A Totally Accessible Guide to Increase Conversions of Your Edmonton E-Commerce Website

How well is your e-commerce store working for you?

Since you clicked this post, the chances are you think you can get more out of it, and thankfully, there are things you can do. 

Plenty of them, actually.

When it comes to modern e-commerce stores, you can't just set up your store and leave it to make money, naturally leaving it to grow over time. That would be fantastic, but it's just not the case.

Instead, you need to nurture success out of your website. Tweak it, analyze it, improve it, better it, and just continuously keep evolving it little by little, like tending to a loving garden.

That's exactly what this guide is about. I'm taking you on a deep dive through the best strategies, tricks, and tips to better your e-commerce store. And this isn't just about making it look nice. 

This is about tried, tested, and some rather unique approaches to get more people to click the Buy Now button.

Let's get straight into it.

Take the time to understand your Edmonton target audience

The most important first step when doing anything online is figuring out exactly who you're trying to speak, connect with, and sell to.

The internet these days is a bit of a Wild West, with people of all ages, generations, and demographics mixing in one big pot. 

Your job as a business is to filter through the noise and laser-focus on the people who are best interested in what you're offering.

One of the biggest mistakes I see businesses making is trying to make their business look attractive in the eyes of everyone. Surely, if everyone's happy, then everyone can be my customer, and I'll become super-

successful, right?

Well, it rarely ends up that way. 

Instead, your content, imagery, branding, and the whole vibe of your business just become generic and, well, boring.

Instead, find the best demographic and be as specific as possible. This will dictate the language, the imagery, the branding, and pretty much everything to do with your store.

Here's how to think about it.

Imagine you were selling running shoes. 

Are you selling to middle-aged men trying to get back into fitness? Maybe people with a lot of disposable income?

Or are you seeking fun-loving, affordable Gen Z audiences who want to look after themselves but look cool and colourful in the process?

Same product - different branding.

This is why it's crucial to understand who you're trying to sell to and then niching down to meet them exactly.

With this hyper-focused approach, you can set your store up in such a way that gives them exactly what they're looking for, thus totally convincing them that you're the place for them and the store to buy from.

How to find your target audience

If you're starting out, pick an audience and get specific. Use data to find an appropriate market and make sure it exists.

If you're already established, look at your data and see how it is actually interacting and buying from you. These are the people you're connecting with already, so build on that. Don't do what Jaguar did and isolate a ton of their existing audience.

Who's owner company's stock value dropped a staggering 38% since launching their new branding and ads and faced massive media backlash. See the drop at the end that’s still plummeting.

So, get granular.

Think demographics – age, income, location within Edmonton – but go deeper than that. Consider psychographics: what are their interests, values, and lifestyles? 

What are their pain points and aspirations? What are they really searching for when they land on your website?

For example, someone searching for the "best Italian restaurant near me" isn't just looking for food. They might plan a romantic date night, a family gathering, or a quick bite after work. 

Understanding that intent is key. 

You may even want to do what the big agencies do and create buyer personas, which are fictional representations of your ideal Edmonton customers.

Give them names, describe their lives, and outline their needs. This helps you visualize your target audience and tailor your website and marketing messages accordingly.

The more you understand your Edmonton audience, the more effectively you can connect with them and convert them into loyal customers.

How to optimize your website for better conversions

So you know who your target audience is and who you're trying to connect with, so it's time to start shifting your website towards providing them, whoever they are, with the experience that'll give them what they want.

Do this effectively and meet their expectations, and they're most likely to convert. Thus, you raise your conversion rates, and you have a thriving business.

We need it on point, so here's how to optimize it.

Website design and user experience (UX)

First, let's start with the actual experience your website provides.

As standard, your website must be responsive and look fantastic on any device. 

Edmontonians are on the go, and if your site isn't mobile-friendly, you're losing customers. Google will also penalize you since their search engines rank websites on a mobile-first basis.

Secondly, speed matters.

Nobody's waiting around for website pages to load these days. You need good hosting and good page optimization, good caching, compressed images, lazy loading features, and the rest to ensure you're loading in under one second or so.

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix to check your site's speed and identify areas for improvement. 

And then focus on the experience of actually using and navigating your website.

Are the core pages easy to find and navigate? Is there a visually appealing design? Is the font clear to read? Are the colours working well together, or does it feel a little jarring?

There's always room to improve here, so don't be afraid to tweak or, better yet, A/B test your pages to see which works best over time.

Oh, and don't be afraid to use local imagery since you're connecting with Edmonton people.

A photo of the River Valley or a recognizable Edmonton landmark can create a sense of connection and trust that goes a long way.

Content optimization

Everyone says content is king, but relevant content is emperor. 

Your website needs to speak directly to the needs and interests of your Edmonton target audience. 

Keyword research is essential here. 

What are people in Edmonton searching for when they need your products or services? Think beyond generic terms. Target local keywords like "plumber in West Edmonton" or "dentist near Whyte Ave." 

Create dedicated location pages if you serve multiple areas within Edmonton. 

Oh, and don't underestimate the power of a blog. 

Sharing valuable information related to your industry not only positions you as an expert but also allows you to target long-tail keywords like "how to choose the right furnace for Edmonton winters." 

Then, no matter what content you're focusing on, images, videos, and infographics make your content better, more engaging, and easier to digest - all of which help visitors have a better experience.

Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

CTAs are so important on an e-commerce website because they tell customers exactly what they need to do. It may sound simple, but even just personalizing a CTA can lead to conversion rate increases of 42%.

In other words, don't sleep on this.

Most importantly, clear and compelling CTAs are essential. You don't need to overcomplicate things here.

"Book Now," "Get a Free Quote," and "Visit Our Showroom" – these are all examples of strong CTAs. 

In most cases, however, it's not just about what you say; it's about where you say it. Place your CTAs strategically above the fold (the section of the page visible without scrolling), within your content, and at the end of each page.

Again, A/B testing different CTAs can help you determine what resonates best with your audience.

Working on forms and contact information

Many customers will have reservations and questions about buying your product. If you alleviate them, they're much more likely to buy, so make it easy for them.

Sure, you have product pages and FAQs, but sometimes, people want to reach out and connect with another human, so make it easy for them to do so.

Use simple, easy-to-fill forms with minimal required fields. Your phone number, email address, and physical address (especially important for local businesses) should be prominently displayed. 

Integrate Google Maps to make it a breeze for Edmontonians to find your location if you have a brick-and-mortar store.

Building trust and credibility

Trust is paramount, especially when dealing with local businesses. Showcase customer testimonials and reviews to build social proof. 

Display security badges and certifications to instill confidence. Highlight memberships in local Edmonton business organizations. 

And don't forget your "About Us" page. Tell your story, connect with your Edmonton community, and show the human side of your business.

Some local SEO strategies for Edmonton

Okay, so the website's up and running, and it's looking a lot better for the people you're trying to connect with. What's next?

Well, it's a case of playing the numbers game. If you have a conversion rate of 3%, I'm sure you'd rather have 1,000 people come to your website than 100. Therefore, you want to get more people coming to you.

This is where local SEO comes in, also known as the art of getting your website to the top of Google results when people are searching for businesses in your niche.

Here's what you need to know.

Google Business Profile (GMB) optimization

Start with your Google Business Profile.

It's often the first thing potential customers see when they search for your type of business in Edmonton. Therefore, claiming and verifying your GBP is non-negotiable. 

Make sure your business information is accurate and up-to-date, choose the right categories and attributes, and, crucially, manage and respond to reviews. 

Think of it as your chance to engage with potential customers and show them you care. 

Also, regularly posting on GBP with updates, offers, and local news can also boost your visibility. And don't forget to use insights to track your performance and understand customer behaviour.

Local citations

Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. 

Consistent NAP information is vital for local SEO. Think of it like ensuring all your business cards have the same contact details. 

That means taking the time to build citations on relevant local directories, including Edmonton-specific directories and industry-specific platforms. 

These include:

• The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
• The Directory Search
• The Edmonton Business Association Directory
• The Yellow Pages
• Edmonton Business Review
• Info Edmonton
• Edmonton Made

This helps Google verify your business information and improves your local search ranking.

Manage your online reviews and reputation management

Online reviews are the new word-of-mouth. 

Edmontonians rely heavily on reviews when choosing local businesses. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and other relevant platforms. 

Actively monitor your online reviews and respond to both positive and negative feedback. Addressing negative reviews professionally and offering solutions can turn a bad experience into a positive one and demonstrate excellent customer service.

Focus on local link building

Building links from other reputable websites to your website is a crucial ranking factor. In the context of local SEO, focus on building relationships with other Edmonton businesses and organizations. 

Getting listed on local resource pages, blogs, and community websites can significantly boost your local search visibility.

Geo-targeting

Geo-targeting lets you focus your online advertising campaigns (Google Ads, social media) on specific geographic areas within Edmonton. 

This ensures that your ads are seen by the most relevant audience – people who are actually located in or near your service area. 

This is a highly effective way to reach potential customers actively searching for your products or services in Edmonton.

Wrapping up

So, there you have a roadmap to turning those website visitors into loyal Edmonton customers.

Now, don't try to implement all of these at once because the chances are you'll burn out and make some big mistakes that can seriously damage your reputation. Instead, come up with a plan to make small but impactful changes over time and allow things to grow naturally.

Or, of course, you can enlist the help of a professional who can handle everything on your behalf.

That's exactly what we do here at Ignite Web Design, where you can contact us today for a free consultation.

We'll analyze your current website and marketing efforts and develop a customized strategy to help you achieve your business goals by increasing your conversion rates and so much more.

Click here to get in touch, and let's get your website working for you exactly as intended.