Online sales offer enormous potential, so you've set up an online store. It's been operating for several months now, but profits... haven't been what you expected. Are you facing this situation and wondering what to do? A lot! Learn how to overcome this challenge!
First things first: don't expect a quick return on your online store investment . Like any business niche, e-commerce takes time to develop your business and lead customers through the marketing funnel. However, if it seems like it's taking too long and you haven't seen any results for a while, you really need to do something about it. You can't keep "contributing to your business" forever. So what should you do?
Objectively evaluate your e-shop
What aspects are worth taking into account?
How has the customer service process been for customers who have chosen to use your store's services so far? Did everything run smoothly and without any issues? Did the ordered products arrive on time, and did buyers receive the goods as described? Were there any concerns or complaints? If so, how did you respond?
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The world of e-commerce is incredibly competitive . These days, winning isn't just about the lowest price, but also about the highest quality customer service. If friction arises, and negative reviews follow, the chances of remaining in business with a positive result diminish.
If you notice that your sales process could be improved and streamlined, be sure to implement those changes! The more satisfied a customer is with your business, the more likely they are to recommend your store to their friends. The power of such recommendations can be very powerful!
- Communication channels used
To increase your online store's visibility, you need to be where your customers are. Is your online store present on social media, such as Facebook? If so, is your profile active there? How often do new posts appear? Do you answer customer questions? What do you publish? Are there reviews from other customers? These elements can be important, as social media activity builds brand awareness and shapes your brand image.
Also, remember that social media is a great place for online stores to promote themselves. More on this in a moment.
Take a look at how many people visit your online store each month. Compare this information with your competitors' data. Why is the number of visits important? Because it largely determines the number of transactions. While it's obvious that not everyone who visits your online store will automatically become a customer, each visit brings you closer to conversion, and the better targeted the group, the higher the probability.
Moreover, the greater the reach, the more valuable the website becomes in the eyes of Google algorithms and, consequently, the higher its position in search results.
Take a closer look at your advertising strategy
Advertising is the engine of commerce – this well-known saying is more than just an empty phrase. It applies particularly well to the e-commerce niche. With the sheer number of online stores, advertising is essential. A well-thought-out, coherent, and well-executed campaign is the foundation of success.
So how have you been advertising so far? Have you only used free tools, such as running a Facebook store profile, without even investing in Facebook ads? Or perhaps you've spent significant amounts on marketing, but haven't seen a return on investment?
In the latter case, there can be many reasons for campaign failure—from poorly defined target audiences, to poorly worded messaging, to incorrectly set campaign parameters . This could happen, for example, if you performed all these tasks yourself and are not a digital marketing expert.
In theory, setting up an advertising campaign is simple. Exactly. In theory. In practice, not necessarily. Without a good action plan and its precise implementation, your advertising budget can be wasted, failing to even translate into increased store visits, let alone conversions. Therefore, campaign optimization is crucial, meaning targeting it to invest resources in groups where it's most profitable.
Does this mean you need to cut your advertising budget and focus on other aspects of your business? Quite the opposite! Marketing dollars well spent will translate into desired results and allow you to finally spread your wings.
Effective advertising in e-commerce, what is it like?
Marketing in the e-commerce world can follow two paths: outbound and inbound.
Outbound marketing encompasses all tools that focus on actively seeking out customers and persuading them to take advantage of your offer. Inbound marketing, on the other hand, relies on inbound traffic – that is, conducting activities in such a way that customers ultimately come to the company on their own.
A good online store strategy should incorporate tools from both of these areas, so you can achieve both short-term goals (e.g., quickly increasing sales through a promotional campaign) and long-term goals (e.g., acquiring customers who will return again and again, or even promote your business). The question, however, is what exactly to do?
There are countless advertising tools you can use. One thing is certain: it's worth investing in direct advertising, PR, and SEO tools. Let's discuss them one by one.
Online store advertising
There are many online advertising tools. E-commerce campaigns can be conducted using, for example:
- Google Ads such as product ads – It's worth ensuring your store's products appear in the advertising section of Google search results. Currently, the search engine displays a "carousel" of products above advertising links and organic search results. That's where you want to be!
- banner advertising – advertising banners presenting, for example, the latest promotional campaigns and discounts, should be placed on portals whose content is identical to your offer.
- remarketing advertising – it can take many forms, but the principle is simple: if a customer has already visited your online store, the ads displayed in the banners will be directly related to their visit. For example, they'll see specific products they were browsing, along with a price reduction offer. This strategy works very effectively!
- social media advertising – on Facebook, these are ads redirecting to the store, placed in the news feed, as well as in the side panels of the website.
Large online stores also advertise in traditional media – radio and even television. However, this is only possible if you plan for a very large, nationwide reach and are confident you can handle the logistics.
Remember: advertising, especially banner advertising, is primarily intended to achieve short-term sales goals . It's primarily aimed at consumers who are already potentially interested in your offer and need a nudge to take action.
Image matters
Take care of it, especially in the world of e-commerce. How do you do it?
- Maintain social media profiles – Be where your potential customers are and interact with them. Which social media should you choose? Facebook is a must, of course, even if you operate in the B2B sector. Instagram and LinkedIn can also be useful.
- Join consumer feedback programs – Give customers the opportunity to review your store and try to obtain as many authentic, positive recommendations as possible. An additional discount on future purchases might encourage them to leave such a review.
- Think about collaborating with influencers – especially if you want to sell on a large scale.
Increase your visibility
The reason an online store might not be profitable could be that it's invisible to Google's algorithms. And if it's not there, it can be harder for customers to find it. How can you change that?
- optimize the content on your e-shop website – If you're using product descriptions from the manufacturer, get rid of them. Such plagiarism is negatively perceived by search engine crawlers and lowers your rating. However, unique texts for the homepage, as well as those containing categories, subcategories, and specific products, will strengthen your ranking;
- think about sponsored articlesthat combine SEO and image functions. Thanks to them, you will gain valuable links and, at the same time, engage customers,
- make sure your e-shop meets applicable standards – this includes the responsiveness of the website, as well as the loading time of the home page and the smooth operation of the entire store,
- consider running a store blog – will serve as a guide for a potential client and will also be an excellent tool for long tail positioning.
Acquire valuable leads
When does a customer become a customer? When they know your brand, trust it, are aware of your products, and have a need to purchase them. But before they can move all the way through the marketing funnel, you first need to connect with them—so they'll stay there for the long haul.
The best way? Acquiring subscribers for your online store's newsletter. It's a relatively simple task – especially if you offer, for example, a 10% discount on purchases for providing your address. It's worth it!
A long mailing list of people who are potentially interested is a veritable goldmine. In emails tailored to your content and graphics, you can include:
- recommend new texts on the company blog,
- inform about current promotions and discounts,
- remind you about the products you offer.
This way, you'll stay in touch with your customer and build a long-term relationship. What's next? Conversion is on the horizon!
There may be multiple reasons why your store isn't selling—for example, a terrible website layout, difficulty making a purchase (generally poor UX), or poorly chosen payment or shipping options. It's worth auditing your store to gain a holistic understanding of what could be improved.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- Evaluation of the functioning of the online store
- Effective e-commerce marketing techniques
