Ecommerce Launch Checklist

Opening an online shop can be a busy yet exciting time. Preparing your website for sales and success requires organization, dedication, and perseverance. This crucial period of time can cause even the most experienced entrepreneurs to experience doubt and anxiety. Finding the support and help you need is vital. Staying on top of each small detail makes for a long to-do list, which is exactly what we are going to look at today…
Before you publish your new online shop, there are a few things you need to double check. We’ve created a helpful ecommerce launch checklist to help get you started. Have a look below at the outlined must-have items to be sure you are truly ready to go:

A fully tested website

Before your website becomes available to the public, you want to be sure that you have tested it on every device you can get your hands on. Just because it works great on your desktop doesn’t mean that it is equally as functional on a Kindle, iPad, or Windows phone. If that seems like an overwhelming amount of work, get your friends and family to pitch in. Accessing your website on a number of different devices will help you make sure that your website is always in its finest form.

Terrific images

To showcase your products, it is worth spending a bit of money on excellent quality imagery. Consider hiring a professional photographer to capture the many angles of your items. Customers want to have a good idea of what they are buying, and excellent images display that your business is professional and trustworthy. Try to include an image for each style and color, and be sure that your website includes a zoom function to give the full shopping experience.

Keyword filled product descriptions

Product descriptions are the most important, yet overlooked, content your website will offer. Many online shop owners will spend hours on a blog connected to their store, but will overlook providing insightful descriptions of the products that they offer. These precious pieces of information provide an excellent way for your business to demonstrate personality and creativity. Try to use bold language with your audience in mind to appeal to your customer’s imagination.

An accurate About Us page

To become a brand that your customers trust, you have to be completely transparent about a few things. Explaining how shoppers can reach you should something go wrong is paramount to a business’s success. Be sure to include active email addresses, phone numbers, social media accounts, and a physical address. Each of these aspects adds legitimacy to your new website.

Social sharing buttons

When customers find a great deal, it is in their nature to share it with the world. Take advantage of this fact by including social sharing buttons on each of your pages. For WordPress websites, there are plugins you can install to add this important feature. If your store is built with the Website Builder platform, simply click the option from your menu and drag the buttons into place. Creating a new social media following can be tough, but these buttons will help you along the way.  

Help resources and FAQ pages

Just as customers need to have a way to reach you for questions and comments, they also like to have easy access to help and frequently asked questions. These pages create another opportunity for excellent content and support. Use keywords whenever possible, and always keep your audience in the forefront of your mind. Don’t be afraid to use this area to demonstrate brand personality and exceptionalism. Customers like to feel like they are supporting people and their dreams, so use FAQ pages to not only answer questions but to boast about why your business is the best place to spend their hard earned dollar.