How to Convert More Traffic This Shopping Season: Trends to Consider & Tests You Should Be Running Now

While it may be hard to think about the holidays while you’re still enjoying your much-anticipated summer plans, we at Direct Agents want to remind you that there are a few, simple actions you can take right now to set your business, and your bottom line, up for success. In fact, putting in the extra effort now could make a huge impact on profits at the end of the year.

In this article, we’ll tackle what is top of mind for our clients all year round: strategizing about how to convert more of their hard-earned web traffic into leads, subscribers, members, customers, clients, etc. We’re going to cover conversion rate optimization and the tests that you should be running today to arm yourself with key insights and decision-making power for a successful holiday season.

Have you wondered if your copy is enticing enough? If your navigation is clear? If your sign-up button should be blue? Or if you need more reviews? Now is the time to start testing and find out.

Why It’s Important to Begin Testing Now for The Holidays

A recent study found that, on average, site traffic increases by 50% and shoppers are 3 times more likely to convert during November and December.

When your site is experiencing peak traffic, it’s not the time to guess what will drive more conversions. You want proven experience and to put your best foot forward in order to capitalize on an influx of users who are eager to buy. Analyzing user behavior and gathering data from current tests will allow you to make any necessary changes and present the optimal version of your site and shopping experience in time for the holidays.

Consumer Shopping Trends in 2023

To create a seamless user and shopping experience on your website, it’s crucial to grasp today’s shopper mindset. This understanding will allow you to present vital information in a manner that deeply resonates with them.

While 2023 is bringing even more focus on affordability, we can still look at previous trends to help guide expectations during Q4 holiday shopping.

Key Statistics to Note From the Previous Holiday Season

Fashion and apparel continued to be the most popular gift category, representing 45% during the holiday season in 2022. It was closely followed by toys and games (35%) and beauty items (32%).
Gift cards and electronics were also popular, tying for the fifth spot (28%).
80% of online shoppers in the United States favored having their holiday gift orders delivered to their homes in 2022.
Approximately 34% of shoppers planned to use social platforms for gift ideas or to purchase holiday products.

What to Test in 2023 Based on Consumer Shopping Trends

What do these trends and statistics mean for your website and your unique user’s experience? There’s a different answer for every business-to-consumer relationship and for every website, but we’re here to help you find yours with suggestions on what to test and keep in mind before the holiday season.

Sustainable Practices & Transparency

Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a massive shift in what’s most important to consumers, employees, and society at large. Now more than ever, people want their jobs, the products they purchase, and the businesses they support to reflect their values and lifestyle choices. A recent study revealed that 78% of consumers said a sustainable lifestyle is important to them, whereas a 2020 study showed that only 60% of respondents would pay more for a product with sustainable packaging.

Furthermore, ESG-related (Environmental, Social, and Governance) claims have shown significant influence on consumer decision-making. A relevant study found that products making ESG-related claims averaged 28% cumulative growth over the past five-year period, versus 20% for products that made no such claims.

Here are some examples of things you can test to increase trustworthiness and ultimately conversion rate:

Highlighting eco-friendly practices and certifications.
Showcasing your supply chain transparency.
A/B testing messaging that emphasizes sustainability.
Test displaying customer reviews and testimonials on your product pages. If you already do, test displaying them more prominently on the page.

Social Proof

Harnessing social proof can significantly influence consumer decisions. In fact, 89% of consumers say they make an effort to read reviews before buying products online, so having a high quantity of positive customer reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content on your website is more important than ever.

Here are some strategies to test and find what resonates best with your audience:

Implement customer reviews and testimonials: Experiment with the placement and prominence of customer reviews and testimonials on your website. A well-placed review can serve as a powerful trust signal.
Showcase user-generated content: Incorporate content created by your customers, such as images and videos showcasing your products in real-life scenarios. This can create an authentic connection with potential buyers.
Test different forms of social proof placements: Test different positions for social proof elements on your website. Whether it’s on product pages, the homepage, or checkout, finding the optimal placement can enhance their impact.

Social Media

The integration of social media into your website can foster engagement and expand your brand’s reach. Consumers are now looking to their favorite influencers on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads for recommendations on what to buy and why. To effectively utilize social media, consider these testing ideas:

Social media feeds: Test the integration of your social media feeds directly onto your website. This provides visitors with real-time updates and a deeper connection with your brand.
Social media engagement prompts: Experiment with prompts that encourage visitors to engage with your social media profiles, such as following, sharing, or commenting. This can enhance your online community.
Influencer collaborations: Collaborating with influencers can extend your brand’s reach and credibility. Test different influencer partnerships to find the ones that resonate most with your target audience.

Landing Page Optimization

Your landing pages play a pivotal role in guiding visitors toward desired actions, and testing various elements and layouts can lead to improved conversion rates. Here are some testing methods to try out:

A/B testing layouts: Experiment with different layouts, color schemes, and content arrangements to determine which combination leads to the highest conversion rates.
Calls to action (CTAs): Test different CTAs to find the most compelling language and design that encourages visitors to take action, whether it’s making a purchase or signing up.

Lead capture forms: Optimize the design and placement of lead capture forms. A strategically positioned and well-designed form can encourage visitors to share their information.

Special Discounts, Free Shipping, & Dollar Thresholds

Shoppers are looking to convert, but that doesn’t mean they won’t shop around for the best available deal. It’s important to test what thresholds make your offerings competitive enough to drive more conversions.

Check out these examples of what you can test to better define that line for your business and increase conversion rate:

A/B testing site-wide percentage discounts: Is a 10% markdown enough? Or does it take 15% to seal the deal?
Free shipping thresholds: Are shoppers willing to spend $100 with a free shipping incentive? Or does a free-shipping threshold of $75 have a higher conversion rate?
Dollar thresholds for discounts: Similar to free shipping, how much are shoppers willing to spend for what percentage discount? Spend $50 to get 10% off, or $100 to get 25%?
Experiment with limited-time offers: Create a sense of urgency and potential FOMO (fear of missing out) by stating that certain offers are only available for a short period of time.
Shipping options and return policy: Test making your options and flexibility more visible.

In the fast-paced world of online consumer shopping trends, staying ahead requires constant adaptation. Through systematic testing and optimization of sustainability initiatives, social proof, social media integration, landing pages, and pricing strategies, you can better understand what resonates with your audience and tailor your approach accordingly. By aligning your website’s strategies with the rising trends and preferences of your audience, you can enhance their shopping experience and drive conversions.

How to Get Started with CRO Testing

Embarking on a conversion rate optimization (CRO) journey might seem daunting, but it’s a crucial step to ensure your website is ready to capitalize on the upcoming holiday season. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Define your goals: Before you begin testing, clearly outline your objectives in order to guide your strategy. Are you aiming to increase sales, sign-ups, or engagement?
Identify key metrics: Determine the metrics that align with your goals. These could include conversion rates, bounce rates, average order value, and more. Monitoring these metrics will help you track the impact of your tests.
Conduct user research: Understand your target audience’s preferences, pain points, and behaviors. This knowledge will inform your testing hypotheses and help you tailor your tests to your audience’s needs.
Prioritize testing areas: With limited resources, it’s important to focus on high-impact areas. Analyze your website analytics to identify pages with high traffic or low conversion rates that could benefit from optimization.
Generate hypotheses: Formulate hypotheses based on your research and insights. For example, if your research indicates that users are concerned about shipping costs, a hypothesis could be “Offering free shipping above a certain order value will increase conversions.”
Create variation: Develop variations for your tests. This could be creating different versions of a landing page, testing various CTAs, or altering the placement of social proof elements.
Choose testing tools: To run A/B tests and other experiments, you’ll need testing tools. Some popular options include Google Optimize, Optimizely, VWO (Visual Website Optimizer), and Convert. These tools allow you to set up and manage tests without coding.
Run A/B tests: A/B testing involves comparing two versions of a web page (A and B) to see which performs better. Test a single element at a time such as button color, copy, or layout. This helps isolate the impact of each change.

What Tools are Available for CRO Testing?

Several tools can help you run tests and analyze user behavior effectively:

Optimizely: This platform offers A/B testing, multivariate testing, and personalization features. It’s suitable for both small and large businesses.
VWO (Visual Website Optimizer): VWO provides A/B testing, split URL testing, and multivariate testing capabilities. Its visual editor simplifies the test creation process.
Hotjar: While not a traditional testing tool, Hotjar provides heatmaps, session recordings, and surveys. These insights can help you identify areas for testing and optimization.
Crazy Egg: Crazy Egg offers heatmaps, A/B testing, and user session recordings. It’s particularly useful for visualizing user behavior on your site.
Lucky Orange: Similar to Crazy Egg, Lucky Orange provides heatmaps and session recordings. It also includes live chat features for real-time user interaction.
Google Optimize: A user-friendly tool that integrates with Google Analytics. It allows you to create A/B tests and other experiments without complex coding (keep in mind Google Optimize will sunset in September 2023).

Remember, the key to successful CRO is ongoing testing and refinement. Regularly assess your website’s performance, gather insights, and adapt to changing consumer behavior and trends. By continuously optimizing your site, you’ll be well-prepared to convert more traffic and drive success during this holiday shopping season and beyond.

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Seasonal Success Strategies: Conversion Rate Optimization for the Holidays