Are you one of the ecommerce businesses that are obsessed with traffic?

I've heard people say “If only I can increase my traffic by 50 percent, sales will also go up by 50 percent,”

The problem with this approach is that, while probably true, not only is it more difficult to increase traffic; it is also costly.

When you focus on conversions, small changes that often cost you nothing can have a long-term compounding effect on your bottom line!

The following are three powerful ecommerce hacks based on time-tested research and psychology principles, and it's going to give your business a boost in conversions, e-commerce or not.

1. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)

Often people believe that giving people more choice is the key to boosting sales and revenue. However, a series of psychology studies have found that this is not true. In fact, a book dedicated to the subject – The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz – found that too much choice can have a mentally paralyzing effect on people.

In one of the more notable studies on the subject of choice, the Jam Study (conducted in 2000), psychologists Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper found that reducing choice can boost sales by up to 900%.

Limiting the choice you present is an effective strategy for boosting conversions. When the only thing you want is for people to buy, presenting them with fewer options will make the choice that much easier.

2. Targeted Blogging

I've seen firsthand the impact blogging can have on boosting sales and leads off of a website.  One of the first tips I give to people who are looking for ways to boost sales is to start blogging!

Now, don't just take my word for it: research conducted by Hubspot found that businesses which blog generate significantly more leads and traffic than businesses that don't blog.

More importantly, there is a right and wrong way to blog – especially if you're doing it for ecommerce purposes.

• Be sure you blog relates to your ecommerce store or service; this way, you can easily drive users from your blog to your ecommerce store or service that you offer.
• Regularly link to your ecommerce store and specific products on your store or important information about your services throughout your blog. Otherwise, your blogging efforts could be empty.
• Blog Regularlry. Research has shown, especially for businesses, that publishing more content will yield more traffic and leads.

3. Don't over think the simple things, such as color.

Questions like; "What is the best color for conversions?" can overwhelm you.  And in reality the issue isn't with "What color is used", but the contrasts in colors.

If your site has a major bold color, then important links on your site need to contrast that color. If the base of your site is white, then making bold colors for buttons is a simple way to make important links stand out on your website.  Choose content on your site that should stick out and make it bolder.  This will help increase conversion.

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Have you tried any of these techniques to boost your conversions? Are there others you've found success using? Share your thoughts in the comments below!