Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out. Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance based on what you've told me about your gel blaster business, your website, and the ad performance you're seeing.
Getting Clicks But No Sales: The Website Is Key
So, you're getting clicks to your site with pretty good metrics – high CTR and low CPC. That's actually a solid start! It tells us that your ads (the creative and maybe the initial targeting) are compelling enough to get people interested and click through. They're doing their job getting traffic.
However, zero sales from that traffic is the big red flag. This disconnect almost always means the issue lies on the website itself or with the offer, not necessarily the traffic quality from the ads (though that's worth checking later). You've already guessed it yourself when you said it must be your landing page, and tbh, I think you're right on the money, especially given you mentioned the site is under construction.
Think about it from a visitor's perspective. They click on an ad, expecting a professional place to buy something, and they land on a site that isn't finished. It immediately looks untrustworthy. Why would they enter their payment details or feel confident ordering from a site that doesn't look complete?
Like I've seen countless times with other eCommerce stores, if the website foundation isn't solid – meaning it looks professional, is easy to navigate, loads quickly, clearly presents products, and builds trust – any traffic you send to it, no matter how cheap or targeted, isn't going to convert into sales. You're basically pouring water into a bucket with a hole in it.
What Needs Fixing On The Site First
You've started using Microsoft Clarity, which is great! Keep watching that to see exactly where people are dropping off. Are they leaving immediately after landing on the collection page? Are they clicking on a product but not adding it to the cart? Are they getting to the checkout and abandoning it?
Before you even think about scaling, you need to get the website into a state where visitors feel comfortable and confident buying. Based on the types of issues I usually see that kill conversions on eCommerce sites, here are some areas to focus on:
- The overall look and feel needs to be polished and professional, not like it's still being built.
- Product pages need clear, persuasive descriptions, not just basic info. Tell people about the gel blasters, their features, why they should buy them.
- High-quality product photos are non-negotiable. People can't touch the product online, so the photos are their main way to evaluate it. Show multiple angles.
- Make sure pricing is clear, and any shipping costs are visible early in the process. Hidden costs are a major turn-off.
- Crucially, you need trust signals. Customer reviews (even if they're imported from elsewhere to start), clear contact information, a proper returns policy, and secure checkout badges all help build confidence. Links to social media profiles where you're active can also help show you're a real business.
Beyond The Website: Offer & Funnel
Once the site is looking sharp and trustworthy, you can then refine the conversion funnel. If people are getting to product pages but not adding to cart, maybe your offer isn't compelling enough. Could you test a small discount for first-time buyers? Free shipping over a certain amount? A bundle deal?
Also, think about retargeting. Not everyone who visits is ready to buy immediately. Setting up retargeting ads on Meta to show ads specifically to people who visited your site (or even viewed specific products or added to cart) can help convert those who didn't buy on their first visit. This is usually a very cost-effective way to get sales.
Here's a quick overview of the actionable solution I'd recommend focusing on right now:
| Area | Actionable Solution | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Website Status | Stop ads and focus entirely on finishing and polishing the website. | Sending traffic to an unfinished/untrustworthy site wastes money. Fix the foundation first. |
| Website Polish | Improve product descriptions, use high-quality photos, ensure clear pricing/shipping. | Visitors need compelling info and visuals to make a purchase decision online. |
| Trust Signals | Add customer reviews, contact info, clear policies, secure checkout badges. | Builds confidence and reduces friction for first-time buyers. |
| Analytics Review | Use Clarity/Shopify analytics to identify drop-off points on the finished site. | Pinpoints specific pages/steps causing visitors to leave before buying. |
| Offer Testing | Once site is ready, consider testing small offers (discounts, free shipping). | Can help push hesitant visitors towards making a purchase. |
| Retargeting | Set up retargeting campaigns on Meta for site visitors. | Cost-effectively reminds interested people to come back and complete a purchase. |
Trying to scale ads when the website isn't converting is putting the cart before the horse, and will just result in higher costs and frustration. Get the site right, watch your analytics to see where people are having trouble, fix those issues, and only then start thinking about increasing your ad spend.
This process of getting a new eCommerce site to convert consistently can take time and iteration, especially with paid traffic. It requires careful analysis of data and testing different approaches. Navigating the specifics of ad setup, targeting, and website optimisation for conversion can be complex.
If you'd like a more in-depth look at your specific situation and how to build a robust strategy for converting visitors into customers once your site is ready, I'd be happy to arrange a free consultation.
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
