An e-commerce business sells goods online, as well as conducts transactions of money and data. In conclusion, all business activities are conducted through the internet. E-commerce is also known as internet commerce or electronic commerce. With the internet becoming increasingly popular and the ‘go-to’ place for consumers to satisfy their needs and wants, it is important for a business to come up with an effective e-commerce strategy. This article contains the Top 5 best ecommerce strategies, including:
- Text Message Marketing
Probably the best ecommerce strategy out of all the five, text message marketing can be used to create brand awareness. Many times, consumers receive text messages from local brands that contain URLs which direct them to the business website. More and more companies are setting up online stores to make shopping a more convenient and hassle-free experience for customers. Moreover, the best way to gain customer loyalty is to show importance. Text message marketing can be used as a tool to keep customers updated e.g. once a customer has confirmed an order and the payment has gone through, send a confirmation text message with product details. Since online orders (almost always) include home delivery, businesses can update customers when the order is being dispatched. Courier companies such as DHL send out a text message one day before the order is delivered as well. This text includes the payment amount and (if it is cash on delivery) reminds the customer to keep the payment ready at a specific hour during the day to avoid any inconvenience. Timely and relevant text messages such as these will make the customer feel at ease and trust the company, thus improving customer retention and long-run profits.
- Email Marketing
The first means of communication through the internet is email marketing; an intimate and effective way of an ecommerce marketing plan. Email can be used by companies to send out new offers and updates e.g. if there is a sale on an online store so that more customers can avail discounts and lower prices. The average American checks their email every day, so they are bound to get a hold of any new updates. To assure the effectiveness of email marketing, marketers should keep emails short and to the point. Unlike before, consumers are less willing to read longer messages. Moreover, email subjects should be compelling in order to catch the reader’s attention. It is best to target specific individuals that are likely to be potential customers of the business instead of sending out irrelevant content to uninterested users. This will ensure a more positive response rate and make it easier for the company to first understand the needs and wants of their target market and then email them in accordance with those.
- SEO
SEO or Search Engine Optimization is still a fairly new concept to many due to the use of increasing technology which many firms and entrepreneurs are still getting a hold of. Fortunately, it is a simple process that can be very useful in creating brand awareness and more importantly, brand reachability. An SEO article or webpage is one that is ranked high in search results due to the number of times the searched keyword is used. For example, a consumer searches for ‘Best 10 makeup brands’. The search results on Google will come up with articles that have used the searched phrase i.e. best 10 makeup brands multiple times. Keywords should not be used too many times or else Google detects that as keyword stuffing or ‘webspam’. An appropriate amount of keyword usage for a 1000 word piece of writing is 7-10 times depending on the subject and number of keywords to be used.
- Social Media
Everybody is familiar with; social media especially millennials also called the ‘Generation Y’, have become obsessed with social media. Emails are only checked once or twice a day, but social media platforms are used every few seconds. That is quite an opportunity created for businesses to market their products to consumers, be it video advertisements, pictures, posts or the direct exchange of goods and services for money. Profiles can be created on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and other popular platforms to serve as a basis to not only sell products but also to promote the brand, interact with customers, provide them with information and responds to queries, receive feedback and so much more. Customers have become much more involved in the buying process so businesses are required to provide a better buying experience and satisfy all customer needs to remain competitive.
- Influencers
The last of the best ecommerce strategies is using influencers to promote a brand. Influencers are individuals who have the power to persuade consumers to buy a product. The most common example is celebrities, but also entertainers, comedians, bloggers or even powerful entities like politicians. Focusing specifically on ecommerce businesses, influencers can be used to put in a good word or review of the company on their official page/profile. Similarly, if a consumer comes across an advertisement or video of their favorite celebrity on Facebook promoting a brand, they are most likely to view the brand in a positive light and buy the product or service. Businesses pay large sums of money to influencers in exchange for promoting their brand as it brings about a lot of profitability so if nothing else works, this definitely will.
Make sure to keep in mind these Top 5 best ecommerce strategies in order to implement an effective strategy and ensure maximum results!