Are you starting a new e-commerce business, or just want to know how to run yours better? Either way, you’re in the right place. In this article we’re going to look at a few important factors that could play a massive role in how successful your e-commerce venture might be. Some of these might seem quite self-explanatory, but you’d be surprised how many small business owners like yourself simply don’t think through their strategy well enough and make far too many mistakes. Don’t be one of them. Work through this list and make sure you’ve got everything in order so that you can make your venture a success.
1. Keyword selection
When you’re running an online business, you need to make sure you pick the right keywords to try and target. It’s one of the most important factors in getting the traffic you’re going to need to succeed in a busy online marketplace. The reality is that most of your traffic will be coming from search engines, and the success or failure of your rankings will come down to what keywords you try and target.
Most people realise that they need as much traffic as possible, but make the mistake of trying to target keywords that are too broad—simply because they have the most searches each month. That can sometimes be a mistake, because these keywords are highly competitive and are therefore much harder to rank for. Not only that, but they might also be too broad and provide less targeted traffic that’s less likely to spend money.
One simple idea to avoid both these pitfalls is to target long-tail keywords. That way you can avoid the masses but also target visitors who’re looking for exactly what you’re offering. That means they’re more likely to spend money when they arrive, and you won’t be wasting money on people who were looking for something unrelated with a board search term.
2. SEO
This ties into the previous point quite well, but once you’ve got your keywords – you need to start optimising for them. Along with on-page optimisation, you also need plenty of backlinks to help with your off-page SEO. While more is generally better, try not to spam too much. Avoid those spamy Fiverr gigs that give you thousands of backlinks overnight. Those could actually harm your rankings. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Target quality backlinks rather than quantity. Grow your SEO organically so that it looks natural to search engines. You may want to contact Probella, the digital marketing agency from Miami, to reach the goal.
3. Social media marketing
Another aspect of marketing that some e-commerce owners have been slow to adopt is the power of social media marketing. It’s something you simply can’t afford to ignore these days. Some people only really browse their social media profiles these days, so you need a way to get to them. Try and get all your existing customers to follow you on social media. Offer them value, and when they like something you post—they’ll spread the word to all their extended friend network. It’s a great marketing tool with tons of potential for new customers.
4. Website design and user experience
This one might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people leave their on-page design as an afterthought. Don’t be one of them. Make sure you fine-tune your user experience so that people aren’t distracted. Walk through your web funnel as though you’re a customer and think how they might react to each part of it.
In addition, focus on quality assurance; collaborate with expert outsourcing web development companies that have established quality assurance processes in place to ensure that the final product meets industry standards and client requirements. For instance, Azumo a nearshore software development company, can provide you with the technical expertise needed to enhance your website’s user experience and overall design, ensuring that it meets industry standards and customer expectations. This approach can help you create a website that engages visitors effectively and converts them into customers. Optimise this as much as you can to help make your user experience perfect. Use CRM software to help give you the edge.
5. Email marketing
If people aren’t going to spend money on your site on their first site, at least try and get them to opt-in to your subscriber list. Offer them a free report, discount or something else of value. Try not to spam them when you’ve got their email info, keep offering them value so you’ve got more chances to turn them into a paying customer.
6. Conversion optimisation
This ties in a bit with the point on user experience, but you need to make sure you’re using all the tactics you can to convert your visitors. That starts with the right keywords, but also relies on things like time-sensitive special offers and clear calls-to-action. Don’t lose people to the distractions of secondary adverts. Make sure everything is pointing towards a sale.
7. Customer service
One aspect where many e-commerce businesses fall down is by simply not having a good level of customer service. You might be an online venture, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t interacting with real people. Not only should your after-sale care be top-notch, so should your support BEFORE a sale. Make sure nobody has to wait long for an answer to their queries or questions. Poor customer service often leads to fewer customers—and a business that doesn’t meet its potential.
8. Analytics and data
Make you know exactly what parts of your website are performing well, don’t leave it to guesswork. Analyse all of your marketing campaigns and spend more on those that work, while cutting back those that don’t.
9. Partnering with authorities
This is a great SEO tip, but it also works for much more than that. Try reaching out to relevant authorities in your industry and providing them with content in return for a link. It’s a great way to get high-value backlinks that search engines love, but it’s also a good way to grow your brand and increase awareness. Not only that, but partnering with the right sites will give you residual clicks and traffic, bypassing the need for SEO altogether.
10. Traditional marketing
Just because you’re online, that doesn’t mean you should ignore the power of traditional marketing channels. These are especially effective in your local area, where you can host or sponsor events and more. Try handing out flyers, or even going door to door. This might not be scalable across the planet, but you’ve got the ability to reach everyone in your local area with much more personal marketing efforts.
