Whether you are just in the beginning stages of creating your online business or you already have a well-established customer base, it is important to stay up to date with the latest ecommerce marketing trends and strategies. Running a successful ecommerce business is a lot of work, so it is crucial that you invest in an effective marketing strategy that will allow you to grow and scale your business. A targeted marketing strategy will help you attract the right kinds of customers and drive sales. Here we will look at how to develop an ecommerce marketing strategy that will help you increase traffic and boost sales.
1. Outline Your Goals
In order to decide which marketing strategy is right for your business, you must first outline your goals for the year. Here are a few examples of marketing goals:
- Increase traffic to your website
- Increase the number of conversions
- Add a certain number of new customers each month
- Expand your product line
- Increase your overall revenue
Identifying specific goals will help you tailor your marketing strategy to meet each of those criteria.
2. Identify Your Target Market
Once you’ve outlined your goals, it’s time to define your target market. Knowing who your ideal customer is will give you a better understanding of where you should focus your marketing efforts. You can conduct market research to help you identify your target market. During your research, consider the following demographics:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Marital status
- Job
- Income
- Buying habits
- Interests
- Social media preferences
3. Research Your Competitors
Next, you want to research your competitors and make a note of their strengths and weaknesses. This can help you identify areas where you can gain an edge. Competitor research should include the following:
- Examine their website and their products
- Read their product descriptions
- Note pricing
- Look at their marketing strategies (blogs, social media, SEO, etc.)
- How much traffic does their website receive
It can also be helpful to sign up for your competitor’s newsletter, follow them on social media, and even purchase some of their products so you can get first-hand experience as a customer.
4. Invest in SEO
SEO (search engine optimization) refers to the search engine optimization of an online store. The goal of SEO is to get your website to rank among the top results on search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. This will bring more traffic to your website, resulting in increased revenue.
5. Use Influencer Marketing Campaigns
Influencer marketing has become a popular trend and has proven to be quite effective. An influencer doesn’t have to be a major celebrity. You can work with any social media poster that agrees to be an ambassador for your brands. Instagram is the most popular channel, but other marketing channels include YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat. This type of marketing campaign can help you reach new audiences, build brand awareness, and drive traffic to your site.
6. Sell on Marketplaces
The top online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay, account for two-thirds of global ecommerce sales. Selling your products on these platforms can help people discover your brand more easily by reaching millions of people around the world. You don’t necessarily have to sell all of your products on marketplaces, as there is a hefty selling fee. However, they can be a great option for complementing your own website.
7. Content Marketing
Content marketing involves creating various forms of content and sharing that content with your target audience. Some ideas for content marketing include blogs, videos, customer testimonials, and product guides. You can combine content marketing with SEO by including keywords and links to your products that will also show up in search engine results.