In the digital landscape, advertising companies, particularly giants like Google or Facebook, have built their business models around clicks rather than conversions. This creates a paradox for eCommerce owners: while they invest heavily in advertising to drive traffic to their sites, the very platforms they rely on are incentivized to prioritize clicks over meaningful engagement. As a result, many eCommerce sites find themselves caught in a cycle where non-optimized user experiences lead to lower conversion rates, ultimately benefiting the advertising companies more than the businesses themselves.
If you are frustrated because you pour resources into advertising campaigns, only to see users leave your site without making a purchase – you should act fast. We will guide you how you can combat this issue.
eCommerce without product recommendations is like putting the cart before the horse
You have probably heard that personalized recommendations cater to individual preferences, making the shopping experience more relevant and enjoyable. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. They keep also customers engaged longer on the site, encouraging them to explore more products.
But for God’s sake, they shouldn’t stay on the site for eternity. 1.78 pages per visit is probably too low to convert, but the goal is to suggest the right product before they get tired of searching. So, the most important reasons why more and more ecommerce stores decide to implement personal product recommendations are conversions. When you drive sales from media channels, in this crowded market where every single click costs a lot, offering personalized recommendations can set your brand apart from competitors and save your budget.
Most of the “sales channels” are “sales” only in name. Look at Google or Facebook. You pay for clicks, and nobody cares whether you convert users or not. In fact, they may prefer not to close the deal, as non-converted users tend to browse more. When they browse, clicks are generated, and the cycle continues. If nobody cares about your sales, why not take matters into your own hands? Product discovery technologies can help you close deals faster and more smoothly.
Let’s be honest, if product recommendations generated more clicks, Google would be in this business years ago. But it works the other way around – it saves your budget and keep your customers engaged until they finds the right product. Consider recommendations as guides who accompany customers in the store, offering suggestions for products they may enjoy, drawing on the understanding that similar customers have appreciated these items in the past.
Don’t allow the user leave you page empty-handed
Personalized product recommendations have been shown to greatly impact customer purchase behavior. They utilize data analytics to find out more about users and their journeys. They don’t have to ask your customers if they are male or female, if they are in their twenties or thirties, if they like this or that. Enhanced analytics integrated into product recommendations can provide deeper insights and more effectively identify the products customers are seeking.
This highest level of personalization leads to higher conversion rates as customers are more likely to make a purchase when presented with items that align with their interests. Through the use of other data, you can continually refine personalized product recommendations, ultimately boosting average order value. When others focus on attracting as many clicks as possible, rather than ensuring that those clicks lead to satisfied customers, you have to be smarter to outwit all of them. Be smarter than those advertising smart alecks!
Autonomous decisions about who see what and when
If you are frustrated because you pour resources into advertising campaigns, only to see users leave your site without making any purchase – you should act fast. To combat this issue, you have to optimize onsite behavior for converting clicks into sales. Conversion optimization platforms, A/B testing, and multivariate testing were effective strategies in the past. However, we are now in the era of AI, which means there is no longer time to test two variants for two months. Act quickly with AI; make autonomous decisions about who sees what and when, and increase your sales.
Does my eCommerce platform provide product recommendations?
Most of the eCommerce platforms do not provide top-notch AI product recommendations. In many cases they are just product filtering widgets, with no AI, no machine learning, no analytics at all. We are discussing suggestions for a personalized 1:1 experience for each user, tailored to understand their context, journey, and microsegment. This approach can be adjusted to fit the client’s specific needs. Creating such a user-centric experience encourages visitors to stay longer and engage more deeply with the content.
A well-structured website that provides a seamless user experience with AI product recommendations can significantly reduce the rate of users abandoning the site and encourage visitors to explore products further. If you already have AI-pretending built-in product recommendations – don’t worry. Most of them an be easily patched with true AI product recommendations. Ask us about your concerns and wishes here: AI Product Recommendations.
You said Google doesn’t care about my business. What about Bounce Rate?
Bounce rate is often cited as a key metric that reflects site quality. While it may seem like a superficial measure, a high bounce rate can indicate that users are not finding what they expect when they arrive at a site. This is the only factor that somewhat mimics Google’s concern for site quality, as a lower bounce rate suggests that users are engaging with the content rather than leaving immediately.
However, relying solely on bounce rate as a measure of success is misleading. It is essential to look beyond this metric and focus on the overall user journey, from the moment they land on the site to the point of conversion.
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of user engagement and success, it’s essential to analyze the entire user journey. Look at metrics such as average session duration, pages per session, and scroll depth. Track how many visitors complete desired actions, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. Examine the paths users take through the site. Analyze bounce rates and other metrics by different segments. Finally, fight high bounce rates with AI product recommendations – an ultimate product discovery tool.
Conclusion
In a world where advertising companies prioritize clicks over conversions, eCommerce owners must be smarter than the smart alecks behind the ads. By taking control of onsite behavior and focusing on optimizing the user experience, businesses can reduce number of users abandoning they sites and increase conversions.
Ultimately, it is about creating a site that not only attracts clicks but also converts those clicks into loyal customers. Don’t allow users to leave your page empty-handed; instead, provide them with a compelling reason to stay and engage with your brand.
Check out more: AI Product Recommendations
AI Tools for e-commerce Boost sales in the e-commerce industry by 15% with AI product recommendations and AI Smart Search