The internet is full of distractions. People jump to social media, watch a funny cat video, check their email inbox and browse websites for the latest arrivals at their favorite stores. If you don’t grab their attention and keep it, you risk losing them to one of those other activities. Once people bounce away from your site, they’re unlikely to return with a nudge or two.

A recent survey showed about 71% of businesses have a website. With over 31 million small businesses in the United States alone, there are a multitude of e-commerce sites to visit. How can you entice your buyers to come back to your online store again and again?

Fortunately there are many ways to create an excellent customer experience (CX). Once people buy from you and see how easy and rewarding it is, they’re more likely to return again. You also must focus on keeping the lines of communication open by converting them into newsletter subscribers or gathering them as fans on social media.

1. Allow Reviews

Customer reviews show potential clients how well your product or service performs. For e-commerce stores, adding the option to leave a review is a good start, but you also may need to seek reviews from those who’ve ordered from you. Offer a coupon for 10% off  if they leave an honest review, for example.

If you offer a service or your online business doesn’t exactly fall into the e-commerce category, add reviews from sites such as Google and Facebook. Show why people love your brand and what you’ve done for others.

Jane offers children and adult clothing and accessories. When you click on any of their products, you immediately see a star rating directly under the product name and price. They use a five-star system. If you click on the number of reviews, you go to a section with more detail. Customers share details on whether the item fits true to size, the quality and what their experience was.

2. Choose the Right Colors

What colors you use for your online business can either grab users or drive them away. It’s important to understand who your target audience is. Once you develop a few buyer personas, you can dig deeper into color psychology and choose shades the majority of your users will like.

You can even use some hues to tap into emotions you might want to elicit. The use of color isn’t as direct as the language you use on a page. However, it has a subtle impact that engages customers and keeps them around longer. Don’t be afraid to add a pop of color to draw their attention to the places on the page you want them to land, such as the call to action (CTA).

3. Use Relevant Images

The photos you choose for your website can make or break the overall aesthetics. You want to choose images relevant to the product or service you’re trying to sell. They should be professional quality, unique to your site and create a nice balance with their size and shape.

Cutting Edge Firewood uses beautiful photographs of their firewood logs. The bigger, hero image with flickering flames grabs the user from the minute they land on the page. The photo captures the orange and yellow glow of a fire with a touch of blues and purples here and there.

As the user scrolls down, they see additional images in a grid layout. The product is shown from different angles, so the buyer gets the full scale and quality of the items.

4. Create a Time-Limited Offer

When someone lands on your page, start a ticking clock offer. Let them know if they buy today, they can get 10% off. Or, provide free shipping when people order within a set time frame. When people feel that they might miss out on something, they are much more likely to move forward with the purchase.

You also can use elements such as a limited number of an item or a bonus offer if they order within so many days. Think about the things your target audience is most likely to respond to. If they enjoy discounts, focus on that. If people often ask for free shipping, create an offer. Find what creates the most conversions and go with it.

5. Choose Strong Headlines

Your headline tells your audience a lot about your brand. The headline often appears in search engine results pages, is the first thing visitors see when they land on your page and gives you a chance to show the intent of your page. Stick to short headlines with strong, action words.

Heatonist utilizes their headline to show off what’s special about their brand. They use the headline “Purveyors of Fine Hot Sauces.” The words show their commitment to quality and why their sauces stand out from competitors.

6. Test Your CTA

Your call to action can either grab users and encourage them to take the next step in the buyer’s journey or drive them away. Try different tactics, such as changing the placement of your CTA button, adjusting the language and making it different colors.

Test each change until you find the one that grabs users and converts well.

Experiment

The best way to catch your customers’ attention is knowing what they respond to. Get to know the people who buy your products. Test frequently when experimenting with layouts, language, styles and offers. The more you try, the better you’ll understand what does and doesn’t work. With a little effort and by paying attention, you’ll soon grab visitors and turn them into loyal fans.

Eleanor Hecks is the editor of Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.