The e-commerce market has been undergoing numerous changes in recent years, largely driven by users whose habits and expectations regarding online shopping are evolving towards increasingly higher standards. At Verseo, we frequently witness the success of e-commerce businesses. To a certain extent, we ourselves are participating in these changes, as 83% of our clients' total spending is on B2C campaigns entrusted to us. Therefore, we, our Google Ads and SEO specialists , have a significant impact on the success of these campaigns.
However, in many cases, our efforts aren't enough, and despite implementing best practices, e-commerce fails. We have a few observations regarding the success of online stores, which we've decided to share, further illustrating our perspective with a fresh case study from one of our clients.
The appearance of the online store – as we see it in Verseo
Having worked with so many online stores, we've encountered numerous services and technologies. You can read about those we know very well here. Very often, store owners, considering the marketing activities they want to conduct in the future, seek our advice on online store solutions. Although we know a lot about this matter, the final decision rests with the client. Nevertheless, a consultation regarding the choice of a CMS or e-commerce platform can save a lot of unnecessary stress, ill-considered actions, and consequently, decreased results.
Consequences of unconsulted changes in the online store
When working with our clients, we repeatedly emphasize the importance of exchanging insights and consulting before implementing any changes, such as changes to the online store interface, website, or other issues that may even have a small impact on the success of Google Ads campaigns or SEO efforts . Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that, as an agency managing a campaign or positioning a website, we are not kept up to date on upcoming changes. Consequently, online sales suffer, which, as in this example, dropped from an average of PLN 100 per month to approximately PLN 30, while campaign costs remained unchanged.
(The rest of the article can be found below the form)
A decline in online store campaign results can be noticed very quickly, but unfortunately, reacting to this decline is not always possible. In the described case, a complete overhaul of the website's design and certain technical aspects brought unexpected consequences. A more modern website design doesn't always translate to easier navigation and a better customer experience. This is evidenced by the change in the time users spent on the website before and after the modifications. The difference in average session duration was 45 minutes, and the number of transactions dropped by 70%.
The best look for an online store
If you want to completely transform the look of your online store, it's worth relying on both UX and SEO best practices (on- and off-page), and analyzing the potential impact of each major change, such as the sales process, returns, or marketing activities like Google Ads or Facebook Ads campaigns . An optimal online store design is one that meets the expectations of consumers first and foremost, but also streamlines the sales process, allowing for things like customer feedback or streamlining shipping. Optimal design doesn't always mean cutting-edge. Of course, a website with a large number of beautiful graphics can be more persuasive, but it's worth remembering that images slow down the website's loading speed and can also limit the scope of action for an online store SEO specialist. In the case of the discussed case study, prior to the website change, a consultation with the store's existing customers was conducted. However, there was no verification of the insights obtained with proven UX practices recognized in the industry. As a consequence, the most important aspects related to the user's navigation on the website were ignored, and only the visual side was taken into account.
What should an online store look like?
Before starting work on a new online store design or redesigning it, simply check out the largest and most recognizable online stores, such as Allegro, Zalando, or Media Expert. Their appearance is often highly intuitive. Most of us expect certain features, and although a modern look is more appealing at first glance, we still prefer to shop on simple websites. Product categorization and filtering by size, color, etc. have been used for years. Among more modern solutions, it's worth considering product presentation itself, such as the quality of photos or videos showing the product "in action." By checking the user journey on your website in Google Analytics or relying on statistical data collected from research on other online stores, design the path the customer should take from product search to purchase. Most practices dictate that this process should be as intuitive and short as possible, allowing customers to proceed to payment in a maximum of two or three steps. Online store optimization and Google Ads product advertising will help you lead customers to the products you offer.
The appearance of an online store and its impact on a Google Ads campaign
Any major change in an online store quickly affects advertising channels. A Google Ads campaign leads to the online store, i.e., to specific products or categories. Consequently, changing the appearance or certain settings in the store impacts the final campaign results, such as CPC, conversion rate, and other related parameters. Considering the Google Ads campaign in the analyzed case study, the cost per click also increased from PLN 0,25 to PLN 0,35, which in this case had a significant impact on the final results. The confusing website design lengthened the customer's purchase path and quickly made its impact felt. In the first two quarters of this year, i.e., before the changes were implemented, the average ROAS from the campaign was 1,492.216. The changes to the store's website occurred at the end of the second quarter. Their impact was already noticeable in the third and fourth quarters, where the average ROAS was 766,31. We therefore want to warn every store against making drastic changes to its website without prior consultation with any entity that works to its advantage and whose actions may be significantly affected by these changes. Collaboration between e-commerce and agencies shouldn't be limited to simply exchanging campaign performance reports or positioning reports. If you're already working together, it's worth leveraging the knowledge and experience of specialists who will be happy to advise on what to consider and what may impact the success of your Google Ads campaign or SEO efforts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SX0_uutfzo&feature=youtu.be
Summary
Many factors contribute to the success of an online store, and any changes are worth discussing with us. This includes not only generated sales but also customer feedback and their experience on the website. The success of Google Ads campaigns and online store SEO efforts also largely depend on these factors. Therefore, the best online store design should take into account its functionality and the possibility of implementing various additional activities that will support sales.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
He emphasizes that any major change in the appearance of an online store should be well thought out and consulted on, because inappropriate decisions can significantly reduce sales.
He points out that an effective store design is not just about aesthetics – user convenience, intuitive navigation, speed of operation, and responsiveness are key, all of which directly impact conversion.
