The Online Seller Guide to Ecommerce Marketing Strategy

This is a guest post by SavvySME, Australia's leading community marketplace for business owners to connect, share ideas, and outsource work.

Launching a new ecommerce business?

‍Thinking about starting an online business of your own is an easy thing to do. Making that ecommerce business successful, is a completely different story. Managing an ecommerce business is not just about finding products, dealing with customers, or earning and selling. Successfully running an ecommerce business also requires you to have the know-how to market your online store to the public. And in this day and age, eCommerce marketing strategy has evolved from the traditional advertising and promotional methods to more sophisticated digital marketing.

Online Marketing in a Nutshell

One thing that will be clear from the start is that developing a marketing strategy for eCommerce is not the same as advertising. Online marketing covers a set of powerful strategies and tools that can help you promote your online business across the internet. Advertising, on the other hand, is only one of the many techniques that you can use to fulfill your online marketing goals.

‍The Basics of Online Marketing

‍Before you begin to market your business online, you must establish a strong, strategic foundation. Here are four of the most important aspects of ecommerce marketing strategy for your business:

1. Establish the Goals of Your Marketing PlanWhat do you want your business to achieve through your marketing efforts? Knowing where you want to take your company will help you determine what marketing strategies to put in place. Your goals may include: brand awareness, sales, or increased customer loyalty.
2. Understand Your CustomersGet to know your customer base and establish a connection with them. Learn as much as you can about your customers and their attraction to your business. Learn about their interests and behaviors and build a rapport with them. This will help you keep a close insight into how you should market to them. Employing Google Analytics is an easy, cost-effective way to start.
3. Create Unique Buyer PersonasOnce you have gathered intel on your customers, take some time to analyze individual characters. Knowing the types of customers you have, the way they interact, and their preferences will help you tailor your online marketing efforts to their specific needs.
4. Choose a Marketing StrategyNow you can start planning and formulating your ecommerce marketing strategy to leverage your information. You need to know which way and what tools to use to get the optimum results.

Which Ecommerce Marketing Strategy Can You Utilize?

There are many tactics that you can employ in your ecommerce marketing strategy. However, while they may work for some businesses, they may not be the best for your business. Test out the following marketing strategies and determine what works best for your team.

‍Paid Media

‍One of the most utilized examples of paid media is online advertising. Online advertising is the most straightforward method of online marketing— you buy ad space so that your ads will be displayed on websites. You can also pay media companies to advertise your business via social media, promotions, and more.Earned MediaEvery time customers mention your business, share your posts, or review your services on social media, you are benefitting from earned media. This is a great online business marketing strategy that requires little to no expense. Your customers are promoting your business because you’ve earned their confidence and trust.

‍Owned Media

‍Methods under-owned media aim to gain exposure through providing content that centers on the business but does not necessarily aim to persuade people to buy. Here are the most common examples of eCommerce marketing strategy that involves owned media:

       
• Content Marketing- Creating blogs, videos, or podcasts that are relevant to your business and your customers. This content does not necessarily promote a product, but serves to establish or enhance existing customer bonds.
       
• Email Marketing- Most companies label this method as one of the most effective marketing tactics. With email marketing, you send your clients direct email communication showcasing products and promotions.
       
• Social Media Marketing- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and all other social media platforms out there are also great tools that can be added to your marketing plan. Capitalize on your existing audience and increase your following to leverage user generated content and increase referrals.
       
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): With SEO, you are increasing your site rank in search engines by targeting organic traffic. Updating your website with highly relevant content optimized with keywords, can enhance your SEO efforts.
       
• Conversion Optimization: This method aims to increase the number of organic traffic or visitors to your site that complete a purchase. Increase your conversions by creating strong calls-to-action and clear product descriptions.

If you want to build a successful online business, take the time to create online business marketing strategies that leverage the resources available to you and capitalize on those that work best for your business. It’s more than just creating a great product and exceptional customer experience, you must spread the word and drive people to your online store! Take advantage of new and changing digital marketing tactics to promote your business and grow your customer base. If you can effectively utilize the tools in this eCommerce marketing guide, then you will surely find success at the end of the road.

To learn more about SavvySME and developing marketing strategy for eCommerce businesses, visit www.savvysme.com.