Katrina McKinnon
•
November 16, 2020
Where are you on your eCommerce journey?
Have you finally set up your cozy shop selling products? Or maybe your shipping business is just picking up. And you need new employees to manage operations.
One way or another, everyone reaches the point in their growth when marketing starts to play a huge role in business success.
How about stepping back and taking stock of your current marketing methods? Are you doing everything in your power to really sell your business?
Ecommerce marketing can get tricky. Especially if you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all the tips. Good thing is, we’ve done all the heavy lifting for you.
Just take a look.
Before we dig into the actual techniques, let’s really think. What makes good marketing techniques? And let’s put a pause on traditional marketing here.
It definitely isn’t posting every hour on your social media platforms. Neither is it stuffing your online marketing channels with hard-selling CTAs.
Nobody likes being pressured into purchasing a product or service.
Effective marketing requires a tailored approach. Make sure you know where your main audience spends their time.
Then be intentional about your marketing methods – whether digital marketing or traditional marketing.
Pro-tip: you can maximize both. For instance, you can use social media marketing to capture the attention of your audience. Then direct them to your website where you collect their contact details and send magazines.
When it comes to your website, content marketing is king. According to Demand Metric,
70% of people would rather learn about a company through articles rather than an advert.”
Use custom content to gain the trust of your audience. Go for topic clusters related to your products and services.
Don’t forget to include relevant keywords. You still want to rank in the top Search Engine Result Pages (SERP).
At this point, anyone who subscribes to your website is looking to build a relationship with you. Sounds serious, huh? Because it is.
78% of consumers perceive a relationship between themselves and a company using custom content.”
All these strategies on marketing can feel overwhelming at first.
What, with all the troubleshooting you have to do before you find the right marketing methods for your small business.
Good thing is, you don’t have to do it alone. Brandon Eley of 2BigFeet.com understands the value of a like-minded community first-hand:
After migrating to Shopify we saw a significant drop in traffic. I posted the problem on the forums and within minutes we had dozens of knowledgeable suggestions that helped us fix the problem. eCommerceFuel saved us tens of thousands in potentially lost sales.”
Intentional is the word when it comes to a marketing strategy. So with that, let’s dig into three must-try eCommerce marketing techniques.
As we’ve shared, nothing screams “connection” like original content.
Custom content allows your business to build a knowledge hub for potential consumers. That way, they have a better understanding of your market.
Your content can appear in different forms:
You could be in awe over the latest BuzzFeed post or laughing at a relatable GIF on Twitter. Or maybe you’re seriously rethinking your life after reading a self-help article.
Bottom line, content is king.
Content marketing isn’t used for direct sales. Rather, it’s more of an educational tool for potential consumers. It’s also used to establish your business as an authority and increase brand visibility.
Let’s take a look at Beardbrand.
Beardbrand’s blog goes by the name “Urban Beardsman”. This speaks to their target audience: those who enjoy grooming their beards.
Their blog covers detailed beard-related topics like, “How to Maintain an Awesome-Looking Beard”.
Founder and CEO Eric Bandholz really understands what custom content is all about:
We learned that we are very good at uniting a community, developing industry-leading grooming products, setting clear guidelines for how to use those products, and providing the tools & inspiration to help men keep on growing beyond the beard.”
Beardbrand’s blog includes in-depth guides detailing the beard grooming experience and lifestyle. No 500-worded thin content to be found.
From their articles, readers can clearly tell that Beardbrand knows their stuff. And not only do they offer valuable information, but they also get to promote their products.
Image source: optinmonster.com
There’s no denying it. Facebook is still one of the best advertising platforms available to any business.
You won’t find another advertising platform with this level of targeting. You can select your targets based on:
Add a Facebook pixel on your website. It should help you reach potential customers who have visited your site but didn’t make a purchase.
There’s no right way when it comes to running Facebook ads. Experimentation is the name of the game.
Simply start by deciding which products to include in your offer.
Purple has raked in millions of dollars by running a viral video ad on Facebook. They centered their offer around just one product, the Purple Mattress Protector.
Remember: simplicity sells.
So, you’ve settled on your product – what next? Your target audience, that’s what (er, who).
Your products obviously appeal to different groups of people. But there’s no use centering your marketing campaign around people who have no interest.
Facebook ads are so effective because you can clearly define your target audiences. Unlike most traditional marketing methods.
For example, Purple’s ad clearly targets mothers.
Image source: referralcandy.com
Product and audience, check!
Now let’s get down to the actual ad. Captivating imagery is paramount when it comes to Facebook ads.
Your audience scrolls through countless posts on their News Feed daily. So they need a good reason to stop and watch your video to the end.
Purple gets this. That’s why they’ve used one successful advertising technique called Pattern Interrupt.
In video marketing and filmmaking, pattern interrupts are tiny clips or on-screen elements. They break the projection of the viewer for what is about to happen in the video they’re watching. They’re basically breaking the pattern of what people expect to happen next. When this happens, their brains are basically bumped back to paying-attention mode. It’s like people have the autopilot switched off in the fraction of a second. Now they have to focus on what is happening in your video. On what the message is, on what you want them to do, because now they’re in new territory. There isn’t a pattern anymore, the autopilot won’t work anymore.”
Wouldn’t you stop and stare at the site of a happy female sasquatch selling mattress protectors? We know we would.
But hold up, there’s a method to this exciting madness. One pattern interrupt won’t hold your audience for an entire three-minute ad. You have to keep delivering on the sauce.
This is where Purple’s shocking imagery really nails it.
Throw in some compelling copy and you can begin running your ad. Be sure to observe its performance and document the results.
If the ad shows positive results, double down on the budget. If not, it’s time to stop running the ad.
Of course, one isn’t enough. You need to run multiple ads with different variations. This way, you can gauge the ones with the best conversion for your business.
From there on out, it’s all rinse and repeat.
Keep testing to pinpoint your best ad and refresh your existing ads. You don’t want your audience to develop ad blindness.
Emails? Who even reads those?
Everyone. That’s who.
Social media and messaging applications may be all the rage at the moment. But emails are still just as effective.
Despite the popularity of social media, email still remains a top communication channel for many.
Over 50% of people check their email first thing in the morning.
Image source: optinmonster.com
If you play your cards right, email can be your most profitable online marketing channel.
Read: email can be your most profitable channel.
The numbers don’t lie.
Shoppers spend 138% more when marketed through email. As compared to those who do not receive email offers.”
There are two sides to marketing when it comes to emails:
“What’s in it for me?”
At the very least, that’s what your potential customers want to know. So you must have the most attractive offer in the room.
Nobody likes spam. Offer something valuable so that people sign up.
Different offers work for different businesses. So consider the services you offer and experiment to see what works.
After a basic offer encouraging people to sign up, you can try out a lead magnet.
A lead magnet is a marketing term for a free item or service given away to gather contact details. For example, lead magnets can be trial subscriptions, samples, white papers, e-newsletters, and free consultations.”
Email is 40x more effective at acquiring customers than Facebook and Twitter combined.”
That’s why you should send:
Bottom line? Play around with different types of emails to stand a better chance of marketing success.
Let’s talk about cart abandonment results. How about sending an email to those subscribers who fill their carts but abandon it last minute?
Take a look at Urban Outfitters’ approach:
Image source: optinmonster.com
Their message may look simple and direct but it catches you by surprise. Really makes you feel the brand has been with you all along. Right there, supporting you through your shopping experience.
Maybe your customer feels a bit shy about purchasing an animal clothes hanger. This little nudge feels like the voice of a friend, offering reassurance that it’ll look great in their closet.
Image source: unsplash.com
Do you have a small business? Are you looking to get better at traditional marketing or upskill your digital marketing?
Well, these marketing techniques will place your products and services at the forefront of your eCommerce niche. And there’s a lot more knowledge for you to apply to your store.
We at eCommerceFuel have access to a vibrant community of passionate, successful, and experienced business owners. With all the latest intel on strategies in marketing, you need to succeed.
Get ready for the best marketing season for your business. The eCommerceFuel community is ready to walk this professional journey with you.
Photo by unsplash.com
