With the advent of the Internet, there are many opportunities to promote your business through computer networks. In this article, we will touch on the topic of e-commerce (e—commerce).
E-commerce, or electronic commerce, is the process of buying and selling goods and services over the internet. It eliminates the need for physical stores and allows businesses to reach a global audience. In essence, e-commerce revolutionizes the way transactions are conducted, making shopping and business interactions more convenient and accessible for everyone.
E-commerce trends in 2023
Let's look at the popular trends that are relevant today.
Growth of e-commerce
Oberlo, which cooperates with Shopify and AliExpress platforms, predicts a rapid jump in online sales by 2025. According to experts, the turnover of e-commerce in the world will amount to 6.4 trillion dollars.
Manufacturers become Retailers (D2C)
The D2C (Direct-To-Consumer) business model allows companies to deliver goods to consumers without intermediaries and dealers. Business owners realized that a significant part of all revenue goes to intermediaries, because entrepreneurs increasingly prefer to communicate with consumers directly, establishing long-term relationships with them.
Business niche
The availability of the Internet is both an advantage and a disadvantage for businessmen. The advantages are a low entry threshold and a quick start of business. The disadvantages include high competition in almost all areas of online entrepreneurship.
To stand out from the competition, companies are increasingly resorting to narrowing their niche and concentrating on a small list of goods or services.
Emphasis on mobile commerce
According to Oberlo forecasts, e-commerce is expected to grow worldwide in the near future. One of the main reasons is the increase in the use of gadgets. From mobile devices, users view reviews and study products. As a rule, customers make purchases from stationary devices, so it is important that the site is optimized for smartphones.
Development of omnichannel communication
The trend for seamless communication with the consumer through several advertising channels has been around for a long time. It is still considered an effective way to interact with customers.
To date, there are enough tools to advertise your product. It remains to find the most suitable bundles and correctly prescribe a sales funnel.
E-commerce utilizes various types of marketing strategies to effectively engage customers and drive sales.
Product Presentation and Online Platform: E-commerce platforms excel in showcasing products or services in a visually appealing and informative manner. High-quality images, detailed descriptions, and user reviews enhance the virtual shopping experience, providing customers with the necessary information to make informed purchase decisions.
Target Audience Attraction: Successful e-commerce relies on attracting the right audience to the online portal. This involves employing techniques such as search engine optimization (SEO) to improve the platform's visibility on search engines, utilizing pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to reach potential customers, and leveraging social media marketing to connect with the target demographic.
Lead Nurturing: Nurturing potential buyers is a crucial aspect of e-commerce marketing. This involves engaging with customers through email marketing campaigns, personalized recommendations based on their browsing or purchase history, and providing exceptional customer service. Building relationships and maintaining regular communication can guide potential buyers toward making a purchase.
Let’s speak in details about them:
There are several simple ways to create a platform for the presentation of your product. Let's look at the most popular of them.
1) Creation of landing pages or multi-page sites through special programs for the development of web pages.
2) Maintaining a group or a page in social networks. Today there are several social networks for effective promotion of their services.
3) Online trading platforms. Do not forget about the services for placing advertisements.
It is important to understand that the choice of platform depends on the size of the company and the specifics of the work. It is better for small businesses or startups to start with social networks. However, for large companies with a wide range of products, it is recommended to create your own website.
If you have a real estate agency, then databases of ads for renting, selling and buying apartments are suitable.
After you have decided on a trading platform for brand promotion, you need to choose advertising channels for lead generation. Here it is necessary to focus on one detail: when choosing a marketing tool, it is necessary to take into account the features of the platform to which traffic will be attracted. Let's consider which lead generation strategies are suitable for different platforms.
1) PPC is suitable for landing pages and websites (Google Ads). Also an interesting, but no less effective way to attract relevant leads is SEO optimization of the site.
2) Group or pages in Facebook and WhatsApp. The algorithms of most social networks are built in such a way that permanent and unique content is well ranked within the platform itself. Therefore, if you have chosen to promote your product through social networks, then you should pay attention to the quality of content and the number of publications.
3) Ad bases. Most online platforms have paid promotion, which allows you to get into recommendations or collections faster. In addition, you should pay attention to the rules of the service, otherwise the management of the platform reserves the right not to place an ad on the site.
Interaction with leads is an important process in the sales funnel. In order for the client to move to the next step, it is necessary to warm up his interest. Let's analyze the main ways that motivate the client to make a deal.
1) Use a chatbot on the site that will save you from unnecessary difficulties and problems: it will help to unload the 1st line of technical support, increase sales conversion, and also collect user information.
2) On social networks, you can post posts with educational, informational and entertainment content. Warm up the desires of customers with promo codes or short-term promotions.
3) If you work with online platforms, then it is important to convey the value to buyers in the description of the ad (explain to potential buyers why they should buy the product from you).
These strategies collectively create a comprehensive approach to e-commerce marketing, enhancing the overall customer experience and maximizing sales opportunities.