Let’s all agree on one thing. Navigating the scope of all that falls under the eCommerce strategy umbrella can be overwhelming at best. From SEO to email marketing, Adwords and social media, it’s can be daunting to know what to prioritize and where to start.
Say hello to the eCommerce strategy checklist that will transcend the way you think about the topic. The recommended to-do’s below will help you reimagine your strategy in an effective and actionable way.
1. Optimize your search capabilities.
How does your audience go about searching for the products they want to buy? You want to be thorough here, and attentive to how you can meet your audience where they’re at. Dialect is another component to consider depending on what you’re trying to accomplish. SEO is an essential, so be sure it’s on the top of your list.
2. Invest in Google AdWords.
Google’s Adwords software does businesses a favor by prioritizing their products at the very top of a Google search results page. For the consumers who are actively locating a type of product they want to buy, this is revolutionary. It advances the research process and speeds up the purchasing cycle, putting convince at the heart of the buying experience.
3. Get creative with content marketing.
Generally speaking, businesses hear content marketing and immediately think of blogging. But this can entail so much more than that. Think white-papers, ebooks, downloadable zines, the options here are endless. You could even push your thinking outside the box and do something as different as a music playlist or a podcast. Point is, use this to your advantage and do something stellar with it.
4. Build your email marketing list.
Email marketing can be extremely effective when executed correctly. Hone in on your brand personality to deliver a tone of voice that’s witty and engaging. Copywriting plays a key role here, so be sure to assess what your audience consistently responds to. Visuals represent the other half of the work, and can be paramount in communicating a desired call to action. Be sure that when you do this, you be sure to differentiate yourself from what other brands are doing. Email marketing is often saturated, so be sure to bring forth the things that are unique to who you are and what you have to offer.
5. Prioritize product reviews.
Product reviews can be a headache to navigate, but the reality is, word of mouth is a powerful way to endorse your brand. In fact, it’s significance is so much so that research shows 84% of consumers trust online reviews to the same degree in which they trust their friends. That’s saying a lot. This input can heavily influence purchasing decisions, so be sure to implement a strategy for monitoring the conversation.
6. Engage users with UGC.
User-generated content can bring about an array of benefits. Hiring experts to contribute a guest post, investing in influencers, and reposting or retweeting content is a smart way to stay relevant to your audience, all while maintaining a sense of authenticity and acknowledging your customers in a sincere and meaningful way.
7. See what social media ads can do for you.
When you have a post on Facebook or Instagram that performs exceptionally well, invest some money in promoting it through a paid ad. These posts that organically perform well will bring you increased exposure and resonate with new audiences. You can tailor these posts to reach consumers based on their demographic. Maybe you apply filters of age, location, or interest. Either way, these can be highly effective when used at the appropriate times.
8. Make it shoppable on Instagram.
We know consumers notoriously respond to convenience, and Instagram’s shop feature has been a game changer for brands. From the customer point of view, seeing a product, clicking on it, and then being able to purchase it directly streamlines the process and makes it simple. Be sure to leverage this capability when you can, especially if you’re implementing product reviews in to your feed and featuring UGC.