Top 15 Ways to Improve Your Shopify Conversion Rate (With Apps)

The DTC e-commerce landscape has never been more saturated. Cost-per-click digital ad costs soared by 15% between just the second and third quarters of 2021, and tens of millions of impressions are being lost due to new changes in Apple’s laws and regulations.

With customer acquisition costs skyrocketing, there’s never been a better time to focus on getting more value from the site visitors you already have. Just a small increase in your conversion rate can have a significant impact on your profits: bumping your conversion rate up from 1.5% to 3% seems minimal, but you’re generating double the revenue.

So how can you enhance your Shopify website experience to generate more leads? Well, there’s a variety of strategies you can take (and Shopify apps you can use) to convert more of your visitors into customers. In this article, we’ll outline the top 15 ways to improve your Shopify conversion rate.

What is Conversion Rate Optimization?

Conversion rate optimization (CRO) is the practice of raising the percentage of users who perform a desired action (conversion), such as purchasing a product, on your website. 

How do you calculate your Shopify conversion rate?

Your conversion rate is calculated by dividing the total number of conversions (or sales) over the total number of website visits and multiplying that number by 100 to get a percentage. For example, if you had 14 purchases over 1000 Shopify site visits last month, your conversion rate would be 14/1000 * 100, or 1.4%.

A number of factors impact your website’s conversion rate, including the design, format, and relevance of your website content to your target audience. A low conversion rate can indicate poor design or performance, such as a cluttered landing page, long load times, or irrelevant copy.

What is the Average Conversion Rate on Shopify?

Shopify store owners convert 1.4% of the time on desktop and 0.9% on mobile, according to research conducted by Littledata.io in June 2019. 

What is a good Shopify conversion rate?

In order to be in the top 20% of all Shopify stores, you would need a desktop conversion rate of over 3.1%.

Now that you know how to calculate your conversion rate and what to aim for, let’s dive into the best strategies for optimizing your conversion rate.

Top 15 Ways to Improve Your Shopify Conversion Rate

Improve your page speed

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A key factor in conversion optimization is page speed - if your pages load slowly, visitors are likely to leave before taking the desired action. Studies have shown that even a slight improvement in page speed can significantly impact conversion rates: a site that loads in 1 second has a website conversion rate 2.5 times higher than a site that loads in 5 seconds. If you're looking to increase your conversion optimization rate, one of the best places to start is by improving your page speed.

There are a number of ways to improve page speed, but one of the simplest is to install a dedicated Shopify app. Page speed apps increase your site speed by targeting areas where your page is loading slowly and making the necessary changes to improve your speed, such as by pre-loading a page as soon as your customer moves their cursor over a link for faster loading time, or only loading images on your site when visitors are about to see them so they don’t slow down your site. By installing a page speed app to optimize loading times, you can give your conversion optimization rate a significant boost.

Shopdog’s Pick for Page Speed Apps: Booster: Page Speed Optimizer

Improve your page design

When it comes to online shopping, first impressions matter. In fact, studies have shown that nearly 90% of users will never come back to a website after a bad experience. That's why it's so important to make sure your page design is up to par. A well-designed page not only looks good but is also easy to navigate and use. There are a few key elements to keep in mind when designing your page, such as using high-quality images, having a clear call to action, and ensuring that your page loads quickly. 

You can use page builder apps to help you with your page design. Page builder apps have intuitive templates and responsive elements that you can use to create an immersive buyer experience. By taking the time to improve your page design, you can significantly increase your conversion optimization rate.

Shopdog’s Pick for Page Builder Apps: GemPages Powerful Page Builder

Include a product recommendation quiz

If you're looking for a way to increase your conversion optimization rate, consider adding a product recommendation quiz to your website. By asking visitors a series of questions about their needs and preferences, you can gather the information you need to recommend the right products for them. As a result, they're more likely to find what they're looking for on your site and make a purchase. Plus, product recommendation quizzes can be a fun and engaging way for visitors to interact with your website. 

Quiz builder apps allow you to create customized surveys, questions, and logic branches to deliver personalized product recommendations. So if you're looking for a way to boost your bottom line, consider adding a product recommendation quiz to your website.

Shopdog’s Pick for Quiz Builder Apps: Octane AI: Quiz Growth Tools

Catch customers before they leave

Have you ever been browsing a website, about to leave, when a popup appears asking if you'd like to subscribe to the newsletter? That's an exit intent popup, and it can be an effective tool for boosting conversion rates. Exit intent popups are triggered when a user's mouse movement indicates that they're about to leave the page. This makes them especially effective at capturing the attention of users who are about to abandon their purchase or sign-up. 

Shopify pop-up apps help you stop cart abandonment with exit-intent campaigns. You can persuade customers to stay on your site and complete the desired action by offering a discount or incentive. In addition, exit intent popups can be used to collect email addresses and other information from interested users. So if you're looking for a way to increase your conversion rate, consider implementing an exit intent popup on your site.

Shopdog’s Pick for Popup Apps with Exit-Intent Campaigns: Privy ‑ Pop Ups, Email, & SMS, Spin-a-Sale

Display other customer’s purchases

Have you ever been to a website and seen a sales popup that shows how much money the company has made recently, or how many items have been sold? This is an example of social proof, and it can be an effective way to increase your conversion optimization rate. People are more likely to make a purchase if they see that others have already done so. By including a sales popup on your website, you can tap into this psychological phenomenon and encourage visitors to buy your products or services. 

Social proof apps can allow you to include sales popups like recent order notifications or sold inventory to create a sense of urgency and encourage people to take action. Overall, sales popups are a simple but effective way to boost your conversion rate.

Shopdog’s Pick for Social Proof Apps with Sales Popups: Sales Popup Free Shipping Bar

Motivate customers with a free shipping bar

Studies show that unexpected shipping cost is the number one reason for cart abandonment. So if you're looking for a way to increase your conversion rate, adding a free shipping bar to your website is a great place to start. Free shipping bars are designed to motivate customers to buy more in order to reach the free shipping threshold. 

Announcement bar apps can allow you to display a shipping bar and send progressive messages when they put more items in their carts. So if you're not currently using a free shipping bar on your site, there's no time like the present to start. You may be surprised at just how much of a difference it can make.

Shopdog’s Pick for Announcement Bar Apps with Shipping Bar: Free Shipping Bar

Show customer satisfaction with product reviews

Product reviews can be a powerful tool to help increase your conversion optimization rate. By displaying customer reviews on your product pages, you can provide social proof that your products are high quality and worth purchasing. This can be especially helpful for first-time visitors to your site who might be undecided about whether to buy from you. When they see that other customers have had positive experiences with your products, it can give them the confidence they need to make a purchase. 

Product review apps can allow you to send review request emails, display high-quality reviews in photo/video format, and show relevant reviews on different product pages. In short, product reviews can be a valuable asset for any eCommerce business - so if you're not already displaying them on your site, it's time to start!

Shopdog’s Pick for Product Review Apps: Okendo: Product Reviews & UGC, Loox Product Reviews & Photos

Upsell/Cross-sell with in-cart recommendations

If you're looking for a way to boost your conversion rate, in-cart upsells are a great option. By offering related products or upgrades in the shopping cart, you can encourage customers to spend more.

With upsell & cross-sell apps, you’ll be able to send a popup message to suggest an upgrade to a product before a customer checks out. For example, you could offer an upgrade to express shipping or upsell customers from a single product to a bundle. You could also offer discounts on upgrades or upsell with deals like buy one get one free. 

These apps allow you to create an upsell funnel, so even if your customer declines your upsell, you can cross-sell them an add-on item, like batteries or extended warranties for electronic items. Additionally, some apps have AI capabilities that can give you upsell recommendations based on previous customer activity. Overall, in-cart upsells are a great way to increase average order value and boost your bottom line.

Shopdog’s Pick for Upsell & Cross Sell Apps with In-Cart Upsell: Bold Upsell - True upsells!

Upsell/Cross-sell with post-purchase recommendations

In addition to in-cart upsells, you can also use post-purchase upsells to encourage customers to spend more. With post-purchase upsells, you offer related products or upgrades after the customer has made a purchase. This can be a great way to generate additional sales and revenue.

Upsell & cross-sell apps allow you to create a powerful thank you page with a variety of upsells and cross-sells, like reorder discounts, product upsells, product recommendations, and coupon codes for the next order. You can create personalized offers based on AI-product recommendations. So if you're looking for a way to increase your conversion rate, post-purchase upsells are a great option.

Shopdog’s Pick for Upsell & Cross Sell Apps with Post-Purchase Upsell: ReConvert Upsell & Cross sell

Cross-sell with frequently bought together recommendations

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Frequently bought together recommendations are a type of cross-selling where you suggest products that are often purchased together. For example, if someone is buying a dress, you could recommend they buy a pair of shoes and a purse to complete the look. Including cross-selling with frequently bought together recommendations on your Shopify website can help you increase your conversion optimization rate by giving customers suggestions for related products they may be interested in. This can lead to more sales and a higher rate of customer satisfaction.

You can use cross-sell apps with frequently bought together functionality to suggest AI-recommended product bundles that are usually added together to the shopping cart. These apps can also allow you to apply an automatic discount to bundles.

Shopdog’s Pick for Upsell & Cross Sell Apps with Frequently Bought Together: Frequently Bought Together

Attract customers with free gifts

Everyone loves freebies, which is why adding free gifts to your Shopify website can help increase your conversion optimization rate. Whether it's a buy one get one deal or a free gift with purchase, offering something for free is a great way to entice customers to buy from you. In addition, free gifts give customers a reason to come back to your site in the future. If they know they'll receive a free gift with their next purchase, they're more likely to return to your site instead of going to a competitor's. 

Free gift apps allow you to create customized gift offers and select one or multiple gifts for customers to choose from. So if you're looking for a way to boost your conversion rate, adding free gifts is a great place to start.

Shopdog’s Pick for Free Gift Apps: Free Gifts BOGO buy x get y

Create urgency with countdown timers

As every e-commerce merchant knows, urgency is a powerful motivator. When we see that something is about to sell out or go on sale, we're more likely to act quickly and make a purchase. That's why countdown timers can be such an effective tool for increasing conversion rates on e-commerce websites. By showing a timer counting down the time until a sale ends or inventory runs out, you create a sense of urgency that encourages visitors to buy now rather than wait. 

With a countdown app, you can create customizable countdown timers/bars and stock countdowns to let customers know that there are only a limited number of items available or minutes before a sale ends. So if you're looking for a way to improve your conversion optimization rate, consider adding countdown timers to your website.

Shopdogs’ Pick for Countdown Apps: Multi Announcement Bar, Banner Countdown

Build confidence with trust badges

Anytime you’re making a purchase online, you want to be sure that your personal and financial information is safe. That’s why trust badges are so important—they provide a visual cue that reassures customers that their data is secure. And when customers feel confident about the security of their checkout process, they’re more likely to complete a purchase. 

Trust badge apps allow you to guarantee secure checkout on different website pages and display badges for different payment types to target different locations. By displaying trust badges on your website, you can show visitors that you are a reliable and trustworthy company, which can encourage them to do business with you. So if you’re looking for a simple way to improve your conversion rate, adding trust badges is a great place to start.

Shopdog’s Pick for Trust Badge Apps: Free Trust Badge

Assist and demonstrate with live video

Online shopping has become the norm for many people, but it can sometimes be difficult to know whether a product will meet your needs without being able to see it in person. That's where personal video shopping and live shopping can come in handy. 

Personal video shopping apps allow you to walk customers through product catalogs and make personalized recommendations. By providing live video assistance, you can answer questions and help people make decisions in real-time. 

Livestream shopping is another great way to show off your product in all its glory. Live shopping apps allow you to host a live shopping event directly on your Shopify store so viewers can directly make the purchase. This is an interactive way to shop that can help to build trust with potential customers and boost your sales.

Shopdog’s Pick for Personal Video Shopping Apps & Live Shopping Apps: Boutiq, Live Shopping & Video Streams

Answer questions with live chatbots

Another great way to improve your conversion rate is to use live chatbots on your website. Chatbots can provide instant customer service and help answer any questions that potential customers may have. Additionally, chatbots can be used to upsell and cross-sell products, which can increase the average order value and boost conversion rates even further. So if you’re looking for a way to improve your conversion optimization rate, chatbots are definitely worth considering.

Shopdog’s Pick for Live Chat Apps: Tidio - Live Chat & Chatbots