2k18 trends for online stores

The more customers an online store can attract, the more successful it is. You can increase popularity in many ways, including search and banner advertising. But it would be nice to focus on trends. There are 7 key trends, and each has the potential to bring in new customers in 2018.

Trend #1. Mobile application - when is it important?

If the resource is a single entry point for the visitor, then a mobile application is a must. That is, large aggregator sites and trading platforms like Prom.ua or Hotline, Rozetka or ModnaKasta will need it. These sites are marketplaces, with their own ecosystem, where people search for the necessary goods and information. A mobile application for such projects is a good way to interact with clients.

If your online store is found in a search engine, then the development of the application will not be very relevant. It will be much more profitable to invest in the creation of a full-fledged mobile version of the site. Statistics show that its presence can add up to 40% of sales! And don't forget about promotion.

There is also an alternative to both the site adapted for mobile devices and the application. This is a PWA (progressive web application) technology that combines all the advantages of mobile solutions. It works only on Android, but provides the ability to work offline, as well as the use of pop-up notifications. Plus, the PWA will create an icon on your desktop - and that's without downloading the app!

So, stop at PWA or the mobile version of the site if your online store is found through a search engine, or order the development of a mobile application if the brand is so well-known that it can become the first entry point.

Trend #2: Make your online store successful

This does not require any "dances with tambourines". The secret to the success of an e-commerce project lies in three main steps:

1. Definition of the target audience and identification of its needs.
2. Development of an expressive design that can attract attention and be remembered.
3. Preparation of engaging "selling" content - not only texts, but also photos and videos. Content is an alternative to constantly working managers, because it will convince customers 24/7.

All these factors determine success. But it is important that as many people as possible know about your online store. And this cannot be achieved without optimizing the resource for the requirements of search engines, without SEO promotion.

The need for SEO optimization is taken into account even at the site development stage, when semantics are collected, keywords are searched and used, meta tags are written, pages with unique content are configured for indexing.

In the future, work with content should be ongoing. This will keep the user, increase his interest. So get ready for reviews, new videos, user reviews and interesting articles to be added again and again.

Trend #3. Use of AMP

AMPs or Fast Pages can be used for categories or individual products. The use of this technology is justified if speed is chosen as the key point. Yes, the expressiveness of the design may have to be sacrificed a little, but for many smartphone users, fast page loading is still more important. It is worth investing in AMR: the use of new technologies has not yet left anyone behind.

Trend number 4. Use of CMS with the possibility of individual solutions

Template solutions will never bring high profits to the site. Therefore, we use Laravel to develop websites. This open source framework can be optimized with business processes in mind and allows you to implement non-standard technical concepts.

Ready-made template solutions are good only for sites with standard functionality. Attempts to make major changes to the template end in failure: in most cases, this requires changing the core, and this is very expensive. It is much more profitable to immediately order an individual development, which will provide everything that your online store needs.

Trend number 5. Effective functionality

A good online store does not just sell to its customers, but helps in choosing. To do this, it is not enough just to issue product cards - you will need to shoot video reviews and do “machine learning” to get an online consultant. People tend to believe a seller's recommendation, and in online trading, this approach also pays off.

How to optimize the functionality of your site? It will take painstaking experimental work, the search for the right solution. There is no ready-made program, the ability to increase the effectiveness of customer interaction.

However, there are basic recommendations, without which all experiments are useless. So, you need to provide:

• easy and multifunctional search for goods by name, color, characteristics, article;
• easy navigation in the catalog;
• quick access to the pages of categories and subcategories, and the division should initially take into account the behavior of your target audience;
• an alternative to a blank page in case no products were found by request (for example, you can duplicate contacts and accompany them with a promise to pick up the right product).

Trend number 6. New design

In the design of online stores today, the key point is the use of free background space - "air" and non-standard graphics. Emotions are also important: the resource should not just be liked, it should involve, stimulate, but at the same time remain convenient. A pile of incomprehensible pictures is not about e-commerce.

When designing for online stores, consider the following key trends:

• unobtrusive, calm animation for "micro-interactions";
• visual lightness, unloaded backgrounds, but at the same time - the content of the placed elements;
• WOW-design elements - where you need to delight and be remembered;
• adaptive design;
• expressiveness, compliance with the goals, ideas of the company - including a recognizable logo and the use of corporate colors;
• SVG masks for animation and site navigation.

Trend number 7. Market needs analysis

Before opening an online store, conduct a large-scale marketing analysis of the market. Chances are you'll find customer pains and desires that other sites haven't covered yet. Create a business model that satisfies those needs and customers will come to you!

And do not forget about the emotional attachment to the brand. This is almost as important as good functionality and convenient search.