22 Digital Marketing Strategies to Boost Your Ecommerce Sales

When it comes to boosting your eCommerce reach and sales, digital marketing is one of the most effective strategies to do so. As businesses continue to evolve and implement different trends, consumers are rapidly evolving as well. With that, it is pivotal that a compelling digital marketing strategy is put in place to ensure your business reaches the right audience and reaps its success. In this article, we will discuss the following tips on how to boost your eCommerce business with digital marketing strategies.

Summary

1. What is eCommerce digital marketing?
2. 22 Ways How to Boost Your Ecommerce Business with Digital Marketing Strategies

What is eCommerce digital marketing?

eCommerce digital marketing is the practice of driving internet users to an online store and converting them into buyers. A well-planned strategy focuses on attracting only those who are likely to be interested in what you sell and taking them through a sales funnel to make a purchase. While having good products is important, people will not buy them if they don’t know about it. Therefore, marketing is essential.

Utilizing online platforms is a great strategy because the majority of prospects are big on online consumption and are more likely to buy from you. With this exploding growth in internet users, it is easy to reach millions of users around the world who fit your customer persona. Digital marketing increases your reach and ensures your marketing messages are seen by the right audience, reducing your marketing expenses.

An eCommerce marketing strategy uses channels like social media, email, and SEO to build brand awareness, improve customer retention, and generate sales for an eCommerce brand.

22 Ways How to Boost Your Ecommerce Business with Digital Marketing Strategies

Now that we’ve gotten a grasp of what eCommerce digital marketing is, here are 22 digital marketing strategies to help boost your business to greater heights:

1. Establish your social media presence

The first digital marketing strategy to boost eCommerce sales is social media. It is easy to set up with little background knowledge, is free and can give you access to millions of users. Social media is the place where your customers get the latest updates on restocks, promotions, launches, and changes in operating hours and can speak directly to you. For businesses that are still setting up their website, social media can become the primary source of truth.

Instagram, for example, has multiple formats of content that can help with your digital marketing efforts.

Story Highlights: Story highlights are normally presented at the top of the feed, right below the bio. You can categorise key information on the highlight bubbles. Some examples include:

“Outlets” with a series of pictures of each outlet with their opening hours and address.
“As Seen on You” with reposts of your customers wearing your pieces.
“Flavours” for the launch of seasonal specials for your F&B eCommerce business.

Feed Posts: Feed posts remain on your page and can give you the option to post collaboratively with influencers and partner brands. For key information and seasonal launches, you can choose to pin a post to the top. This way, you can keep to a constant posting schedule without your customers missing key information.

Instagram Reels: The TikTok takeover is seeping into every social media platform with YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. With the algorithm favouring short-form video content, you can use trending audio to get engagement for your posts. If you’re new, using influencers with an established following can help increase your number of followers quickly.

These marketing tactics will help you reach your target audience, gain more followers and turn them into prospective sales. Make sure that Facebook and Instagram icons can be found on your site. With this, your customers can easily find and follow your business on these platforms. and learn how to choose the right social media platforms for your business.

2. Establish a strong SEO strategy

SEO is the process of improving your site to increase its visibility when people search for products or services related to your business. It is an effective strategy to gain organic traffic and qualified leads. The higher visibility your pages have in the search results, the more likely you will attract customers.

It is also important to note that maintaining a functional website is insufficient. You may have the best website when it comes to design, layout, and functionality. However, potential customers may never see it if you don’t have a strong and effective SEO strategy. Optimising your content will ensure that your website lands at the top of search results on Google.

SEO remains one of the most effective long-term strategies for generating highly targeted, organic traffic. And it is most powerful when you know how to leverage it. Start by researching what are some of the most highly searched keywords in your industry.

Do in-depth keyword research and determine a pool of keywords with high search intent and purchase intent. After that, you will be able to start optimising your website pages and write several value-adding blog posts. It will help boost your visibility and eventually boost eCommerce sales.

3. Plan for regular and effective email marketing

Email marketing is still one of the most effective digital marketing strategies to increase eCommerce sales. eCommerce business owners use it to inform their existing customers about new products, and promotions or remind customers of their abandoned shopping cart.

And this is even more so when you use a personalised email marketing approach. Customers appreciate it when they feel like they are recognised and valued. Personalising your email campaigns according to your customers’ preferences will help tap into your customer’s interests, which could enhance your profitability.

Some personalised email marketing tips:

• Use recipients’ first names in the subject line and make it personal for the sender too. Getting an email from an actual person creates a much warmer and more welcoming experience.
• Develop marketing personas. Determine the personal attributes, challenges and goals of your prospects and customers. Find out what drives them to purchase your company’s services or products. Creating personas for different parts of your database will help you develop more targeted, personal content for your email messages.
• Build an email list to get direct access to your target audience and potential customers.

4. Encourage Google reviews

With eCommerce, your potential customers cannot see and touch your products through the screen. They need to rely on the word of existing customers to make an informed decision. That’s where good reviews come in. By encouraging Google reviews, your business listing will likely be favoured for SEO purposes. Furthermore, the cost-per-click can decrease when you run Google Ads.

Nothing is more persuasive than a detailed review from a fellow customer who’s already used the products they’re looking at. Credibility is a fundamental basis in an eCommerce business, and this is why customer reviews are pivotal for building your business credibility.

5. Explore influencer marketing

Influencer marketing taps on the existing following of key opinion leaders in your field.
It’s important to find social media influencers who your target customers are following. If you do your research, you’ll know that there’s no need to go after influencers with millions of followers.

Knowing how to leverage micro-influencers is an effective way to reach your target customers. Apart from influencers, you can get brand ambassadors from your existing pool of customers. Tap on the enthusiasm of your customers to influence and build a steady stream of new customers. Loyal customers already love your business and engaging them while giving them a share of sales will give them a sense of belonging to your brand.

You can attach a unique promo code to different influencers to track which influencer is getting you the most results. This will make it easier to assess the effectiveness of your influencer marketing campaign.

6. Conduct SEM campaigns

In today’s digital world, we use search engines every day to look for information and sources for products and services. Search engine positioning becomes incredibly important for businesses to get more traffic and gain visibility. A sure way to land at the top of search engines is to use Search Engine Marketing (SEM). SEM is marketing a business using paid advertisements that appear on search engine results pages or SERPs.

This type of digital marketing has become one of the indisputable allies of eCommerce, allowing business owners to increase their sales through paid advertising. Some advantages of SEM include the profitability of targeted and segmented traffic, brand building and the ability to monitor your targeted ad’s performance.

Some advantages of creating SEM campaigns:

• Better segmentation: A properly segmented campaign gives you a better chance of reaching your target audience. With SEM, you can segment your audience and create campaigns while considering different factors concerning your target markets, such as gender, age, location, interests and even hobbies.
• Monitoring: Through platforms like Google Ads, you can monitor the results of your SEM campaign at all times. You can even get detailed information on your audience’s behaviour, the number of clicks, interactions, impressions, etc.
• Complementing SEO: Combining SEM and SEO will give you a complete digital marketing strategy. It’s important to note that neither SEM nor SEO is better. It’s the combination of the two that makes a strong digital marketing strategy.
• Controlling of costs: When implementing an SEM campaign, you will have a high level of control over your expenses. You will be able to set a comfortable budget and only pay when the users interact with your ads.

7. Write compelling copies

Copywriting for eCommerce refers to any written content you create for an online store or website. Headlines, taglines, product descriptions, or landing pages are all places where your writing skills can help in bringing in more sales.

One of the goals of eCommerce copywriting is to clearly explain the benefits of your products while also helping your online store rank better on search engines. To be successful, you need to understand what makes a customer purchase, and your copy needs to be persuasive and promote your brand’s voice.

Tips to write a good copy for your eCommerce business:

• Identify your unique selling point. Think about why a prospect should choose your brand over a competitor’s. Give them a reason to be loyal to your brand. Being able to identify your unique value proposition or what sets you apart from the competition is crucial. Once you fully understand and identify what is special about your business, you can communicate that clearly to prospects.
• Tell your story. Answer the question, “What’s the story behind your eCommerce brand?” Storytelling in marketing engages your prospective customers, draws them in, and guides them throughout their customer journey. It humanises your eCommerce business in a way. And because of this, they will begin to feel an emotional connection to the story and people behind the company. Your story can make a memorable impression even long after visitors leave your website.

8. Employ retargeting methods to attract potential customers again.

Retargeting is a crucial digital marketing strategy that helps marketers show ads to customers who have shown interest in products and services on their eCommerce website. It is a subtle reminder to potential customers that they should reconsider completing the purchase of the product they checked out on your website. A well-executed reminder can reignite purchase intent in a prospective buyer, making it one of the most consistently successful digital marketing tactics available. Retargeting is one of the best eCommerce marketing strategies to make leads return to your store and buy what you sell.

By using AI, a tailored ad is created on various channels to remind them of your brand and products, and to tempt them back to the checkout process. With 70.19% of online shopping carts getting abandoned, retargeting is a key strategy for marketers to maximise their profits.

9. Launch affiliate marketing campaigns to enhance both digital visibility and ecommerce sales.

An eCommerce marketing strategy requires a successful affiliate program to increase reach and distribute brand messages. This cost-effective strategy involves finding influential affiliates to promote products on various platforms. To implement affiliate marketing, focus on providing value to your audience, avoiding overuse of links in emails, promoting high-quality products, building meaningful relationships, being helpful, and providing users with value. Pay affiliate partners as much as they deliver, and ensure they are helpful and provide value to users.

10. Harness Google Shopping as a pivotal channel for ecommerce marketing.

Google Shopping ads, accounting for 76.4% of retail search ad spend, are a top eCommerce marketing strategy in 2023. They display images in search results, promoting physical products directly to potential customers, and boosting trust in brands. This eCommerce marketing strategy enhances brand credibility in the SERPs, even for unfamiliar customers. When Google matches products with search phrases, the likelihood of customers trusting the brand increases, boosting their likelihood of making a purchase. To use Google Shopping, businesses need a Google Merchant Center account, optimise product pages, link their AdWords account, and create a campaign.

11. Boost brand loyalty through user-generated content (UGC)

UGC (User Generated Content) is a powerful marketing strategy for eCommerce, as it provides real-life experiences from past customers. Salesforce reports that 55 per cent of customers trust fellow consumers more than their own marketing. To leverage UGC, use hashtags on social media and provide a platform for customers to post reviews.

UGC has better recall than brand-produced content, and 69% of consumers have bought items they saw on social media. It’s especially important for startups and smaller enterprises with limited name recognition. To collect UGC, send after-purchase emails with reviews and images, use reviews and photos on your website, and research social media posts using branded hashtags.

12. Curate a Clear Brand Personality.

Brand personality is crucial in creating a personal experience for customers when they interact with a business. It associates pleasant aspects with the customer, making the business more appealing, and influencing their behaviours and attitudes towards the brand.

A brand personality comes in three forms: sensory appeal, rational appeal, and emotional appeal. Sensory appeal is created by how the product looks, sounds, and feels. Rational appeal is how the product performs, whether it meets the brand promise of high quality for a high price or does the job for a lower price. Emotional appeal is the most powerful element of the brand personality, focusing on the psychological rewards it offers.

Consumers view retail brands as having distinct personalities and it is important to determine what approach you want to take, and how to effectively portray this for your brand.

• Sincerity is being serious, open, and honest, which helps gain trust and transition people from first liking the business to knowing it.
• Excitement brings joy, exhilaration, or upheaval
• Competence involves a competent business that can efficiently manage value given to the consumer, ethically, and safely.
• Sophistication is being comfortable in social situations, and demonstrating confidence and understanding of the world around you. In business, sophistication is seen as a feminist trait, as it is sensitive and understanding of the world around you.
• Ruggedness is the ability to be strong, dealing with situations directly and assertively. This masculine trait is attentive to the surrounding environment but reduces the appeal of being delicate. Overall, aiming to hit each of these points when communicating your business to your target audience is essential for a successful brand personality.

13. Conduct online contests to engage and attract customers.

eCommerce marketing ideas like running giveaway content can attract and engage audiences. To build brand awareness, generate buzz, and increase sales, businesses can hold online contests like Instagram photo challenges, TikTok hashtag challenges, recurring raffle draws, voting or polling, and photo caption challenges. These strategies can help increase brand awareness and sales.

14. Focus marketing efforts on specific local audiences.

Local marketing is a valuable strategy for eCommerce businesses, as 90% of 1,005 respondents from a study conducted by Shop Small Research for Singapore are enthusiastic about supporting local businesses. To promote your brand, consider running Google Ads that can run highly specific geotargeting to customers within Singapore. By understanding customers’ needs and preferences, businesses can predict their shopping experiences and improve ad delivery based on their location and proximity.

15. Enhance upselling tactics through email campaigns.

Upsell emails are used to encourage existing clients to buy more than they initially intended, often resulting in higher prices for related items or service variations. Product recommendations account for 10-30% of eCommerce website revenues, making upselling a valuable strategy for your brand. Send effective upsell emails, include recommendations in order confirmation emails, add social proof, highlight customer reviews, provide personalised recommendations based on interests, online activities, and search history, and follow up on abandoned carts with upsell suggestions.

16. Embrace the innovative potential of AR/VR technologies.

Augmented and virtual reality (AR) and VR technologies are revolutionizing eCommerce marketing by providing immersive experiences and memorable buyer journeys. With a projected increase of 800% in AR/VR devices by 2026, marketing specialists are now positioned to innovate strategies and experiment with emerging trends. AR and VR can be leveraged to visualise 3D product images and customisations, allowing for a more immersive and engaging experience for consumers. For example, Yves Saint Laurent used an Instagram filter to promote their new line of Bold lipsticks. When users blow a kiss to the camera with the filter on, the new shade of the lipstick will be applied to them as a virtual try-on that is easily shareable.

17. Optimize for voice search functionality to cater to evolving consumer behaviors.

Voice search usage has significantly increased, with smart speakers like Siri and Google Home significantly impacting online shopping. In the US and UK, voice-based shopping accounted for $40 billion in retail sales in the past year. To capitalise on this trend, eCommerce websites should optimise for voice search. Effective strategies include providing concise answers, utilising long-tail conversational keywords, using simple content, and implementing speed improvements for easier Google recognition.

18. Incorporate video content to boost engagement.

The use of video content in eCommerce has gained momentum over the past five years, particularly during the pandemic when people were locked at home. Videos are effective in showcasing products better than text descriptions or photos, fostering trust and engaging audiences. They are easy to consume on websites and social media platforms, making them more appealing to users.

To boost eCommerce sales, it is essential to showcase products in motion, allowing users to visualise them using or wearing the product. High-quality visuals are crucial, but not enough to beat the competition. Focusing solely on social networks is not enough, as competition is becoming more intense. Users may see multiple ads on Instagram and YouTube, blurring their attention between viewing and buying.

Emphasise a variety of content, as user-generated videos may be more efficient than professional shootings. Videos should convey all relevant information on the product visually and stir the right emotions, making them more memorable for users. By incorporating video content into eCommerce, businesses can create a more immersive and engaging experience for their customers.

19. Maximize the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for strategic growth.

AI can significantly boost e-commerce sales by accurately predicting customer reactions based on past behaviour. For every Google search, AI instantly considers billions of combinations of signals, such as the search query, location, and device. AI analyses and recognises patterns in these signals, to predict the right time to show your ad across channels and to help make the right bid at the right moment. AI-integrated Google Ad campaigns include Search Ads, Performance Max campaigns and Demand Gen campaigns. With a combination of keywords, graphic assets and ad copies, the AI will mix and match the content to display the ads to the people who are most likely to convert.

20. Add interactive elements for better product visualization to captivate customers.

Interactive content aims to create a more engaging and memorable experience for the audience, compared to traditional, static content like articles and blog posts. This type of content increases engagement, brand awareness, and conversion rates. By actively involving the audience, interactive elements can keep them interested and focused on the message. Engaged and interested audience members are more likely to convert into customers, providing valuable insights into the target audience and tailoring marketing efforts accordingly.

For example, social media engagement can include inviting followers to like, share or comment on their favourite items from your store. Alternatively, you can tease a new partnership or launch and ask your followers to comment on their guesses by dropping hints in the caption. This adds a sense of anticipation and excitement to followers to stay interested for a longer period.

21. Automate customer interactions using chatbots.

Chatbots are a powerful tool for businesses to increase sales. They can serve thousands of customers simultaneously, answering their questions and collecting valuable data to convert potential prospects into paid-up customers. On social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, you can enable automatic responses to clients addressing FAQs and sending relevant website links. This helps you keep your audience engaged even outside working hours.

Chatbots engage prospects, redirect them to resources, advise them of discounts, and collect key marketing data, leading to a 24% increase in customer service satisfaction rates. On Meta, automated responses can be enabled when users interact with your page for a specific event or when their message contains certain keywords.

22. Implement strategies to reduce instances of cart abandonment.

Online shopping cart abandonment is a significant issue, with 69.57% of carts being abandoned. Reasons for this include high prices, shipping costs, complicated checkout processes, account setup, and poor website performance. Other reasons include complicated checkout processes, slow loading, and crashes. To address cart abandonment, an email recovery strategy can be implemented. A series of emails can be sent to encourage customers to complete their transactions, with almost half of these emails being opened and nearly one-third resulting in a completed sale.

Consult a leading digital marketing agency today

Verz Design is a leading web design and digital marketing agency in Singapore. We have 15 years of experience and expertise in providing professional digital marketing strategies for eCommerce businesses. Choose Verz as your eCommerce developer in Singapore today, and we will craft digital marketing strategies that best fit your eCommerce business. Find out how to implement these strategies to market to your target audience effectively.

Contact Verz Design at 6841 1680 or email [email protected] for a free consultation today!