When it comes to DIY, everyone is an expert, and when it comes to shopping for home improvement supplies, many customers believe that a simple product description is not good enough; they need a more tangible way in which to weigh up the necessary supplies. However, the world is changing quickly, and so is the way customers view their shopping experiences. It’s time to say goodbye to retail’s heavy reliance on feet through the door, and say hello to a curated, quick, and user-friendly online experiences where customers of all kinds can search for, compare, and buy to their heart’s content.

In 2016, a study conducted by the Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) revealed that 80% of American home buyers planned some kind of home improvement within the same year. Locally, FNB’s Estate Agent Survey revealed that 22.5% of new homeowners embarked on DIY alterations within the same year of purchasing their home. This means that a large portion of the South African market are looking to make their DIY process easier through the introduction of reliable online services, ultimately combining the physical shopping experience with the convenience of an online purchase. Take Home Depot as an example – the American chain upgraded their website to offer an improved integrated digital and in-store experience for shoppers. These simple, yet effective, changes resulted in massive sales spikes.

In an effort to assist DIY eCommerce suppliers boost and maintain their online success, here are four ways to attract DIY customers to your online store:

Understand that DIY is a lifestyle

Often, we assume that money is the biggest pain point for consumers who enjoy DIY. This assumption goes hand-in-hand with the belief that DIY consumers tackle home improvement projects in an effort to save money when budgets are tight. While DIY will always save consumers money, the experience is more about the hands-on involvement, the pride of creating someone new or making something better, and the enjoyment of sharing in a project that can involve the whole family.

Use mobile-friendly content

The chances are high that the last time you needed to quickly check something, you picked up your phone to use your internet browser. Gone are the days where consumers would run back to their desktop computers to quickly reference a new painting technique or mess-free way of drilling a hole in the wall. One of the most efficient ways in which to draw online consumers is by luring them with mobile-friendly content. Your content will need to be optimised for mobile use; short videos coupled with on-screen text, and bite-size articles, interactive graphics, brighter colours, and larger text are just a few examples on how to best speak to your consumers through mobile.

Use social media to your advantage

There is a common misconception that social media is child’s play – something that any tech-savvy adult can do. However, when it comes to marketing your brand, social media can become your biggest assets when used correctly. From recipes and pain stippling techniques, to woodwork and sewing, social media can be a DIY consumer’s best friend. Pinterest is one of the leading DIY platforms where consumers of all ages find inspiration for their next project. However, how-to videos on Facebook and quick GIFs on Instagram can boost an eCommerce store’s ROI overnight. The best way in which to leverage social media is through a water-tight paid media strategy that will drive brand awareness as well as sales.

Use success stories and user-generated content

DIY consumers are often proud of their skills and successful projects which means that there are collections of photos and videos that can be used to your advantage. Enable a dialogue with your customers that encourages user-generated content. Invite DIY consumers to share their own tips, ideas, fool-proof plans, photos, videos and success stories, then showcase them in an effort to drive traffic to your online site and social media pages. Not only will this build trust with existing customers, but it will also inspire trust between your online platform and potential customers. You may also want to create your own blogs and videos to uploads to your YouTube channel, website or social media pages.

To ensure sales and traffic, it is imperative that eCommerce suppliers keep up their momentum. If at first these tips don’t yield the kind of results that you want, persevere. Building an online presence takes time and consistency, and the more time and dedication spent curating a memorable and user-friendly online experience, the quicker a store will rise to success.