According to Forbes, a whopping 90% of E-commerce start-ups fail within the initial 120 days. The number is staggering, but it’s not surprising when you consider the amount of work that goes into starting and running a successful E-commerce business.
Besides, you need to focus on several tasks to set your business up for success, and marketing is one of the most important. Marketing is a major defining factor in the success of any business. It is especially true if you’re running an E-commerce business to expand your reach and increase sales. Unless you’re heard, seen, and remembered by your target audience, you will not make it far in today’s competitive era.
Nonetheless, you can employ several effective marketing strategies to expand your business. But not all of these strategies will prove effective. So, research and determine which marketing techniques and tactics will work best for your business and your budget.
But don’t fret; we’ll share some effective marketing tips to help you take your first crucial steps towards expansion.
1. Keep Your Business Page Updated
Your business page is one of the most important marketing tools you have. It’s where potential customers can learn about your products, read reviews, and get in touch with you. And that’s why it’s imperative to keep your business page updated. Ensure the information is accurate and you’re regularly adding new, enticing digital content such as videos and infographics. But if you face difficulty managing all your digital content, it’s worthwhile to consider a reliable platform. Eventually, managing digital assets will become straightforward, and you can divert your efforts and time to other business matters.
Moreover, by keeping your business page updated, you’re more likely to attract new customers and retain the ones you have. Just ensure your response time is quick, so you can address any concerns they may have.
2. Make a Mobile-Friendly Website
Did you know how many people use their smartphones to research products and make purchases? A recent study found that 77% of people use their smartphones to research products before they buy them. And in 2018, mobile commerce sales accounted for 54.87% of all E-commerce sales worldwide.
What does this mean for you? You’re probably missing out on many potential leads if your website is not mobile-friendly. Making your website mobile-friendly is not as tricky or expensive as you think. You can either build a separate mobile-friendly version of your website or use a receptive design that adjusts to fit any screen size automatically.
Likewise, focus on the loading time, responsiveness, check-out process, and overall user experience of your website. The easier it is for audiences to use your website, the more likely they will make a purchase.
3. Paid Advertising
One of the quickest and surefire ways for E-commerce ventures to reach a larger audience is through paid advertising. Paid advertising can help reach audiences searching for keywords related to your business, products, or services.
Besides, leveraging paid advertising is viable for regaining people who visited your website, scanned it, but didn’t make a purchase. Research shows that 70% of people who abandon their online shopping carts do so because they are not ready to make a purchase. By retargeting these people with ads, you can remind them of your products and encourage them to return and complete their purchases.
You can use several paid advertising platforms, but the most popular are Google AdWords and Facebook Ads.
4. Content Marketing
Another compelling way to expand your reach and increase sales is through content marketing. Content marketing is primarily about designing and sharing valuable, relevant, and engaging content with your target audience.
Content marketing can help attract new customers and leads and build trust and relationships. The more valuable and informative content you can provide, the more likely people will do business with you.
There are various ways you can share your content. But some of the most popular include blogging, social media posting, email marketing, and infographics. Regardless of your chosen method, your content must be high-quality and relevant to your target audience.
Quick Tip: Audiences love bright and lively visuals. Also, keep it precise and concise. People have short attention spans and will eagerly engage with content that is easy to read and digest.
5. Leverage Real-Time Personalization
There’s no more spray-and-pray marketing – be personal and relevant, or you will get ignored. People have become immune to generic marketing messages because they see so many of them daily. The only surefire way to cut through the noise is by being more personal and relevant to your target audience. So, campaigns like “Hey, it’s the Fourth of July! Go buy a car!” are no longer effective.
Instead, focus on real-time personalization. Devise personalized marketing messages to the individual based on their specific needs, interests, and behaviors.
You can use data from your website and social media platforms to create more personalized marketing messages. For example, suppose you know that someone visited your website but didn’t make a purchase. In that case, send them a personalized email with a discount code for their next purchase.
Try not to go overboard with the personalization, though. You don’t want to come across as intrusive.
6. Offer Free Shipping
Customers love free shipping and are more likely to purchase if you offer it. Shoppers have now come to expect free shipping, and they’re even willing to wait a little longer for their order if it means they don’t have to pay for shipping.
According to an Ask Your Target Market poll, 70% of respondents had a more favorable view of brands that provide free delivery and shipping. Likewise, 84% are more inclined to shop on sites with this service, and 75% are more willing to buy if there’s a free delivery offer rather than discounts.
You may feel like free shipping is eating into your profits, but there are a few ways you can offset the cost. For example, you can increase the price of your products or offer free shipping on orders over a certain amount. You can also use it as a marketing tool to differentiate your business from the competition.
Final Thoughts
With so many E-commerce businesses failing these days, getting yours off the ground may seem daunting. Nonetheless, by following these tips, you can expand your E-commerce business and reach a wider, more lucrative audience. But remember to focus on creating a personal and relevant experience for your customers, and you’ll be sure to succeed.
