The increasing population on the Internet has seen the springing up for eCommerce businesses like rabbits multiplying. Apart from just brick-and-mortar business establishments, online stores are now everywhere on the Internet. Try it out yourself right now. Go on Google and search for baby strollers in your local area. You’ll be surprised at the number of online stores offering strollers of all sizes, price points, colors, and whatnot.
That’s how popular eCommerce businesses are today. If you’re the owner of your one, this can mean both a good and bad thing. Positive, because it involves a high demand and a better guarantee of profits. Negative, as it can also mean stiffer competition.
To rise above the competition, marketing is always crucial. This is an area of running a business that you’ve got to focus on. To help raise your business to the next level, try out these tips:
1. Always Adhere To Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Standards
In terms of digital marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) may seem like an all-too-familiar and overly used term. Albeit so, it also still currently stands as one of the essential facets of digital marketing. In a nutshell, these SEO standards put your eCommerce website on the top of search landing results. This means that in trying to stay competitive, you’re able to achieve that.
Here are some of the most important tips to remember, as regards SEO:
- All the necessary business information, such as location and contact information of your physical shop, should always be included in your eCommerce site as well.
- Research the keywords to be included in your eCommerce site’s website well.
- Update your eCommerce listings on websites.
- Ensure that your eCommerce site is also optimized for mobile viewing.
- Have a proper link-building strategy.
If you aren’t well versed in SEO strategies, fret not as there are reputable agencies that can help you out. A good example of a site to visit is www.caffeinemarketing.co.uk.
2. Note Your Sales Cycle
Every eCommerce industry has its respective sales cycles. This cycle refers to the amount of time it takes before a customer purchases on your eCommerce site. This information is essential to take note of, as it enables you to create the best eCommerce marketing strategy.
Defining your business’ sales cycle also enables you to achieve the following:
- Create better-tailored marketing strategies to meet the needs of your clients
- Assess which platforms on the Internet you should be advertising on
- When, in the business year, should you be aggressive in sending out emails and other digital marketing messages
3. Optimize The Checkout Process
Optimizing your business’ checkout process means that on your eCommerce site, you’re able to cater to various modes of payments. Many shoppers online are turned off when the website doesn’t accept their preferred method of payment. If this is your site, you’re going to lose customers. This can significantly reduce your income-earning potential.
Some of the most common modes of checking out, online include:
- Cash on delivery. This refers to the payment for the goods and services are done at the doorstep, once the products are delivered.
- Payment through third-party authority sites such as PayPal. This mode is preferred by customers who don’t want to have to keep on entering their card and bank account details on multiple sites.
- Payment through debit and credit cards. These cards are two of the most commonly used by shoppers online.
4. Have A Reviews Section
Many eCommerce businesses might be on the fence about having a reviews section. This is because while a reviews section may bring good results, it also means exposure to any negative comments that some of your business’ customers will have. But, the truth is, despite this, having a reviews section on your products still bring out more good than harm.
Customers buying online trust reviews, just as if they were talking to people in person. They value online reviews that much. For eCommerce businesses, this is an opportunity to grab as good reviews work as free testimonial advertising. Should there be any negative comment, respond to it right away and try to accommodate what the commenter found lacking in your services. When you do this, you’ll also see a change from negative feedback to a more positive one.
5. Make The Checkout Process Easy
Apart from enabling your site to accept multiple forms of payment upon check out, it’s also imperative for your eCommerce site to be as effortless as possible to check out. Try to get everything done in one page, from the final look of the orders listed to the payment phase. Should the customer need to go back shopping, make it easy to put the online shopping bag on hold.
The key to remember always is convenience. Remember this, as in fact, that’s one of the most compelling reasons why people choose to shop online. When you’re able to give that comfort and convenience to customers, you’ll see loyal ones flocking in regularly.
6. Be Wary About Your Content
Even eCommerce sites also need to be very cautious about their site’s content. When you’re selling products and services, it’s in the content that you can convince future buyers why they need to patronize your goods. What positive change can be brought about by the presence of your goods and services? How is this going to change their lives?
All these questions can help convince your buyers to buy your products or avail of your services. This, you can creatively put through your content. Apart from just having product descriptions, you can even have a “Blog” section, where you feature a particular product per week. Talk about more in-depth. Better yet, don’t just limit yourself to words. Add Infographics on your products. Have videos that tell a story of the life-changing benefits of your products.
Doing this will get your customers buying more. That’s the power of content marketing.
Conclusion
All businesses in the online market can make use of these tips. When you run an eCommerce business, this doesn’t mean that you’ve got management easier for you. You’re still going to face a lot of competition, and it’s up to you to rise above this. These tips can form the stable building blocks needed by your business to stay competitive. Regularly applied, you’ll then start yielding the results of all these efforts.
Chelsea Edin
Chelsea Edin creates different online platforms for her clients to better market their products and services. Chelsea implements strategies on content and branding, social media marketing, and SEO practices to help her clients achieve their personal and business goals.
Chelsea maintains a personal blog and shares her knowledge of online marketing through this platform.
