Ecommerce has become so competitive in recent years that business leaders and marketers are constantly looking for new and powerful ways to separate their brands from the competition.
And rightfully so, because there needs to be a clear distinction between you and your top competitors. Otherwise, there is nothing to inspire your customers to stay.
The truth is that you need to constantly work towards a bigger and better online presence nowadays. Because if you don’t, someone else will steal your customers from behind your back.
Luckily for you, there are numerous effective ways you can develop and grow your online status and reach the hearts and minds of millions of global shoppers.
The key to achieving this is, of course, to invest heavily in tried-and-tested digital marketing methods with a proven track record.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best tips that will help you distance yourself from the competition – and boost your online presence for your growing Ecommerce store.
Build a unique brand identity
It all begins with a brand. It’s the first thing people notice, and the last thing they remember when they’re done shopping.
A brand is one of the only things that motivates and inspires people to come back to your site. It’s memorable, trustworthy, transparent, and it stands for something truly meaningful.
In essence, your brand identity is one of the most powerful assets you have. Without it, you have nothing to disseminate across the online world.
And you better believe that online shoppers need and want to connect with their favorite Ecommerce brands on a more personal level.
To create a memorable brand presence, focus on the following:
- Brainstorm a name and a slogan that resonates with your target audience.
- Complement your name with a striking visual identity.
- Craft unique values and messages people can relate to.
- Weave these values into your content and communication strategies.
- Define a distinct tone of voice you’ll be known for.
Establish an omni-channel communication strategy
Nowadays, people want to communicate with their brands.
Gone are the days when companies would simply push advertisement in the general direction of their demographic without engaging in honest and timely communication with the public.
In the 21st century, you’re either chatting with the consumers, or you’re falling behind the brands that are establishing a loyal relationship with them.
One of the keys to boosting your online presence across the online and offline realms is to build an omni-channel communication strategy.
It should encompass every platform from social media, to direct messaging and live chat, all the way to email.
People need to be able to reach you at any point in time and get an answer to their question, and a solution to their problem.
Omnipresence requires a hefty sum of resources. And one of the ways to reduce costs is to outsource customer service, as being available 24/7 can put a strain on your business.
Simply put, this will allow you to build a reputation as a transparent and trustworthy Ecommerce brand.
Invest in sponsored ads across the web
PPC advertising is one of the most powerful tools in any Ecommerce store’s arsenal.
This a measurable and reliable way to position your brand in front of the eyes and ears of your target audience. All without spending months and years building up your online presence as you would with search engine optimization.
This is not to say that SEO shouldn’t be the foundation of your digital marketing efforts. But it does mean that you should invest in sponsored ads as well.
This, of course, costs money. However, the investment is going to pay off in the long run.
The only “problem” is gathering the necessary finances to fuel your PPC campaigns. To achieve this, make sure you’re maintaining the cash flow needed to cover operational costs.
You can boost your cash flow with financing fees to expedite outstanding customer payments and reallocate funds to your marketing campaign.
Once you have the capital, you can launch sponsored ads on social media and search engines, paying close attention to your KPIs in order to determine the ROI of your investment.
Rinse, repeat, and watch as your traffic, sales, and online recognition start to rise.
Invest in social media management
Even though social media ads are an important part of your online presence, they are still a single piece of the puzzle.
The other piece is, of course, social media management. Or growing your social media presence via social posting, engagement, and other long-term inbound tactics.
The good part about social media management for Ecommerce is that there are numerous engaging types of posts you can capitalize on.
From blogs and infographics, to interesting videos, all the way to social media contests and giveaways – the possibilities for growing your online presence across social media are endless.
This will, however, require time and patience on your end. And it will require you to stick to a strict posting schedule in order to build a loyal following and attract new audiences with quality content.
With that in mind, be sure to figure out when your audience is most active. And then start planning engaging posts that are tailored to every network.
Boost awareness through influencers
Word of mouth is a very big deal in Ecommerce, and the business world in general.
If you want your brand to pass the social proof barrier and become a household name, you will need to market and advertise it through influential individuals in the industry.
In other worlds, you will need to reach out to social media and web influencers and establish a partnership.
Usually, this comes in the form of a sponsorship. You sponsor the influencer by sending them your products for them to review, and share with their online following.
This is one of the best ways to disseminate your brand around the web, and gain the trust of your potential customers from the get-go.
After all, if they trust the words of their social media gurus, chances are they will trust in your brand as well.
Harness the power of email marketing
Email is not only alive and kicking in the modern business world, it has become one of the most powerful marketing tools at your disposal.
This is a channel of communication that opens numerous alleyways for your brand to reach its audience, talk to them on a more personal level, and convey its message effectively and efficiently.
Optimize them well, and your emails can grow your web presence as a whole.
By sending out personalized messages, including social media buttons, adding CTAs, and integrating links to your product pages, you can easily boost traffic to your social media and website.
However, keep in mind that the keyword here is personalization. In order for an email to yield the desired results, it needs to be relevant to the customer.
So no more “dear customer” emails that address no one specifically. Make sure every email speaks to the unique needs and preferences of the consumer.
Prioritize 1st party reviews on your site
And finally, do prioritize 1st party reviews rather than the reviews on other websites.
Sure, all reviews matter to Google and your customers, but reviews found on other websites are not considered original content. While reviews on your own site are.
Publishing reviews on your own site instead of sharing them from 3rd party websites gives you the much-needed SEO boost to rank your business higher.
This is especially true in branded searches and thus boosts your authority and trustworthiness in the industry.
The result is higher engagement and brand awareness. So gather as many positive reviews as you can, and upload them to your site for the world to see.
Boost ecommerce online presence: in conclusion
Ecommerce is a highly-competitive field with a lot of promise for aspiring entrepreneurs.
There is a lot of money to be made from running a successful Ecommerce store nowadays, but only if you employ the right marketing strategies to set yourself apart from the competition.
Use these tips to improve your standing in the industry and build an online presence that will echo throughout the industry.
