“Developing a well-considered rich media strategy can impact business in a few significant ways, including an increased conversion rate, an increased average order value, and, finally a reduced return rate,” according to a new white paper ‘Rich Media 101: Tips and Tricks to Improve Conversions with Rich Media’, from ChannelAdvisor.

The paper includes detailed information on imaging issues that should be considered, including resolution, aspect ratio, consistency and retouching strategy, and also looks at the different kinds of rich media enhancements available, such as zoom, enlarge overlay, product rotation, video merchandising, personalise preview and custom item configuration.

The white paper also takes a detailed look at where rich media should be implemented on a site and which types of rich media enhancements work best in which locations.

Best practices for integrating rich media into a website are also included, including the issue of whether to embed viewers on the page rather than opening a pop-up window, integrating the viewer into existing controls including pulldown menus and customising the viewer to match the site’s branding.

“Rich media can make the difference between an average ecommerce website and a best-in-class online retail experience,” say the authors. “Developing a consistent strategy addressing the what, how, and why at the outset will ensure success down the line.

Readers can download the white paper free of charge from ChannelAdvisor’s website.

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