With so much competition in the e-commerce sector, proper digital marketing practices are essential to drive growth, particularly for making your startup stand out. You may think that standing out is all about getting the right logo and website, and although these are important, there’s so much more involved.
Let’s get into it!
How Marketing Tactics Drive Growth
Before delving into the details, let’s take a step back and consider why marketing strategies are important for e-commerce growth.
Put simply, without effective digital marketing activities you won’t reach enough potential customers to make your business successful. The more people you can engage with, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to grow your e-commerce store.
Of course, this isn’t just about getting people to your website; it’s also about making sure these potential customers are engaged and driven to take action. Your digital marketing activities should be designed to raise awareness of your e-commerce store, enhance engagement with your content, convert visitors into customers, and establish a loyal customer base.
When you’re crafting your digital marketing strategy, you need to consider the relevancy of each tactic and balance it with the costs associated. Some tactics will be more suitable for small businesses, while others are better suited to larger companies that have deeper pockets for marketing spend.
The Building Blocks
While the specific tactics you use will depend on your business and target market, several key elements should be included in any successful digital marketing campaign:
SEO Optimization
Ensuring your website is optimized for search engine results, by using keywords that consumers use to find what they need, will get you more organic traffic to your page. Utilizing SEO best practices will also lead to a better user experience when navigating your e-commerce website, making it easier for potential customers to find what they need and make purchases.
You want your customers’ journey to be as smooth and seamless as possible—from online search to landing on your website and making a purchase.
Content Marketing
An oldie but a goodie, content marketing is still one of the most reliable tactics out there. Publishing content that adds value for your target demographics on topics such as product news, industry trends, or advice pieces related to your business will keep you in front of your customer base.
Seeking out niches or topics related to your e-commerce business that has not been thoroughly explored is also a great way to separate yourself from the pack.
Mobile Optimization
We all live on our phones these days and more businesses are focusing on mobile-first strategies. Having a website optimized for mobile devices is essential to drive conversion, as potential customers are often looking up products or services while they’re out and about.
You don’t want potential customers to be unable to find info or have a difficult time navigating your website on their phones. With more and more websites focusing on mobile, it’s important to make sure your e-commerce business is not left behind. One way to do this is to create a shopping app for your e-commerce website!
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Proper CRM implementation helps you keep tabs on customer behavior, interests, and preferences to better target them with relevant content or offers. Gathering data from customer inquiries or feedback on products or services helps you tailor your marketing efforts for maximum impact.
Email Marketing
One of the easiest and most effective ways to engage with customers is through email. Sure, it’s not the sexiest digital marketing tactic, but it’s still one of the most dependable.
Despite ceding most of the limelight to social media platforms, email is still one of the most effective ways to reach your customer base. Sending regular emails with offers and discounts related to their interests will ensure customers are always engaged and informed.
When creating an email campaign, be sure to personalize the message based on customers’ interests or purchases they’ve made in the past. This will give them a sense that you recognize and appreciate their loyalty and ensure that your emails stand out from the competition.
Social Media Marketing
There’s no escaping it—social media is here to stay and growing in importance. Few industries, if any, are not impacted by social media, and e-commerce is no exception.
Just by creating a profile, you will open up new channels of communication and give customers more access to your brand.
The Closers
Once you get the basic foundation of your digital marketing strategy in place, all that’s left to do is round out your tactics with specific tactics tailored to your e-commerce business.
Some options you may want to check out include:
- Starting a podcast – Forging relationships with potential customers by having them listen to you share your knowledge and insights in a podcast.
- Optimizing for local search – Stake your claim in the local realm by optimizing your website and content for local search, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
- Referral bonuses – Create a referral program to incentivize current customers to refer your business to potential customers.
- Linking up with social media influencers – Not all industries have to be limited by traditional marketing tactics. If your e-commerce business has a presence on social media, consider reaching out to influencers in your niche and leveraging their reach to spread the word about your products or services.
- Giveaways – There’s nothing like free stuff to get potential customers buzzing about your business. Look for ways to give away something related to your industry as a way of generating interest and excitement.
The key thing here is to have a solid marketing base and then continually refine and adjust as needed to get the desired results. Staying on top of trends and experimenting with different digital marketing tactics will help you find success in the ever-changing e-commerce landscape.
With the right choices, you can ensure your business will continue to grow and thrive for many years to come!
