit it. If we have a negative experience with something, we’ll likely turn tail and steer clear.
The same goes for your eCommerce landing page. You need it to be incredibly easy to use, especially on mobile devices.
Today’s phone and tablet users expect seamless browsing experiences. If your landing page isn’t optimized for mobile screens, takes a long time to load, or looks distorted on small screens... you can kiss that positive user experience goodbye.
If you want to encourage conversion, focus on building a landing page that makes shopping from a mobile device easy and enjoyable. The more painless you make the mobile purchase process, the more you’ll entice visitors to take action.
Is Your Landing Page Failing to Convert? Let’s Talk.
Understanding the psychology of your audience is a game-changer, no matter your industry or business size. Whether you’re picking the right landing page colors or sharing user testimonies, your goal should always be to spur positive experiences (and more conversions).
If your eCommerce landing page isn’t converting, we’re here to help.
At Platinum Consulting Services, we specialize in creating bridges between eCommerce businesses and their customers. We’ll figure out where the disconnect lies and how we can tap into your audience’s minds to encourage higher conversion rates.
Book Your Landing Page Consultation Now
To learn about our eCommerce website development and creative design services, schedule a call today. Our CRO specialists will help identify your landing page’s biggest opportunities for improvement.