WordPress is a powerful content management system that provides a wide range of customizable features. It is because of these that the platform has become the most sought-after website builder among business owners. If you are aiming to get more customers for your products or services, you will need to master WordPress and all the wonderful opportunities it brings. Here’s how to get started in making the most of the platform for designing a website that benefits your small business.
1. Shop for the best ecommerce plugins
There are a number of plugins you can use for your WordPress website, depending on the kinds of features you want to include. The most essential plugin to have if you’re setting up shop online is WP eCommerce. It allows you to set up customizable product pages and a seamless checkout process. Another useful plugin you can try out is Big Commerce. Scalable and easy to maintain, Big Commerce gives you the ability to reach out to customers across different platforms like Facebook and Amazon. Overall, your choice of an e-commerce plugin hinges on your business goals, and more importantly, your budget.
2. Nurture potential and existing customers through email
You can use your WordPress website to send emails and notifications to customers who show an interest to purchase a certain product. If you want to reach out to users who abandoned their carts, consider plugins like Constant Contact and Optin Monsters to send them checkout reminders and exclusive offers and discounts. Along with contact form plugins like Contact Form 7 and Formidable Forms, you can run contests and raffle draws that are great for building an email list of leads to nurture.
3. Double down on security
Improving data security is an important part of running an e-commerce website. You wouldn’t want to expose your customer’s data to cyber criminals and you wouldn’t want Google to flag your website as unsecured. These will definitely turn away customers, so it’s wise to enhance security by registering for an SSL certificate, Installing plugins like Security Ninja and Google Authentication, using Virtual Private Network tool offered by any top VPN providers, and setting up your website through a secure hosting provider. In case you are using Linux for building your website, SpinupWP’s guide will teach you how to set up a secure server on Ubuntu, one of the most popular Linux distributions.
4. Come up with an SEO strategy
Without search engine optimization (SEO), it would be impossible for your business to compete for customers who rely on search engines to find the products and services they need. These are the customers that are more likely to end up buying a product from you, so it pays to make your business visible on the search engine results page. You may need to develop a keyword strategy and use plugins like Yoast to help you in creating content that matches Google’s standards. It could get fairly technical from there, but taking the time to develop a killer SEO strategy could grant you high returns in the long run.
Your small business deserves a shot at success online. Through WordPress, you can tap into numerous possibilities for growing your customer base and your income.