e-commerce marketing
brand genieus knowledge series
How to master e-commerce marketing?
Looking to step into the world of eCommerce marketing? We’ve got you covered with a plethora of proven strategies and tools specifically tailored for small businesses. Give them a shot and watch your eCommerce business thrive!
1. Consistently Keep Track of Analytics
Maximize the potential of your small business eCommerce marketing tactics rather than allowing them to become futile. By doing so, you will discover alternative methods to enhance and expand your enterprise. Begin by exploring these cutting-edge eCommerce analytics resources.
Google Analytics
Hubspot
Kissmetrics
Optimizely
Shopify
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a powerful web analytics service that provides detailed insights into website and app performance. Developed by Google, it offers a comprehensive suite of tools for tracking and analyzing user behavior, traffic sources, and conversion data. From audience demographics to real-time reporting, Google Analytics empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions, optimize their online presence, and enhance the overall user experience.
HubSpot
HubSpot is an all-in-one inbound marketing, sales, and customer service platform designed to help businesses attract, engage, and delight customers. It offers a suite of tools for content creation, social media management, lead nurturing, and customer relationship management. HubSpot’s integrated approach allows businesses to streamline their marketing efforts, automate processes, and provide a personalized experience for their audience, ultimately fostering long-term customer relationships.
Kissmetrics
Kissmetrics is a customer engagement and analytics platform focused on delivering insights into customer behavior and optimizing marketing strategies. It goes beyond traditional analytics by providing detailed data on individual user journeys, helping businesses understand the customer lifecycle, and make informed decisions. With features like cohort analysis and funnel tracking, Kissmetrics enables businesses to tailor their marketing efforts for maximum impact and improved customer retention.
Optimizely
Optimizely is a leading experimentation platform that allows businesses to test and optimize various elements of their websites and mobile apps. Through A/B testing and multivariate testing, Optimizely enables users to experiment with different variations of content, layouts, and features to determine the most effective combinations for achieving their goals. This data-driven approach helps businesses enhance user experience, increase conversions, and drive overall digital success.
Shopify
Shopify is a widely-used e-commerce platform that simplifies the process of creating and managing online stores. It provides a user-friendly interface, a variety of customizable templates, and a range of features for inventory management, payment processing, and order fulfillment. Shopify caters to businesses of all sizes, allowing them to easily set up an online presence, sell products, and scale their operations with built-in tools for marketing, analytics, and customer engagement. Its user-centric design makes it a popular choice for entrepreneurs and established brands alike.
2. Email Messaging
On a normal day, we receive close to 200 emails a day on average. For some of us the number is way more, increasing leading most of us to to a condition often referred to as email fatigue. As if that wasn’t bad enough, most of these emails are irrelevant, and in many cases, outright junk or spam.
As a marketer, you can turn things in your favor.
- Ensure opt-ins and opt-outs are enabled
- Identify, segment, and target your audience
- Ensure content is relevant to them
- Substance is key!
- Make the content enticing, engaging, interactive, and personal
- Have a call to action, invite them to engage or visit your site
3. Text messaging
While email remains the preference for customers to stay updated about your company, utilizing text messages can effectively promote your business. However, recipients might perceive text messages as intrusive or bothersome, particularly when they originate from an unfamiliar number.
Similar to email marketing, it is important to provide subscribers with the option to choose whether they want to receive communications from you or not. Furthermore, when crafting your messages, focus on promoting your products or services rather than using urgent or emergency language, as this could potentially overwhelm your customers. Additionally, remember to keep your text concise and to the point!
Leading tools for email and SMS marketing:
ActiveCampaign
Brevo
Klaviyo
Omnisend
Open Loyalty
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a versatile and comprehensive marketing automation platform that caters to businesses of all sizes. Offering a wide array of features, it combines email marketing, automation, sales automation, and customer relationship management (CRM). ActiveCampaign stands out for its user-friendly interface, allowing users to create targeted campaigns, automate workflows, and nurture leads effectively. The platform’s ability to integrate seamlessly with various third-party applications enhances its adaptability, making it a valuable tool for streamlining marketing and sales processes.
Brevo
Brevo is a cloud-based access control and security management solution designed to simplify and enhance physical security for businesses. With features like real-time monitoring, access control, and reporting, Brevo provides businesses with a robust and scalable security infrastructure. It offers flexibility through mobile access and integrates seamlessly with various hardware components. Brevo’s user-friendly interface and customization options make it a reliable choice for organizations looking to manage and monitor their premises with efficiency.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is a popular email marketing platform renowned for its focus on e-commerce businesses. With a user-friendly interface and powerful automation capabilities, Klaviyo enables businesses to create targeted email campaigns based on customer behavior and preferences. The platform’s integration with e-commerce platforms allows for seamless tracking of customer interactions and personalized communication. Klaviyo’s data-driven approach helps businesses build strong customer relationships, optimize sales, and enhance overall marketing effectiveness.
Omnisend
Omnisend is an omnichannel marketing automation platform tailored for e-commerce businesses. It offers a range of features, including email marketing, SMS, push notifications, and more, allowing businesses to engage with customers across multiple channels. With intelligent automation workflows and personalized messaging, Omnisend helps e-commerce retailers deliver relevant content at the right time, boosting customer engagement and conversion rates. The platform’s analytics and reporting tools provide valuable insights for optimizing marketing strategies.
Open Loyalty
Open Loyalty is a customer loyalty and engagement platform designed to help businesses build lasting relationships with their customers. It provides a flexible framework for creating customized loyalty programs, rewards, and incentives. Open Loyalty’s open-source nature allows businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs, ensuring a unique and effective loyalty program. With features like customer segmentation and analytics, Open Loyalty empowers businesses to understand customer behavior and implement targeted strategies to enhance loyalty and satisfaction.
4. Alternate promotion platforms and channels
Successful eCommerce business owners and marketers understand the significance of diversifying their marketing efforts across various channels. Simply setting up a website and expecting instant traffic is not enough to establish a strong online presence. It requires dedication and effort to drive traffic to your site. Among the multitude of strategies available, actively engaging on social media platforms emerges as one of the most convenient methods to boost website traffic.
While social media serves as a platform to promote and advertise your business, forums or online communities offer an alternate avenue. However, it is crucial to exercise caution when endorsing your business. Several forums prohibit shamelessly promoting or advertising in order to gain an advantage. Instead, focus on presenting a solution and subtly mentioning your business.
Incorporate Google, LinkedIn, Meta Ads for your business to generate enhanced traffic to your website. Moreover, by strategically utilizing your chosen keywords in the ad placement, you can effectively captivate the attention of your intended audience.
Google Ads
Google Ads, formerly known as Google AdWords, is a powerful online advertising platform offered by Google. It allows businesses to create and display ads on Google’s search engine results pages, YouTube, and partner websites. With a pay-per-click (PPC) model, advertisers bid on keywords relevant to their products or services. Google Ads provides a highly targeted advertising solution, reaching users actively searching for specific information. The platform offers robust analytics tools, allowing advertisers to track the performance of their campaigns and adjust strategies to maximize return on investment.
LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn Ads is a specialized advertising platform on the professional networking site LinkedIn. It offers a unique opportunity for businesses to target a professional audience based on factors such as job title, industry, and company size. LinkedIn Ads supports various ad formats, including sponsored content, sponsored InMail, and display ads, enabling businesses to engage with professionals in a contextually relevant manner. With detailed targeting options, analytics, and the ability to reach decision-makers directly, LinkedIn Ads is a valuable tool for B2B marketing and building brand awareness within the professional community.
Meta Ads
Meta Ads refer to advertisements on platforms owned by Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook. This includes advertising on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other Meta-owned properties. Meta Ads leverage user data to target ads based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. The platform offers a variety of ad formats, including image and video ads, carousel ads, and more. Advertisers can choose objectives such as brand awareness, engagement, or conversions, tailoring their campaigns to specific business goals. With a vast user base and sophisticated ad targeting capabilities, Meta Ads are a popular choice for businesses looking to reach a diverse and engaged audience across different social media channels.
In addition to these ‘standard’, popular platforms it is worth looking into Reddit and Quora.
Reddit is a dynamic and diverse social platform, often referred to as the “front page of the internet.” It is organized into user-created communities, known as subreddits, covering virtually every imaginable topic. Users engage through discussions, sharing content, and voting on posts and comments. With a unique blend of humor, information, and community-driven content, Reddit provides an authentic space for users to connect with like-minded individuals. Marketers can tap into this diverse audience through targeted advertising, participating in relevant communities, and creating engaging content that aligns with the platform’s conversational and community-centric nature.
Quora
Quora stands out as a popular question-and-answer platform that fosters knowledge sharing and community engagement. Users ask questions on various topics, and the community responds with insightful answers. Quora provides a valuable space for individuals seeking information, advice, or expertise on a wide range of subjects. For marketers, Quora offers an opportunity to establish thought leadership by providing valuable insights within their industry. Additionally, the platform’s advertising options enable businesses to reach a targeted audience based on specific topics and interests. By participating in discussions and offering informative content, marketers can leverage Quora to build brand credibility and connect with an inquisitive user base.
To help navigate presence across these platforms, it is helpful to have access to tools that help manage and enhance your social media presence. In general, these platforms allow you to streamline your posting process and track your performance effectively. If you’re looking to promote your business through discussions and interactions, Quora and Reddit are standout forums to consider. On the other hand, Google Ads offers a range of tools to optimize your campaigns. Keyword research tools assist in identifying the most suitable keywords for targeting, while StoryLab.AI or Copy.AI headline and description generators can be utilized to craft attention-grabbing content. Allocate resources to develop and enhance digital material with the intention of attracting and engaging target audiences.
Here is a quick look at some leading tools:
Agorapulse
Hootsuite
SproutSocial
Agorapulse
Agorapulse is a comprehensive social media management platform designed to streamline the process of content scheduling, monitoring, and engagement across various social media channels. It offers a user-friendly interface, allowing businesses to manage their social media presence efficiently. Agorapulse provides features such as content scheduling, social inbox for message management, analytics for tracking performance, and collaboration tools for team coordination. With a focus on simplicity and effectiveness, Agorapulse is a valuable tool for businesses aiming to enhance their social media strategy and engage with their audience seamlessly.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a widely used social media management platform that enables businesses to manage and schedule posts across multiple social media channels from a single dashboard. It offers robust features such as content scheduling, social listening, analytics, and team collaboration tools. Hootsuite’s versatility makes it suitable for businesses of all sizes, providing a centralized hub for social media activities. With its wide range of integrations and the ability to monitor and engage with conversations in real-time, Hootsuite empowers businesses to maintain a strong and consistent social media presence.
Sprout Social
Sprout Social is an advanced social media management and analytics platform designed to help businesses build and grow their online presence. It combines various features, including content scheduling, social listening, analytics, and collaboration tools. Sprout Social emphasizes data-driven insights, allowing businesses to understand audience behavior and track the performance of their social media efforts. With a focus on delivering a personalized and engaging experience, Sprout Social is particularly beneficial for businesses seeking to strengthen their social media strategy, foster customer relationships, and drive meaningful engagement across different social platforms.
Conversions are fueled by content. Failing to consistently post content would mean missing out on a thrilling experience. Moreover, the success of your marketing tactics relies heavily on the presence of content. Once you have made the choice to embrace content marketing, it is crucial to determine the type of content you intend to publish.
Visuals
Visual recordings
Is it necessary to consistently generate fresh content? This process often consumes a considerable amount of time. Nevertheless, captivating content has the potential to attract more interaction. Alternatively, you can employ previously crafted videos or infographics, ensuring proper acknowledgment, to substitute for original content.
If you’re looking for assistance with generating content, here’s a starting point to explore content creation tools and services.
99Designs
99Designs is a platform that connects businesses with a community of graphic designers. It operates on a crowdsourcing model, allowing users to host design contests where multiple designers submit their work. This unique approach enables businesses to receive a variety of design concepts and choose the one that best fits their needs. With categories ranging from logos to marketing materials, 99Designs is a versatile platform for obtaining creative and customized design solutions.
Adobe Express
Adobe Express, also known as Adobe Spark Post, is a user-friendly graphic design tool that enables individuals and businesses to create stunning visuals for social media, marketing, and more. Offering a range of templates, fonts, and design elements, Adobe Express allows users to easily customize their graphics. With its intuitive interface and seamless integration with Adobe Creative Cloud, this mobile-friendly app empowers users to produce professional-looking designs effortlessly.
Animoto
Animoto is a video creation platform that simplifies the process of making engaging and professional-looking videos. It offers a user-friendly interface, allowing users to choose from various templates, add photos, video clips, and music to create compelling video content. Whether for personal use or business marketing, Animoto provides an efficient and accessible solution for those looking to enhance their storytelling through video.
Canva
Canva is a popular and versatile graphic design platform suitable for users with varying levels of design experience. Offering an extensive library of templates, images, and design elements, Canva empowers users to create visually appealing graphics, presentations, social media posts, and more. Its drag-and-drop interface and collaborative features make it a go-to tool for individuals, small businesses, and large corporations alike, seeking to elevate their design projects.
Clipchamp
Clipchamp is an online video editing platform that provides users with the tools to create and edit videos easily. With features such as trimming, cutting, and adding text or filters, Clipchamp caters to both beginners and experienced video editors. The platform’s simplicity and accessibility make it a valuable resource for those looking to quickly produce professional-looking videos without the need for extensive editing skills.
Godot Media
Godot Media is a content writing agency that offers a range of content creation services, including blog posts, articles, website content, and more. With a team of skilled writers, Godot Media aims to deliver high-quality and customized content tailored to the unique needs of businesses and individuals. Whether seeking SEO-optimized content or industry-specific articles, Godot Media provides a reliable solution for those looking to enhance their online presence through effective written communication.
Google Docs
Google Docs is a cloud-based word processing platform that allows users to create, edit, and collaborate on documents in real-time. With its seamless integration with Google Drive, users can access their documents from any device with an internet connection. Google Docs facilitates collaborative work, enabling multiple users to contribute to the same document simultaneously. Its simplicity, accessibility, and collaborative features make it a popular choice for individuals, teams, and businesses seeking efficient document creation and collaboration.
Grammarly
Grammarly is an advanced writing assistant that helps users enhance the quality of their written communication. Whether writing emails, documents, or social media posts, Grammarly checks for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Additionally, it provides suggestions for improving sentence structure, clarity, and overall writing style. Available as a browser extension or a standalone application, Grammarly is a valuable tool for anyone striving to produce polished and error-free written content.
Panda Copy
Panda Copy is a copywriting service that offers businesses and individuals professionally crafted and persuasive written content. With a team of experienced copywriters, Panda Copy provides services such as website copy, marketing materials, and other forms of persuasive content. Tailored to meet the specific needs of clients, Panda Copy aims to deliver impactful and compelling copy that resonates with target audiences.
Penji
Penji is a graphic design platform that operates on a subscription model, providing users with unlimited graphic design services for a fixed monthly fee. With a team of skilled designers, Penji offers a range of design services, including logos, marketing materials, and social media graphics. This subscription-based model makes Penji an attractive option for businesses and individuals in need of consistent and high-quality design work without the commitment of hiring an in-house designer.
Video Husky
Video Husky is a subscription-based video editing service that offers businesses and content creators unlimited video edits for a flat monthly fee. With a dedicated team of editors, Video Husky assists in tasks such as video trimming, transitions, and adding text or graphics. This service is designed to provide a cost-effective solution for those regularly producing video content, offering a reliable resource for maintaining a professional and polished video presence.
Vidpros
Vidpros is a video editing service that caters to businesses and individuals looking to enhance the quality of their video content. With a team of experienced video editors, Vidpros offers services such as color correction, audio editing, and creative enhancements. Whether for marketing videos, social media content, or personal projects, Vidpros provides a streamlined solution for outsourcing video editing tasks and achieving professional-looking results.
5. Prioritize optimizing content for search engines
Crafting a successful marketing strategy necessitates valuable content. However, haphazardly publishing content should be avoided. Instead, a powerful catalyst is indispensable to develop a robust small business eCommerce marketing strategy centered around compelling content. This process commences with the implementation of impactful SEO tactics. Here, we outline the fundamental principles:
Utilize advanced tools like SEMRush and Ahrefs to conduct keyword research for optimal results. Enhance the visibility of your website by optimizing product pages and blogs with carefully selected keywords. Increase your online presence by incorporating internal links to establish a strong site structure. Additionally, forge valuable connections with external sites through guest posts or email outreach to boost your trustworthiness and authority in the digital realm.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a powerful and comprehensive SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tool that provides a suite of features to help businesses optimize their online presence. With a focus on backlink analysis, keyword research, and competitor analysis, Ahrefs enables users to understand their website’s performance in search engine rankings. The platform offers insights into competitor strategies, allowing businesses to refine their own SEO strategies effectively. Ahrefs’ Site Explorer provides detailed information on backlinks, organic search traffic, and keyword rankings, making it an invaluable tool for digital marketers and SEO professionals seeking to enhance their website’s visibility and performance.
SEMrush
SEMrush is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that offers a range of tools for SEO, content marketing, advertising, and social media management. With features such as keyword research, site audit, and competitor analysis, SEMrush empowers businesses to optimize their online presence and stay ahead in the digital landscape. The platform provides valuable insights into organic search, paid advertising, and backlink strategies, helping users make informed decisions to improve their online visibility. SEMrush’s user-friendly interface, coupled with its extensive database and analytical capabilities, makes it a go-to solution for businesses aiming to enhance their digital marketing efforts and stay competitive in the online marketplace.
6. Establish loyalty programs or reward systems.
Getting customers to return to your site and become loyal patrons is a significant aspiration. One effective approach to accomplish this is by offering tempting incentives. Implementing loyalty or rewards programs is an exceptional marketing strategy for small businesses in the eCommerce realm.
When it comes to existing customers, there’s no need to follow the traditional marketing funnel. However, this doesn’t mean that marketing efforts should halt altogether. Instead, think of innovative ways to engage this audience. Perhaps, tailor your email content to suit their individual preferences, or consider incorporating eye-catching banners on your website and social media platforms to highlight the latest promotions exclusively catered to loyal customers and subscribers. As they continue to make additional purchases, you can determine whether they are eligible for exciting incentives such as rewards, discounted prices, or loyalty points.
Loyalty Gator
Loyalty Gator is a customer loyalty and engagement platform designed for businesses of all sizes. It offers a range of features, including points-based rewards, tiered loyalty programs, and referral incentives. Loyalty Gator provides businesses with the tools to create personalized and effective loyalty initiatives to foster customer retention. The platform’s user-friendly interface and customization options make it accessible to businesses seeking to implement and manage loyalty programs seamlessly. Loyalty Gator aims to enhance customer engagement and loyalty through strategic and rewarding loyalty programs.
LoyaltyLion
LoyaltyLion is a customer loyalty and engagement platform designed to help e-commerce businesses build lasting relationships with their customers. Offering features such as points, rewards, and personalized incentives, LoyaltyLion allows businesses to create customized loyalty programs. The platform also includes analytics tools, enabling businesses to gain insights into customer behavior and tailor their loyalty strategies accordingly. LoyaltyLion’s goal is to empower businesses to increase customer retention, boost engagement, and drive overall loyalty through effective and personalized reward systems.
Open Loyalty
Open Loyalty is an open-source loyalty management platform that provides businesses with the flexibility to create and customize their loyalty programs. With features like point-based rewards, tier systems, and referral programs, Open Loyalty allows businesses to tailor loyalty initiatives to their unique needs. The platform’s open-source nature encourages adaptability and scalability, making it a valuable solution for businesses seeking a customizable loyalty program to enhance customer retention and satisfaction.
Smile.io
Smile.io is a customer loyalty platform that helps businesses create and manage loyalty programs to engage and retain customers. With its user-friendly interface, Smile.io allows businesses to reward customers for various actions, such as purchases, referrals, and social media interactions. The platform provides customizable loyalty programs, allowing businesses to tailor rewards and incentives to align with their brand and customer base. Smile.io’s analytics and reporting features enable businesses to track the performance of their loyalty programs and make data-driven decisions to enhance customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Yotpo
A comprehensive e-commerce marketing platform that focuses on customer reviews, user-generated content, and loyalty programs. It enables businesses to collect and showcase customer reviews, photos, and Q&A, fostering trust and social proof. Yotpo’s loyalty solutions help businesses create personalized loyalty programs to incentivize repeat purchases and customer engagement. With seamless integration into e-commerce platforms, Yotpo provides a holistic approach to enhancing the customer experience and building brand loyalty.
7. Maximize Social Media Usage with Ads and Shopping Features
Even though social media sites are excellent platforms for establishing an online presence, social media can help you connect with a broader audience through ads. Plus, you can streamline shopping on social media too! Major social media platforms have ad features, allowing you to post various ad creatives and formats. Meanwhile, top social media channels have Shopping Features. Here are the top social media platforms with Shopping features:
TikTok
Twitter/ X
Facebook is a social networking platform founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. It allows users to connect with friends and family, share updates, photos, and videos, and engage in various activities through posts, comments, and reactions. With billions of active users worldwide, Facebook has become a versatile platform for personal connections, business promotion, and the dissemination of information.
Instagram, launched in 2010, is a photo and video-sharing platform that emphasizes visual content. Acquired by Facebook in 2012, Instagram has gained immense popularity for its user-friendly interface and features such as filters, stories, and IGTV. It is widely used for personal expression, lifestyle sharing, and influencer marketing, attracting a diverse user base ranging from individuals to businesses.
Pinterest, introduced in 2010, is a visual discovery and bookmarking platform. Users create and share collections of images and links on virtual pinboards, serving as inspiration boards for various interests like home decor, fashion, recipes, and more. Pinterest’s unique focus on visuals and organization makes it a valuable platform for users seeking inspiration and businesses looking to showcase products and ideas in a visually appealing way.
TikTok, launched in 2016, is a short-form video platform that has taken the world by storm, especially among younger audiences. Users create and share 15 to 60-second videos set to music, showcasing creativity, humor, and talent. TikTok’s algorithm-driven content discovery has contributed to its rapid rise, making it a hub for viral challenges, trends, and a new wave of social media influencers.
Twitter, established in 2006 and now called X, is a microblogging platform that limits posts to 280 characters. Users, known as tweeters, share real-time updates, thoughts, and links, making it a dynamic source of news and discussions. With a focus on brevity and trending topics, Twitter has become a vital platform for public discourse, social movements, and connecting with a global audience.