Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: Thanks for joining me on this episode of the Natural Marketer podcast. I am your host and digital marketing specialist, Victoria Smith. As the owner of V. Smith Media in Oakland, Tennessee, it's my goal to make the landscape of digital marketing easier, affordable and manageable for small business owners and managers alike. I do this by offering key tools for local search and social media marketing. Join me as I explore areas of importance for any small business that will grow their business, drive sales, and expand their brands.
[00:00:30] Speaker B: Hey everyone, Victoria Smith here, the natural marketer. You know the drill. Honest advice for taking your brand and absolutely crushing it online. Today's episode is all about the e commerce explosion and how you yes, you can leverage it to sell out of stock and have customers begging for more. Let's face it, online shopping is booming. People are ditching the brick in order for convenience in the variety of the web. But fear not, fill in natural entrepreneurs. This is a massive opportunity for your small business to take off. In this episode, we're going to break down the tactics to turn your website visitors into lol fans who can't resist clicking that buy button. We'll cover everything from setting up your e commerce store like a pro to mastering the marketing magic that drives sales.
Whether you're just getting started out with a dream and a vision, or you're looking to scale up your existing online presence, there are actual steps you can take right now. No fluff is practical strategies to make your e commerce your e commerce. We reckon with online.
So buckle up. If you're ready to claim your slice of e commerce pie and watch your small business take off, then you're in the right place. Let's get this natural marketing party started.
[00:01:54] Speaker A: Consumers are flocking to online stores. Convenience, water selection and competitive pricing all contribute to this shift. Mobile commerce is at the forefront, with smartphones becoming a primary shopping tool. This means a mobile first approach is no longer a suggestion, but a necessity.
The good news? E commerce offers a variety and a level playing field for small businesses. Here are how you can leverage this potential.
The first thing you should do is look at niche expertise. Find your niche and become the go to source for civic product category, catering to a passionate community and building a brand loyalty.
You should utilize personal customer experiences because small business can excel at this utilize customer data with consent to offer targeted recommendations and build relationships.
Use storytelling and community stand out by weaving a compelling brand story. Leverage social media to build a community around your brand and engage with your audience.
But what are those marketing strategies for the competitive fray? Here are some of the marketing tactics to help your small business carve its niche in the competitive e commerce space. First thing you should look at is content marketing because become a source of valuable information. Create informative blog posts, product guides and social media content that educates and engages your audience.
Always remember to utilize search engine optimization, also known as SEO.
This optimizes your website content and product listings to rank higher in search engine results.
This increases your online visibility and attacks organic traffic.
Use social media marketing leverage platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook to showcase your products. Connect with potential customers and run targeted ad campaigns.
Use email marketing because email is not dead. Build an email list and nurture leads with targeted email campaigns offering personalized recommendations, exclusive discounts and valuable content.
A big shift is becoming the influencer marketing I'm not an expert at this, but I do know there has been success with bigger brands. Small businesses may be able to leverage it with family members and things like that, but that's influencer marketing. Partner with relevant micro influencers in your niche to reach a wider audience and build brand trust through your authentic product endorsements and always remember paid advertising.
Consider strategic pay per click advertising on search engines and social media platforms to target specific demographics and product searches.
But remember, focus on customer experience. Prioritize a smooth and user friendly website experience, offering multiple payment options and a seamless checkout process.
Data is always your ally. Track your marketing efforts through analytics tools like Google Analytics, woocommerce analytics, analyze what resonates with your audience and refine your strategy for continuous improvement.
The future of e commerce for small business is bright and here are some trends you should watch.
Personalization gets granular expecting to see an even more personalized experience based on customer data and buying behavior, leading to a highly relevant recommendation and targeted marketing message. Live stream shopping takes center stage as we use interactive live streaming, shopping experience will become a commonplace, offering real time engagement with brands and products.
Social commerce gains traction because social media platforms will become even more integrated with the shopping experience, allowing for seamless purchases directly within the platform.
By embracing all these trends, focusing on customer centric approach and implementing a strategic marketing plan, your small business can thrive in the ever evolving world of e commerce. So take a deep breath, leverage the power of online marketplace and watch your small business blossom.
In today's mobile driven world, consumers aren't just browsing products on their phones, they're researching, comparing and making purchases all from the palm of their hand. This shift in shopping behavior makes a mobile first marketing experience crucial for e commerce success. So here's why prioritizing mobile optimization is the key to unlocking growth for your brand.
Mobile still reigns supreme because the numbers they speak for themselves.
Statistics show mobile commerce is booming. According to emarketer.com comma, mobile sales are projected to surpass $5.39 trillion in 2023, accounting for over 70% of global sales.
Ignoring mobile optimization is ignoring a massive chunk of your potential customer base.
And if 2023 was 5.39 trillion, 2024 is most likely going to surpass that.
Mobile optimization is crucial because convenience is king. Frictionless shopping mobile devices offer unmatched convenience imagine a customer needing a new phone case with a mobile friendly store. They can browse options, compare features and complete their purchase in minutes, all from their phone. This seamless experience keeps customers engaged and drives conversions.
But what if you want to reach a wider audience? Go beyond the geographical limits. Mobile device devices transcend locals location limitations. Unlike desktops confined to homes or offices, smoke phones are carried everywhere. This is allowing your brand to reach a wider audience, attracting new customers who might not have stumbled across your site otherwise.
Optimizing for mobile growth is the key to ensure your mobile store is a convenience machine or conversion machine.
Mobile first design is the best way to adapt your website from desktop prioritizing creative for mobile first experience, this means optimizing website layout, navigation and content specifically for smaller screens.
You always want to have a fast loading time because mobile users are impatient. Ensure website loads quickly and offers a smooth browsing experience.
Focusing on user friendliness like intuitive navigation, clear product information and large, easy to tap buttons are crucial for a user friendly experience and optimizing your mobile images for high quality product images are essential, but ensure they are optimized for mobile to avoid slow loading times.
And you always want to make sure you have a seamless checkout to simplify this process, offer various payment options and ensure a secure and streamlined one click purchase option.
Mobile first growth follows by optimizing mobile optimization and creating a user centric mobile experience, you reach a wider audience, drive customer engagement, and ultimately unlock significant growth potential for your ecommerce brand. Remember, in today's mobile first world, a mobile friendly store isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.
Now let's dig into the personal touch. This is how personalization drives e commerce growth in today's crowded ecommerce landscape. Standing out from the competition requires a deeper understanding of your customers. Enter personalization, a powerful marketing strategy that tailors to customer experience to individual needs and preferences. By leveraging customer data, personalization empowers you to create a more engaging and rewarding shopping journey, ultimately driving growth for your e commerce brand.
So why is it so important in the ecommerce world? Well, heres why. Personalization is no longer a nice to have you, but must have for ecommerce success.
It enhances the customer experience by imagine browsing a website with product recommendations based on your past purchases or receiving emails with offers relevant to your interest. Personalization fosters a sense of connection with the customer, creating a more satisfying shopping experience.
It increases customer loyalty. When customers feel valued and understood, they are more likely to become a loyal brand advocate. Personalization shows you care about their individual needs, building trust and loyalty.
Personalization leads to improved conversion rates. By recommending relevant products and highlighting personalized deals, you can significantly increase your chances of customers making a purchase. Abandoned carts become a thing of the past as personalization nudges customers towards completing their purchases.
Data driven marketing is ultimately personalization leverages customer data to create targeted marketing campaigns. This allows you to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time, maximizing the impact of your marketing experts.
Let's say that again, it's the right message to the right person at the right time.
So what are some of the personalization tools and techniques for your ecommerce store? Well, here are some key tools and techniques you can leverage to personalize your website.
Consider product recommendations use customer data, past purchases browsing history to select products that align with each of your visitors interests.
Always utilize dynamic search results.
Personalized search results based on customers location, purchase history or browsing history. This ensures that they see the most relevant products for their needs.
Segment your customer base and craft personalized content to your website in the copy email marketing campaigns and social media message highlight products, promotions and blogs posts that resonate with customers specific segments.
Use retargeting campaigns to target customers with personalized ads based on their past interactions with your website or products. This reminds them to this reminds them of the products they viewed and entices them to complete their purchases.
Encourage loyalty programs and rewards by offering rewards. Personalization is based on the customers preferences and past patterns. This incentivizes repeat businesses, encourages higher spending so what are some of the popular personalization tools?
The first one is customer data platforms or CDP's. These platforms collect and centralize customer data, providing a holistic view of your audience. Marketing automation tools are personalized email marketing campaigns, product recommendations and retargeting campaigns. And of course, there's always a b. Testing tools test different personalization strategies to see what resonates with your audience and continuously optimize your approach, those three things are very important because mailchimp is my preference for email marketing because they have all that built into their platform now and it works fantastic because when you integrate, if you have a WordPress store like I do, you can integrate Mailchimp for woocommerce, allowing you to track purchases and spending information or history information from customer to customer. But the key is they have to provide their service email address in order for it to track that data. So you always want to build a way to collect an email from a customer because that email is like another fingerprint in their digital footprint or they're, you know, it's another way for us to track the data without having to utilize the bad search engines that are out there right now.
So remember, when you're doing all this, that personalization is the path to e commerce success. By embracing personalization and leveraging the right tools and techniques, you can create a dynamic and engaging shopping experience for each customer. Personalization transforms your website from a generic storefront to a personalized shopping haven, leading your higher conversion rates, increased shopping loyalty and ultimately significant growth for your e commerce brand. So start personalizing your customer interactions today and watch your e commerce business thrive. And remember, collect those emails.
[00:14:42] Speaker C: Is it time to upgrade your digital footprint? Does your brand feel stale? Then it's time to call vsmith Media in Oakland, Tennessee to review your brand strategy.
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[00:15:33] Speaker A: Okay, so now we're going to go into content.
In my mind, content is still king. Stellar content fuels e commerce growth as well. In the ever evolving world of digital marketing, trends come and go. But one strategy remains a constant powerhouse for e commerce success. Content marketing. While flashy ads and social media fads may grab attention, high quality content builds trust, educates customers, and ultimately drives sales. And here's why content marketing reigns supreme for the e commerce growth.
Content marketing builds brand awareness and trust by using valuable content establishes your brand as an authority in your niche. Informative blog posts, engaging videos and helpful tutorials demonstrate your expertise and build trust with potential customers.
Organic traffic and lead generation is compelling through content generation. Compelling content attracts visitors to your website through search engines and social media. By creating content that answers customers questions and addresses their pain points, you attract quality leads who are generally interested in your products.
Content marketing nurtures customer relationships because it fosters deeper customer relationship. Post purchase guides, educational resources and loyalty programs through content keep you connected with your customers, build loyalty and encourage repeat business.
The next thing that's also important in content marketing is improved search engine optimization.
Content rich and relevant keywords can significantly improve your website's ranking in search engines.
This increases your website, your visibility of your website and drives organic traffic to your store and content boosts conversions because high quality content informs purchase decisions, product reviews, buying guides and in depth comparisons empower customers with the knowledge they need to feel confident about buying from your store.
Content marketing strategies for ecommerce success is important to incorporate for ecommerce growth.
First, you need to know your audience. Tail your content to resonate with your target audience, understanding their needs, interests and pain points and creating content that addresses them directly.
But remember, variety is key. Experiment with different forms of content. Utilize blog posts, infographics, explainer videos, social media content and customer testimonials to cater to diverse learning styles and preferences and focus on quality and value to prioritize creating high quality content that offers genuine value to your audience. Informative, engaging and well written content is essential for establishing brand authority and trust.
Of course we've talked about it, but here it is again. SEO optimization. Integrate relevant keywords into your content strategy, research keywords your target audience searches for, and optimize your content to rank higher in these search engine results.
Utilize content promotion don't just create content and leave it to gather dust. Promote your content across social platforms, email marketing campaigns and consider influencer partnerships for wider reach because content is still the gift that keeps on giving. Investing in content marketing isn't just an investment in your ecommerce brand's future. By creating valuable content informs, educates and entertains your audience, you attract potential customer nurture leads and ultimately drive sales and brand loyalty. Remember, high quality content isn't a short term strategy, it's long term investment that fuels sustainable growth for your online store. So embrace the power of content marketing. Unleash your creativity and watch your ecommerce brand flourish.
Alright, so far we have covered mobile first optimization, personalization and content marketing to build ecommerce growth. But there's one other factor that comes into the play. That's video.
So why is video so alluring to consumers today?
Well, it's because in today's fast paced digital world, attention spans are shrinking.
Video content is a captivating format that grabs attention, boosts engagement and drives conversions, making it the key to success for ecommerce brands. And here's why video content reigns supreme and two budget friendly tips to create a high quality content for your online store.
And here's the allure of video for ecommerce.
It engages storytelling. Videos tell stories in a way that static images and text simply can't. Showcase your products in action, demonstrate how they solve problems, and connect with your audience on an emotional level. This fosters a deeper connection and makes viewers more receptive to your brand.
It provides an increased product understanding. Videos provide a 360 degree view of your product. Customers can examine details, see products in use, and gain a better understanding of their features and benefits. This leads to more informed purchase decisions and reduces the amount of product returns.
It also boosts conversions and sales. Compelling video content can significantly increase conversion rates. By visually showcasing the value proposition of your products and invoking emotions, you can nudge viewers from passive observers to enthusiastic buyers.
Unlike the MyPillow guy, no pun intended, enhanced product brands imagery high quality video content portrays a professional and polished brand image. It showcases your commitment to quality and innovation, fostering trust and credibility with potential customers.
Video content improves search engine optimization because websites with video content tend to rank higher in search engine results. This increases your online visibility and drives more organic traffic to your store because number one, the number one algorithm change that Google made in 2023 was making it a pertinent tracking of the algorithm. If you have a video on your homepage, you are likely to show up higher in the rankings. That was an algorithm change that was made in 2023 and it has significantly changed how people manufacture their homepages or landing pages for their websites. And that's online and that is, that is desktop and mobile guys. Remember, include a video of some sort on your homepage of your website or mobile device to allow customers to find it in the in the search under results. Higher.
But what if you're on a limited budget? So you want to craft high video contents, but you again are on a limited budget. Even with limited resources, you can create compelling video content for your ecommerce store. And here's how you can do that. Leverage user generated content by encouraging setify customers to create video testimonials or short product reviews using their smartphones.
User generated content adds authenticity and showcases real customer experiences. Another way is a simple studio setup. You don't need a fancy studio, a well lit space, a good phone, camera phone and a basic editing tool are all you need to create high quality product demonstrations or explainer videos. Focus on clear audio, good lighting and a clean background.
Video is the key to unlocking ecommerce growth because video content is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity. Just like being mobile optimized smartphones are the future guys, and they're not going away.
Less and less people are using desktops for any kind of ecommerce shopping. So don't lose the opportunities in front of you today by making changes.
Video content is not a luxury. Like I said, it's a necessity for successful ecommerce brands. By leveraging into the power to engage viewers, showcase products effectively and tell compelling stories, you can drive conversions, boost brand awareness and propel your e commerce business towards significant growth. So grab your camera, get creative and start creating video content that ignites your brand and captures the hearts and wallets of your customers today.
So there's one more part that's probably the most important before I get to my case study that I have put together, the trifecta of e commerce growth includes social media, email and advertising.
The digital marketplace is a whirlwind of activity, and for e commerce brands to stand out, a multiple pronged marketing approach is essential, better known as an omnichannel approach. Here's why. A leverage social media, email list and both, both free and paid advertising options is the key to composing a harmonious symphony of growth for your brand.
Social media platforms are bustling town squares of the digital world, teaming up with potential customers. So here's why you should use them to your advantage.
Number one, they're building brand awareness by using social media platforms allows you to showcase your brand personality, connect with potential customers and build brand awareness by sharing engaging content, participating in relevant conversations and running contests to generate excitement around your brand.
Social media uses targeted audience engagement. Most platforms offer sophisticated targeting options, tailoring your content and social media advertising to specific demographics and interests, ensuring your message reaches the right audience.
Social media is great for visual storing tally because it thrives on visuals, utilize high quality products and photos, eye catching infographics and behind the scenes videos to capture your attention and tell captivating brand stories. Social media allows for you to build a community, fostering a sense of community around your brand, responding to comments, hosting live q and a sessions, and encourage user generated content. This fosters loyalty and encourages brand advocacy.
But without social media, you cant do email marketing.
Email marketing remains a powerful tool for entering leads and driving sales.
Personalization of emails is unlike social media. Email allows for personalized communication, segment your email list and send targeted campaigns with relevant offers and product recommendations. Email allows you to build relationships. Emails nurture customer relationships, share valuable content, offer loyalty programs, and send personalized birthday greetings to foster trust and loyalty.
An email is ideal for conversions and sales because you can do targeted email campaigns with enticing offers that offer significantly boost conversions and drive sales.
And then one last piece of that trifecta, free and paid advertising organic reach on social media and email open rates can be challenging, so here's why strategic advertising comes in.
Free advertising options include most platforms offer free advertising tools, utilize Facebook groups, Reddit communities and niche online forums to organically connect with potential customers. However, paid advertising strategies include paid advertising on search engines like Google Ads and social media platforms target specific keywords and demographics to reach a wider audience and drive qualified traffic to your online store.
But you also need to remember to measure and optimize, track the performance of your advertising campaigns, analyze, click through rates, conversion rates and adjust your strategies for optimal results.
So why is all this harmonious for your marketing symphony?
The key to success lies in combining these elements to create a holistic marketing strategy. Social media builds awareness, nurtures, leads and drives traffic to your website, while email nurtures the leads with personalized email communications and converts them into loyal customers. And finally, advertising employs both free and paid strategies to amplify your reach and attract targeted audiences. By optimizing your e commerce growth, you're going to use content consistently, create high quality, engaging, constant content across all platforms. This keeps your audience interested and builds brand authority and it also leads to data driven decisions. Track marketing analytics or website analytics, social media engagement metrics and email campaign performance to use this data to understand your audience better and refine your marketing strategies.
And always remember to embrace new technologies. Stay informed about emerging social media trends and advertising options. Experiment with new tools and platforms to reach your new audience and you can always catch all that information with trends and techniques and tools. And of course my blog, thebesmithmedia.com and go to the Digital Footprints 101. That section covers an abundance of information that I post weekly on current trends, engaging customers, a variety of different techniques. It's just an expansion of this podcast.
And before I go, I just want to make one final note in the ever evolving digital landscape, the ability to adapt and embrace a multi channel marketing approach is crucial. By leveraging to the power of social media, email marketing and strategic advertising, you can create a harmonious symphony. It attracts customers, fosters loyalty, and propels your ecommerce brands towards significant growth.
So grab that baton, conduct your marketing strategy, and watch your ecommerce brand rise to the top of the digital charts.
[00:30:06] Speaker D: Is your small business stuck in neutral? Do you dream of taking it to the next level? Vsmith Media presents marketing for the modern entrepreneur 15 days to success this small.
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[00:31:13] Speaker A: Thanks for listening to the Natural Marketer podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, there are a few ways you can help me grow. First, hit the subscribe button below so you can never miss an episode. Second, leave a review so I know how the show is doing. It helps others find the show as well. And finally, share this episode with a friend who might be interested in small business marketing. I'd love to welcome them to the Vsmith media community.
