E-commerce is the shopping of tomorrow. As more and more people flock to the online shopping arena, e-commerce businesses have to step up their game to effectively stand out from the crowd and get noticed by their target consumers. Yet, how is a starting entrepreneur supposed to accomplish all of this with limited funds and resources at their disposal?
Simple, you implement only tried-and-tested methods into your marketing strategy and ditch the rest. Here‘s five of these to get you started.
1. Use product descriptions that actually convert
One of the most common mistakes rookie marketers make is writing marketing copy that simply describes the product in question, instead of cold, hard, selling it. Now, what you ought to be doing is making product descriptions that actually showcase the potential benefits of your products (their value), rather than just shoving meaningless numbers and specifications down your consumers’ throats. In short, product descriptions should be enticing — hence why you need to up your game when it comes to language. For instance, superlatives and sensory words such as ‘bright’, ‘fluffy’, ‘sweet’, ‘tantalizing’, are an excellent way to appeal to your customers’ senses; just make sure to leave something for the imagination as well. Essentially, these words trigger an emotional response in your customers that ultimately compel them to purchase your products without too much deliberation, thus boosting your conversion rates.
2. Create instructional how-to videos and product demos
A video is Holy Grail of e-commerce (and marketing in general). What’s more, 92% of them also stated that visual media is the most influential factor when it comes to making purchasing decisions. As a result, adding engaging videos next to your product descriptions is an absolute must. Another thing you ought to do is create instructional how-to videos and demos for your products. For example, take a look at Google’s demo video showcasing their new Google Assistant. It serves to demonstrate just how intuitive their products really are; as well as to point out some basic tips and tricks on how to operate them. Now, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then just imagine what would be the sheer value of a clickable, shareable, and enjoyable video; let that sink in.
3. Provide stellar customer support
People don’t exaggerate when they say that customer support can either make or break a business and with e-commerce, it’s no different. Sometimes detailed descriptions and how-to videos are simply not enough for clients to determine whether or not a product is a right fit for them; especially so with some niche industries that deal with sensitive, high-tech, tools and instruments. For instance, a manager working in the petroleum industry might require some precisely calibrated machinery for one of their oilfield equipment zone maintenance cycles. This, however, necessitates a live audience with a sales representative — of sufficient knowledge in the field — who can find and match the appropriate specifications. That way you don’t lose prospective clients due to a lack of clarity but gain their trust and support instead.
4. Get social
There’s a reason why social media is so popular at the moment. According to one article, almost 75% of consumers rely on social media to finalize their purchasing decisions. Now, if that wasn’t enough, social media is also neat for increasing your brand’s overall credibility — in the form of ‘social proof’ — and for boosting brand awareness; the beauty of it? You don’t have to rely on a single strategy but have a plethora of options at your disposal, including:
- User-generated content — for instance, Coca Cola’s Share a Coke campaign was a major online success, generating thousands of fan-based photos that highlight Coca Cola products.
- Customer reviews — 92% of customers are more likely to trust their peer’s recommendations over branded ads.
- Contests — a fun and interactive way to boost brand awareness and distribute branded merchandise in the form of giveaways.
- Influencer endorsements — using people’s online celebrity status to promote your products and services to an already engaged audience.
5. Optimize your website for a better UX
A website is the soul of your e-commerce business. As such, you need to make sure that it is properly optimized for your target audience. Things to look out for include: confusing site architecture and navigation, unresponsive pages, unreliable (and annoying) chatbots, etc. Moreover, when conducting audits for your website, it’s also important to keep things mobile-friendly as much as possible. According to some sources, around 60% of online traffic now comes from smartphones and tablets, and 30% of all online transactions stem from these as well. This number is absolutely huge — hence why you need to ensure a phenomenal user experience for all customers across multiple devices and browsers. Additionally, an interactive design that is compliant with all the latest SEO trends and practices is yet another thing you need to set your eyes on if you want your e-commerce business to succeed.
All in all, just don’t let the fierceness of the competition dishearten you. Going from a mere online shop to a household brand takes a lot of time and dedication. So, take these five tips to heart, use them well, and you’ll be well on your way to establishing a solid name for yourself in no time.
