Today, starting an ecommerce business is easier than ever. With platforms like Shopify and the popularity of dropshipping, anyone with a passion for business can set up an online store and start selling products globally. Easy peasy.
However, the process of building a successful ecommerce marketing strategy can still feel daunting, especially for first-time online sellers. From developing a marketing strategy to optimizing your store for conversions, there are numerous moving parts to consider.
That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive ecommerce marketing checklist to guide you through every step of the process. By the end of this post, you’ll have a clear roadmap for starting your own online store and positioning it for long-term success.
1. Content, Collaboration, And Consistency – The Effective Ecommerce Marketing Pillar
When it comes to rocking your eCommerce marketing game, it all boils down to three Cs: content, collaboration, and consistency. Here’s a closer look at these 3 Cs to help you see why they’re so important.
Content: Recreate Your Top Performing Posts
Recreating your top-performing posts is a great way to get even more mileage out of your best content. Followings are the best ways to recreate your top performing content.
- Analyze your social media analytics to identify your best-performing content.
- Recreate and repurpose this high-engagement content to keep your audience interested and coming back for more.
- Focus on the type of content that resonates most with your target customers.
Collaboration: Leverage Influencers and Complementary Brands
When it comes to collaboration, tapping into the power of influencers and complementary brands can be a game-changer. That’s why,
- Collaborate with micro-influencers (5-50k followers) who have a strong, engaged following in your niche.
- Look for complementary brands, not direct competitors, to partner with on cross-promotional opportunities.
- Leverage the pre-existing audiences of your collaborators to rapidly grow your own following.
Consistency: Post Frequently to Stay Top-of-Mind
Think of consistency, like showing up at your friend’s house for game night every week. If you’re always there, they’ll remember you when it’s time to hang out. If you drop in once in a blue moon, they might wonder who you are! This is why,
- Post consistently, at least 2-3 times per week, to maintain a steady stream of content.
- Consistent posting helps you build brand recognition and stay top-of-mind with your audience.
- The social media algorithms favor accounts that post frequently, rewarding you with greater reach and visibility.
2. Build Your Email List: A Powerful Revenue Driver
While organic social media is crucial, the importance of building an email list as soon as possible is undeniable. Email marketing can account for 30-40% of an ecommerce brand’s revenue, making it a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal.
To start building your email list, use website pop-ups to incentivize visitors to sign up. This could be in the form of a content unlock, a discount offer, or a free gift. The key is to provide value in exchange for their email address.
Once you’ve started capturing emails, Greta suggests implementing the following email marketing strategies:
Weekly Email Blasts
- Email your list at least once a week to stay top-of-mind and maintain list health.
- Healthy email lists with high engagement rates will have better deliverability, ensuring your messages reach the inbox.
Automated Email Sequences
- Set up automated email sequences, such as a welcome series and abandoned cart reminders.
- Welcome emails typically have a 50% open rate, which is 20-30% above industry standard.
- Abandoned cart emails can help recover lost sales and boost customer lifetime value.
Developing an Emai list is one of the most important ecommerce marketing checklists that no business should ignore.
3. Increase The Average Order Value and Customer Lifetime Value
Two of the most important metrics for ecommerce businesses are average order value (AOV) and customer lifetime value (CLV). You can apply the following strategies to boost both:
Upsells, Cross-Sells, and Bundles
You should think of these three tactics as the “secret recipe” for increasing sales.
- Upsells: Offer customers the opportunity to purchase more of the same product at a discounted rate.
- Cross-sells: Suggest complementary products that solve the same problem or need as your core offering.
- Bundles: Create pre-packaged product bundles that provide a perceived discount and convenience for the customer.
These tactics not only increase the value of each transaction, but they also enhance the customer experience by making it easy for customers to find and purchase the products they need.
4. Partner With Micro-Influencers for Powerful Social Proof
Influencer marketing is a powerful tool for ecommerce brands, but it’s better to focus on micro-influencers (5-50k followers) rather than larger ones because macro-influencers are more expensive and might be out of your budget.
Micro-influencers are a goldmine when it comes to social proof. They typically have a niche, highly engaged following that matches your target audience, making their endorsements incredibly impactful. Often, they’re more interested in receiving a free gift than monetary compensation, which can make collaborations more accessible. These influencers operate within your product category or address similar issues for their followers, and they maintain strong, authentic relationships with their audience.
So, by gaining the trust and influence of micro-influencers, you can effectively boost awareness and drive sales for your eCommerce brand.
5. Do Content Marketing: Enhance SEO and Attract Organic Traffic
Content marketing is a crucial component of any successful ecommerce strategy. It’s not just about blogging – it can also include user-generated content (UGC) and other forms of content creation.
Do Blogging for SEO
Start by conducting keyword research to pinpoint the terms your target customers are actively searching for. Once you have these high-intent keywords, craft blog content that addresses them directly. This approach not only helps you rank higher in search engine results but also ensures your content is highly relevant to what people are looking for.
By consistently blogging with an SEO focus, you can attract valuable organic traffic to your eCommerce store, driving more potential customers to your site.
Utilize User-Generated Content
Convince your customers to share their photos and reviews of your products using a platform like Loox. This kind of user-generated content is a fantastic way to show off real-life use of your products and gives potential customers a clear picture of what they can expect.
By featuring this content on your website and social media, you not only build trust and credibility but also create a community feel around your brand.
6. Viral Giveaways: Exponential Growth Potential
Giveaways and contests can be a highly effective way to rapidly grow your email list and social media following. The key is to design the giveaway in a way that encourages participants to share it with their own networks, creating a viral effect.
- Encourage participants to share the giveaway on social media or via email to earn additional entries.
- Partner with complementary brands to co-host the giveaway and tap into each other’s audiences.
- Use the viral potential of giveaways to quickly grow your email list and social media following.
7. Boost Sales with Text Message Reminders And Recover abandoned Cart
While email abandoned cart reminders are a standard practice, text message abandoned cart recovery is a new and highly effective strategy.
The key advantage of text messages is their incredibly high open rates – around 80-90% within the first 15 minutes, compared to 20-30% for email over the lifetime of the message. This makes text messages an incredibly effective way to re-engage customers who have abandoned their carts.
Moreover, you can use a tool like Tobi to set up automated text message abandoned cart sequences, similar to email-based abandoned cart flows. By quickly reminding customers of the items they left behind, you can recover a significant number of lost sales.
8. Video Ads: The Future of Ecommerce Marketing
Finally, Facebook and Instagram video ads are key components of your ecommerce marketing strategy. Video ads have the power to capture attention, tell a compelling brand story, and drive conversions.
Greta shares her proven formula for creating effective video ads:
The Video Ad Formula
You can enhance your ecommerce marketing with the video ad formulas, which are as follows:
- Compelling hook: Grab the viewer’s attention from the start.
- Highlight the problem: Identify the pain point your product solves.
- Showcase the benefits: Explain how your product provides the solution.
- Social proof: leverage customer reviews, influencer testimonials, or brand metrics to build trust.
- Irresistible offer: Present a compelling discount, free shipping, or other incentive to drive conversions.
By following this formula and ensuring your video ads are captioned for silent viewing, you can create highly engaging, conversion-focused ads that drive results for your ecommerce business.
Conclusion
So, those top 8 eCommerce marketing checklists? They’re like a cheat sheet for building a successful online business. From making the most of organic social media and email marketing to using clever upsells and running viral giveaways, these strategies are your ticket to snagging more customers, increasing those average order values, and driving long-term growth.
Now that you know these tactics, you’re going to be an eCommerce expert in no time. Wherever your eCommerce journey takes you, best of luck!
