The global pandemic has forever changed how marketing and the digital landscape merges. Today, almost all marketing operations take place online. Ecommerce marketing, in particular, has become a staple for different brands and businesses.
Online shops such as Amazon have replaced traditional physical stores to get their needs with minimal hassle. Most online stores carry a wide range of items and essentials, from clothes, medicine, to even pet supplies. However, if you really want to drive in sales and conversions, it’s not just about the products you carry–it’s also about your ecommerce marketing strategy.
Now that businesses are going online, let’s talk about how you can thrive digitally with essential ecommerce strategies.
What is Ecommerce Marketing?
Ecommerce marketing refers to the various practices that businesses do to drive in traffic and sales to their online shops. Think about the ads you see for various online shops–that’s an example of ecommerce marketing! Efforts that veer towards gaining new customers or retaining existing customers are also included in your strategy.
It can also have several goals, including:
- Increased traffic and visibility
- Easy website navigation
- Conversion
- Re-engagement of past visitors
- Post-purchase customer engagement
- Reactivation of current customers with relevant and engaging promos and offers
- Stimulation of regular and significant orders
Achieving these goals require an effective and holistic ecommerce marketing strategy that employs various tactics on and off your website. This allows you to reach a bigger audience, build your brand, and ultimately increase your sales.
Types of Ecommerce Marketing
Although ecommerce websites are online, ecommerce marketing can span several channels. These also include offline and traditional marketing channels. Of course, the best marketing tactics for your brand will depend on your goals.
Here are some of the most popular strategies today among online shops:
Ecommerce SEO
A recent study shows that the click-through rate for organic search results is 28.5%. This means that users will tend to choose results that rank higher. Ecommerce SEO plays a large role in keeping websites visible on Google and other search engines by helping your ecommerce site rank higher.
Optimizing your website not only allows you to rank higher, it also helps you convert users with high purchase intent. Ecommerce SEO is particularly important when it comes to product pages. With the right keywords, you can drive in traffic and boost conversions for your shop.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the older and more established forms of digital marketing. It can also be a key part of your ecommerce marketing strategy. After all, digital marketing experts will agree that email marketing retains its value because of the personalized experience it can give users.
You can capture more customers and upgrade your tactics with expert email marketing services from a reputable digital marketing agency. There are many ways you can engage with your customers via email. From welcome emails to abandoned cart emails, the best thing that an email marketing campaign can give you is a more approachable and personal form of communication
Ecommerce Advertising
Ecommerce advertising is another tactic that is commonly used alongside SEO services. Ecommerce advertising utilizes Search Engine Marketing (SEM) or paid advertising. SEM is a usual addition to many digital marketing strategies and can be especially advantageous for online shops.
SEM, of course, includes Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Ads. The most popular platform to run PPC campaigns is Google. With the Google Adwords, you can bid on strong and relevant keywords that can give your ecommerce website the traffic and conversions you want.
Social Media Marketing
According to Backlinko, 93.33% of internet users are on social media. With such a significant statistic, any ecommerce model would be remiss to not take advantage of social media. Today, having a strong social media presence can give your brand a visibility boost.
Much like SEO and PPC campaigns, social media marketing also has organic and paid results. Organic social media traffic springs from relevant and valuable content. Meanwhile, paid social media allows you to reach your target audience more effectively through ads and partnerships (which also include influencer marketing).
Today, the most popular channel is Facebook. Depending on your goals, brand, and budget, you can also opt to have Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok accounts. Paired with clever content and influencers, social media marketing can truly do wonders for your business.
Responsive Web Design
Perhaps one of the biggest gripes of many users about an online store is that it is hard to use or understand. Web design is an important part of any website, but doubly so for ecommerce sites. The right web design could quite literally make or break your ecommerce marketing strategy.
A poorly designed website will lead to frustrated and confused users. Conversely, good website design lets users have a better experience on the website, potentially allowing businesses to convert users. Among ecommerce websites, utilizing a Shopify web design is the usual practice.
Text Marketing Campaigns
Being able to reach people on their phones is always a good way to get noticed. That’s why text marketing is also a relatively good way to let people know about your brand. In Hong Kong, there are laws about unsolicited electronic messages–so if you plan to do a text marketing campaign, you need to be very specific and creative so your message isn’t identified as spam.
If you wish to utilize text or SMS marketing, it’s important to consult experts as to how you can do it. After all, a text marketing campaign should enhance your overall marketing strategy rather than overshadow it. Done correctly, it can be a valuable addition to your ecommerce marketing efforts.
How Do You Create an Ecommerce Marketing Strategy?
Now that you know the tools you can add to your arsenal, the next question you might be asking is how to start using them. While it’s tempting to just use all of them all at once, having a strategy should be your first course of action. After all, you wouldn’t jump into uncharted territory without a plan!
If it’s your first time delving into ecommerce marketing, it can get overwhelming. But when you work with a top digital marketing agency in Hong Kong, it’s easier to create a customized strategy for your brand. Each brand will differ–as such, your marketing strategies will also differ. There is no such thing as one size fits all!
Still unsure? We’ve got you covered. Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re setting up your marketing strategy:
Look at your industry standards for goals
No strategy begins without a goal in mind. It’s like running in a race without a finish line! A common mistake that many people make when it comes to setting goals is by making it too general.
A good way to combat this is to look at industry standards. This is especially helpful if you are a new website or brand. Take a moment to study and look at your industry standards and draft your goals based on these.
It’s alright to take it slow–this ensures that you have a realistic and achievable goal that you can achieve with the proper budget, strategy, and creativity.
Keep your strategy relevant to your business goal
We’ve already said that there is no such thing as one size fits all in ecommerce marketing (or…marketing in general). In that same vein, we’ll also say that some eggs are better than others. This means that not every strategy is for you.
When working with an expert ecommerce marketing agency, you will realize that there are some tactics that are worth investing in and others that are only good for a short period of time. If you want maximum ROI, always look at your business goals and ask yourself how a strategy can help you get there.
We understand that it is definitely tempting to do everything digitally–but that’s what we’re here for. As digital marketing experts, we help you accomplish your goals by creating a customized and relevant strategy with your goal at its core. If you’re really set on employing a certain tactic, having a discussion with your digital marketing agency should always be on the table so you can incorporate it seamlessly into your existing ecommerce marketing strategy.
Engage old and new customers
Customers are the lifeline of any ecommerce model. They bring in traffic, sales, and even help in boosting your visibility. It would be a smart move for many brands to build engagements and relationships with these individuals.
When you start ecommerce marketing, one of the most important things you should note is how you can reach these people. After all, the point of marketing is to connect with people. When you start strategizing, make sure to be mindful of ways to engage both old and new customers. From promos to relevant content, there are a multitude of ways to connect with people.
If you are not sure how you want to connect with customers, take a look at your competitors. Take notes of what they do and what’s effective. You can easily adapt some of their strategies into your own since you cater to the same market.
Ecommerce Marketing Tips
So you have your strategy ready and you’re raring to go! It’s easy to get lost in a digital landscape, but with experts by your side, navigating the sea of ecommerce marketing should be relatively smooth sailing. Of course, it’s important to remember that bumps on the road can happen at times too.
If you feel anxious about your newest venture, here are some tips to help you thrive in ecommerce marketing:
Keep your website easy to navigate
We’ve said this earlier and we’ll say it again: make sure that you have a good web design for your ecommerce site!
No user wants to navigate a complicated website. If users have to constantly go through endless clicks and pages just to find one product, then…you might end up losing sales. Avoid these scenarios by ensuring that you have a sleek and seamless interface and keeping your product pages accessible.
Optimize for mobile!
Many users are on mobile–so if your website isn’t mobile friendly, then your ecommerce marketing will definitely suffer.
At this rate, optimizing for mobile is standard. Considering Google’s Mobilegeddon, it’s absolutely essential. When you optimize your website for mobile, you signal to Google engines that your website is a good choice for mobile users.
Utilize user generated content
We talked about engaging your audience–and what better way to interact with them than utilizing user generated content?
User generated content (UGT) refers to text, videos, images, and even reviews that come from users. This gives your brand a more personable image. It also engages your audience because it feels like you’re talking to them! On social media, utilizing UGT is a great way to get noticed and to create solid relationships with your market.
Slow down
We understand–you want to see results and you want to see them fast.
The thing to remember with ecommerce marketing–or digital marketing in general–is that most results take time to show. That’s especially true if you’re doing ecommerce SEO as part of your marketing strategy. Our biggest tip here is to take a deep breath and slow down a bit.
Remember, the results will come. It just doesn’t always take overnight! If you’re feeling unsure of your progression, keep an open line of communication with your ecommerce marketing agency. After all, it is the agency’s duty to update and explain things–so don’t be afraid to ask away.
Get Your Ecommerce Website to Success
Competing on a digital landscape can get competitive very quickly–and if you don’t have the right tools, then you could easily be outperformed.
When you’re in ecommerce, being at the top of your game is essential. After all, you don’t want to fade into the background and lose sales. If you want an extra boost to your website or if you’re just starting out, investing in ecommerce marketing and advertising is a good choice.
Work with a reliable ecommerce marketing agency today and get your business to success!
