Online shopping has become the norm, and this has created new opportunities for businesses that want to take the world by storm. Even quite small businesses can find themselves dispatching goods to distant countries and finding ecommerce fame through their marketing efforts. But just having an online presence or store isn’t enough. Ecommerce marketing begins with your website, but it definitely doesn’t end there!
What do Ecommerce Marketing Strategies Consist of?
Effective ecommerce marketing means using both on and off site techniques to drive traffic to your website, and once prospects arrive there, everything is geared towards making those vital sales.
On Site Ecommerce Marketing Techniques
You’ve probably heard of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). The simplest way to explain it is that SEO is a way of telling search engines what your business does so that it can rank you in searches made by the kind of people who might like to buy from you. Obviously, the higher your rank, the more likely you are to be seen, so the competition can be pretty stiff! It’s an ongoing effort to stay ahead of the pack.
Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO), on the other hand, is a set of strategies you’ll use once people arrive on your website or online store. What do you want them to do next? How will you make that action attractive enough for them to follow through? Conversion rate is usually measured by sales made, and every aspect of your website should be geared towards getting those sales.
Both SEO and CRO require an in-depth understanding of your sales funnel, your customers and your competition, and CRO means being user-centric, giving your audience exactly what it wants, and making the conversion process easy and pleasant for those who want to support your business
Off Site Ecommerce Marketing Techniques
Various off site ecommerce marketing techniques contribute to your on site efforts. The ones you choose will depend on the type of business you have, but they address the key stages prospects go through before they become customers.
Generating awareness that you’re out there and have something special to offer is the first step. The platforms and methods you choose depend on the audience you’re trying to reach, and they range from pay per click advertising to using social media platforms ranging from TikTok to Facebook and LinkedIn to get your message out there. The trick is not to spread yourself too thin. Choose platforms that work for you, and use them to the best possible effect.
Looking for more ideas? If you’re an authority in your field, creating guest posts for influential websites might be just the thing. Have you considered starting a podcast? Or perhaps you can get an influencer to try out your product and tell their followers about it. Do you offer solutions to common problems? You might become a YouTuber in your own right – or be a guest for a YouTuber who already has a large following. The possibilities are virtually endless.
Our Top Tips for Ecommerce Marketing
1. Interactions Matter
When people try to interact with your business by commenting on social media or by sending messages, you need to follow up on their interest, and if you’re able to get their contact details, you can reinforce your efforts with ecommerce email marketing. The important thing here is to personalise. Generic messages are quite likely to fall flat. Try to pick up on the “conversation” between your business and the people who represent your sales prospects.
Remember the basic steps in a sales funnel. Once people know you’re there (awareness), they might decide to find out more (discovery), they then evaluate what you have to offer, and if they’re satisfied, they form an intent to buy. But intention isn’t a sale yet – it may take a little nurturing to reach the final step: the sale! Sending a person who is already considering your products in the evaluation stage awareness messages, won’t be effective.
2. Whatever You Do, Make it Easy for People to Take the Next Step
Whether you’re generating awareness on social media or have succeeded in driving traffic to your website, the next step must be an easy one for people to make. If they have to cast about for the next thing to do or don’t see what they want when they take a closer look, you just disincentivised the purchase. Needless to say, that’s the last thing you want to do.
Your aim? Making things as easy as you possibly can! And if that means answering questions about your products or your methods, the responses must be rapid and on target regardless of the platform on which you received them. Once you have a hot sales prospect, part of your ecommerce marketing strategy should be taking steps to ensure they don’t have time to cool off.
3. Offer Incentives
Consider offering incentives even before potential customers develop an intent to purchase. Contact details are worth their weight in gold. Can you offer information they’ll consider worth having? Your newsletters and marketing emails can add value for your customers and help keep you in touch. As an added reason to sign up, you might even offer a freebie such as a download or an e-book.
Once you start seeing signs of buyer intent, such as clicking on links and browsing your site, see if you can provide a reason for people to go through with the purchase. Can you offer a free trial? A time-limited discount or promo code? Create a sense of urgency by offering extras.
4. Ecommerce Internet Marketing: Business Hours are 24/7
A large amount of your ecommerce internet marketing and marketing communications work can be automated, but there will be times during their journey towards conversion when people who are genuinely interested in your products or services need information that only a person can give them. The longer you make them wait, the greater the chances of losing what could otherwise have been a sale.
Scenario: it’s 2 AM in your time zone, and your prospective customer is ready for onboarding or has questions about fulfilment. Who will help? We have the answers. RSVP is already recognised as one of the UK’s foremost contact centres. Did you know that we provide back office support services too? It’s 100 percent scalable, driven by state-of-the-art software that keeps you in control, and we’re always there for your customers. We know you’d like to be, but since that isn’t always possible, you can count on us to do you proud! Reach out today. Let’s boost your conversions and delight your customers!