Tips & tricks for configurator integration & application
How are potential users supposed to find out about your configurator if they can't find it? Based on our years of experience, we have created a checklist below with the most important points. We recommend going through the list step by step. Experience has shown that a single measure is often not enough - several steps are required.
Overview
- Integrate configurator clearly visible
- Best Practices
- Tips & Tricks
- Advertise the configurator
- Customers
- Dealers
- Internal
- Checklist
1. Integrate configurator clearly visible
As a first step, it is important to think about placing your configurator in a clearly visible position. This is sometimes the most important task. Because the right integration is also crucial for the success of the configurator. Where do we recommend the placement?
- Navigation
- Home page
- Product page
The same applies here. The more prominently a configurator is placed, the more frequently it is linked, the faster it is found and consequently the more configurations are created. We like to draw a comparison with a bicycle store: if the latest models are in stock but not on display, there is no chance that they will be sold.
1.1 Best practice
Best Practice: Navigation
Please place each configurator clearly visible in the navigation and display it as a separate menu item. This is the only way to ensure that they can be found quickly.
Best Practice: Homepage
In addition to its own navigation point, we recommend mentioning the configurator again on the homepage, for example in the header slider.
Best Practice: Product page
It is recommended to also integrate the configurator - if available - on the product subpage. As already mentioned, the same applies here: The more frequently the configurator is present, the more frequently it will be used.
Best practice: Menu sub-item
If it is not possible for you to place the configurator as a separate navigation item (which we strongly recommend), we recommend at least mentioning it in a submenu.
1.2 Tips & tricks for correct integration
- To ensure that all configuration options are visible at a glance without the need for time-consuming scrolling, we recommend integrating it as follows:
-Width: As wide as possible
-Height: As high as possible. In general, however, the following applies: height of the screen minus navigation.
Take a look at our instructions:
VIEW INSTRUCTIONS & BEST PRACTICES
Do you need help with the integration? No problem, just contact us. We will be happy to help you. Here you will also find detailed instructions in our Developer Documentation.
- It is often the case that you yourself are blind. Therefore, place the configurator on your website and ask 3-5 friends to configure a product. Observe them and check how quickly they can find and use the configurator.
2. Advertise configurator
Once the configurator is clearly visible (this is the be-all and end-all for success), it's time to promote it. One of the most important prerequisites for successful configurators and the associated increase in sales is to generate corresponding traffic on your website. Here too, we strongly recommend a combination of several channels. Remember: One measure alone does not work miracles. Users need several touchpoints.
2.1 Customers
Social Media
Social media can be used effectively to promote your configurator. Regularly share interesting content and links that refer to the configurator. There are no limits to your creativity. Whether short videos, live configurations, customer feedback,...
SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, can help to make your configurator better known by strategically integrating relevant keywords into the content.
Customer example: Dogsworld is a manufacturer of dog crates and has managed to rank first organically in Austria for the keyword "dog crate configurator". This has led to a significant increase in traffic and more configurations.
SEA
Search engine advertising (SEA) comes into play when conventional search engine optimization (SEO) is not enough to achieve the desired visibility in search results. Targeted SEA measures can significantly improve this visibility.
An important part of this is remarketing. This involves targeting users who have already shown interest in your site but have not yet converted. Remarketing ads encourage them to return and complete a configuration.
Overall, SEA, including remarketing, is an integral part of a comprehensive online marketing strategy. The aim is to increase reach and boost sales.
Newsletter
Do you regularly send out newsletters? Then we recommend integrating the configurator as often as possible - be it with exclusive offers, useful links or other exciting content.
Press release
A press release can be an effective tool to draw attention to your configurator, both in online and offline media. Provide your industry media with beautiful images of the configurator and exciting information.
Competitions & Awards
Competitions and awards offer an excellent opportunity to increase the visibility of your configurator. These can be awards specific to your industry or very general digital awards that recognize outstanding, innovative digital projects.
Bloggers & influencers
Bloggers and influencers can promote their website by producing high-quality content and actively sharing it on social media to reach their target audience.
Tip: Please don't just think of traditional influencers who are active on social media. In a broader sense, traditional opinion leaders can also play an important role in your industry.
Fairs
Present your configurator at your trade fair stand. Actively invite visitors to interact with the configurator.
Competitions & promotions
In order to increase engagement and motivate users to use the configurator for products, targeted promotions and competitions can be implemented. Be it with discount codes, limited editions for configurator users,...
Point of Sale
If you also have a point of sale, it is advisable to integrate the configurator prominently on the sales floor, in the sales pitch,...
Various (signature, print,...)
Don't forget the small measures. Be it the integration of the configurator in the signature, as a car sticker...
2.2 Dealers
Training & personal support
First impressions count, even with your dealers. We therefore recommend targeted training to explain all features and functions in detail and to answer initial questions directly. Your sales staff must feel comfortable with the new tool and confident in using it. Only then will they enjoy using it.
Create incentives (extended functions,...)
Create incentives for your dealers by offering extended functionalities such as quote creation or exports with a dealer version of the configurator.
Integration into existing processes
Acceptance can only be increased if the configurator is integrated into existing processes and systems.
Obtain feedback
How can you tell if the configurator is actually being used if you don't ask for feedback? It is important to talk regularly and to take enough time for honest feedback. However, feedback alone is not enough. It also needs to be taken seriously and acted upon.
2.3 Internal
Train sales staff
Don't forget your employees in all your measures. Be it the sales staff, the service staff on the phone,...! They all contribute significantly to the success of your configurator. If they are not convinced of it, it will not be used or mentioned in the sales pitch.
3. Checklist
To ensure your success and achieve the desired goals with a product configurator, you should be able to answer the following points with yes:
- There is demand for my product on the market.
- I have integrated the configurator clearly visible on my website.
- I have sufficient traffic on my website.
- I advertise the configurator on several different channels.
- I have a clear goal that my configurator is pursuing (e.g. increasing sales or supporting sales)
- The user interface and user experience (UI/UX) are optimally designed for the users of the configurator
- I ensure smooth framework conditions in my web store, such as a seamless transfer to the shopping cart, downstream payment and return options that do not check out...
Do you need support?
We are happy to offer individual support, be it with integration, marketing or other matters.
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