How to Develop a Perfect Digital Strategy for Ecommerce Business

Take a trip down memory lane 20 years, and you’ll see the eCommerce scene was nothing like it is today. Back then, eCommerce was a fledgling concept, barely on the radar. Fast forward to 2018, and most people now opt for online shopping over hitting brick-and-mortar stores. With this shift in consumer behavior, the eCommerce arena has become cutthroat. To survive and thrive in this dog-eat-dog world, eCommerce businesses need to bring their A-game with innovative digital marketing strategies provided by leading eCommerce development company. 

A smart eCommerce digital strategy for marketing is vital to steer your budget and resources toward the channels that will bring in the big bucks for your business. And the good news? This guide, of course! It is packed with the tried-and-true digital marketing tactics that have sent sales soaring for B2B and B2C clients time and time again. So, if you’re ready to learn how to turbocharge your eCommerce sales, look no further. We will go through everything in no time! Let’s lay down a solid definition of what eCommerce digital marketing is all about.

Digital Strategy, eCommerce Marketing – What Is It?

So, what exactly is eCommerce marketing? It’s simply getting your eCommerce products and services in front of the right people using a mix of online marketing magic. But it doesn’t involve any magical spells or potions, unfortunately!

From whipping up digital marketing campaigns to directing traffic to your site and turning visitors into loyal customers, eCommerce marketers are the wizards behind the scenes. For instance, it involves using strategies such as search engine optimization, social media marketing, email marketing, and online advertising to increase sales and brand awareness. But here’s the thing: Without a solid game plan, it’s too easy to get lost in the eCommerce marketing maze. That’s why having a strategy is crucial to steer you towards success and growth for your online business.

eCommerce Marketing Strategy: What It Takes

I know you are ready to take your eCommerce game to the next level. But you need a killer digital marketing strategy that works like the secret ingredient! If you want to reel in new customers and boost your revenue, you need a plan that will help you attract the right folks and grow your income like a boss. Everyone wants to learn the latest marketing tricks, but your tactics will fall flat without a game plan. The key is to weave them into a plan that delivers results, now and in the future. So, here’s what you need to do to develop an eCommerce marketing strategy that rocks:

Step 1: Start With Your Targets

To craft a winning eCommerce marketing strategy, you must set your sights on what you want to achieve. Here are some common marketing targets to aim for:

• Make more people visit your website
• Keep customers engaged
• Welcome a set of new customers every month
• Expand your product offerings
• Boost your overall revenue

Once you have a broad one-year goal, drill down to specific, measurable objectives. For instance, if your one-year goal is to break into a niche market, your objectives could include the following:

• Conducting market research.
• Reaching out to potential partners.
• Launching a new product line.

If you aim to attract new customers, your objective might be to convert 100 new customers monthly.

Step 2: Pinpoint Your Ideal Customer

With your goals in mind, it’s time to pinpoint who your target market is. Skipping this step could result in missing crucial information about your target customers and their problems.

If you already have a following, send out a survey to gather data. If you’re just starting out, begin defining your ideal customer. As you research your target market, gather information on the following demographics:

• Gender
• Age
• Location
• Occupation
• Interests
• Buying habits
• Social media preferences

Step 3: Get Ahead Of The Competition

• Uncover your top competitors’ strengths and weaknesses by looking into their websites and the goods they offer
• Study their website’s product descriptions and blog, and if you have an SEO tool, analyze their traffic.
• Stay on top of the game by staying updated with your competitor’s newsletters and social media activity. Even get a taste of their customer experience by buying some of their products.

Step 4: Price & Position The Product

In a world where customers can compare prices at the click of a button, it’s vital to have a solid pricing strategy. To determine the right pricing for your products, you need to understand your target audience and their willingness to pay. For example, you can offer a discounted rate for first-time customers or a free product trial to demonstrate its value. Just don’t forget to use the right price and position; otherwise, you might end up selling a Mercedes for the price of a scooter! When it comes to eCommerce, pricing is a crucial factor to consider. You don’t want to be known for having overpriced items that turn away potential customers. So, do your research and price your products strategically to attract the right buyers and increase your sales.

Digital Strategy For eCommerce Marketing

Unleashing The Power Of Content Marketing

Sharing quality content with your audience can be a game-changer for building a solid connection and increasing customer loyalty. To get the ball rolling on your content marketing strategy, you’ll need to determine what content you want to create. Here are some popular options to consider:

Entertaining, educational, and engaging videos are the perfect way to convey your message. Whether it’s a how-to guide, product demo, or cartoon, there are endless possibilities to bring your content to life. 

Bonus: You can repurpose that video content in so many ways! Transform the transcript into a blog or social post, or turn the audio into a podcast episode. Get ready to boost those open rates!

Despite what some might say, blogging is far from dead. But gone are the days of quick 800-word posts. Instead, aim for well-researched, in-depth pieces that tackle your customers’ pain points. 

Bonus: Blogging and SEO go hand-in-hand, meaning your impactful blog posts will continue to drive traffic and boost your business for years to come

• Make Product Guides Work for You

Product guides are a valuable tool to help turn prospects into paying customers. They provide in-depth information about your products to your customers. But don’t forget to end with a bang! Wrap up each guide with a clear message. Make them take your desired action , whether it be to buy the product, sign up for a weekly mail, or something else. 

• Make a splash with customer kudos

In the modern world, potential customers want assurance that your brand is the real deal. Merely telling them about the fantastic features of your products won’t cut it. Incorporating customer testimonials should be a top priority in your content marketing plan. Give them what they’re looking for by spotlighting happy customer stories on a dedicated landing page and occasionally serving up detailed case studies on your blog. Show the world what your satisfied customers have to say!

Ranking High with SEO

To get ahead in the digital world, boosting your website’s ranking on search engines like Google is crucial.

Some entrepreneurs shy away from SEO as it requires much initial effort. However, once your site starts ranking for sought-after keywords, you’ll enjoy a steady flow of free traffic to your site.

Start by researching keywords using an SEO tool. Targeting keywords with low search volumes won’t pay off and trying to outrank well-established sources will likely prove fruitless.

Now that you’ve got your keywords make sure you place them strategically. Give your blog, category pages, and e-commerce product pages some SEO love by incorporating your keywords into the URL, title, image alt text, body, and meta descriptions.

Know Your Target Market for a Winning Campaign

Understanding your ideal customer can create a customer awareness project that delivers results. Numerous tools are available today to track visitors to your online shop and learn important information about them, including their gender, location, source, and activity on your website. With this data, you can create a persona of your ideal customer and a customer awareness campaign.

When it comes to raising customer awareness, few platforms are as useful as social media. Social media provides the perfect opportunity to engage with customers, learn more about them, and improve your products and services to better meet their needs. Today, social media platforms offer a range of features to interact with customers, such as live hangouts, polls, and chats. Use these tools to inform customers about your new offerings and collect valuable insights into their needs and preferences.

• Tuning into your customers’ whispers 

An eCommerce website that ignores what customers say is leaving money on the table. You can identify your strengths and weaknesses and fix the latter by keeping an ear to the ground on what people say about your brand and products. This marketing strategy aims to gain valuable insights into your customers, brand, and offerings and make necessary improvements. You can also eavesdrop on the competition to find ways to differentiate your value proposition.

Optimize Your Email Campaigns

Email marketing is crucial to your sales funnel and digital strategy for marketing. Here are some optimization tips often overlooked:

1. Welcome emails – Build a relationship with customers through a welcome email.
2. Provide useful info – Lead nurturing through useful and exciting content.
3. Offer coupons/discounts – Shoppers love deals, and sending coupons can improve conversions.
4. Ask for feedback – Learn about customers and business through email surveys.
5. Wishlist reminders – Tap into the customer’s mind by sending wishlist reminders.

A good marketing agency can personalize your email templates and pre-built flows. Don’t focus on trends; stick to best practices like a good product, content, prices, and user experience.

Avoid tricking buyers and align digital marketing tips with your brand values and capabilities. Stay consistent with your brand marketing approach.

Make Shopping Personal for a Memorable Experience 

In the world of eCommerce, personalization is key to standing out from the crowd and building loyal customers. Shoppers expect to be treated like individuals, and online retailers have an advantage with access to personal shopping data.

• Make them feel at ease by addressing them by their name
• Provide discounts and free products during their purchase.
• Keep in touch after the sale with birthday greetings, feedback requests, exclusive discounts, and new product promotions. Ignore personalization at your peril – soon, it will be as important as having a mobile-friendly website. Make it a top priority in your eCommerce digital marketing strategy.

Unlock The Power Of Word-of-Mouth With Referral Marketing

Bring in a flood of fresh customers by harnessing the power of referral marketing. Don’t know what referral marketing is? It’s simple. Encourage your customers to share their love and spread the word about how fantastic your business is. A person’s trust in recommendations from those closest to him or her is far greater than his or her trust in advertisements. Essentially, referral marketing is like showcasing customer testimonials with a more personal touch. The trust factor is higher with loved ones than with some random people.

Some Real-world Success Stories

Sure, here are some examples of successful eCommerce digital strategy for marketing:

1. Personalized email campaigns – Amazon and Netflix use customer data to send customized emails to each customer with relevant product recommendations and offers.
2. Influencer marketing – Fashion brand, Fashion Nova, worked with several social media influencers to promote their products resulting in a significant increase in sales and brand awareness.
3. User-generated content – Warby Parker encouraged customers to share photos of themselves wearing Warby Parker glasses on social media, which created a buzz around the brand and helped increase sales.
4. Customer reviews and ratings – Customers trust reviews and ratings from other customers, which is why eCommerce sites like Zappos, Overstock, and Newegg prominently display product reviews and ratings to help increase conversion rates.

Rev Up Your eCommerce Marketing Efforts

To succeed in the cut-throat world of eCommerce, you need a comprehensive digital strategy or marketing plan that covers all stages of the sales funnel. Don’t wait to get started on your strategy; start brainstorming and try out a few tactics at each stage. As a result, you will get the results that you have desired!

Author’s Bio

Suvarna Parikh is a technical content writer at ultroNeous Technologies – a leading web and mobile application development company that crafts user-centric digital products for brands of every size. She is passionate about writing on tech and marketing and balances informative content with an engaging read. Aside from her writing, she is a bookworm interested in various fiction genres and loves sharing her perspectives on key technological and marketing aspects.