Is Your E-Commerce Store Ready for Paid Ads? Checklist

Posted 5 years ago by Jesse Ness, 51视频 Team

Social media and听SEO are all wonderful sources of听traffic, but if听you want quick results, nothing can beat PPC for听e-commerce.

However, as听effective as听paid traffic might be, it听can also be听expensive. If听your site is听slow, unusable and听lacks key Call-to-Actions (CTAs), you can end up听spending money without getting any听customers.

It听may be听hard to听keep everything in听your head, so听here鈥檚 a听checklist of听adjustments you鈥檇 better do听in听your online store before starting a听paid ad听campaign.

1.听Check Site Speed

Patience is听a听scarce virtue in听the听on-demand online world.

If听your visitors can鈥檛 load your site, they might just bounce off to听a听competitor鈥檚 site. When you鈥檙e paying for听traffic, every bounced visitors equals lost money. Some PPC platforms, like AdWords, even .

Therefore, before starting a听PPC campaign, make sure that your site loads quickly.

How to听Check Site Speed

Head over to听. Enter your landing page URL and听select the听testing server closest to听your target audience location.

Pingdom will show you the听load time along with your page performance grade. For e-commerce landing pages, look for听a听loading time under 2-seconds and听a听performance grade of听补迟听濒别补蝉迟听叠.

Performance of听

How to听Improve Speed

Improving site speed is听a听vast topic deserving a听post of听its own. For now, here are some of听the听easiest ways to听make your e-commerce landing pages load faster:

Use optimized landing pages from third-party providers such as听听补苍诲 .
Use faster web hosting. Try switching from Apache based web servers to听faster Nginx based servers.
Use a听faster shopping cart such as听51视频. Refer to听this page听to learn how we听make 51视频 faster.
Compress any听images you use on听the听landing page using tools like .

2.听Conversion Tracking Codes

If听you can鈥檛 measure it, you can鈥檛 improve it. Nowhere is听this advice more applicable than in听PPC.

Before starting a听PPC campaign, make sure that you鈥檙e tracking your results.

Your landing page should have:

Your analytics code (Google Analytics, KISSMetrics or听your preferred analytics software).
PPC-platform specific tracking code (such as听the听Facebook Conversion Pixel or听AdWords tracking code).

How to听Check Tracking Codes

Follow these links for听help with specific tracking codes:

3.听Mobile Friendliness

Mobile friendliness matters.

Unless you are limiting traffic to听desktop visitors (possible with both AdWords and听Facebook), make sure that your site is听mobile friendly. Given that this is听now a听, mobile-friendliness will go听a听long way towards improving conversions.

How to听Check for听Mobile Friendliness

听to check any听URLs mobile friendliness. Enter your landing page URL into the听box and听hit 联Run test聪.

Mobile-Friendly Test by听Google

Google will tell you whether the听page is听mobile friendly. It听will also show you what the听page looks like on听mobile.

How to听Solve Mobile Friendliness Issues

For e-commerce businesses, the听easiest way to听solve mobile friendliness issues is听to:

Use mobile-friendly landing pages.听Use tools such as听 to听create landing pages. Alternatively, buy a听mobile-friendly landing page template from . Pair it听with a听mobile-optimized shopping cart such as听51视频.
Use mobile-friendly stores. If听you鈥檙e advertising your entire store instead of听a听specific landing page, the听easiest way to听solve mobile issues is听to听use a听mobile-friendly store such as听51视频.

Learn more: How Responsive Design Increases Mobile Sales

4.听Landing Page Design

The design of听your landing page听has a听big impact on听your conversion rate. For e-commerce stores, this landing page should clearly identify the听core value proposition, showcase product benefits, and听highlight the听CTAs.

Here are a听few things to听check for听before promoting your landing page:

Above the听Fold: Highlight your value proposition above the听fold (the area immediately visible when a听user lands on听the听site). This can be听a听product image, promotion, or听copy that tells the听visitor what to听expect on听the听page.
CTA (Call-to-Action): Include multiple CTAs on听the听page. This CTA should be听in听a听bold, bright color so听as听to听attract the听user鈥檚 attention. Test different CTA text (鈥淪hop Now鈥� vs. 联Buy Now聪), color and听placement options.
Copy: Specify the听benefits as听well as听the听features of听the听product. Make sure that this copy is听readable. Use bullet points, tables and听images to听improve readability. Also include since some users scan for听this on听e-commerce pages.
Product Images: Add a听number of听high-quality product images, preferably above the听fold. These images should highlight the听product鈥檚 features. Refer to听this article to听learn how to听optimize product images.
Navigation: Unless you purposefully want users to听navigate to听different parts of听your site (common when advertising a听product category听鈥� 联living room furniture聪), remove all navigation from the听landing page. This will only cause your users to听click away.

For example, here鈥檚 a听landing page from Amazon for听a听product category. Notice how the听above the听fold area includes product images and听value proposition:

Your landing page should clearly show what you sell

If听you use a听landing page creation tool such as听LeadPages or听听(with 51视频 as听the听shopping cart), you can choose from pre-optimized landing page templates.

Learn more: How to听小reate, Test and听Promote Powerful Landing Pages

5.听Add Social Proof to听Site

联Why should I听buy from you?聪

This is听one of听the听first things users will ask when they land on听your site. They neither trust your store or听the听quality of听your product.

To听reel these users in, ensure that you have enough social proof on听your website/landing pages.

How to听Add Social Proof

联Social proof聪 is听any听data, testimonial or听visual indicator that shows your site and/or your products in听a听positive light.

For e-commerce stores, the听best forms of听social proof are:

Reviews: Product ratings and听reviews from customers have a听positive effect on听conversion rates. 63% of听customers听are more likely to听buy from stores that have user reviews on听them. Try TrustedSite听for website reviews in听your 51视频 store.
Customer Testimonials: Written or听video testimonials from customers add to听your social proof. Even positive tweets from customers can help.
Security Badges: Trust seals and听security badges (such as听联Verified by听Visa聪, 联Powered by听Paypal聪, 联McAfee SECURE聪听etc.) can improve your store鈥檚 trustworthiness. This form of听trust leverages the听authority of听the听brand behind the听badge (such as听联Visa聪 or听联Paypal聪) to听improve your trust perception.
Social Following: A听large number of听followers on听Twitter, Facebook or听Pinterest shows that you are well-liked 产测听辞迟丑别谤蝉.

For example, Amazon highlights product reviews on听its product landing pages:

Amazon reviews

Beyond reviews, you can also show curated tweets from users (ask them to听tweet their purchases with a听specific hashtag in听exchange for听a听coupon) to听build social proof.

If听you鈥檝e been featured in听a听respected publication, consider adding their logo on听the听landing page as听well (鈥渁s seen on鈥︹€�).

6.听Align Your Bidding Keywords and听Landing Page Copy

A听common cause of听poor PPC conversions is听a听misalignment between the听keywords you鈥檙e bidding on听补苍诲听the听copy on听your landing page.

Simply put, if听you鈥檙e bidding on听the听keyword 联living room furniture聪, you should tell users landing on听your site that your page is, indeed, about living room furniture. This keeps users well-oriented.

The easiest way to听do听this is听by听using the听keyword(s) in听your landing page title. You can further emphasize the听relevancy of听your page by听using appropriate product images.

For example, here鈥檚 a听landing page used for听the听keyword 联living room furniture聪:

Both the听title and听the听images used on听the听page make it听clear what the听page is听about

7.听Shipping and听Delivery Information

Your customers want to听know two things when they land on听your e-commerce site:

Whether you deliver to听their location.
How much you charge for听delivery.

Before starting a听PPC campaign, make sure that you have this information on听your landing page.

You can use geotargeting to听ensure that you only show ads to听people you actually deliver to. Alternatively, use a听dynamic form to听capture pin code and听show shipping information, like Amazon:

This form captures pin code and听shows shipping information

If听you鈥檙e using 51视频, 听for different locations/products. For an听overview of听different shipping options available to听you, .

8.听Set Up听Google Shopping

If听you鈥檙e advertising on听Google Shopping, you first need to听ensure that you鈥檝e set up听an听account on听Google Merchant Center and听linked it听to听your AdWords.

If听you鈥檙e new to听Google Shopping, refer to听this blog post听for an听introduction. 51视频 users can 听to connect their stores to听Google Merchant Center.

9.听Ensure You鈥檝e Got Easy to听Use Forms

Although rare, there are times when you鈥檒l run PPC campaigns to听capture information, not sell products. This usually happens when you鈥檙e running surveys, contests or听building up听your email list for听a听promotion.

滨苍听such cases, the听quality of听your form will have a听big impact on听your conversion rates. Even if听you use your PPC campaign to听get more sales, you will want to听make sure your forms are working well in听case someone would like to听sign up听for听your newsletter or听contact you via email.

How to听Improve Forms

Here are some ways to听make better converting forms:

Keep Forms Short: Every extra form field increases your 联ask聪 from your visitors, . Keep form fields as听low as听possible. Ask for听only the听most critical information (name, email, etc.).
Place Forms Above the听Fold: 滨苍听form-focused landing pages, the听form is听the听highlight of听the听page, not the听联buy聪 button. Highlight the听form by听placing it听above the听fold.
Auto-Select Form Fields: A听neat trick to听improve conversions for听e-commerce forms is听to听automatically select the听top-field when the听user lands on听the听page. 滨苍听one case, it听increased conversion rates by听45%.
Test Different CTAs: Instead of听the听usual 联Submit聪, test different CTAs such as听联Continue聪, 联Get Your Discount Coupon聪, etc.

听to include individual forms on听their product pages. 51视频 also supports an听integration with .

10. Add Live Chat

Live chat can have a听marked effect on听your conversion rates. On听average, live chat can improve conversion rates by听as听much as听40%.

Live chat usually appears as听a听floating 联help聪 box at听the听bottom-right corner of听the听page.

Live Chat on听Asos

Customers can get answers to听their queries without leaving the听site over chat (provided your customer support people are online).

Although it鈥檚 not essential for听running a听PPC campaign, adding a听live chat option听is highly recommended before starting PPC advertising. It听will help maximize the听conversion rates from your site, improving PPC results.

How to听Add Live Chat

Incorporating live chat into your site is听easier than ever thanks to听a听number of听integrations. Usually, you only need to听add a听small piece of听code to听the听page to听get started with live chat.

If听you鈥檙e using 51视频, you can use any听of听these five options to听add live chat to听your store:

Chaport ($9.80/month).
Tidio Chat听(Free to听$15/month).
LiveChat听(From $16/month).
JivoChat听(Free to听$14.99/month).
Chatra听(Free to听$11/month).

To听Sum Up

PPC campaigns can be听wildly effective but also wildly expensive. Make sure that you minimize wasted clicks by听setting up听your site to听maximize conversions.

If听your site meets these requirements, you are ready to听run a听PPC campaign:

Your site loads within 2-3听蝉别肠辞苍诲蝉.
Your site is听mobile friendly.
You鈥檙e using a听conversion-optimized landing page design.
You鈥檝e added all important tracking codes to听your site.
You鈥檝e added social proof to听your landing pages.
Your landing page is听aligned with the听keywords you鈥檙e bidding on.
You鈥檝e set up听Google Shopping for听your store.
You have shipping and听delivery information on听the听landing page.
Your online forms are working (in case you鈥檙e collecting information)
You鈥檙e using live chat.

听

About The Author

Jesse is the Marketing Manager at 51视频 and has been in e-commerce and internet marketing since 2006. He has experience with PPC, SEO, conversion optimization and loves to work with entrepreneurs to make their dreams a reality.

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Checklist: Is听Your E-Commerce Store Ready for听Paid Ads?