10 Top Marketing Tips For A Startup E-commerce Retailer
2023 saw lots of talented individuals start an e-commerce retail business across various fun, innovative and trending industries. From dropshipping furniture and clothing to offering online courses and book subscriptions, there are now online stores for everything. That being said, due to the vast amounts of e-commerce businesses out there, the competition is high! So, how do you ensure your specific business stays relevant and desirable? Here are 10 marketing tips to help your startup thrive in 2024.
Find Your Target Audience
Every business, whether that be e-commerce or not, has to understand who will be purchasing and using their products and services. To start your 2024 with success, conduct your own audience research, familiarising yourself with those who shop from your competitors and what the public is searching for surrounding your industry. Use tools and platforms to better identify the pain points, preferences, behaviours and expectations of users likely to buy from you. This will allow you to tailor your marketing efforts specifically to appeal to them.
Optimise Your Website Pages
Your business and success rely on having a strong and seamless website experience. You should invest in creating and building a site that is both user-friendly and mobile-responsive. The journey users have on your site, including accessibility, page speed, content and ease of use, will determine whether they make the purchase. The online experience you create will determine how many conversions you make via your website. Engaging imagery, a seamless flow, compelling copy and effective internal linking are all factors that guide potential customers through your site to make the purchase; ensure they work!
Utilise Social Media Daily
Everyone has a social media account these days. In fact, these platforms currently have around 4.95 billion active users worldwide – just think of the possibilities this provides for marketing your products and services! Establishing a strong social media presence across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, Pinterest & the rest will allow you to build a community around your brand. Use these channels to publish engaging imagery and video content, run targeted ads, and interact with people who are likely to be interested in what you have to offer. Having an established online presence allows help when you reach out to influencers for collaborations.
Invest In Your Content
Nobody wants to see blurry videos or stock imagery anymore! As the owner of an e-commerce store, you unfortunately don’t have the opportunity to impress your customers face-to-face. Producing high-quality content, be it product shots, personalised emails, compelling captions, or blog posts, will be the defining factor in whether your products and services are successful. These assets will establish your brand as a leading choice within your industry, contributing to building trust and authority.
Create Compelling Emails
Emails allow you to reach an even wider audience, staying relevant with those who have already shown an interest in your site. Building an email list and using it to nurture relationships with your potential and existing customers is key in 2024. These emails could include abandoned cart notifications, sale reminders, updates on new releases and your weekly or monthly newsletter. All of these emails will collaborate to engage your audience while encouraging them to make a purchase.
Implement SEO Practices
Your website is your most valuable asset. Optimising its content to appeal to SERPs is essential if you want to increase your organic traffic. This is a process that requires strategic tools for discovering the most relevant keywords in your industry, what users are searching for and what your competitors are doing. In order to outrank other e-commerce stores within your industry, you should create compelling meta descriptions, blog posts and continuously check and manage your SEO practices to improve your content. Essentially, you want your website to appear on the first page of Google, preferably even within the top 3 results. Trust me, it’s worth the investment!
Find Influencers & Ambassadors
Influencers have influence; the clue is in the name. Many brands will choose to collaborate with these big (and small) names to reach a wider audience. Not only does this get your name out there, but it also enables you to build trust and social proof. If an influencer shows that they use and believe in your products, you will likely receive a few purchases from those who follow them. Authentic ambassadors can enhance your brand credibility and drive more traffic to your site. This is usually compensated through gifting, affiliation links or payment fees, depending on the size of the influencer you choose to work with.
Offer Monthly Discounts
Other brands within your industry will be offering discounts and hosting sales regularly to entice previous, current and potential customers to make a purchase. These sales can be related to a celebration, for example, Black Friday and or a Payday Sale, as well as exclusive discounts being offered to new/existing email subscribers and social media followers. Hosting these sales and discounts creates a sense of urgency, driving more spontaneous sales and encouraging first-time buyers.
Social Proof With Reviews
You must, as an e-commerce retailer, provide potential customers with reviews and testimonials from previous customers. Hearing about the positive experiences others have had with your businesses will build trust and credibility. These will influence the purchases of others, which is essential when you can’t offer face-to-face service.
Hire A Digital Marketing Agency
Outsourcing your marketing efforts to a digital marketing agency with specialised skills in the areas discussed above could be the best investment you can make in 2024. These professionals can provide you with expertise across website builds, SEO, social media, copywriting, paid advertising and content creation, elevating your online presence and positioning you as one of the leading established brands in your industry. This ultimately allows you to achieve your goals more efficiently.
To conclude, these ten marketing tips could elevate your e-commerce success in 2024. Opting to incorporate these into your marketing strategy allows you to gain a competitive edge while establishing a strong online presence. But remember, as with most things in business, consistency is key!
