Why e-commerce requires unique marketing strategies

For every store or business that wants to increase traffic and grow, deciding which marketing strategy to try can be challenging. With online shopping being one of the most dominant ways customers buy, a business that exists or wants to exist online has to consider what marketing strategies to use there too.

This article takes a look at why e-commerce requires unique marketing strategies and ways you can increase traffic to your website and/or store.

Marketing online

A comprehensive e-commerce marketing plan includes both on- and offline marketing techniques. You can raise brand awareness, encourage client loyalty, and eventually boost online sales with the aid of a solid marketing plan. E-commerce marketing tools may be used to market your online store, either for your overall business or to increase sales of certain goods. An outline of a few doable suggestions is provided below.

Choosing your strategy(ies)

As a brand, it is important to understand the audience you are trying to sell to. It is the only way you will be able to sell to them. Ask yourself some of the following questions when trying to decide which marketing strategies to look into:

• Where online does your target audience spend their time? This will help you determine which platform to focus on. Are your consumers and target audience on social media? Do they like emails? Can you send them DMs?
• How are they speaking? You need to know what it is your target audience searches for when they want a product or service you and your competition offer. You need to appear a lot in your target audience’s peripheral in order for them to notice you, so that you can get leads, and eventually, make sales.
• What are they talking about? This will help you align with your target audience. Customers these days want to buy into brands that are sustainable and care for the good of people, the planet, animals, and are free from forms of prejudice. Decide as a brand if you are going to partner with certain causes or if you are going to ethically source and create your products.

Some ideas

You can promote your brand online by using e-commerce marketing tools for businesses as a whole or to drive more sales for specific products. Below is an overview of a few practical ideas to try.

Search engine optimisation (SEO)

Get your product pages to rank in the top 10 search results on Google, Yahoo, and Bing. This increases the amount of organic (free and unpaid) visitors to your website. According to Backlinko, a page in position #1 is ten times more likely to obtain a click than a page in position #10.

Some strategies to spend money on SEO are:

• Researching keywords and incorporating them into the URLs of your pages, product descriptions, and blog
• Enhancing the user experience and the structure of your website by acquiring backlinks from trustworthy

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is a clever strategy to help your online shop grow. It enables you to collaborate with artists who generate revenue for you, expand your brand exposure, and reach new audiences. Influencers serve as brand advocates for your business and are comparable to online celebrities. You compensate them for promoting your goods by giving them free merchandise, money, or discounts.

However, it is important to note that with influencer marketing, you have to go for people that align with you, your brands and consumer values.

Sell on Marketplace

If your consumers are looking for your products or services by asking for recommendations on social media, chances are they take a look at the Marketplace too. Invest in a presence on the Marketplace, such as Facebook, Takealot, eBay, etc.

Pay-per-click (PPC)

For both large and small businesses, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is the primary internet advertising approach. It has statistics to support it, is simple to scale, and provides a decent return on investment. PPC advertisements frequently target online ad space on websites, social media platforms, or search engines. Because they target customers who are ready to buy and can result in larger sales than organic marketing, these advertisements are effective for businesses that exist online.

Facebook and Google are the two most used PPC advertising networks. E-commerce businesses frequently use Google Shopping advertisements. These advertisements are not new. You will ‘ll see an advertisement when you search for “men’s boots” that provides comprehensive information about numerous items relevant to your search.

Integrate your socials

Can your consumers buy by clicking on a picture? Use those features from the likes of Instagram and try to sell your products or services through those channels. You can take advantage of the following features:

• Shoppable posts
• Shoppable stories
• Influencer tagging
• In-app checkout
• Explore shop

More ways to get and hook consumers

Remember, you need to ensure that your customers do not abandon their carts, so your online presence and experience need to be seamless. Ensure you have user-friendly platforms and communicate with your customers in a more human-centric manner.

Making choices for your business

It may be difficult to decide which part of the online world your business should take, and understanding all the acronyms that come with existing online may feel daunting. Invest in online marketing short courses offered by the University of Cape Town and take your skills and understanding to the next level. Swerve through SEOs and page through PPC strategies with ease when you have the right education backing you.

Final words

Creating and adhering to an online marketing strategy for your business is key to ensuring you drive traffic to your business. If you do not have the capacity to handle the marketing strategy yourself, employ a marketing strategist that will ensure you reach the right audience, the right way, with the right tone.