No matter the size or primary audience for your eCommerce website, chances are that mobile sales are an important part of your revenue stream. According to studies, 55% of today’s eCommerce traffic goes through mobile. This goes to show how predominant and accessible current smartphone and iOS devices have become.

It also poses an important question in terms of Magento optimization for more eCommerce sales through mobile. With that in mind, let’s take a look at several guidelines and tips which can help you boost your Magento sales originating through mobile with ease. These can be implemented both in mobile site optimization as well as e-commerce application design efforts.

1  The Hamburger Menu

The so-called “hamburger” menu is a common occurrence on mobile. It is typically represented with a three-stripe horizontal line in the top corner of a web page. This button is a stand-in for traditional navigation bars which are common place in desktop eCommerce browsing.

As is the case with mobile, the screen sizes and browser versions rarely coincide between two phone models. It is wise to use the hamburger drop-down menu system for overall site navigation in your Magento eCommerce store for better mobile browsing experience.

2  Enable Smart Search

The next step on your optimization agenda should be to enable smart search into your search tool of choice. This will enable auto-fill features for potential customers and will then make their browsing faster and more enjoyable.

Auto-fill features help mobile users find relevant products and content on individual websites, which further incentivize their purchase decisions. It also demonstrates a level of forthcoming and professionalism on your part, given that the visitor/user is about to make a purchase through your eCommerce outlet.

3  Consider the Screen Size

According to data, mobile conversion rates amount to a one-third of desktop ones (1.5% > 4.4%). This is still a formidable percentage considering that the main demographic which relies on smartphones is comprised of millennials and youth.

In order to make the most of these numbers, your overall eCommerce content creation philosophy should cater to smaller screen sizes. This includes short-form content, bold lettering, clear calls to action and the least possible amount of scrolling. Checking off these boxes will ensure that your Magento eCommerce optimization efforts go a lot more smoothly.

4  Short-Form Product Descriptions

As we’ve mentioned previously, short-form content is definitely the way to go in terms of mobile Magento optimization. This is especially true for the product descriptions of your individual items since people won’t read through a wall of text before deciding on their purchase.

Add to that the need to localize and adapt your written content for an international market and your mobile optimization efforts will become more difficult. Make sure to have several translators and/or copywriters readily available throughout the process or opt for app localization services instead. Trimming down your product descriptions from their original, desktop versions will be a test of restrain in many instances but it is a business necessity.

5  SEO Still Matters

Even though you are in process of optimizing your Magento eCommerce platform for mobile, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) still applies. Popular keywords, phrases and titles should be an integral part of your content optimization efforts.

Platforms such as Google AdWords and SEM Rush can provide you with a clear performance overview of your pages. This data can then be extrapolated to patch up any SEO bottlenecks which might prevent your site from ranking accordingly with search engines. Don’t overlook SEO by leaning too heavily on native Magento tools – use every opportunity at your disposal to make your sales rates higher.

6  Optimize Multimedia Accordingly

Since most mobile users use operator plans and don’t have access to high-speed internet and unlimited bandwidth, certain discrepancies need to be made. According to statistics, 62% of smartphone users have made an online purchase through their devices in the last 6 months.

The remainder of the population was averted from doing so by several reasons, including the inability to access the product pages in their original form. In order to amend for that shortcoming, your multimedia eCommerce content (images, videos, animations) should be optimized for smaller screens. This will ensure that they are easier to load and don’t consume as much bandwidth as they do on desktop access.

7  Avoid Popups and Opt-Ins

During desktop browsing, users are used to seeing popups, opt-in offers and subscription prompts all around the web. Small screens are not the perfect fit for constant popups and browsing interruptions, especially when eCommerce conversion rates are in question. It’s worth noting that only 12% of mobile users consider shopping through their devices convenient. This is a staggering percentage which clearly demonstrates the mobile user base’s needs for more straightforward, clean eCommerce customer’s journey mapping.

In terms of mobile browsing, however, popups should be kept to a minimum in order to remain unobtrusive and respectful of the end users. Include your popup’s offers and messages into the product pages themselves in a form of native advertisement if they are absolutely necessary. Otherwise, opt out of including these distractions from the mobile version of your Magento store in order to keep the visitor focused on making a purchase.

8  Home and Checkout Buttons

Lastly, the User Experience (UX) element of your eCommerce store plays a pivotal role in the sales process. In that vein, it’s important to make the overall navigation throughout your website as intuitive as possible for mobile users.

The two most obvious options which should always be readily visible to visitors are the Home and Cart buttons. They should be able to return to the main page or go to the checkout page at the touch of a button at any given moment. Both of these are self-explanatory and provide the visitor with a much-needed sense of control over their shopping process. If you lack these options on your Magento store it will likely result in confusion and erosion of potential customers due to the sheer lack of UX consideration on your part.

     In Conclusion

Boosting your mobile eCommerce sales is a matter of finding the balance between your wants and the audience’s needs. It’s good practice to test your mobile optimization in-house by accessing the Magento store through your smartphone devices.

While you won’t get the hands-on feedback of third-party visitors, you will still get a much better understanding of your store’s pros and cons. Make it as accessible and user-friendly as possible on mobile and your eCommerce sales should reflect those efforts.

Author Bio: Kristin Savage nourishes, sparks and empowers using the magic of a word. Along with pursuing her degree in Creative Writing, Kristin was gaining experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in marketing strategy for publishers and authors. Now she had found herself as a freelance writer.  She observes with a special interest how the latest achievements in media and technology help to grow readership and revenue and shares her opinion. You can find her on Facebook and Medium.