With so many channels to consider, digital marketing for ecommerce can be a minefield. According to the Office for National Statistics, in March 2022, ecommerce sales made up 26% of total retail sales. This is expected to rise as high as 36.3% over the year as a whole. That is a very sizable piece of sales to be competing for, across multiple fronts.
How do you choose where to focus your energies? Your online store is ready to go, and your products are fine-tuned to perfection. Now all you need are the right customers, in the right volume. Our guide to digital marketing for ecommerce websites can help set you on the right path.
SEO
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is an integral part of any digital marketing for ecommerce strategy. When the first three results on Google account for 50% of click-throughs, ranking highly on searches is a simple but effective way of driving traffic to your website.
The primary way of boosting your SEO is through keywords:
- Successful product pages must contain keywords.
- FAQ sections can be packed with the terms people are searching for.
- Keywords offer a great way of drawing inquisitive searchers to your website.
However, keyword strategies don’t work overnight. Effective SEO requires regular updates of content. As a rule, it generally takes between four to six months for results to show.
There are many tips and tricks for effective SEO. In the end, it comes down to a simple principle. You should provide a website that is helpful, answers the questions that people are searching for, and that leads people to convert.
PPC
Pay-per-click advertising, or PPC, is an effective way of getting your brand seen. By bidding on certain keywords related to your products, you can tailor the price you are willing to pay for a click-through to your website.
By appearing above organic searches on the search engine results page (SERP), PPC adverts are valuable for new companies. They allow them to compete with bigger brands, which in general bag higher organic SERP positions.
This makes PPC an effective marketing tool, with your website appearing as the ‘top’ answer to the right search. By offering a way to directly target searchers, PPC can generally see a faster payoff than SEO. The downside is that it is more expensive. It also needs to be monitored for consistent results.
Content marketing
In contrast to ‘push’, or ‘inbound’, marketing, which sells the virtues of specific products, content marketing takes an indirect approach. By providing engaging content like blogs, videos and infographics, you can come to be seen as one of your industry’s leading voices.
If searchers are looking for information, you can provide answers. With a consistent approach, you can build a following and draw people into greater engagement with your website. Use your expertise to your advantage, and become a trusted resource: a resource that people will also want to buy from.
This also contributes to greater domain authority, thereby enhancing your SEO. Your content marketing is shareable via social media, which further boosts your company’s recognition. Good digital marketing for ecommerce websites isn’t limited to your own site, either. Contributing guest posts to other’s websites, with link back to your own, can help reach new audiences and boost your domain authority.
Social
A strong social media presence can be invaluable for businesses. It allows a way to directly connect with your customers. This shows a real ‘human touch’ to your digital marketing for ecommerce. It can also directly complement your content marketing strategy.
You can even combine your social media with PPC strategies by installing Facebook Retargeting Pixels on your website. This allows PPC ads to appear on the feeds of your website’s past visitors. Retargeting allows you to focus on prospects that you know are already interested.
Choosing the right platforms for your social media content can be tricky. So, consider each platform’s virtues. For example, Instagram benefits from captivating imagery and photography. This is great for businesses whose products have a strong visual component.
Video
Video content can help tell inspiring and memorable stories. This showcases the benefits of your services, and also the tone of your company. Some of your products might even benefit from tutorial videos.
Oberlo finds that people are not only increasingly consuming video content, but are frequently searching for the term ‘how to’. As such, YouTube is an immensely powerful marketing tool. You can take advantage of the fact that searchers are looking to video for their instructional content. Indeed, 90% of people report that YouTube helps them discover new brands or products.
Email marketing
It might seem a little old-fashioned now, but email marketing is still a strong component of digital marketing for ecommerce websites. As well as direct ‘push’ marketing, email offers many ways to directly engage with interested clients:
- Automated drip campaigns that effectively market new offers and promotions
- Reminders of abandoned carts
- Personal engagement with customers’ questions
- Invoices and follow-up emails after purchases.
However, some jaw-dropping penalties for GDPR violations have been issued, including Amazon’s £636 million fine. So it’s worth remembering to take good care with how email prospects are gathered and stored.
Affiliate marketing and influencers
A strong affiliate network is a good way of generating word-of-mouth buzz. In exchange for a commission, people and businesses with an online presence can promote your products in a natural and sincere way. Consider who you know – either in real life, or have had online interactions with – who knows your products, your industry, and is looking for a good opportunity.
Similarly, ‘influencers’ can be a boon to your digital marketing strategy. They don’t have to be celebrities. Instead, think about who is influential, interesting, and closely followed within your industry.
Kick-off your digital marketing for ecommerce strategy
In short, a successful digital marketing strategy can involve spinning many plates. WebHummel can help map out your strategy, plan strong content and refine your SEO. Contact us today to get started.
