Online trends are constantly shifting and e-commerce trends are no different. The habits that excelled in the last year will fall short in the next and the constant advancement in technology along with the competitive nature of business means that you do not want to resist changes, you will want to embrace them. This is why it is vital that you keep up to date with the latest eCommerce trends to ensure that your sales continue to grow.
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Social Media
Social media is one of the most powerful instruments that an e-commerce business owner can use. It is important that you leverage this as both a marketing tool and as a customer service tool. This will help you attract and retain customers which is vital in this business.
Drew Blais, the brand marketing manager at Groove states that whether you are looking to use Instagram’s organic shopping functionality or Facebook’s product retargeting, you need to understand where your customers are spending their time. You will also need to meet them with content that will inspire them and makes them want to purchase from you.
It is important that you not only communicate with customers when you need something from them. You should look at creating an online community of like-minded individuals who have similar interests. You can then connect with your community members which will make them feel more comfortable buying your products.
“Community is a large part of the e-commerce business model because it allows you to get closer to your customers” stated Adrian Morrison from the Chamber of eCommerce last week. (source: chamberofcommerce.com )
This closeness will increase the trust that they have in your company and will improve the overall relationship that you have with them. This communication could be as simple as posting relevant content online or tweeting your customer back or encouraging them to ask questions on Facebook. This strategy was invented by Adrian Morrison from eCom success academy who was using only Facebook ads to build up his 7 figure ecommerce business. You can read more about this strategy here: https://ecomsuccessacademy.net/
Brick And Mortar
If you have a business with a physical location, you should look out for offering both an in-store and online experience for your customers. This will help your business keep up with the others in your industry. When you have a physical location, you could offer an option for customers to pick up their orders directly in your store. This will help to reduce the shipping costs that they face and will drive more people to your brick and mortar location.
Mobile Optimization
There are more and more consumers who are using their phones and other mobile devices to make purchases. This is due to the convenience and accessibility that these devices offer. If you want to sell your products, you need to ensure that you have a website that is mobile-friendly and user-friendly.
All small businesses have to ensure that their customers have a good experience on their phones and tablets. This means that your website will need to be responsive which means that the layout will shift to fit the screen it is being viewed on. However, it is important to note that mobile optimization will be more than just having a responsive web design.
You will also need to ensure that everything from chat to an optimized checkout are provided. Being able to accept digital wallets such as AmazonPay, PayPal and ApplePay ate also important. Not being able to accept these payments will lower your conversion rates and increase cart abandonment.
Influencer Marketing
A great marketing investment that you might not know about is social media influencers. These influencers are people who are well-known and trusted in your industry. You will sponsor them to endorse your products and service on social platforms to all of their followers.
Brands that have used social media influencers that have highly engaged followers will see an increase in brand awareness, traffic, and sales. If you are a small business, you can leverage this marketing trend by working with a few micro-influencers who are in line with your ideal customers. It is important to note that you do not have to choose the most popular influencer to promote your company because relevance is better than popularity.
Micro-influencers will have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers for their niche subject. They will also have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers for broader subjects. There are many influencers who would be happy to provide your business with more exposure in the form of a blog review or a shout out on Instagram.
Video
Video is another great marketing tool that you need to look at. You can implement short informative clips onto our social media accounts. Videos will also appear in the search results and 46% of customers are more likely to make a purchase after watching a video.
However, with this type of media, you need to understand that it should not stand on its own. If you want success with SEO, you should provide a transcript of your video as well.
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