The internet has invaded the modern day consumer’s mind space. A customer more often than not can be expected to use a virtual option to satisfy his/her shopping needs rather than visiting a physical store. An online business venture can generate very good business and earn high returns in today’s scenario. It is not as easy as it sounds though. There are hundreds of online ventures and a customer has a range of options. This makes it imperative to have an effective digital marketing strategy for e-commerce ventures. Let’s have a look at some strategies that such businesses can use:
1.Content Marketing
Good content can always be leveraged to target potential customers. Gone are the days of mindless blogging. Investing in good, readable articles and blogs related to the products makes sense. One should always look for trained professional writers who can create original and arresting content. Focus on creating stories around your product rather than blatantly promoting it.
An amusing blog can angle in more prospective customers than a tacky advertisement. Lists, info-graphics, and well-written reviews can be also used to inform and pull in potential customers. Well written content will always attract readers and once hooked they will come for more. This reader base has the potential to be converted into a possible customer base. Invest in informative but easy to read newsletters which can be mailed to potential clients.
2.Social Media Marketing
Social media has grown huge over the years. It presents e-commerce ventures with a considerable potential customer base. This makes it an integral part of digital marketing. One can choose from the various social media platforms as per the target customer base and use it. A good strategy needs to be in place to reap the rewards of social media marketing.
It makes sense to research the target audience’s preferences and use social media platforms mostly used by them rather than a mindless presence across all available platforms. Good images and visual content can be of great help. Interesting content with a little bit of promotion makes good sense. The beauty of social media is interaction. Interact with your followers and if possible reward them. The reward can be in the form of a nice comment or a discount choice – whatever suits your marketing strategy.
3.Search Engine Optimization
A digital marketing campaign is incomplete without Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Designed to increase a website’s visibility it needs a comprehensive strategy and a lot of hard work. It is a very demanding and time-consuming job but it can guarantee good returns in the long run.
You should take care to constantly update your website with rich and informative content. SEO involves using smart keywords to make your site easily identifiable to Google crawlers which helps in improving the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings.
Good content will make customers visit your site more often. They may also recommend your site to others. All this helps in improving traffic to your site and getting you natural links which is beneficial in moving your site up the rankings. The more visible your site, the more chances of it engaging new customers.
4.Email Marketing
People may think that email marketing will not give as good results as some other digital marketing strategies. Imaginatively used, emails can be a very potent tool for drawing clients. They can be used for product promotion as well as informing the customer about discounts and other offers.
The mailing list should be segmented. The receiver will not junk your mail as spam if it interests him/her. Personalized and short, to the point messages will always help. Transactional emails can also be used subtly. For example, a user can be sent similar buying suggestions in his delivery status update emails. Newsletters and other written content can also be sent through the mail to potential buyers. Take care that such material does not have overt promotional content.
5.Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
PPC Advertising can be a very productive and effective digital marketing strategy for ecommerce as it guarantees instant results. Anybody using a search engine must have seen that on the first SERP some ads are displayed before the first results. Those ads are there because of this strategy. As it assures visibility right on the first page not only new entrants but big , established players in the market also allocate a significant part of their budget for this advertising form. Greater visibility mixed with good content on the website will result in increased traffic which can always be converted into a customer base.
6.Mobile Marketing
More and more people are using smartphones for online shopping. This device can be used to promote your business venture. The first step towards it is having a mobile-friendly site. Most e-commerce sites are designed on frameworks like Magento website development platform which facilitate easy development of responsive sites.
The sites adjust to user’s screen size and with good speed the user experience is pleasant. This helps in converting potential buyers into actual consumers. Apart from this, a simple layout and easy to fill forms will also help. The next step is mobile app development for both Android as well as ios platforms. Users can be sent notifications about new offers and products through the app. Mobile marketing can also be extended to feature phones through SMS and MMS.
7. Video Marketing
Have you ever thought of YouTube as a digital marketing agent? I believe your answer would be no. Video sharing sites generate a lot of traffic. Their user base is ripe for pitching your product. A nicely shot informative video or ad campaign can do wonders for your brand. People like to recommend the videos they like to others and who knows your promotional video may go viral. People can be expected to remember a viral video more than a bland advertisement. Investing in ads on such sites is also advised. Associating with someone else’s good quality video content is another option.
Endnote
Today’s world is being driven by the internet. People are looking for answers online. The Internet has become the biggest marketplace in the world and e-commerce sites are its shops. In order to stand out and succeed in this immensely competitive environment, an effective digital marketing strategy for e-commerce ventures becomes compulsory.
About Author:
Linda Wester has been serving as an experienced Magento developer at HireMagentoGeeks Ltd – Best Company for hire magento developer across the globe. She is a passionate writer and always look out for opportunities for sharing her knowledge with Magento community. Follow her company on various social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
