So you have decided to start your journey into offering your products online. You have started a website, and you’re now ready to receive customers. But the thing about e-commerce is that it can be difficult to attract customers online. The web is saturated with all kinds of content and products, and to stand out from the rest is not easy. However, with the right kind of effort, it is possible to increase your products’ online presence and catch the eyes of potential buyers. Here are 5 main ways of raising your digital profile and building a thriving e-commerce business.  

     1. Get more exposure by Search Engine Optimization    

    A global study on retail e-commerce has found that 51% of shoppers research on Google when they plan on buying something online. As such, the success of digital e-commerce is heavily reliant on being easily discoverable on search engines. This is why search engine optimization (SEO), is one of the most effective ways to improve your website’s visibility online.  SEO involves various techniques that lead to a website being optimized for search queries, thereby allowing it to rank higher on search engine results. If you are selling a certain product, then you want to be among the top results that show when people search for that product on search engines like Google and Bing. By optimizing your site for keywords relevant to your business, you can attract more visitors who are looking for what you offer. Search engine optimization also introduces best practices into your website, such as having the correct set of metadata that would allow Google to direct the appropriate search traffic to your website.  

    2. Adopt a multi-channel sales strategy.  

    A study has shown that your product should be exposed to customers at least 7 times before they decide to buy. As such, this means that your products have to be everywhere on the web, constantly vying for the attention of potential buyers. This means being on as many social media platforms as you can, as well as listing your product on other popular e-commerce platforms. Open up multiple channels of sales and marketing so that your products have the best chance of being seen and heard by your customers.

    3.  Get better business reviews  

     It has been reported that 9 out of 10 consumers read the reviews before making a purchase, and 86% of customers say that they will think twice if a company has negative reviews. Thus, reviews are critical for influencing the purchasing behavior of potential customers. The first thing about getting good reviews is that you have to get the basics right. Sell great products, write authentic descriptions of your products, and have excellent customer service. The customer experience is of utmost priority when it comes to preventing negative feedback and attracting positive reviews.  You could also try to incentivize your customers into leaving reviews. Perhaps offer a reward, like a discount coupon if they leave a review. Or do a review contest and offer an enticing prize. Being creative is the name of the game. 

    4. Set up an email marketing campaign. 

    Email is a big part of all internet users’ daily routine now. More than 306 billion emails are sent every day. Thus, it should also make up a big part of your overall online marketing strategy. 81% of B2B marketers say that email newsletters are their most used form of content marketing.  Email marketing can be a powerful tool. 

   First of all, it boasts high conversion compared to other methods of outreach such as social media. One report has shown that it accounts for 19.8% of all transactions, trailing only behind paid search and organic traffic. Moreover, email marketing allows a business to build relationships with their customers over time. Once you have a consenting user who is on your email list, you can keep sending offers and communicating with them.  However, as much as it is a free way to reach your audience, email marketing is quite saturated. So make sure to craft an eye-catching email marketing campaign. Personalize the message for your target audiences. Make strong hooks for your subject lines. Everything counts.  

    5. Build a strong brand.  

    Most importantly, you have to build a strong brand. A good brand image and value proposition goes a long way when it comes to gaining and retaining customers. Study shows that 59% of shoppers prefer to buy from brands that are familiar to them.  This means creating a brand image that is attractive, contemporary, and consistent. Simple things like logos have a huge influence on your consumer’s purchasing behavior, with details like fonts affecting the psychology of the viewer. It is certainly worth the dollars when you invest into a good brand image.  But this also means establishing the right kind of customer experience around your brand. 

   A big part of what drives a brand’s strength is trust and a sense of belonging, both of which cannot be established if your customers feel that you’re not the right product due to how the interaction is 77% of customers are more likely to recommend the brand to a friend when they have a positive experience with a company. That is the true power of a good brand, in which your customers are turned into your best advocates.

   All of the above things are not easy. SEO takes months for it to be properly reflected in your numbers. Multi-channel strategies take a lot of effort to set up and maintain. Reviews may not come readily. Email marketing may build very slowly at first. Good branding is always built with plenty of trial and error. But when you push through and keep investing in these efforts, and make the right strategic moves, you will eventually start to see returns on your online marketing, and your products will surely thrive.

Reference Link: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/search/product-research-search-statistics/

Reference Link: https://www.invespcro.com/blog/how-branding-influences-purchase-decisions-infographic/

Reference Link: https://www.getfeedback.com/resources/cx/brand-perception/

Reference Link: https://tweakyourbiz.com/marketing/branding/logo-influences-buyer-decisions

Reference Link: https://www.krusecontrolinc.com/rule-of-7-how-social-media-crushes-old-school-marketing-2021/#:~:text=The%20Marketing%20Rule%20of%207,buy%20that%20product%20or%20service

Reference Link: https://www.oberlo.ca/blog/online-review-statistics

Reference Link: https://www.dixa.com/blog/3-important-statistics-that-show-how-reviews-influence-consumers/

Reference Link: https://www.statista.com/statistics/456500/daily-number-of-e-mails-worldwide/