E-commerce and online retail can be very lucrative, but there are a number of challenges to overcome. There will always be a battle against the e-commerce giants of the world and traditional brick-and-mortar stores expanding their online presence. Digital marketing for e-commerce and online retail lets you discover your niche and turn your business into a profitable venture.
In many ways, e-commerce offers an option to do business with relatively low overheads. However, there are many elements to consider that need to be managed well to ensure your business performs. Shipping, delivery, returns, refunds and payment processing can be a pain but are crucial. Customer service is, however, one of the significant differentiators for smaller businesses, and more personal interaction with customers can make a massive difference.
If you have all of that in place and you have the perfect product that you can sell, it still sadly doesn’t mean that anyone will know about your store. Getting your website up and running is different from opening a store on the high street. No one will know about it at first. This is where digital marketing steps in to save the day.
People are bombarded with information and advertising daily. Ensuring that your brand shows up where people spend their time online is the way to get that “foot traffic” through your virtual doors.
Here is a hypothetical scenario of how many online shopping experiences play out:
68% of all online experiences start with a search on a search engine. People search for something, find websites that they like and visit them. Sometimes, they will buy, and sometimes, they won’t.
Retargeting these visitors through banner ads on other sites they visit or on social media will help keep your brand front of mind. This often leads to visitors coming back to your site. Sometimes, they buy, and sometimes, they won’t (still…).
Building up a social media following and displaying what you offer, along with helpful tips, guides, and other relevant information, will help build up your brand reputation and recognition. Sometimes, they will buy, and sometimes, they won’t.
A few days later, they search again because they are actually in a buying mood. You need to be one of the sites in the higher rankings. People will see your brand, and familiarity with it will often result in a sale.
Focusing on a single channel can be a good idea, but it is often a risky way to approach your marketing. As consumer preferences change regarding products and services, so does online behaviour.
Therefore, it is essential to make the most of every interaction with potential and existing customers.
Here are the channels that you need to consider using for your marketing efforts seriously:
