If you can, think back to the last time you made an in-store purchase. Regardless of what you bought, did you just walk in the store and grab it and head to the checkout line? Or did you stand there and ponder over the purchase before checking out? If you’re like most people, you probably pondered first.

This is a typical shopping behavior among consumers simply because there’s a lot that goes into making buying decisions. This same statement holds true, especially for online shopping. Consumers are already presented with numerous options of different products when shopping in-store– just imagine the pressure they’re under when trying to shop online!

A simple Google search for “infuser water bottles” will generate page after page of results. But the average consumer isn’t going to rummage through all those search results pages… they don’t have time or the energy to do that. In fact, according to searchenginewatch.com, 53% of organic search clicks go to the first link on the first page in search engine queries.

In knowing that, you now are trying to figure out how you can get your website to be on that first page to increase your likelihood of getting that first click, right? Well, to be quite honest with you, ranking in that number one spot is going to take lots of work to not only get there but to stay there as well.

Once a visitor gets to your website, the overall design of your website is going to determine how long they stay on your site, let alone make an actual purchase.

You’d be surprised to know that the overall design of your website plays a vital role in consumer purchasing decisions. Out of all the options they have to shop online, they choose your website only to get there and immediately be turned off, which in turn sends them to one of your competitors to indeed make a purchase.

If that’s the case, then what does your website need to have to sway their purchasing decision in your favor? Well, that entails quite a few things but the idea is to use your web design to not only manipulate their buying decision but also evoke certain emotions to sway them as well.

Here are some tips on how to use web design to positively impact the buying decisions of your potential customers.

The Overall Layout and Functionality of Your Website

As humans, we are visual creatures, and the way your website looks and its functionality is going to play a critical role in a customer’s buying decision. The layout of your website is actually something you want to get right from the very beginning as much as you possibly can, and it starts with choosing the right website builder. Not choosing the right one can lead to web redesign later on down the line.

There are actually lots of great website builders out there but a top-rated website builder is through Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/website/builder. This link will help you create a custom website to not only meet the needs of your customers but also impress them, from an aesthetics and functionality point of view.

Good web design is a complex entity on its own but you have to remember that your website is typically the first experience a consumer has with a brand; And if you don’t know anything about customers, make sure you know these things:

• You have up to seven seconds to make a good first impression with them
• You have two seconds to grab their attention
• Your site needs to load in two seconds or less

The overall layout and functionality of your site is the very thing that will keep visitors on your site longer to see what else it has to offer, but you have to get them with the aesthetics first… Think of it like dating… You have to be physically attracted to what you see before you even consider what else that person (website) has to offer.

High-Quality Product Images and Detailed Descriptions

So, you have a website and you’re selling products… Consumers want and need to know exactly what they’re buying before buying it. Yes, this is online shopping, so how can visitors to your site actually see what they’re buying without being able to physically see it or touch it? Through high-quality product images and detailed descriptions.

Again, customers can’t physically see or touch the products, which means their expectations are even higher as to how you can convince them to purchase your products… The convincing is in the images and details.

Now you can’t just think you can go and take pictures of your products and post them… There’s an entire approach and strategy you have to take in taking high-quality product photos. You have to set up the perfect background, invest in the proper equipment, get familiar with lighting, and brush up on your editing skills (among other things).

It helps to incorporate zoom options and make sure the product descriptions are executed to perfection. The devil is in the details they say, and your description of the product alone should make visitors want to fill their virtual shopping carts with everything you have to offer. More so, it should spark emotions of how your product is the right purchasing decision to meet their shopping needs… Never underestimate the power of words, especially in product descriptions.

Provide Content That Proves You’re There to Help and Not Just Take Their Money

If you’re running an online business in this day and age, you’re operating in the era of the informed shopper, meaning consumers are very particular in their purchases and will actually take the time out to research a company from top to bottom to see if it’s worthy of their purchase.

To succeed with flying colors in not looking like a “money-hungry” business, you want to appeal to consumers by becoming a trusted resource of information to questions and concerns they may have about topics related to your industry niche.

The information you provide can come in the form of videos, blog posts, and various other forms of content. But the goal is to be a credible source of information for them. The great news with content is that you can be their trusted source of reliable information but it’s also a way to promote your products too without pushing that hard sell.

Ultimately, your content is going to be based on topics related to your industry niche, and within the content you produce, you can also provide links to various landing pages related to the topic of the content as a solution to the problems related to your targeted audience.