If you own and operate an online store, then you have entered what is called the eCommerce space. eCommerce has been around for almost as long as the internet has. There are many individuals who make a very comfortable living selling products and services online. Some even reach billionaire status, like the founder of Amazon.
If you have started an online store, and you would like it to be competitive within your niche or industry, then it is vital that you figure out the best ways to market it. You might hire a marketing strategy agency if you need some advice in this area. They can help you if you don’t have the necessary experience to make your company a success.
You can also try to tackle your own marketing if you think you are capable of it. Either way, you should know about some of the best and most proven methods of marketing an online store. We’ll run through a few of those in the following article.
Use Social Media
Using social media is one of the more modern marketing methods that is definitely worth thinking about. First, you’ll need to figure out which social media platforms your likely customers are using. Then, you can create an account with those platforms and start creating content.
If you can come up with content that is appealing enough for your target market, then you should be able to convince them to visit your website. Conversions should be the next step in the process.
Use SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, is another proven method of attracting more individuals to your website who might utilize your services and buy your products. There are all sorts of SEO strategies that you can use, such as optimizing your site with keywords.
There are dozens of different ways you can customize your SEO plan, but doing some research into current best practices is a must if you hope to be successful with this method. If you’re not sure about how to start, consulting with an expert in this area makes sense.
Try Email Marketing
Email marketing means sending out emails to your mailing list that might mention things like flash sales your website is having or upcoming seasonal promotions. However, in order to do this, you must compile an email list.
Doing so often involves social media. If you hold a giveaway on social media, for instance, and you ask for each participant’s email address in return, that’s a smart idea that often yields excellent benefits. Once you have compiled that email list, you can occasionally send out messages. Just make sure not to do it too much, or that might annoy your potential customers instead of enticing them.
Use PPC Advertising
PPC, or pay-per-click advertising, involves you creating ads and then featuring them on social media platforms, on search engine results, or even on other websites besides your own. When someone clicks on your ad, it instantly takes them to your website.
The only issue with this approach is that every time someone clicks on one of your ads, you will pay a fee. You may find that this expenditure is worth it in some instances, though.
Create a Company Blog
You can also create a blog and feature it on your company’s website. This is something that eBusinesses can do for free, so that’s a plus.
You should try to feature content on the blog that you think will attract some potential new customers. You might ask your social media followers what they’re interested in if you need some inspiration. Keep in mind, though, that you also need to either take some time to write the blogs or hire someone to do it for you instead.
Write Some Guest Blogs
You can also write guest blogs on another company’s website. If you are an authority in your niche, another business entity might allow you to do a guest blog. You can add an outbound link at the end of the blog that directs people to your website.
Use Guerilla Marketing
You can use what is called guerrilla marketing. There are different forms of it. For instance, you might hire individuals to walk around a city wearing shirts or other articles of clothing that have your website’s URL on them.
You may also instruct them to hang up fliers with the site’s address on it or to use spraypaint to stencil the company URL on the sidewalks of major cities. Make sure the site’s URL will wash off eventually if you do this, though.
Use Old-Fashioned Methods of Marketing
You can also use so-called “old fashioned” methods of marketing if you’re so inclined. These might involve putting an ad with your company’s website URL on bus stop benches or on billboards.
You might make a radio jingle and get it on the airwaves. You may create a commercial and air it on TV if you feel that’s cost-effective. Whether these methods make sense will probably depend on what it is you’re offering and the audience you’re targeting.
Use Influencer Marketing
You can partner with an influencer and have them extol the virtues of your company and products on their channel. Maybe they’re active on Twitch, Instagram, TikTok, or one of the many other popular social media platforms.
You will need to either pay them or give them free merch. The more famous they are, the more of a following they will have, so the higher their fee if you try to partner with them.
Partner with Some Other Brands
You can even sometimes partner with another brand if you find that you share some common ground. If your company is selling mustard, for instance, then partnering with a hot dog company makes sense.
However, you should be mindful that another business entity will probably only want to partner with you if they feel that what you make is complementary to theirs. If they see you as a competitor, they will probably refuse a partnership.
