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Customer Service Best Practices for Dropshipping
1️⃣ Build a team - without breaking the bank Unless you’re Superman, you can’t do everything by yourself. At a certain point, your business will grow at such a rate that you’ll need an extra hand (or five) to run the business. Fortunately, you don’t have to hire a team of full-time employees to help improve your customer service for. Platforms like Zendesk can help provide 24/7 support while you focus on turning a profit. With options like email, chat, and phone service, you can automate a lof of what you need and quickly build a freelance customer service team to handle the rest without the crazy costs. But don’t assume that contractors can read your mind. Continually educate your team on what it means to deliver good service. They should be able to handle customer service and understand your mission, goals, and metrics. Otherwise, you risk providing a subpar experience that doesn’t represent your brand. 2️⃣ Speed everything up Speed is your customers’ number-one concern. That means you’ve got to streamline for speed in every area of your business, like: ⏱️ Your website: Since 70% of sales are done via mobile in 2024, you’ve got to speed up your mobile website. Don’t give people a reason to bounce from your website; use lazy load, compress images, and reduce file sizes to keep mobile shoppers around longer. ⏱️ Your service response times: Customers aren’t okay with waiting three days for a response. They want answers immediately. You can manage this with a detailed FAQ page (more on this below!), product videos or demos, or automated AI chatbots like Tidio. ⏱️ Shipping delays: Shipping delays probably aren’t your fault, but the customer doesn’t know (or care) that you’re working through a supplier. 🔥 Spark Shipping can speed things up by managing customer expectations with smart tracking solutions. If you keep customers in the loop about delays, they will likely stick with you. 3️⃣ Use multiple methods of communication In today's digital age, how businesses communicate with their customers is rapidly evolving. You can't rely on phone calls or emails as an online store. You need to embrace a multichannel approach to communicate with your customers. Why? Because providing various means of communication is crucial to meeting the needs of modern consumers. It goes beyond simply offering multiple ways to reach out. It's about creating a comprehensive and tailored experience where customers genuinely feel appreciated and heard. Below, we’ll discuss a few benefits of multiple methods of communication and why they are necessary for excellent customer service. 🗨️ Diverse preferences: Different customers have different communication preferences. While some prefer traditional phone calls, others lean toward email, social media, live chat, or even SMS. Catering to a broad range of preferences ensures that customers can choose to interact with your customer service teams in the way that is most convenient to them. 🗨️ Responsiveness: Different channels can be used to address issues with varying levels of urgency. For quick questions or urgent issues, instant messaging or chatbots might be ideal. Email or a dedicated feedback form might be better for more detailed inquiries or feedback. 🗨️ Record keeping: Some communication methods, like email or support ticket systems, provide both businesses and customers with a clear record of interactions. This can be useful for reference, accountability, and tracking the history of customer queries. 🗨️ Efficiency: Different channels can handle different volumes and types of queries. For instance, chatbots can handle common, repetitive questions, which frees up human agents to deal with more complex issues. 🗨️ Building trust: Providing multiple channels of communication can instill a sense of trust and reliability. Existing customers feel assured when they know they have various ways to reach out and get support. 4️⃣ Create a customer service email address Another way to foster customer success is to set up a dedicated customer service email address so prospective customers know they can contact customer service representatives quickly. Supplying a dedicated customer service email address is fundamental in providing excellent customer service for several reasons: ✅ Professional image A specific customer service email address (like support@yourbusiness.com) looks professional. It provides a straightforward way for customers to contact you without having to navigate complicated website pages. ✅ Efficiency and organization Distinct from other business communications, a dedicated email address helps segregate and categorize inquiries, which lead to responses reaching customers in a timely manner. It also makes it easier to integrate specialized tools or software, such as ticketing systems or auto-responders, that elevate the management and tracking of customer interactions. ✅ Accountability and traceability With a specialized point of contact, there's enhanced responsibility in addressing customer concerns. Additionally, a dedicated email address offers a clear record of all interactions, which is crucial for understanding recurring issues, resolving disputes, or offering context in prolonged customer dialogues. You can use this data to spot poor customer service and take steps to make improvements for your customers. ✅ Scalability and segmentation As businesses grow and the volume of interactions escalates, a dedicated email address helps keep processes scalable. It makes expanding support teams, using advanced CRM tools, and adopting AI-driven solutions easier. Over time, customer inquiries can then be channeled to specialized departments of your online store, which will further streamline the process. 5️⃣ Stay in stock, no matter what One of the most highly underrated customer service techniques is always having stock. 30% of shoppers say out-of-stock products give them a bad experience. Low stock means you aren’t making sales when you should be. It might seem like a good problem to have if you're frequently selling out, but this can hurt customer satisfaction. 6️⃣ Create a “Contact Us” Page on Your Website To enhance customer service in your dropshipping store, it's essential to have a contact page on your website. Consider your website a welcoming space where customers can easily contact you. Place a "Contact Us" link in your main navigation menu for easy access; this ensures it's just a click away for visitors. This page should display your customer service email, which builds trust and guides customers who wish to connect with you for any inquiries. What the contact page should include: ➡️Contact form: A simple form where customers can fill out their name, email, and message. This ensures that the business captures all essential information to respond effectively. ➡️Email address: Even with a contact form, providing a direct email address (e.g., support@yourstore.com) gives an alternative way for customers to reach out. ➡️Phone number: A customer service phone number can be invaluable for customers who prefer to speak directly or have urgent queries. ➡️Physical address: If applicable, the business's office or store address adds another layer of trust and transparency. ➡️Business hours: Indicate when the customer service team is available so customers have realistic expectations about response times. ➡️FAQ section: Addressing frequently asked questions can resolve many queries immediately without customers having to reach out. ➡️Links to social media: Some customers prefer to communicate or follow businesses on platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram. Providing these links accommodates this preference. ➡️Live chat option: Integrating a live chat feature can provide instant responses to customer queries, which enhances the overall service experience. ➡️Response time: Giving an estimated response time helps set customer expectations. For instance, "We typically respond within 24 hours." 7️⃣ Include all product information on your website Want to up your customer service game even more? Create great product pages. Providing comprehensive product information is crucial for delivering excellent customer service in several ways: ✅Informed purchasing decisions Comprehensive product information helps customers make informed decisions. When they have all the necessary details at their fingertips, they can better understand whether a product meets their needs, which leads to more satisfactory purchases. ✅Reduced return rates When customers know exactly what they're buying, they're less likely to be disappointed, which means lower return rates. This benefits customers and reduces the operational and logistical burdens of managing returns (see step 8 for more!) ✅Fewer inquiries Detailed product descriptions and information can answer many customers' questions, which reduces the number of inquiries your customer service team receives. This allows your team to focus on addressing more complex issues, which improves overall efficiency. ✅Competitive edge Providing thorough product information can give you a competitive edge. Customers who can find all the information they need on your site—but not on a competitor’s—are more likely to shop with you. Implementing a strategy to ensure that all product information is accurate, detailed, and easily accessible is an investment in good customer service. This, in turn, will positively impact customer satisfaction and turn your online store into a successful dropshipping business. 8️⃣Handle returns gracefully While approximately 9% of all brick-and-mortar products are returned, 30% of all eCommerce orders are returned yearly. Ouch. Returns are just the nature of the beast. When you sell online, there’s a greater chance that a litany of issues may arise—for example, the product wasn’t the exact color the customer expected or they ordered the wrong size. The problem is that returns are expensive: the average cost of a return is $15, which can easily add up and put you in the red. Putting these costs back on the buyer is tempting, but that’s a recipe for disaster. For example, 79% of customers expect free return shipping. Restocking fees are also a big headache for your shoppers, and charging petty fees will practically guarantee that they won’t be buying anything from you again. Handle returns gracefully. That means: 👉🏼 Pricing with returns in mind: If returns cost $15 on average, reconsider your prices. Try building in that $15-per-return loss elsewhere in your budget so it doesn’t affect your bottom line. 👉🏼 Choosing suppliers carefully: Does your supplier’s return policy jibe with what your customers expect? If there’s a massive conflict in expectations, it’s time to renegotiate or choose a better supplier. 👉🏼 Giving quick refunds: Customers should be able to get a refund via their original payment option. They won’t necessarily favor a refund in the form of store credit, especially if they were unhappy with your product the first time round. 9️⃣ Listen to your customers The most important thing any dropshipper can do is to gather and act on customer feedback proactively. And your customers agree: 54% of shoppers think brands should act on customer feedback. Are you hearing the same complaints over and over again from your customers? If so, it’s probably not a coincidence. This is your chance for self-reflection to solve common issues. Whether it’s related to: ⚠️ Product color or size ⚠️ Bad packaging ⚠️ Delayed shipping ⚠️ Bad return policies You have to get to the bottom of things. Looking at your dropshipping business through a critical lens can be challenging, but you’ll never stay profitable if you keep making the same mistakes. Don’t wait for negative feedback. Instead, get a customer service representative to email your customers a few times a year, proactively requesting feedback. If you don’t get a lot of responses, offer coupons, contest entries, or rewards points in exchange for their time. You can also message loyal VIP customers to obtain their candid thoughts. Heatmaps like Hotjar are another great option. Feedback is essential, but you must also see how users navigate your eCommerce store. You can see their real-time experience, which will indicate where your shoppers’ interaction with your store becomes less smooth. You might discover a glitchy part of your site or opportunities to optimize your checkout process. When you act on customer feedback, you’ll steadily see a decrease in returns, an increase in positive reviews, and more money in your pocket. It’s a win for everyone. The Bottom Line The market is too competitive for dropshippers to overlook something as obvious as customer service. You can’t afford to lose customers because of subpar customer service, particularly as it is generally easy to fix. Even if you’re a growing brand, you need a trustworthy eCommerce presence. Go from underdog to top gun by overhauling areas of your customer service operations. If you want to improve your shopping and support experience, using tools like Spark Shipping can help a lot. Spark Shipping can automate how you handle inventory, orders, and shipping, which reduces mistakes, saves time, and makes your customer service better. Check out Spark Shipping for your dropshipping business and take steps to improve your customer service to meet your customers' needs. Request a demo for free today! Popular Posts Where to Sell Guns Online Is Dropshipping Legal? 5 Requirements To Run A Legit Operation Dropshipping Tax: The Complete Guide Top 13 Dropshipping Automation Tools for 2024 Dropshipping Fulfillment - How to Fulfill Dropship Orders in 2024 Posts by Topic Dropshipping (5) Dropship Suppliers (3) EDI (3) Amazon Seller Central (2) Conversion Rate Optimization (2)
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Order Management in Dropshipping
Pros of drop shipment order management Reroutes customer orders When a customer places, an order management software (OMS) checks the inventory levels. With drop shipment order management, if the retailer does not have enough units, the order is redirected to a supplier’s warehouse, where more units are available, instead of marking the item as “out of stock.” Eliminates packaging costs Packaging a product can cost up to 15% of the price of the product. Drop shipment order management sends orders to suppliers, which incur these costs as they package and deliver orders. As a result, retailers can earn a profit from the transaction. For example, those who use eBay to fulfill drop shipment orders make $2.67 on every sale. Reduces order processing time The traditional dropshipping procedure involves forwarding the customer invoice to the supplier via mail to process the order. This method is slow. In drop shipment order management, customers’ orders automatically go to the supplier for immediate processing. Scale without risking inventory When a business grows, maintaining orders efficiently and accurately becomes more difficult. With drop shipment order management, however, inventory data of new warehouses are collected without altering the existing data of old warehouses. RevCascade is a dropship solution, for businesses that want to scale without risking inventory. The company provides a centralized platform that collects all drop shipment orders in one place and lets retailers track fulfillment statuses. Cons of drop shipment order management At the mercy of suppliers Once the order is rerouted to the supplier’s order management software, your supplier is now in charge of delivering the customer’s order. Retailers depend on suppliers to fulfill the order and meet customer expectations. If customers are dissatisfied, they associate it with the retailer is responsible for resolving their post-purchase problems. Order errors One of the problems with order management software is that they sync at a slow rate. This is problematic for businesses that sell the same product from different brands. For example, if a customer requests one Kleenex tissue, the OMS software may transfer the order to Kleenex, Angel Soft, and other brands. A wider digital footprint increases the probability of dropshipping errors, resulting in multiple suppliers packaging and sending out bulk orders. How Drop Shipment Order Management Works for Retailers and Suppliers Here’s an overview of how the drop shipment order management process works: A customer places an order on a retailer’s channel. The retailer receives an order through the OMS software. The OMS software prepares an invoice for the order. The invoice is transferred from the retailer’s OMS to the supplier’s OMS through EDI. The supplier processes and prepares the items for shipment to the customer. When a customer places an item on the retailer’s online store, the OMS software retrieves the order information and automatically creates an invoice. This invoice is transferred to the supplier’s OMS through electronic data interchange (EDI). It is a communication system that lets two businesses share information interchangeably. Through this communication process, the retailer’s dropshipping software synchronizes with the supplier’s software for rerouting customer orders. At the final stage of the dropshipping process, the supplier is in charge of processing and preparing the order for shipment to the customer. Depending on the nature of the partnership between the supplier and retailer, the supplier may send the products in a custom package reflecting the retailer’s brand. But in most cases, the packaging is generic.
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Managing Inventory in Dropshipping
Dropshipping has become a popular business model for online entrepreneurs in recent years. And for good reason! It’s a great way to start a business with little up-front investment, and it can be scaled up substantially as your business grows. But one question that often arises is how to approach dropshipping inventory management. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what inventory management is and give tips on how to best manage your dropshipping inventory. Let’s get started! What is dropshipping inventory management? Dropshipping inventory management is an ecommerce business model where business owners sell products they don’t physically have in stock. When a business owner receives an order from a customer, they contact the supplier, who then ships the products directly to the customer’s doorstep. Dropshipping is a popular business model because it’s relatively low risk and easy to set up. Plus, business owners don’t have to worry about managing inventory or dealing with shipping logistics. However, dropshipping does have some downsides. For one, business owners have less control over their supply chain and are at the mercy of their suppliers. Additionally, margins can be razor-thin, so it’s essential to carefully choose which products to sell. But for those business owners who are willing to put in the work, dropshipping can be a great way to build a successful ecommerce business. The benefits of dropshipping Dropshipping has many advantages, and business owners looking for a way to streamline their operations and reduce costs should consider this option. Dropshipping allows businesses to sell products without having to carry any inventory, saving a significant amount of money. In addition, dropshipping reduces the risk of business owners being stuck with outdated or unsellable products. And because dropshipping companies handle all of the shipping and logistics, business owners can save a lot of time and hassle. Dropshipping is an excellent option for business owners who want to simplify their operations and focus on marketing and increasing their customer base. Dropshipping inventory management best practices and tips Dropshipping inventory management is key to keeping your business organized and efficient if you’re a business owner. Here are some best practices and tips to help you get started: Write your own product descriptions Writing your own product descriptions is a great way to set your business apart from the competition. Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing your product descriptions: Keep it short and sweet. The last thing you want is for customers to get bored halfway through and click away. Use keywords judiciously. You want potential customers to be able to find your products easily, but you don’t want to stuff your keywords so much that it becomes difficult to read. Include important information. Make sure to include size, color, materials, etc., so that customers know exactly what they’re getting. Be creative. Get creative with your descriptions and use beautiful imagery to bring them to life. This is your chance to show off your products and make them shine. Use multiple suppliers for your products For business owners looking to start a dropshipping business or are already in the business, one of the best practices is using multiple suppliers for your products. There are several advantages to using multiple suppliers. The first is that it allows you to have a backup plan. If one of your suppliers goes out of business or has issues with inventory, you will still be able to fulfill orders with your other supplier. This is important because it can help you avoid losing sales and customers. The second advantage is that it gives you more negotiating power. If you only have one supplier, they may be able to charge higher prices. However, if you have multiple suppliers, you can negotiate better prices with each of them. The third advantage is that it allows you to offer your customers a greater variety of products. If you only have one supplier, you may be limited in the types of products that you can offer. However, if you have multiple suppliers, you can offer a broader range of products, attracting more customers. Overall, using multiple suppliers is one of the best practices for dropshipping businesses. It can help you avoid problems, get better prices, and offer more products to your customers. Take your own photos Good product photos are essential for making sales. But you may not know that dropshipping business owners have an especially difficult time getting high-quality product photos. That’s because most drop shippers rely on suppliers for their product photos, and supplier photos are often low quality and not very helpful for making sales. Good news, there’s a simple solution to this problem: take your own photos! It may sound like a lot of work, but it’s actually not difficult, and the results will be worth it. Here are a few tips for taking great product photos: Use natural light whenever possible. Taking photos near a window or outdoors is the best way to get clear, bright photos. Invest in a good camera. You don’t need an expensive DSLR, but a decent point-and-shoot camera will make a big difference in the quality of your photos. Take multiple pictures of each product. This gives you more to choose from when you’re editing, and it also helps to show different views of the product (e.g., front, back, side). Edit your photos before you upload them to your store. This step is vital for making sure your photos look their best. Many free photo editing tools are available online, so there’s no reason not to edit your photos. Taking your own product photos may seem like a lot of work, but it’s actually not difficult, and the results will be worth it. Your customers will appreciate high-quality and detailed photos of your products, and you’ll be able to make more sales as a result. Keep a close eye on analytics To effectively manage your dropshipping business, you will need complete visibility into your order information and vendor performance. Monitoring your vendors is critical to your business because it provides insights into whether or not your suppliers are meeting your agreement. It’s essential to track growth and your gross merchandise volume (GMV), in addition to your year-over-year (YoY) comparisons. Work in real-time Ensuring your inventory is updated in real-time is critical to your business and will minimize the chances of selling an item that is out of stock. Real-time shipment updates help you to provide your customers with a better experience by allowing you to track parcel and freight movement. Real-time inventory updates allow you to handle supply chain and delivery issues before the customer has a problem, keeping your business running smoothly and your customers happy. Forge personal connections with your suppliers As a business owner, it’s vital to forge personal connections with your suppliers. After all, they play a critical role in ensuring your business runs smoothly. Building solid relationships with your suppliers ensures that you always have the products and services you need to keep your business running. Here are a few tips for forging personal connections with your suppliers: Make sure you’re clear about what you need. When placing an order with a supplier, be as specific as possible about what you need. This will help ensure that you always receive the right products or services. Pay invoices on time. Prompt payment of invoices shows that you value your supplier’s products or services. This, in turn, will encourage them to provide you with the best possible service. Communicate regularly. Regular communication shows that you value your relationship with your supplier, whether you’re sending a simple email or picking up the phone. This will help build trust and mutual respect between you and your supplier. Your merchandising matters It is critical to have a well-thought-out merchandising strategy for your business. Expand on your core products, and offer a complimentary inventory that will appeal to your customer base. A solid merchandising strategy increases the likelihood of larger orders, sales, and repeat business. Anticipate additional products your customers might need when using your most popular products. A robust merchandising strategy serves not only your customers but also your business. Have emergency plans in place The best way to manage the unexpected is to anticipate future problems. While no business owner can predict every situation, it is essential to create plans for predictable emergencies, such as a supplier going out of business, an increase in inventory costs, or delayed shipments. Planning for emergencies before they occur can help you minimize problems when they inevitably happen. Automate with software Effective inventory management is practically impossible to do by hand. Fortunately, a wide variety of inventory management software is available to help you stay on top of your business needs and manage your inventory on autopilot. Provide excellent customer support As a business owner, you know that providing excellent customer service is one of the most important things you can do for your business. Here are some tips for delivering great customer service when dropshipping: Be responsive to your customers’ needs. If they have a problem, address it as quickly as possible. Own your supplier’s mistakes. Keep your customers updated on the status of their orders. They’ll appreciate knowing what’s happening and will be less likely to experience frustration or confusion. Be available to answer questions both via telephone and online. Your customers should always be able to reach you if they need help or have questions. By following these tips, you can ensure that your dropshipping business provides excellent customer service and builds strong relationships with your customers. Final thoughts Dropshipping inventory management can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Following the best practices and tips outlined in this blog post, you can streamline your dropshipping process and keep your business running smoothly.
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Influencer Marketing: Collaborations and Strategies
#1: Determine your goals to align with partner compensation Successful partnerships are built on well-defined goals. Goals provide a clear direction for your creator partners to work toward and help you measure performance. It’s up to your brand to communicate your goals to your partners so you can work together to achieve them. Your goals can guide you toward the right incentives to motivate partners. Aligning your program’s goals with compensation will galvanize creators to score big wins for your brand. According to our research with Adweek, most creators prefer a hybrid compensation model. This model combines a flat fee with a performance-based commission. The creator is compensated for their hard work and motivated to go the extra mile. Track each stage of the customer’s journey with impact.com / creator. Ensure you reach your goals and reward influencer partners for their contributions. #2: Get to know your influencers to build lasting relationships Influencers are people, too. A successful partnership requires both sides to try to learn about each other. Onboard your partners and align them with your brand values and what success looks like for you. Most importantly, give them creative freedom. Adweek’s research with impact.com indicates that 39 percent of influencers rate creative control as crucial when considering proposals and forming long-term partnerships with brands. WARC’s research with impact.com reveals that the longer you work with a creator, the better results you’ll see. Creating a strong personal bond is crucial for a long-term partnership, which means being mindful of creators’ challenges when working with brands. According to the same research, creators and brands struggle most with: Brands: Correctly linking the creator compensation with the value they bring Creators: Balancing creative freedom with the brand’s requirements Brands: Providing creators with clear metrics related to their performance Overcoming these challenges will keep creators motivated to work with your brand. Aligning marketers and influencers: Shifting perspectives on influencer marketing across the funnel Gain valuable insights on building stronger relationships with your influencer partners in our research report with WARC. #3: Adapt to your audience so you connect authentically Every audience you want to reach needs an approach tailored to its needs and tastes. A successful influencer program requires constant testing and refinement to match the right audience and the best creative approach. Start with identifying your target audiences. Once you know who you want to reach, work with your influencer partners to find the best ways to reach them authentically. Audiences respond best to non-scripted and authentic content. Tip: Position your brand as a status symbol that inspires consumers to post about it. As much as 47 percent of consumers love it when you repost their user-generated content (UGC). Subaru gains 1.3 million views with UGC Car company Subaru launched the #MeetAnOwner campaign to build a community of passionate, loyal customers. The brand hired creators like YouTube influencer Devin Graham to create content showcasing the adventurous lives of Subaru Impreza owners. Graham created a video showing him and his friends using a slip-and-slide to launch themselves off a cliff and parachute down—hitting an impressive 1.3 million views. Videos from these creator partnerships inspired viewers to post their own content celebrating the car they love and the adventures they take it on. YouTuber Devin Graham’s video perfectly merges entertaining content with product placement, engaging adventurous audiences and inspiring them to share their own stories. #4: Automate your campaign to stay focused on priorities Managing multiple influencers across your campaigns can be tedious without the right tools. impact.com / creator offers a marketplace to filter for influencers across follower size, niche, and more. Once you’ve found your perfect match, you can automate the fastest payouts in the industry, as well as contracts and performance tracking reports, all in one platform. GetSmarter, an online education platform, used impact.com / creator and it’s managed services team to run its entire influencer campaign—from influencer recruitment to negotiating rates, performance tracking, and content amplification. This multi-tiered strategy scored the platform more than 8 million impressions and 1.5 million reach. GetSmarter commissioned creators to create content encouraging sign-ups to their online education platform. #5: Measure your partner’s performance metrics Nearly two out of three brands will expand their budget for influencer marketing this year. That comes with the pressure to perform well and justify the increase. With the right tools, you can use data to prove your budget’s value. To capture the data needed to prove the partnership program’s worth and hone its strategy, brands need to track partner performance at every campaign step. impact.com / creator’s platform lets you get granular and see where your campaign is flourishing so you can invest in high-performing partners and sunset underperforming partners and strategies. Determine what kind of content performs best on specific social media platforms, the messaging audiences respond to, and keep your partners in the loop to adjust their content as you go. impact.com / creator allows you to track each partner’s performance across all social platforms. Measure everything from reach to impressions, clicks, and more. #6: Communicate clearly and often Communication can make or break your campaign. Think of your brand as the plane taking consumers to their destination (a great purchase and product experience) and the creators as the pilot. Clear directions ensure a smooth take-off. In impact.com’s research with Adweek, influencers emphasize the importance of receiving clear expectations of performance, creative briefs, and examples of what your brand wants. Creators rank the overall experience working with your brand among the top three drivers of satisfaction. So, collaborate closely with your partners and let them weigh in about their audience’s response. This excerpt from Ghosted No More: The secrets to thriving brand-creator partnerships emphasizes the importance of clear communication between brands and creators. #7: Diversify your program to reach more people Creators come in all sizes. Big celebrity influencers may have a greater reach, but smaller niche creators punch above their weight in terms of audience engagement. Recruit a diverse set of partners to reach wider audiences with nuanced preferences. Rinck Advertising, a full-service creative agency, commissioned a mix of micro-, macro-, and mega-influencers to promote the hair products of its client, TONI&GUY. The influencers created styling videos that reached different audiences, resulting in nearly 300,000 video views and 500,000+ impressions. @annasarelly boasts 1.2m Instagram followers—just one of the many influencer tiers Rinck Advertising used to reach a wide audience for TONI&GUY’s products
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Content Marketing for E-commerce
Content strategy for ecommerce helps retailers build relationships with their audience and win customers. Brands should focus on addressing the specific needs of their target market by answering their questions and concerns. Ultimately, this helps buyers complete their purchase journey. To help you achieve this, Semrush spoke to four experts in ecommerce who shared their top tips for creating and promoting high-performing content. Expert contributions The following guide to ecommerce content creation is based on the latest insights from: Aaron Orendorff, Head of Marketing at Recart; Vanhishikha Bhargava, Founder at Contensify; Jordi Ordonez, ecommerce consultant for Amazon; and Robyn Johnson, CEO of Marketplace Blueprint. What Is Ecommerce Content Marketing? Content marketing for ecommerce is focused on supporting the customer through the buyer's journey in order to maximize online sales. An effective strategy integrates valuable content throughout the customer journey, ensuring potential buyers can access the information they need at any time and in the relevant channel. Content for ecommerce websites is differentiated by the value it delivers to its audience. Examples of how ecommerce content can be valuable include: Video guides about how products work High-quality images of a product Online forums for getting answers to questions Search engine-optimized blog posts about issues of interest to buyers Why Is Ecommerce Content Marketing Important? According to Semrush's 2023 research, 96% of ecommerce and retail companies generated positive results when reaching their content marketing goals. It’s clear that creating and sharing valuable, free content, therefore, builds trust with potential buyers. The practice also keeps customers engaged, giving them something to share on social media. If ecommerce brands consistently deliver valuable content without asking for anything in return, readers will respond by becoming loyal customers. Below, we’ll explore eight tactics for succeeding in ecommerce content marketing. Tactic #1: Ensure Your Content Is Visually Appealing In ecommerce, there is a greater emphasis on visual content than in other sectors because in nearly every case, buyers want to see what they are buying—and in as much detail as possible. A video or still image of a product in use gives the buyer a good indication of quality and suitability. This is why many of the best ecommerce marketers focus their content marketing efforts exclusively on producing high-quality videos. A good example is U.S. grooming brand Beardbrand, which grew quickly through smart content marketing. Eric Bandholz attributes the success of Beardbrand’s content marketing to the fact that “we were willing to suffer for very long periods of time. In the world of content, no one’s going to view your early output, so you have to create it for your own joy.” At the same time, for your ecommerce store with product images, you can use a tool like Ecommerce Booster for auditing the visual content. This tool assesses photo quality, ensuring that images are high-resolution and optimized to help maximize conversion rates. Using the built-in AI tools, you can improve image quality and remove image backgrounds in seconds. Tactic #2: Double Down on the Channel that Works Best for You Successful content is a long-term investment, so content creators need to find the channel they feel most comfortable generating a lot of content within. Possible channels include: Blogs: Sharing lists, guides, thought leadership, and more for all of your audiences, no matter where they are in the buyer’s journey YouTube: By establishing a presence on YouTube, you “humanize” your brand and lay out your area of expertise Instagram: Whether creating bite-size stories or longer form Reels, Instagram is a good way to connect with a larger audience via social media LinkedIn: Generally thought of as a more business-focused platform, this is a great social channel to find and connect with the professionals you seek to connect with TikTok: It feels like the whole world is on TikTok now, and it’s increasingly being used by a younger audience in place egular search engines A good example is Bobby Hundreds, the founder of streetwear brand The Hundreds. For the first 10 years of The Hundreds’ existence, Bobby’s blog was “the definitive streetwear resource.” “It was the blog to check daily for updates because Bobby literally scheduled a post every day at 3 am PST. In many ways, he pulled back the veil; streetwear was elusive—the nature of street fashion is that it is born on the street, evolves on the street, and spreads by word of mouth, communally.”, says Alina Nguyen, former Editor-in-Chief of The Hundred. Bobby blogs remotely and has posted more than 5,000 times. His blog posts are full of great images of his collections, the latest streetwear items, and cool graphics and social media posts. The website receives over 65,000 pageviews a month and has earned more than 87,000 backlinks as of October 2022. Tactic #3: Use Video to Build Your Brand Character Ecommerce is about products. And video is one of the best ways to showcase your product, demonstrate its benefits, and answer the most burning questions. Semrush research shows that video was the most effective content format for retail and ecommerce businesses in 2023. Popular categories of video content include: Product explainer and description videos Customer testimonial videos Live shopping videos Long-form videos are usually posted on YouTube channels, while shorter videos are typically shared on TikTok or Instagram. According to Aaron Orendorff, videos tend to work best if there are people in them: People will always gravitate towards people over products, so companies need someone in-house to create videos at scale as it’s a volume game. You need someone who has ‘a face’ and who can get memes. Aaron Orendorff, Head of Marketing at Recart He cites Isaac Medeiros, founder of Japanese sword company Mini. Katana, as a great example of someone who used their personality to build a brand. Mini. Katana has’s YouTube channel has 1.05Mm subscribers to its YouTube channel and over 280,000 followers on Instagram. Medeiros marketed Mini. Katana’s range of miniature Japanese swords on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. He spent no money on advertisements and relied solely on organic traffic on social media to reach his potential customers. They takeaway? Work with a person who has an engaging and likable personality to create a following on top video channels like YouTube and TikTok. Your central character builds trust and becomes a strong representation of your brand, generating more engagement, views, and customers over time. Tactic #4: Optimize Your Presence on Amazon Many people looking to buy specific products begin by searching on Amazon—not search engines like Google, as they would if their query was more informational. As a result, companies need to pay close attention to each piece of content that accompanies their products on Amazon and ensure it aligns closely with their own website and their brand overall. Failure to do this means shoppers may choose to buy a competitor’s product instead. Amazon has expanded the content options available to brands beyond just the title, description, and images of their product to include: A+ content Amazon Posts A+ is a premium content feature that allows sellers to improve the description and merchandising of their products by adding richer text and high-definition videos and images. Here’s an example from Ren Skincare: Amazon Posts gives brands the ability to create social media-style feeds with lifestyle imagery, captions, and direct links to their product pages. An example from Canadian camping equipment brand Offroading Gear is below: Robyn Johnson highlights the role Amazon plays in the overall customer journey: Some people will window-shop on Amazon and then go to your website, so it can help with your direct-to-your-consumer site when used in combination with a strategy to ensure you’re not cannibalizing your ecommerce sales. Robyn Johnson, CEO of Marketplace Blueprint As Amazon’s search function ranks products based on sales, it’s vital for retailers to optimize their conversion rates—even if Amazon is not their primary sales channel—to ensure their competitors’ products don’t feature more prominently. A good example is Dorai, a homewares company from the U.S. that specializes in eco-friendly products. The takeaway? Dorai’s product pages take advantage of the merchandising options Amazon now offers in terms of imagery, videos, and brand assets. If you use Amazon Marketplace, be sure to do the same. To further optimize your presence on Amazon, use the Listing Quality Check tool that audits your product listings and provides actionable recommendations. Tactic #5: Partner with Influencers and Experts We mentioned earlier the important role that personalities (i.e., people) play in ecommerce content marketing. For some brands, the founders, such as Bobby Hundreds and Eric Bandholz, fulfill this role. For other retailers, working with sector experts can be a great option, not least because it shows Google that your content has authority. Examples include fashion brands collaborating with social media influencers or bloggers and health and wellness brands partnering with doctors or nutritionists. For instance, UK fashion retailer Boohoo partnered with CottonConnect, agricultural experts from Pakistan, on a project called REEL (Responsible Environment Enhanced Livelihoods) cotton. CottonConnect is a purpose-driven company that advises brands on how to source cotton more fairly and sustainably by creating more robust and successful supply chains. This works well because it shows their values in action and gives the audience another reason to choose the brand over a competitor. Another UK online retailer, PrettyLittleThing (a subsidiary of Boohoo), regularly collaborates with rappers (including Saweetie, Teyana Taylor, and Doja Cat) to produce collections. The takeaway? The cool branding and influencer alliance enhances their credibility and really connects to their target audience. In fact, this has become a unique selling point for them, helping them stand out from the crowd in a busy marketplace. Partnering with third-party experts to conduct research is another valuable investment that incurs no loss of credibility or authority. Tactic #6: Pay Attention to the Marketing Tactics of Marketplaces An ecommerce marketplace is a collection of online stores offering different products from different vendors. They serve as digital destinations for shoppers looking to browse and purchase from a variety of brands, just as marketplaces do in the real world. Brands that participate in these create digital “storefronts.” Examples include: Amazon Marketplace Walmart Marketplace eBay Chewy Wayfair Alibaba Rakuten Houzz Jordi Ordonez recommends paying close attention to the content marketing strategies of marketplaces, as they administer millions of URLs and need to promote thousands of brands without cannibalizing their search rankings or getting penalized by Google. He cites French DIY and home improvement marketplace ManoMano as a good example to follow. The takeaways? The firm built an online community of experts and enthusiasts in an effort to recreate the in-store shopping experience Shoppers can start a conversation with “Manodvisors” and receive a response from an expert; if a purchase takes place, the Manodvisor receives a commission Anybody can become a certified Manodviser and earn income from ManoMano According to ManoMano, over a million conversations are started with Manodvisors every year. Tactic #7: Explore Live Shopping and Lookbooks In fashion ecommerce in particular, “lookbooks” are becoming increasingly popular in place of traditional blogs. Lookbooks are digital recreations of printed promotional catalogs that retailers used to create for in-store browsing before ecommerce even existed. Here’s an example from Lookbook.nu: Digital retailers now create online lookbooks to showcase their products in an eye-catching way. Fashion brands will often release a lookbook for a new season or line. Lookbooks can be produced in different formats, including: Scrollable carousels of images of models wearing key items from featured collections Short-form videos of models wearing outfits from specific collections Live videos of people shopping and creating outfits Even blogs with explanations, like this one featuring interesting staircase designs from Dezeen Live shopping videos are also becoming increasingly popular, especially in China and now the U.S., and feature heavily in content marketing campaigns from fashion and beauty brands. A good example of the above is U.S. makeup brand NYX, which has over 150,000 subscribers on YouTube. They frequently post livestreams (hosted by influencers and celebrities such as Brandy, Chantal Jeffries, and Alissa Violet) that merge live shopping and makeup tutorials. Viewers of the live makeup tutorials get the opportunity to shop the look directly from the stream. The takeaway? Allowing the viewers to buy directly from the livestream is a smart move, as the brand capitalizes on the excitement generated by the influencer at the moment. Tactic #8: Make SEO a Central Part of Your Plan Due to an above-average focus on visual content, many ecommerce websites have overlooked the opportunities afforded by more traditional text-based content marketing. However, creating educational blog content and optimizing your website for search should be an essential part of your strategy. Aaron Orendorff is keen to highlight the extent to which online retailers are still getting up to speed in this respect. He cites the importance of informational queries that can only be addressed in blog post format, explaining that many ecommerce brands have overlooked the opportunity to create educational pages (e.g., “How to” guides and listicles): Most ecommerce sites have been built for the onsite user experience (i.e., “What it looks like”) but the technical SEO under the hood (i.e., the header depth, the URL structure, etc.) is often very poorly implemented, with different pages on the same site frequently cannibalizing each other for the same keyword. Aaron Orendorff, Head of Marketing at Recart The takeaways? Even though video came in #1, SEO should still be a priority for ecommerce brands. Besides, creating quality website content is getting even easier with AI writing tools like ContentShake. For example, you can enter any topic of your choice, get content ideas, and create a powerful article in just a few clicks. Finally, focus on understanding the motivation behind your customers' search behavior. Try to dig deeper, find out what made them type specific phrases and look for products. Vanhishikha Bhargava points out that this can help you create hyper-targeted and relevant content. One of the best steps to take after keyword research is surveying your existing customers to understand what made them buy something or what made them look for something in the first place. Vanhishikha Bhargava, Founder at Contensify Final Thoughts The purpose of ecommerce content marketing is to support the customer throughout their purchase journey and increase a brand’s online sales. It is different from other forms of content marketing in the following ways: It emphasizes visual content more than traditional text formats Its audience sometimes starts their acquisition journey on Amazon rather than on search engines such as Google; however, Google still plays an essential role The most successful brands leverage personalities, especially via video, and establish authority by partnerships with experts Traditional SEO and text-based formats (such as educational blog posts) sometimes remain overlooked, which presents opportunities for brands that want to rank highly Creating content for ecommerce websites, therefore, requires a multi-pronged approach that balances both the visual and the text-based.
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Email Marketing: Engaging Your Customer List
Email marketing remains an indispensable avenue for reaching out to customers, suitable for any business landscape — from retail to high-end services and industrial sectors. It’s a channel that allows businesses to build and maintain a connection with various customer segments, whether they are newcomers or long-standing brand enthusiasts, to fulfill diverse marketing goals. For example, re-engaging a lapsed customer might involve a personalized email with a special promo code, while encouraging additional purchases from active customers could be achieved by suggesting items related to their past shopping behavior. This article outlines different types of campaigns that you can use in your email marketing strategy. Drawing from the successes of our clients, we will offer strategic insights on email timing and targeting, as well as tailoring different types of campaigns to elevate sales and streamline your marketing expenditure. Content: Newsletter Emails Promotional, Discount, and Special Offer Campaigns Reactivation Emails Welcome Emails Transactional Emails Milestone Emails Abandoned Cart/View/Order Emails Tips on Launching an Effective Email Campaign Final Thoughts Newsletter Emails The primary goal of newsletter emails is to remind your audience about your company and enhance subscriber loyalty. The content of these newsletters can vary widely, but the key is to ensure it’s useful and engaging for the client. This could include a range of materials such as news updates, articles, video tutorials, or digests — brief summaries of content with links to full versions. When to Send Newsletter Emails Consistency is key when sending these types of mail campaigns. Regular scheduling trains users to expect your communications on specific days, creating a routine touchpoint with your audience. A well-planned content calendar covering different types of email campaigns can guide this process. For example, you might send a digest of current promotions on Mondays, a news digest on Tuesdays, take a break on Wednesdays and Thursdays to avoid overwhelming your audience, and then send newsletter emails on Fridays. To avoid bombarding customers with multiple, potentially irrelevant newsletters, sports store Decathlon segments its audience based on interests and purchase history to send newsletter campaigns tailored to each segment. This results in relevant and useful content for all recipients — for instance: After purchasing a bike from Decathlon, customers receive informative newsletter emails on bike maintenance Customers that have expressed interest in horseback riding are sent a regular newsletter tailored to this interest — the same approach is used for other sports Promotional, Discount, and Special Offer Campaigns The primary objective of promotional emails is to drive sales by leveraging time-sensitive opportunities. These campaigns are often designed around specific events or limited-time offers, such as Black Friday discounts, new collection releases, or seasonal sales. The best practice for these types of emails contain a promotional banner to capture attention, succinct and engaging text, and a compelling call to action to prompt immediate response. Video software company, Movavi, sends out promotional emails at multiple occasions throughout the the year, which includes seasonal campaigns such as Spring, Summer, and Valentine’s Day sales: A Valentine’s Day campaign for Movavi’s subscribers When to Send Promotional Campaigns For campaigns tied to specific sales events, the timing of the email is key. It’s effective to send out a preliminary email a few days before the event, allowing customers to plan their purchases. For example, a reminder early in the week for a Black Friday event, followed by a last-minute prompt on the day, can significantly boost engagement and sales. For campaigns tied to specific sales events, the timing of the email is key. It’s effective to send out a preliminary email a few days before the event, allowing customers to plan their purchases. For example, a reminder early in the week for a Black Friday event, followed by a last-minute prompt on the day, can significantly boost engagement and sales. Regular promotional emails, like monthly discounts, need to be balanced carefully. Overdoing these types of mails can dilute your brand’s value and lead to a discount-driven customer base. The frequency of these emails should be tailored to match the buying habits of your customers, ensuring that each promotion feels special and valuable. For example, you could send out monthly promo codes to most of your customer base, excluding frequent buyers who are likely to purchase without this incentive. Reactivation Emails Reactivation campaigns are strategically designed to re-engage subscribers who have become inactive over time. These types ofemails serve a dual purpose: they attempt to rekindle a relationship with lapsed customers and help streamline the marketing database by identifying and removing unresponsive contacts. Instead of a single email, effective reactivation typically involves a sequence of messages. This multi-step approach is crucial as it allows for a nuanced re-engagement strategy, helping avoid unnecessary discounts for customers who might only need a gentle reminder about the brand’s offerings. The sequence can include a mix of emails: showcasing best-selling products, offering promotional codes, sending reminders about current offers, and even delivering content that adds value to the customer’s experience. Tools like mind map software can be invaluable in mapping out and visualizing these email sequences. An example of what a basic reactivation email sequence may look like — this visualization was designed using Miro, an online mind mapping tool An excerpt of a more complex reactivation series from Pinemelon When to Send Reactivation Campaigns The ideal time to send reactivation emails varies based on customer behavior and engagement patterns. They are particularly useful for customers whose interaction with the brand has diminished — such as those not visiting the website, making purchases, or engaging with previous emails. Reactivation campaigns can also target new customers who have joined the email list but haven’t made any purchases yet. Encouraging them with a first-time buyer discount or a curated selection of popular items can be effective. Typically, these types of emails are scheduled to be sent at intervals — 30, 60, or 90 days after the last engagement or transaction. However, these intervals should be customized based on the specific purchasing cycles of your customer base. For regular customers, a reactivation email might be more appropriate if there’s been an unusually long pause since their last purchase. For newcomers, a reactivation message could be sent just a few days post-registration to prompt their first purchase. For instance, Blossom Flower Delivery uses a two-step reactivation campaign with a promo code and reminder to motivate customers to visit the website and make a purchase: The first email presents customers with a promo code and a selection of new bouquets The second email is sent 5 days later, reminding customers that their promo code expires in 2 days Welcome Emails Welcome emails are the first step in building a strong relationship with your new subscribers. These types of emails are often not singular messages but part of a series designed to gradually introduce new and potential customers to the brand. This approach ensures a comprehensive and engaging introduction, setting the stage for a deep and lasting connection. This first touchpoint is an opportunity to make a positive and lasting impression. It’s essential to personalize the welcome message, perhaps by using the subscriber’s name or referencing their specific interests. Including a special offer or a unique discount for new subscribers can also be a powerful incentive, encouraging them to make their first purchase. In addition to offers, welcome emails can provide helpful information, such as links to popular products, FAQs, app download links, or tutorials about using your services or products. This informative approach helps new subscribers feel supported and valued, fostering a sense of connection right from the start. When to Send Welcome Campaigns The first welcome email should be sent immediately after subscription, capitalizing on the initial interest and engagement of the new subscriber. This prompt response helps cement the relationship and increases the likelihood of conversion from subscriber to active customer. Quick and consistent follow-up emails keep the momentum going, enhancing the opportunity for engagement and conversion. At the same time, it’s important to give customers 1-2 days between emails to ensure they do not feel bombarded with communications. Ultimately, each brand’s audience is different, so you may need to test different approaches to determine what yours responds best to. Health food store Pinemelon, for example, has developed a “Welcome” communication flow with multiple branches, where email content varies based on whether the customer has made their first purchase and subsequent purchases after that. The first Welcome email provides new customers a $15 discount on their first order, highlights the brand’s local-first approach, and offers a selection of product recommendations Customers who did not place an order are sent another email with a promo code for 20% off, along with product recommendations and more info on the benefits of shopping with Pinemelon Transactional Emails These types of emails are crucial in providing timely responses to customer interactions. Transactional emails encompass a range of notifications, such as confirming payments or alerting customers when an order has been dispatched or is ready for pickup. They stand out due to their directness, automation, and personalized nature, ensuring customers are informed about the status and progression of their interactions with your business. Given their informative nature, transactional emails are usually free from promotional content. Their primary aim is to update customers, as opposed to serving as a marketing tool. This means they are also sent to customers who have opted out of marketing emails. If you decide to integrate marketing content into transactional emails, careful consideration is necessary to avoid reaching those who have unsubscribed from promotional messages. An example of an order update email from optic shop REKS When to Send Transactional Campaigns The key to transactional emails is their immediacy. These types of emails should be set to dispatch automatically and instantly, regardless of the time. This responsiveness is vital as customers expect these updates without delay. For instance, a customer making a restaurant reservation online anticipates an immediate confirmation to finalize their plans — a delayed response risks a change in their plans, highlighting the necessity of prompt and accurate transactional emails for customer satisfaction and retention. Similarly, customers placing an online order tend to expect a confirmation email relatively soon after their purchase. Milestone Emails Milestone emails celebrate significant events in the customer’s journey or relationship with your brand. These types of email campaigns are an excellent way to foster personal connections and show your customers that you value and recognize their loyalty. Milestones can include anniversaries of a customer’s first purchase, their birthday, or even the anniversary of them subscribing to your newsletter. When to Send Milestone Emails The timing of milestone emails is inherently linked to the individual customer’s journey with your brand. It’s crucial to have an automated system in place to track these milestones and send out personalized emails on these special occasions. For instance, a birthday email with a personalized discount code or a special offer on the anniversary of their first purchase can make a customer feel valued and strengthen their bond with your brand. Blossom Flower Delivery uses various milestone campaigns to remind customers to place an order for a birthday or anniversary gift. These emails are sent a few days before the occasion to ensure customers have enough time to place their order: An example of a campaign sent to customers who purchased a birthday bouquet a year ago This campaign is sent to customers who ordered flowers for a special occasion a year ago Abandoned Cart/View/Order Emails Abandoned cart, view, and order emails form a critical triad in email marketing strategies, addressing various stages of customer engagement and potential drop-off points. Abandoned Cart emails target customers who have added items to their cart but have not completed the purchase. This mail type serves as a gentle nudge, reminding customers of what they’ve left behind and often include incentives like discounts or free shipping to motivate completion of the purchase. Abandoned View emails cater to potential customers who have shown interest by browsing through various products or categories without adding anything to their cart. These types of emails aim to rekindle that interest, highlighting the products they viewed or offering recommendations based on their browsing patterns. This strategy helps keep products and categories top-of-mind and can guide customers back to the website to explore further or make a purchase. Abandoned Order emails address instances where customers begin the checkout process but do not complete the payment. This could be due to various reasons, from technical issues to second thoughts. Emails targeting this group focus on resolving any potential obstacles, offering assistance, or providing gentle reminders to complete the transaction. They can also reassure customers about security measures and return policies to build trust and encourage the completion of the purchase. An example of a series of emails addressing an abandoned order When to Send “Abandoned” Emails For abandoned cart emails, the first email should ideally be sent within a few hours of abandonment, capitalizing on the customer’s recent interest. A follow-up email can be sent within 24 hours if the first one doesn’t convert, and possibly a third email a few days later, perhaps with an added incentive. In the case of abandoned browse emails, timing can be a bit more flexible. Waiting a day or two before sending the first email gives the customer some space, while still keeping the products fresh in their mind. A follow-up email can be scheduled a week later to reiterate interest or offer new suggestions based on their browsing behavior. For abandoned payment emails, immediacy is key. Sending the first email within an hour of abandonment can address any immediate technical issues or concerns the customer might have had. A follow-up email after 24 hours can serve as a reminder and offer additional support or reassurance about the security and reliability of the transaction process. Jewelry brand German Kabirski, for example, uses automated campaigns in Maestra to send abandoned view and cart emails: This campaign is sent to customers who browsed items on the website and did not add anything to their cart This email is part of an abandoned order flow with multiple emails for customers who have added items to their cart without completing the checkout process Tips on Launching an Effective Email Campaign Email marketing campaigns can be a powerhouse for engagement and sales if executed with precision and creativity. Here are some essential tips to boost the effectiveness of your email campaigns: Start with basic campaigns that immediately generate profit. Initiate your email marketing with fundamental yet profitable strategies such as welcome sequences, abandoned view reminders, abandoned cart notifications, and reactivation emails. These basic tactics often result in immediate gains by addressing key customer behaviors and decision points. Collect extensive customer information for personalized campaigns. The more you know about your customers, the more tailored and effective and engaging any type of email campaign can become. Analyze and adapt competitors’ successful strategies. Keep an eye on the tactics employed by competitors or businesses with similar models. Don’t hesitate to adapt successful strategies for your campaigns. Remember, what works for one business may not work for another — and that’s perfectly normal. Learning from the market can provide valuable insights for shaping your own campaigns. Use discounts and promo codes strategically to preserve margins. Avoid offering discounts and promo codes to all customers as it can erode profit margins. Instead, target segments that are more likely to churn or offer mass discounts sparingly, such as no more than once a month. This approach ensures that offers remain exciting and valued, rather than expected and undervalued. Generate hypotheses and test email campaigns on selected audience segments. Continuously generate new ideas and test them on different audience segments to identify the most effective tactics. This iterative approach allows for fine-tuning your strategies based on actual customer responses and behaviors, ensuring that your campaigns are continuously optimized for maximum impact and efficiency. Final Thoughts From newsletters that keep your audience engaged, to targeted promotions driving sales, and milestone emails that celebrate and personalize customer experiences, different types of email campaigns each offer a distinct way to connect with and understand your audience. By implementing varied types of campaigns and aligning them with strategic insights, your business can effectively utilize email marketing not just as a tool for direct communication, but as a powerful medium to foster lasting customer relationships, gather valuable insights, and drive sustained business growth. Ultimately, the key lies in knowing your audience, continuously evolving your strategies, and authentically connecting with customers at every possible touchpoint, not just email.
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Email Marketing: Building Your Customer List
Building an email list is key to a successful email marketing strategy. Don’t know where to start? This guide will teach you how to build an email list, starting with the top list-building tactics. To set your email marketing campaigns up for success, you should first know how to build an email list. Often, it’s not enough to simply include an email signup form on your website. Not only do you want to grow your email lists — you want to make sure your email campaigns reach the right people. That’s why email list-building tactics are crucial to reaching potential customers and growing your audience. However, this can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re building your list from scratch. Luckily, we’ve put together this list to show you how to build an email list for your business. How to build an email list? Choose the right email marketing software Create a compelling incentive Optimize your call-to-action (CTA) copy Place signup forms strategically Add an exit intent pop-up form to your website Create landing pages that convert Promote signups on social media platforms and your email signature Create a referral program Use chat to make signups more interactive Encourage offline signups with QR codes What makes a high-quality email list? Before diving into list-building tactics, it’s important to understand what makes a good email list in the first place. In general, an email list should be: Consent-based. You should always get permission from email subscribers before sending them campaigns. One way to do this is through double opt-in signup. This will help you maintain your sender reputation and comply with data privacy regulations (e.g. GDPR, CAN-SPAM Act). Receptive to your content. The contacts in your email list should be interested in both your business and the email newsletters you share. That’s why you should never buy an email list. Although it might help you grow your list quickly, purchased contacts are more likely to mark your emails as spam or unsubscribe. Simple to segment. Email segmentation is a great way to send targeted email campaigns. When gathering information from new subscribers, try to capture data such as preferences and demographics (e.g. age, gender identity, location). Increasing. You should aim to grow your email list as much as possible. This will help you reach new customers and drive conversions. To grow your email list, it’s helpful to know the most effective list-building tactics. Related: 5 Effective Email List Cleaning Tactics For Better Engagement How to build an email list Here’s an overview of the steps to build your email list. Sticking to these best practices will only benefit your email performance and create a more valuable email list for your business. 1. Choose the right email marketing software Having the right email service is the best way to grow and manage email lists over time. It’s best to look for a tool that stores contacts in a customer relationship management (CRM) software. This will help you keep track of customer information such as preferences and behavior. It also makes it easier to integrate email with other digital marketing channels (e.g. SMS, WhatsApp, chat). For example, Brevo offers core email marketing tools including signup forms and a Drag & Drop email builder. You also get unlimited contacts, which are easily synced with Brevo’s native CRM. Create my free Brevo account now >> 2. Create a compelling incentive Every successful list-building tactic starts with creating something your customer values. Without a high-quality lead magnet, there’s no lead generation. What’s something your customers want? And, how does it tie into what you’re selling? Maybe it’s a template for how to do something with your product or a timesaving checklist that will save your reader headaches. It can be valuable content like a free ebook or case study, as well as a physical freebie. Other ideas for incentives include exclusive content or coupons. 3. Optimize your call-to-action (CTA) copy Craft call-to-action (CTA) copy so that visitors see the value of your incentive across your email opt-in forms. Experiment with CTA copy like “subscribe,” “download,” and “get my ebook” to see which performs better. You can even make this part of your list-building strategy and try A/B testing different graphics and language. Here’s a clever email list-building tactic where you sign up to get a code which grants access to their presale. 4. Place your signup form strategically After you create a signup form to collect email addresses, you should place it where it will reach the most website visitors. Try to position it on high-traffic pages of your website. Your blog homepage, headers, and footers are typically good places. Another common placement for your email signup form is on the sidebar of your website. Related: 20 Newsletter Signup Examples to Take Inspiration From 5. Add an exit intent pop-up form to your website To grow your email list, trigger an email signup form to pop up just before visitors exit your website. That’s because pop-up windows are often effective for building lists and increasing conversion rates. Take this statistic from Beeketing that says ecommerce companies can salvage up to 35% of otherwise lost visitors with exit pop-ups. 6. Create landing pages that convert Dedicated landing pages can play a big role in growing your email list. The purpose of a landing page is to send people to “land” on it. For example, if you’re a podcast or webinar guest, you can mention your incentive and send people to your landing page to sign up. This will be easier than sending them to your homepage where they have to find your signup form on their own. Landing pages also help with SEO because someone might directly search for “sign up for X brand’s mailing list” on search engines. 7. Promote signups on social media platforms and your email signature Grow your email list by promoting your newsletter across your email and social media accounts. Post a link to your signup form in social media posts. Or, gather subscribers by running social media contests or giveaways. Adding an email signup CTA in your bio can also help grow your email list. That way, every time someone checks out your bio, you have the opportunity to gain a new subscriber. Consider adding a subscriber link to your email signature as well. This is a great way to promote your newsletter to the people who’ve already been in touch with you. 8. Create a referral program Referral programs are another effective list-building tactic. Get existing subscribers to share your email newsletter with their networks. To further encourage them, offer an incentive such as reward points or an exclusive discount. 9. Use chat to make signups more interactive Install a chatbot to engage website visitors and turn them into email subscribers. That’s because chat is for more than just customer support — it can also be used for lead generation.Simply set up conversation flows to capture subscribers’ email addresses and other contact details. This makes the signup process more engaging and interactive. With Brevo, it’s easy to add chat to your website and customize your chat widget for email signups. 10. Encourage offline signups with QR codes Grow your email list by collecting email addresses offline, for example at in-person events or a brick-and-mortar store. QR codes for marketing are a convenient way to bridge the gap between offline and online and grow your email list. You can turn any signup form into a scannable QR code. Find out how to do it here.
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Social Media Marketing for E-commerce
When social media first came onto the scene, it was designed for people to connect with one another. But as platforms developed and user bases grew, businesses saw an opportunity to reach their customers in innovative ways. Nowadays, it seems unimaginable for a new business to launch without any social media presence. One of those new opportunities is social commerce, or the ability to promote and sell products on social media. With millions of people logging onto social media apps each and every day, it presented the ideal outlet for growing a business. Throughout this article, we’re going to touch more on what social media ecommerce is, benefits of using this ecommerce channel and how your brand can create its own social media ecommerce strategy. Let’s get started. Table of Contents What is social media ecommerce? Benefits of social ecommerce 3 Examples of social media ecommerce How to create a social media ecommerce strategy Create your own social media ecommerce strategy today What is social media ecommerce? Social media ecommerce is the practice of marketing an ecommerce business using social media through generating brand awareness, increasing online recognition, growing a customer base and even increasing sales. We mentioned social commerce, which is a facet of social ecommerce — the act of selling products on social media. There’s another facet called mobile commerce, which is the act of selling products on mobile devices (think: dedicated apps, mobile browser transactions, etc.). Social media ecommerce comes into play often as 99% of all social media users access the apps from their mobile devices. Benefits of social ecommerce For direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands that exist solely online and retailers shifting to an online-first presence, you need all the tools in your arsenal to push sales on your website. You can’t rely on foot traffic so social media replaces this tactic. Social media ecommerce brings in new customers and provides you with a ready-made online platform — but those aren’t the only benefits. Expand your reach and generate brand awareness There are nearly 5 billion social media users worldwide. And while not every single one of those 5 billion will be your target customer, social media gives a massive opportunity for those who are to discover your business. When you post on your social profiles, you’re giving users a chance to find your brand, follow your accounts and potentially share your products with others they know. Engage your target audience Through both organic and paid social means, you can create content directly for your target audience to reach and engage those most interested in what you’re selling. Create social media posts that elicit some kind of response from your audience, such as a comment, message, like or share. Always interact with comments in order to facilitate conversations amongst your target customers. Drive additional traffic and revenue to your business And finally, drive traffic to your website—and even better, drive sales. Promote your products. Showcase how they can be used and what pain points they solve. Make your audience want to purchase your product—then make it easy for them to do so. 3 Examples of social media ecommerce Curious what social media ecommerce looks like in action? Let’s take a look at three of the top B2C social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 1. Solo Stove Solo Stove sells portable, smokeless fire pits, and it uses social media to help promote its products, mostly through video. What makes this video stand out is the fact that it’s promoting a major sale. Both text overlay on the video and the video’s caption share details about a promotion: customers can get bonus items after spending at least $200 (more or less the price of a new Solo Stove, anyway). Videos like this do a great job of drumming up new business and leading interested parties to your website. Solo Stove could even have taken this a step further and set up its Facebook Shop so viewers could immediately make a purchase directly from the social media platform. 2. WallyGrow WallyGrow is a company that sells wall-hanging planters online and on social media. It uses Instagram as a place to promote its products—and even has an Instagram Shop set up for social commerce. However, one great tactic the brand uses on its Instagram is a plethora of giveaways. Not only does WallyGrow share stunning photos of its products in action, but they’re always giving away planters as well, like we see below. As an up-and-coming brand, regularly hosting giveaways is a great way to let potential customers test out your product. If they love it, they’re likely to buy more as well as tell their friends and family about it. 3. Spikeball Spikeball is a company with a fun, easy-to-play outdoor game. And it has a great presence on TikTok to promote its game. It also has its own TikTok Shop set up—though the brand doesn’t always tag its products in its video content. One of its recent videos promotes a fun idea for playing its game—at night with glow gear on. Because Spikeball is an active game, using video to promote the product is a smart tactic. Showcasing people having fun while playing is the perfect way to inspire potential customers to want in on the action. How to create a social media ecommerce strategy Curious how to start promoting your own business and products on social media? Let’s walk you through our six-step strategy. 1. Set up social ecommerce channels Shopping within a network is easier than ever on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Use these platforms’ features to make shopping and product discoverability on social media a seamless experience for your customers. Instagram and Facebook share the same backend operation for shopping, called the Meta Commerce Manager. After loading in your product catalog or linking your website’s ecommerce platform (such as Shopify and WooCommerce), you’ll be able to start tagging products on your posts. When products are shown on Instagram posts, they can be tagged, allowing customers to view purchase details with a tap. Clicking on the tagged product will lead you to the product’s website page for you to purchase. The browser pops up within Instagram so when you close out or finish your purchase, you can go right back to browsing. TikTok also allows you to create your own shop and is a great place to promote your products. And while Pinterest removed its in-app shopping features, it remains a place where people research products, so your ecommerce store will also want to have a presence there. 2. Find your authentic voice & be unique Five years ago, DTC brands in the furniture retail segment were few and far between. Now, there are dozens of mid-century furniture manufacturers alone vying for your social attention. The same story has been repeated with DTC brands specializing in dozens of different market segments. How do you set yourself apart when the field is so crowded? One way to do this is to find a brand voice that is authentic to your company. Paired with brand visuals, this is one of the first steps to getting noticed. Next, identify what makes you unique and different from others in your field. It could be your company’s story, a specialization or even your customer service. Research has found that 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience. If all of your products are similar to your competitors’, then providing excellent social customer service can set you apart from the pack. 3. Use organic and paid strategies On social media, a combination of organic and paid strategies is usually the preferred way to go. Paid social media can help you reach an even wider audience—but your organic content is what’s going to keep them coming back. Here are a few tactics your ecommerce business can use to combine these two powerful strategies. Organic social media strategies for ecommerce Presence of and use of product reviews on your social media accounts Adding relevant hashtags to increase the discoverability of your brand Personalized interaction with customers on your accounts and theirs Providing excellent social customer care Using user-generated content to further your social proof Use social listening to improve your product and discover new customers Paid social media strategies for ecommerce Paid advertisements and post boosts Using lookalike audiences and website visitors to supplement your advertising Running influencer marketing campaigns Creating a brand ambassador program Forming brand partnerships Creating a referral or affiliate program Running advertisements and boosts of any of the organic strategies mentioned above 4. Use social proof Word-of-mouth and reviews are still tried-and-true tactics for encouraging purchases, and are great examples of social proof. Social proof is a concept in psychology that declares consumers are more likely to buy from companies they see other happy consumers using. So things like customer reviews, user-generated content and influencer marketing helps in gathering social proof to share with your audience. For networks like Facebook that allow reviews as a feature, it makes business sense to allow your customers to leave reviews. Ask for more reviews from your customers on a continuing basis and you’ll be supplemented with social proof. Reviews are even better when they’re managed and responded to from the brand. Another way of boosting your social proof is to use an influencer marketing strategy. Pair Eyewear does a great job of influencer marketing all over TikTok, and using those influencer videos for both paid and organic content (shoutout to our last point here). 5. Use social listening Social listening can benefit all departments of your company. But for sales specifically, you can use social listening to identify gaps in your competitor’s strategy and see what your industry’s customers are talking about. These discussions can lead to new products, strategies and better customer service. For an online-only company, social listening is imperative because you rely more on interactions and online activity to guide your strategies. Which leads us to setting yourself apart from others in an increasingly crowded social space. 6. Use analytics to guide your ecommerce sales We mentioned social listening before but there are additional analytics you can take advantage of when approaching social selling. Using social media data to inform your sales plans on an ongoing basis will only help your ROI. From social media analytics, you can find a multitude of ecommerce-related data: Website clicks Profile visits Social shares from your website Mentions from customers Ad offers and click throughs Mentions of new products or campaigns Some analytics, like Instagram impressions from the Explore page, are part of an organic ecommerce social strategy. Others, like website clicks or social-only offers, are more specific analytics that can help define your social ROI. Create your social media ecommerce strategy today There are many tactics an ecommerce or DTC company can use on social media. But what most would agree with is that a social media presence is necessary to elevate your marketing. Social media helps your customers discover your brand, look at reviews, receive referrals from trusted sources and shop. To make sure you have all the right tools in your arsenal, give Sprout Social a test drive. Access tools that can help you monitor your online presence, market to the right audience and keep an eye on your social media analytics.
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SEO for E-commerce: Best Practices
What is ecommerce SEO? E-commerce SEO — is it any different than a traditional SEO strategy? Yes and no. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the marketing practice where you implement a set of best practices to increase your visibility on organic search results. The goal of SEO is to generate more organic traffic and sales for your e-commerce business. An e-commerce SEO campaign consists of doing the same thing (focusing on organic visits) with the following goals: Driving more traffic to your product pages and e-commerce store Building organic sales that you don’t have to spend ad money to get Creating better organic brand awareness on keywords/products You might be thinking something like this: “My sales are fine, and many people find me organically already. Why do I need to put time and effort into e-commerce SEO?” Well, it’s imperative to focus on because ranking your product pages or store content on the first page of Google takes work. If you rank on the second, third, or even fourth page of Google, you won’t generate much traffic (if any). This is because less than 1% of users ever reach the second page of Google. And if you aren’t doing any SEO but driving organic traffic, you are likely shooting far below your potential. After all, extra visitors and sales doesn’t hurt, does it? Let’s discuss the best practices to guarantee more sales for your store. Key Elements of Ecommerce SEO To make the most out of your e-commerce website, you need to implement a comprehensive SEO strategy that incorporates all key elements. Just like traditional SEO, e-commerce SEO can be split into several sub-categories: Keyword research: Understanding how your target customers search for you and your products. On-page: On-page optimization refers to improving your site’s code and content to improve rankings. It’s called “on-page,” as the changes you make are visible to visitors. Off-page: Off-page SEO involves all the activities you perform outside of your site to improve results, such as link building. Technical: Technical SEO is the practice of optimizing your overall website’s performance to provide a better experience and, thus, increase your rankings. Google Shopping: Optimizing for the free listings in Google Shopping. Read on for more details on how to do SEO for Google Shopping. Incorporating these key elements into your e-commerce SEO strategy can help drive traffic to your site, increase conversion rates, and ultimately grow your business. Let’s break each of them down. Boost Sales with the Trusted Ecommerce SEO Experts Having trouble growing online sales? Partner with the Ecommerce SEO company that is a 4-Time SEO Agency of the Year winner. Request a free custom strategy! Keyword Research Keyword research is a crucial component of any successful SEO strategy. By understanding the search terms that potential customers are using, you can optimize your website and content to match their intent better. This improves your search engine rankings and increases the likelihood of attracting high-quality traffic to your site. There are four types of keywords: Informational keywords: These are keywords used by people who want to learn more about a product or service. These keywords include words like ‘how to,’ ‘why,’ ‘what is,’ etc. Commercial keywords: These keywords are used by people who are ready to make a purchase but are looking to educate themselves to make an informed decision. You’ll see words like ‘reviews,’ ‘best [keyword],’ ‘[product 1] vs [product 2],’ etc. Transactional keywords: These keywords indicate that the searcher is ready to purchase or take the desired action. Examples are ‘where to buy,’ ‘register,’ etc. Navigational keywords: Just as it sounds, these keywords are used to find a specific brand, product, or service. Examples are ‘Facebook,’ ‘Amazon,’ ‘Starbucks.’ etc. Keyword research doesn’t end with just identifying relevant terms – it’s an ongoing process. Regularly monitoring and adjusting your keyword strategy based on user behavior or industry trends changes can help keep your e-commerce site competitive and drive more traffic and sales. Tip: Investing time in keyword research allows you to identify long-tail keywords that are relevant to your business and have lower competition than broader keywords. This means you have a greater chance of ranking higher in search results for these specific phrases. Additionally, by analyzing the volume and competitiveness of different keywords, you can first prioritize which ones to target. In the next section, we’ll explore critical tips for conducting effective keyword research for your e-commerce site. Tools and techniques for conducting keyword research Keyword research is a vital element of any successful e-commerce SEO strategy. But how do you go about finding the right keywords for your business? Fortunately, many tools and techniques are available to help you with this task. One popular tool for conducting keyword research is the Google Keyword Planner. This free tool allows you to enter a keyword or phrase related to your business and receive suggestions for other relevant terms that people are searching for. It also provides data on search volume, competition, and potential cost-per-click. A more advanced tool with state-of-the-art analytics and reporting is Ahrefs or its alternatives – SEMRush, MOZ, etc. These tools give you further insights into the keyword gaps in your e-commerce SEO and your competitors’ organic search rankings, backlink profiles, and top-performing content. Finally, don’t forget to consider user intent when selecting keywords. Think about what questions or problems your potential customers have and what terms they would use to search for solutions. You can create content that matches their needs and interests by focusing on these specific queries. Identifying long-tail and short-tail keywords There are two major types of keywords: Short tail keywords: These are generic search queries comprising one to three words. They have a high search volume, are highly competitive and difficult to rank for. Examples are ‘athletic shoes,’ ‘sneakers,’ etc. Long-tail keywords: These are longer search queries consisting of four or more words. They are less competitive and have a lower keyword difficulty (KD) but are equally more specific and have high buyer intent. For example, ‘where to buy crimson knitted sweaters for males.’ Tip: When choosing keywords for e-commerce SEO, opt for keywords that: Have high purchase intent (transactional keywords) Are less competitive (That is, low keyword density) Have a relatively high search volume (but this shouldn’t be your primary strategy; focus more on content that’ll solve real customer problems and choose keywords that are the best fit) … most especially if your end goal is getting sales. Another effective strategy is analyzing your competitors’ strategies to find low-hanging fruit opportunities. Keep in mind that this only works if you use a paid SEO tool like SEMRush or Ahrefs. Next, copy the link of the first result on the search results: Paste this link directly into SEMRush Domain Overview or Ahrefs Site Explorer tool to uncover the keywords your competitors are currently ranking for: Find those with the highest search volume and low competition: What is On-page SEO in e-commerce? On-page SEO in e-commerce is the process of optimizing your ‘on-page’ or website product pages to rank for specific search queries and drive profitable conversions. Why is it necessary? Google can’t read a page like a human does. Instead, they rely on a bunch of codes to identify ‘clues’ that tell them what your site is about. For instance, if you look at your site’s code, you’ll see a bunch of “tags” that categorize the actual content of your site. These tags help search engines understand your site and match your pages to specific search queries. Common examples are the <title> tag, which helps Google identify the page’s title, or the <a href> indicates a hyperlink. On-page SEO simply involves the strategic optimization of this code to rank product pages, category pages, and even your entire e-commerce site for a primary keyword (or a set of keywords). Let’s explore the most important best practices for on-page optimization. E-commerce title tags Optimizing your page titles, meta descriptions, and header tags is crucial for improving your search rankings and attracting potential customers to your e-commerce site. This is because a well-optimized title tag: Helps Google understand the content and relevance of your page to user search queries Influence your click-through rate since it’s the first thing visitors see on the search results Gives you a competitive advantage over other websites ranking for the same keyword Your title tag on a given product or category page on your website looks like this in organic search results: Title tags for e-commerce are the HTML codes that develop clickable titles/headlines for organic search results. Title tags serve a few essential functions when it comes to SEO impact. They provide relevance and increase your organic click-through rate by appealing to customers searching for products. For instance, the title tag above came up after a search for red basketball shoes. The closer your title tag relates to the keyword searched, the more likely users are to click. Google didn’t explicitly indicate whether optimizing for title tags is a ranking factor. However, they did state it’s a core practice to improving your site’s SEO: Depending on the e-commerce platform you use, you should be able to easily edit your title tag for products, category pages, and more. For example, on Shopify, you can find this in the search listing preview for your products: (Image Source) So, how do you optimize it? Here are some best practices to keep in mind when crafting a title tag for your store: Place relevant keywords at the forefront of title tags. Include LSI keywords if applicable/natural. Limit your length to 50-60 characters. Create unique titles for every single product page/category. Never duplicate. Consider utilizing your brand name at the end to develop better brand awareness. E-commerce meta description tags Like your title tags, a meta description tag is an HTML code that helps explain the content of your page to users on a search engine. This appears on organic search results as a paragraph description just below the title tag: While inserting relevant keywords and context into your meta description is great, it doesn’t directly boost SEO. But it’s essential for creating a content context for the user and helps dramatically increase CTR. Here are some best practices to follow: Always include your primary keyword or keyword variations. They show up highlighted in bold to attract more attention. Focus on compelling descriptions that generate clicks. Keep your meta descriptions under 155 characters to avoid being cut off in search results. Avoid clickbait since it can increase your bounce rate. A high bounce rate is a bad signal that could harm your ranking potential. Like your title tag, you should be able to edit your meta description where you edit on-page data. The exact location will depend on your platform. For example, here’s what the page looks like where you can edit your title tags and meta descriptions with BigCommerce: Search engine friendly URLs If you search for anything on Google, you’ll likely notice URL strings immediately: Why? Because they display a company’s brand name. And since they’re highlighted in green, they draw your attention. Do they make an impact on e-commerce sites? Absolutely. A poor URL structure is confusing for searchers who are looking for your products and for search engines that are scanning your pages. For example, when you analyze the following two SERP results, which product category page URL looks more appealing to click? I’m certain it’s the first because it’s simple, less cluttered, and contains the primary keyword, compared to the second. Absolute URLs like the first SERP page are what Google prefers. When optimizing URL structure, platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce even pack tools to streamline the process: Here are some best practices to follow when creating your URL structure: Place your target keyword in the URL. Keep URLs as short and clean as possible. Stick with absolute URLs rather than dynamic or date-based URLs. Consistency is key. Stick with the same format for your entire store. Tip: If you have a website that allows users to filter products based on attributes such as color, size, sex, etc., it often generates multiple URLs that correspond to the different combinations of the filters. This can lead to duplicate content issues, which may impair your rankings. To address this, add canonical tags to the filter to tell search engines which version of the page is most preferred. Usually, this is the root, product, or collection page. Category/product content Content is the pillar of your e-commerce SEO. Without it, ranking on the SERPs or converting visitors to customers will be a pie in the sky. According to Orbit Media, the more content you produce in both B2B and B2C (e-commerce), the more results you get. It’s no secret that producing great content can help you build everything from brand awareness to real product sales. But when it comes to category pages or product pages, what do you do? Do you write a long-form blog post? Well, not necessarily. Category and product pages are tricky. You don’t want to have thin content and struggle to rank organically, but you don’t want to bombard buyers with tons of writing just for search engines. Here are some best practices to keep in mind: Prioritize your top product and category pages first. Find your top-performing pages in Google Analytics and make those a priority. Perform keyword research to find semantic words to sprinkle in your copy. Tools like Frase are beneficial in this case. Include your target head keyword as the title of the page. Don’t uplift content from the manufacturer’s page into your product page, which may lead to duplicate content. Instead, create unique content for every product that addresses user concerns. Keep it short, sweet, and informative. Make it enjoyable to read. Tip: Educational blog content is helpful in enlightening your customers about your products, how to use them and why they should patronize you. Effective ideas are: Sharing comparison content. E.g., Canon EOS Rebel SL3 Vs. Canon EOS Rebel T7 ‘What is’ or ‘how to’ guides, e.g., ‘What is so special about Swarovski crystals’ or ‘How to clean Swarovski crystals,’ etc. Alternative content, e.g., Canon EOS alternatives ‘Best’ content, e.g., Best woven mats for spring in 2024 Improve your conversion rates by including clear calls-to-action (CTAs) and linking to the product pages discussed in the article. Also, regarding product pages, include high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and customer reviews to provide a comprehensive product overview. This helps improve search engine visibility and increases the likelihood of conversions. For category pages, consider organizing products into subcategories or using filtering options to enhance user experience and make it easier for customers to find what they want. You can also optimize these pages by including unique content highlighting each category’s benefits. Rich snippets Ranking on Google is great, but rankings won’t help your e-commerce business that much if people don’t click on your pages. This is where rich snippets come in handy. Rich snippets help search engines better understand your site’s content and display additional information on search results (e.g., star ratings for reviews). They might look like this: As you can see, rich snippets help you stand out in Google’s search results compared to those pages that don’t have them, which can increase your CTRs. You can add different types of snippets, including author, item review, ratings, and more. Explore the complete list of review snippets here. The question is: How can you add rich snippets to your e-commerce website? You can do it manually, but you need a bit of coding knowledge. Fortunately, Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper can help you implement rich snippets more easily. Simply head over to the tool, select ‘Products,’ and type in the URL of a specific product page. Then, click on ‘Start Tagging.’ Google will then show a “copy” of your site. You only need to highlight the data you want to display on search results. For instance, if you want to display reviews, select the review section on your page and add relevant data (e.g., reviewer name, date of the review, etc.). If you want to display star ratings, highlight the stars on your page and select “aggregate rating.” Once you’re done, simply click on ‘Create HTML.’ The tool will provide you with a piece of code. You only need to add this code into the HTML of your page and voila! Now you have added rich snippets to that page. Internal links Internal linking is a crucial component of any e-commerce SEO strategy. Why? It helps to boost SEO by distributing link equity from the linking page to the linked page. It also improves your page architecture (or overall website, in fact) as it helps Google bots understand the structure of your website. By including links within your site that lead to other relevant pages and products, you can improve user experience By linking to related products or categories, you signal to search engines the relevance and authority of those pages. When authoritative sites link to one of your pages, that site ‘sends’ some of its domain authority to yours. This is called a ‘backlink.’ The same happens when you add internal links from one of your most authoritative pages (e.g., your homepage) to another one. Sadly, most people focus too much on external link-building and neglect their internal linking strategy. More about external links later. To get results for internal linking, add keyword-rich anchor text links that direct to your top-priority pages. For example, let’s assume you own an e-commerce store selling fitness equipment, and one of your top-priority keywords is ‘Home Gym Equipment.’ A recommendable keyword-rich anchor text will be: ‘Our store offers a wide range of fitness equipment, including dumbbells, resistance bands, exercise mats, jump rope, etc. If you’re looking to set up your gym at home, check out our collection of expert-picked [insert keyword rich anchor text: Home gym equipment] before starting your journey.’ Another option is linking your collection or product pages to related blogs/pages. For example, using the use case highlighted above, you can create blog content relating to cardio training and hyperlink the ‘home gym equipment’ collection page in the article. This increases your chances of ranking higher for the target keywords. Remember: internal linking aims to provide value for your users and search engines. By linking within your site strategically, you can improve conversion rates and ultimately grow your e-commerce business. What is technical SEO in e-commerce? Now that you understand the basics and best practices of on-page optimization, let’s step into technical SEO strategy. Technical SEO involves all the aspects of your site’s architecture and servers, as well as how well search engines can crawl and index your site, including: Site speed User experience Rendering Website’s size Duplicate content Broken links … and some others. Let’s explore the main ones. Website architecture Your site’s architecture dictates how your content and pages are structured and organized. And if your pages aren’t properly arranged and structured, search engines might be unable to crawl and index them correctly. For example, if customers need to click on seven category pages before accessing a specific product page, search engines might be experiencing the same struggle crawling and indexing them on the search results. Worse yet, that page won’t get link equity passed down. This is especially important for e-commerce sites with an extensive catalog. The rule of thumb is that your domain authority should be concentrated on your product and category pages. Here’s an example of an optimized e-commerce website structure: As you can see, it takes four clicks to reach the homepage. This type of structure comes with several benefits: Better crawling and indexing: A simpler structure will help search engines crawl and index your pages much faster (and more effectively). A simplified user experience: Fewer subcategories will help users find specific products in a simple way. A more concentrated link authority: Reducing the number of “layers” in your site will help you concentrate link authority on your most important pages. Here are some tips to follow: Organize your products into relevant categories and subcategories that make sense to customers and search engines. Use internal linking to connect related pages/products on your site. Consider using breadcrumbs or a clear navigation menu to help users easily navigate. Add an HTML sitemap referencing all the key pages. Tip: Add and hyperlink category pages in the navigation menu to show the hierarchy for your website content. This greatly improves your site’s architecture, makes it easier for users to find what they’re looking for, and helps Google bots find, crawl, and index your site. Number of pages in your site Number of pages is a huge problem for most e-commerce websites. If you’re dealing with dozens or hundreds of products, each will require a unique page and content, and your site can become a complete mess pretty fast. For example: Duplicate content Broken links Abandoned pages Increased complexity The best way to eliminate this problem is by deleting non-performing pages. If some of your products aren’t selling or people simply don’t find them, there’s no reason why you should keep them. A quick analysis in Google Analytics can tell you which pages aren’t getting visitors. Also, most e-commerce platforms, like Shopify or Bigcommerce, provide reports that help you identify products that aren’t selling. By eliminating these pages, you’ll save yourself from tons of SEO headaches later on. If you don’t want to eliminate some pages permanently, you can create a single page containing those products. Duplicate content Since the release of Google Panda in 2011, duplicate content has become one of the major challenges of e-commerce sites. This mainly affects sites that generate unique URLs for each product and its variations (size, color, type, etc.). Also, if you have the same product description on multiple pages, Google may see it as duplicate content, which can hurt your site’s performance. Now, how can you find duplicate content on your site? Platforms like Raven Tools and SEMRush can quickly help you spot duplicate content. Simply enter your website URL into the tool, and it will show you a detailed report on your most critical SEO issues, including duplicate content. Once you’ve identified duplicate pages, it’s time to solve the problem. You can do it in three ways: “Noindexing” duplicate pages: Adding a “noindex” tag to a specific page tells Google to “ignore” that page. Adding a canonical tag: Canonical tags tell Google that some of your pages are exact copies of a single page. Producing original content: This is probably the most difficult solution, but also the most rewarding. Poor content There’s a direct correlation between longer content and SEO results. Research suggests that first page results have 1,447 words, on average: The same study reveals that word count alone isn’t enough. Content with a higher “Content Grade” on Clearscope, a content optimization platform, seems to rank higher in Google. And increasing the Content Score by one approximates boosting rankings by one position. Clearscope measures competition and semantic keywords, meaning longer content isn’t the answer. Comprehensive, relevant content that fully answers a user’s question. Here’s the thing: Producing this type of content is a rough task for most e-commerce businesses. Most of your content is composed of product descriptions. If you have 200 products in your catalog, how could you write 200 in-depth pieces of content? Even though this is challenging, experts suggest adding at least 500 words worth of content in your product descriptions. Most e-commerce businesses don’t do it, so this extra work can become a competitive advantage. User experience Improving your site architecture, eliminating non-performing pages, and producing high-quality content is crucial. But if users can’t access that content properly, they’ll have a bad experience overall. Google doesn’t like that. Part of Google’s algorithm is explicitly focused on “Page Experience.” This update aims to improve user experience by measuring three main signals: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): How fast your content loads when users visit your site. First Input Delay (FID): How quickly users interact with your content. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): How visually stable is your content when users interact with it? In other words, your site shouldn’t only load fast, but also provide a smooth experience to users. To learn more about Google’s Core Signals, we suggest you read this guide from Google Search Central. Mobile-friendly ecommerce optimization Mobile, mobile, mobile. I’m sure you’ve seen the hype of mobile optimization everywhere. But the truth is that it’s not just hype anymore. Mobile is dominating online traffic now. Last year, roughly 55% of worldwide traffic came from mobile. With more people using their smartphones to shop online, your website must be designed with mobile in mind. If your website isn’t mobile-optimized and responsive, that should be priority number one for your mobile optimization. On top of that, mobile page speed is critical for success. What’s the problem with being just a few seconds slower than the “best practice” for speed? Bounce rates that go through the roof: If your e-commerce site takes two or more seconds to load, your bounce rate can grow by up to 9%. If it takes five seconds or more, your bounce rate will be around 38%. Roughly 35% of users’ money is left on the table due to a poor user experience. Meanwhile, improving UX can increase your results exponentially. To optimize your site’s speed and performance, there are several techniques you can implement. One key factor is optimizing images and videos to reduce file size without sacrificing quality. You should also minimize HTTP requests by combining files where possible and reducing the number of plugins on your site. User experience and conversion rate optimization in e-commerce are two peas in a pod. With that in mind, ensure the discovery and buying process is as smooth as possible. From UX to cart abandonment rates, optimization is key. There is possibly no better conversion-optimized website than Rothy’s. Even if you’ve never enjoyed shoes or you aren’t a woman interested in women’s shoes, exploring the site is enjoyable. When you land on the home page, the site instantly greets you with a simple design that gives you two easy options: menu or shop all. This is helpful because too many choices can be paralyzing for shoppers. At the top of Rothy’s home page, a dynamic and changing ticker displays instant value that reassures users that they won’t experience common pain points. As you scroll down, the options are again consolidated into product styles that are elegant and simple. Clicking on individual products opens the product page directly in the window without directing you to another page that might take ten more seconds to load and result in a bounce. The flow of the site and buying process is virtually unparalleled. And for the icing on the cake, value is communicated at every single step. That’s e-commerce conversion optimization. Here are some best practices you can follow to ensure you convert all of your organic traffic: Site speed: Make your site faster and prioritize ease of use. Navigation: Give fewer, simpler options to find products. Too many choices can cause friction. Simplify checkout pages and focus on value: To avoid high cart abandonment rates, always address pain points before consumers ask about them. Regularly monitor your site’s load time using SEO tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. Link Building and Off-Page Optimization Link building and off-page optimization are crucial components of any successful SEO strategy for e-commerce businesses. Acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable websites can boost your search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your site. But it’s not just about the quantity of links – the quality matters too. Focus on building links from relevant, authoritative sites within your industry. Let me explain using one of our case studies – ScripHessco, a leading e-commerce provider to healthcare practitioners. Despite having a rich portfolio offline, their online identity kept experiencing a downward trend – until we worked with them. Our first step in diagnosing the root cause of the decline was running an extensive technical audit. Next, we performed in-depth, data-driven keyword research to find low-competition, high-intent keywords they can easily rank for. To restore their rankings on the search results, we focused on link building: Built linkable assets to improve site-wide authority Conducted competitor research to discover content and link gaps Manually reached out to topically relevant websites for collaboration The results? They got: Over 103% increase in site-wide organic traffic Over 22% increase in organic revenue Over 29% increase in organic transactions As you can see, link building for SEO works!!! Overall, a good link should: Be topically relevant to your brand Have a robust backlink profile itself Be clear of Google penalties Have high domain authority To build high-quality backlinks, create valuable/shareable content that will attract the attention of other websites in your industry. To do this: Define your ideal customer profile. Identify their pain points, interests, and what makes them click. Tailor your content to address the needs of your target audience. Consider incorporating visual elements such as images or infographics into your content to make it more appealing to readers. You can also leverage social media platforms to share your content and attract more attention from potential link partners. Guest blogging on other websites is another effective strategy for building backlinks. Remember, not all backlinks are created equal. Focus on acquiring links from reputable sources with high domain authority to maximize the impact on your search engine rankings. Read more: How to Improve Your SEO in 2024 [14 Proven Tactics] Conclusion SEO is a huge factor in e-commerce success. Ranking your website, product pages, and content on the first page of Google will help you secure more organic traffic. Beyond that, it helps you build brand awareness, which is a big factor in driving sales from organic search results. Instead of only paying for ads to drive traffic and sales, you can do it organically through powerful SEO. Focus on these best practices, and you’ll drive more organic sales than ever before. Do you need professional help to grow your revenue and increase online sales? Check out our e-commerce SEO service and partner with a company with a proven history of success.
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