In today's fiercely competitive ecommerce landscape, effective marketing strategies are essential for online stores to stand out, attract customers, and drive sales. With the multitude of options available, from social media marketing to influencer partnerships and beyond, navigating the realm of ecommerce marketing can be daunting. However, armed with the right strategies and tactics, online retailers can unlock the potential to reach their target audience, increase brand visibility, and ultimately, achieve sustainable growth.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore 20 proven ecommerce marketing strategies that your online store can implement to elevate its presence, engage customers, and thrive in the digital marketplace. Whether you're a seasoned ecommerce entrepreneur or just starting out, these strategies offer valuable insights and actionable tips to help you maximise your online store's success.
How to create a marketing strategy for eCommerce
The first thing to understand about marketing strategies, is that it is not just about doing one thing and expecting huge results. A great marketing strategy includes all of the understanding of your online store: what your brand is, who it’s for, who your ideal customer is, and where they’re shopping. Without this vital information first, it’s hard to know what marketing strategy would be most successful for you. You could be wasting time (and money!) showing up where your clients aren’t.
Before you start implementing the below strategies, make sure you’ve answered these questions:
- What is my customers pain point? What am I fixing for them?
- Where is my customer most likely to show up online?
- What is my goal from this marketing strategy? (Not just more sales - give it tangible goals that are achievable!)
- Where in the buying stage/marketing funnel am I aiming to attract my customers? How will this marketing strategy meet my customers where they are?
Now you’re ready to start marketing!
eCommerce Marketing Strategies
Ready to sell more online? With our comprehensive list of ecommerce marketing strategies, you’ll be showing up in front of your ideal customers in no time! Here are the 20 eCommerce marketing strategies for your online store:
- Content Marketing: Create high-quality blog posts, videos, and infographics that provide value to your target audience and drive organic traffic to your website.
- Social Media Marketing: Leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest to engage with your audience, share product updates, run promotions, and drive traffic to your online store.
- Email Marketing: Build and segment an email list to send personalised email campaigns, including newsletters, product announcements, and special offers to nurture leads and encourage repeat purchases.
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Optimise your website for search engines by targeting relevant keywords, optimising meta tags and descriptions, and creating high-quality, optimised content to improve visibility and organic traffic.
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: Run targeted PPC campaigns on platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads to drive traffic to your website, target specific keywords, and promote products to potential customers.
- Influencer Marketing: Partner with influencers in your niche to promote your products to their followers, leverage their credibility and reach, and drive brand awareness and sales.
- Affiliate Marketing: Create an affiliate program to incentivize affiliates to promote your products in exchange for a commission on sales, expanding your reach and driving incremental revenue.
- Social Proof and User-generated Content: Encourage customers to leave reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content (UGC) such as photos and videos to build trust, social proof, and credibility for your brand.
- Referral Programs: Reward customers for referring friends and family to your online store with discounts, credits, or other incentives, leveraging word-of-mouth marketing to acquire new customers.
- Cart Abandonment Recovery: Implement cart abandonment emails and retargeting ads to remind customers about items left in their carts and encourage them to complete their purchase.
- Personalisation: Use data-driven insights to personalise the shopping experience for customers, including personalised product recommendations, email campaigns, and website content based on their preferences and behaviour.
- Loyalty Programs: Reward loyal customers with exclusive discounts, rewards points, or VIP perks to incentivize repeat purchases and foster long-term relationships.
- Flash Sales and Limited-time Offers: Create a sense of urgency and encourage impulse purchases by running flash sales, limited-time offers, and exclusive promotions for a short period.
- Content Partnerships: Collaborate with complementary brands or influencers on content partnerships, co-branded campaigns, or joint promotions to reach new audiences and drive mutual benefit.
- Social Media Contests and Giveaways: Host contests, giveaways, and sweepstakes on social media to engage your audience, increase brand awareness, and grow your social following.
- Live Streaming and Webinars: Host live streaming events and webinars to showcase products, provide educational content, and interact with customers in real-time, fostering engagement and driving sales.
- Cross-selling and Upselling: Implement cross-selling and upselling strategies by recommending related or complementary products during the checkout process to increase average order value and maximise revenue. If you use WordPress, there are many upselling and cross-selling plugins you can utilise in your WooCommerce store.
- Customer Retargeting: Use retargeting ads to reach customers who have previously visited your website or interacted with your brand, reminding them about products they viewed and encouraging them to return and make a purchase.
- Mobile Optimisation: Ensure your website is optimised for mobile devices to provide a seamless shopping experience for mobile users, including fast load times, easy navigation, and mobile-friendly checkout processes.
- Customer Experience and Support: Prioritise exceptional customer service and support by offering multiple contact channels, quick response times, easy returns, and hassle-free shopping experiences to build trust and loyalty with customers.
Other ways your online store can show up online
The internet is a wide and varied place with so much opportunity and potential for small businesses and online stores to show up where their customers are. Here are three other marketing strategies to include in your plan:
Google Ads
While we mentioned PPC advertising before, Google Ads really needs its own section. You cannot understate the potential of Google Ads for an online store. With Google Ads, businesses can reach potential customers at the exact moment they are searching for products or services relevant to their offerings. By strategically targeting keywords, demographics, and interests, online stores can ensure their ads appear to users with high purchase intent, increasing the likelihood of conversions. Additionally, Google Ads offers robust tracking and analytics tools, allowing businesses to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns and optimise their strategies for maximum ROI.
For online stores looking to leverage the benefits of Google Ads without breaking the bank, WebSteps offers budget-friendly Google Ads starter packages tailored to their needs. With WebSteps, businesses can access expert guidance and support to create and manage effective Google Ads campaigns that drive results without exceeding their budget constraints.
Google Shopping
Google Shopping can be a game-changer for online stores looking to increase their product visibility and reach potential customers online. By listing products directly on Google's search results pages, Google Shopping allows businesses to showcase their products alongside relevant search queries, making it easier for shoppers to discover and compare items. With visually appealing product listings featuring images, prices, and reviews, Google Shopping ads capture users' attention and drive high-quality traffic to online stores.
Moreover, Google Shopping leverages Google's powerful targeting algorithms to display ads to users who are actively searching for products like yours, maximising the chances of converting clicks into sales. For online stores striving to stand out in a crowded marketplace, Google Shopping presents an invaluable opportunity to get their products found online and drive meaningful business results.
Review Sites
Ecommerce stores can leverage review sites as powerful tools to enhance their online visibility and attract potential customers. By actively participating in review platforms such as Yelp, Google My Business, Trustpilot, and others, businesses can establish credibility, build trust, and increase their chances of getting found online. Positive reviews and ratings not only influence consumers' purchasing decisions but also improve a store's search engine rankings, making it more visible to users searching for related products or services.
Moreover, engaging with reviews, whether by responding to feedback or addressing customer concerns, demonstrates a commitment to customer satisfaction and fosters a positive brand image. By harnessing the power of review sites, ecommerce stores can effectively amplify their online presence, drive traffic to their websites, and ultimately, increase sales and revenue.
By implementing a combination of these ecommerce marketing strategies, online stores can attract new customers, retain existing ones, and drive sustainable growth in a competitive digital marketplace.