To start and run an e-commerce business is, by no means, an easy feat. When you start an online store, to ensure it actually succeeds and makes a name for itself is another challenge altogether. In a world as competitive as today, where businesses aren?t just competing at a local level, but at a global scale, too, competition is as fierce as ever. And this competition is especially evident in the world of e-commerce. Digital marketers today need to be equipped to deal with entirely new obstacles and come up with incredibly innovative tactics to ensure the businesses survives. E-commerce business owners are especially well-versed in how difficult it is to grow traffic and increase sales in the extraordinarily competitive world of e-commerce. To ensure your business? success, a strategy backed by solid numbers is the way to go. A data-driven approach allows you to make an informed decision for your e-commerce business and help business growth. Without further ado, here are five data-driven strategies that?ll help you achieve your e-commerce goals:
1. Focus on Mobile Optimization & a Strong Desktop Presence
Although there?s no doubt about the role mobile plays in our lives, you?d be surprised to know that desktops still account for 49.7 percent of organic search traffic. Why is this so? Just because users find it easier to conduct extensive research related to products and services on their desktops rather than their mobiles, which is why it?s crucial for business owners to maintain a strong desktop presence. However, that being said, this still doesn?t mean that focus needs to shift away from mobile optimization. Today, with improved mobile technology and Google opting for mobile-first indexing to enhance user experience, mobile searches are as popular as desktop searches. Today, 79 percent of smartphone users have used a mobile device to make an online purchase in the last six months. The number of people downloading apps to avail discounts is increasing day by day. The increased use of mobile for e-commerce purposes makes it crucial for businesses to have a top-notch mobile version of their sites. Eighty percent of shoppers use mobile phones inside stores to search for product reviews, prices of other products, and other store locations. You could take it up a step and use an app creator to develop a mobile app for the Apple or Google Play store. All that matters are keeping up with the trend of mobile searches. Failure to adapt to the changing trends could push potential customers in the other direction, making it imperative to have a smoothly-run e-commerce site.
2. A Secure Website with An Excellent Design
Nowhere is it more important to have a secure website than it is in e-commerce. If you want to convince potential customers to purchase from you, you have to provide them with a reliable platform. With stories about phishing scams, or even bad customer service, breaking the news every day, consumers are as paranoid as ever. Hence, you should play an active role in figuring out what your website visitors see and experience and how your business is perceived overall. In the past, you would never go inside the store that dirty and has broken doors and windows; you?d always feel safe opting for the store that doesn?t look rundown. Your website?s presentation and security work in the same way and there are absolutely no excuses for having a poorly-designed website. A website that?s aesthetically pleasing is updated with the latest information, and has top-notch security and privacy is bound to establish customers between you and your customer base.
3. Come Up with Tailored Content For Your Target Audience
There is no marketing article complete with a section devoted to your content marketing strategy; that?s how important it is. Content specifically catering your target audience is the best way to generate organic traffic and boost ecommerce revenue. To generate tailored content for your audience, you first need to identify who you want to target. Every website has its own audience that?ll respond to its call-to-actions and will find its content engaging. The orientation and nature of your site can help you decide what your audience is, allowing you to proceed to the next step. Once you?ve identified your potential customers, highlight their demographics, including their purchase habits and internet usage habits. Once you?ve determined this, you should incorporate keywords and phrases your target audience is most likely to respond to. Identify the critical focus areas your potential customers would be interested in will automatically help your content, too. Focus on their feedback and responses and develop your content according to that. An important aspect not to overlook is your competition. Focus on what your most significant competitors are doing right and what they?re doing wrong and learn from it to improve the user experience you provide. From the dimensions of an Instagram picture to the colors, customer respond to, everything needs to be spot on.
4. Use Powerful Emotional Triggers In Your Ads
Using the human psyche is an effective way of driving e-commerce conversions, bearing in mind that you?re using the right triggers that?ll appeal to your target audience. But what exactly are those triggers? Successful e-commerce platforms incorporate the usage of particular campaigns to draw their customers. For instance, they highlight free delivery or shipping in their ads. A guarantee such as this is valued by shoppers who want to go the extra mile to avail the ?freebie? you?re offering. Additionally, if you incorporate a call-to-action with a sense of urgency, customers will be more compelled to fulfill the action. Use words such as ?today? and ?now? to make the phrases sound persuasive. Keeping this in mind, it?s no surprise that the most popular CTA is ?shop now.? Use people?s feelings and thought processes to your advantage to prompt the desired response for your e-commerce website.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether you?re setting up a website for a website broker or yourself, it?s important to know what?ll help you succeed. While there is no strict formula laid down for e-commerce success, knowing what has worked in the past certainly helps. Insights into failing and successful business models are an excellent way to start developing your own model for a top-notch e-commerce website that?s going to give your competitors a run for their money. Have you tried any of these tactics before? Or do you have suggestions of your own? Sound off in the comments below!