Last Updated on Apr 15, 2013 by Jenna Scaglione
Do you ever surf the web for internet marketing help? You will find hundreds of thousands of articles, blogs, podcasts, videos and whitepapers focused on varying strategies and tips, some not even worthy of a second look.
It’s hard to sort through the crowd to find the most important nuggets that will form the foundation of a successful Ecommerce marketing campaign. So to help you make sense of the clutter, I wanted to offer you my top five foundational “must know” tips much of your campaigns will revolve around.
#1 – Know Your Audience
Without a solid knowledge of your customers, all of the marketing in the world cannot increase your profits. Dedicate your time to intimately understanding the desires, pain points, needs and deep wants of your customers. Spend time on industry blogs, social sites, and poll your customers periodically since their desires might change as well. This fundamental strategy is key to making money on the internet.
#2 – Diversify
After Google Panda and Penguin, we know that “putting all of our eggs in the Google basket” can be a recipe for disaster. Even if you follow Google’s webmaster guidelines, the algorithms aren’t perfect, and you could find yourself on top one day and out of the index the next. If your entire campaign is focused on SEO, your profit loss could bankrupt your store.
Consider other marketing funnels and streams of income. Here are some solid strategies:
- Video marketing
- Social media
- PPC
- Facebook Ads
- Email marketing
#3 – User Experience
User experience is not only #1 on Google’s list of valuable websites, but it will also determine your profits. The longer customers stay on your site, the greater chance they will buy. Ensure the search flow is easy to navigate and all of your customer’s questions can be answered right away. If you are unsure of how your customers are feeling about your site, consider usability testing software like ClickTale or take advantage of UserTesting.com to have a manual reviewer navigate your site live on video.
#4 – Don’t Forget About Mobile
Mobile usage continues to skyrocket, and the Ecommerce store that avoids it will most definitely lose in the end. It’s getting quite competitive out there and customers appreciate an easy mobile shopping experience. They do not have the patience to pinch, scroll and expand their screen to find what they are looking for if your competitors will make it easier for them. If you want to offer your mobile customers an optimized experience to increase your conversions, consider responsive design.
#5 – Consistency
The key to effective branding has always been consistency. Whether you are online or in a physical store, consistency of message, design, and theme are crucial. The more your customers see your branding, the more their brains will become accustomed to your unique thematic elements. Furthermore, keep your communication and messaging consistent so your customers can recognize your brand and know what to expect when interacting with you whether on social sites, blog posts, emails or any other form of media.
These five key points form the cornerstone of a solid Ecommerce marketing foundation for the current online landscape.
Do you have any other foundational strategies you practice? Please share in the comments.