With more businesses transitioning to online platforms, there’s no reason to leave yours behind. A study from Pew Research shows that eight-in-ten Americans are online shoppers. Growing health concerns and a need for contactless purchasing further boost the importance of e-commerce and online shopping. Here are five expert marketing tips for online business.
If you already have a physical shop, then you’re already halfway there. You’re done with the bulk of the hard work that comes with starting a business. All you need to do now is to shift to a digital platform.
However, traditional marketing strategies don’t translate well on the internet. It’s a different ballpark, with SEO services redefining marketing in the world of online businesses. If you’ve already decided to take your business digital, here are 5 expert marketing tips to set you on the right path.
1. Find the right platform.
Small businesses are cropping up everywhere, thanks to platforms like Facebook and Instagram. For bigger companies that may need more organization and an established e-commerce interface, WordPress, Shopify, or WooCommerce may be what you need. These are well-known, and they have enough guides online to help you navigate it.
Your main goal should be to create a user-friendly, easy, and seamless checkout process with customer satisfaction in mind. With this goal, it will be easier to narrow down the right sales platform for your business.
2. Take advantage of local search engine optimization.
Local SEO is a search engine optimization strategy that will help your business be more visible when it comes to local Google search results. The reality of online businesses is that having a website is not enough. Attracting potential first-time and returning buyers requires a flawless website design with the perfect SEO strategy.
In order to maximise the online presence of your business, be sure to employ the best SEO practices. You should allot a few days or even a week to catch up on these site ranking trends, and figure out what will work for you.
3. Content marketing is power.
A study by SproutSocial revealed that 79% of internet users utilise Facebook, effectively making it the most popular social network. Even if you won’t use this platform as your selling avenue, it’s a good idea to use Facebook to make your brand known. This is when content marketing will become a useful tool in your arsenal.
Physical shops don’t really require content marketing, which is why you will need to familiarise yourself with it as you venture into e-commerce. Content marketing involves crafting well-written, shareable content for your audience. This may come in the form of blog posts, social media graphics, short videos, images, etc.
The possibilities of online content are endless, thanks to the ever-evolving culture of social media.
Just remember to keep abreast of any new trends so that you can tailor your content to meet them. After all, content is king and digital marketing is power.
4. Ensure security and safety of customers.
Information security is the reason why many consumers are deterred by online shopping. Even big businesses have fallen prey to data breaches, which is why it’s your job to protect your users.
Your consumers will want to shop somewhere with the assurance that their card information along with their personal data are safe. For this, we recommend recruiting an expert to go over any data privacy risks on your site. Take initiative in securing your site, and let your customers know that their information is safe with you.
5. Excellent customer service will keep the customers coming back.
The biggest advantage of online businesses is that everything is in one place, in an instant. Instead of peppering your website with templated, robotic answers, incorporate actual people to run your customer service.
Customers are looking for a site that they can trust and connect with. This means that you should be natural, authentic, and the customers can feel like they can talk to you. If you are able to answer their product-related concerns and assist them with their purchase, they are more likely to repurchase or refer your business to others.
Digital marketing can help boost your online business.
Experts say that the only way to make your business future-proof is to transition to online platforms. Are you ready to take a leap? Follow the Expert Marketing Tips we mentioned above and your customers will thank you for seamless service!