In 2016, 53% of global Internet users (approximately 1 billion) have made a purchase online, while 40% of US males aged 18-34 say they would “ideally buy everything online.”
An eCommerce website has become a “must-have” for many businesses. However, if you build it your customers probably won’t come without the proper marketing strategies.
To make sure the time and money you invest in your eCommerce website are paying off, don’t make these 7 eCommerce marketing mistakes:
Mistake #1: Throwing Spaghetti On the Wall
Content marketing can be a very effective way to drive traffic to your eCommerce website. However, if there’s no strategy to guide your effort, you could end up spending your time and energy on creating and promoting content that doesn’t help drive the right traffic to your website or engage your visitors.
Fix it: Invest in creating original long-form content tailored to your ideal customers and back it up with a sound content marketing strategy for your online store so you can get the most out of your content creation and promotion efforts.
Mistake #2: Not Using Automated Email Marketing
Email marketing is not dead. It’s still one of the best ways to stay in touch with your prospects or customers and build relationships with them. Without email automation, it’s hard to show up consistently so you stay top of mind when your prospects are ready to make a purchasing decision.
Fix it: Set up an automated email marketing campaign that sends out a lead nurturing sequence when prospects join your list.
To take this strategy one step further, personalize your emails — not only by using the recipients’ names but also by segmenting your list so the content is reflective of where they are in their customer journey and how they react to your previous content. This makes them feel special and helps you build trust and relationship with them.
Mistake #3: Ignoring Your Current Customers
People who have bought from you are more likely to buy again. It’s typically more cost-effective to sell to existing customers. Not investing enough resources in cultivating relationships with your existing customers could mean you’re leaving a lot of money on the table.
Fix it: There are many ways to stay top of mind and build relationships with your existing customers:
- Share exclusive product- or service-specific content relevant to your customers
- Implement a loyalty program to entice them to make buying from you a habit
- Ask for feedback and make sure to follow up
- Invite them to exclusive customer appreciation events
- Introduce an affiliate program, or simply ask for referrals
Mistake #4: Neglecting International Clientele
The global reach of your online store means people from all over the world can find your business and order from you. However, many eCommerce merchants aren’t putting in the effort to make sure they’re properly servicing their international customers and as a result, losing sales from their hard-earned traffic.
Fix it: Localize your eCommerce website experience for international visitors:
- Include translation feature in your online store
- Display appropriate shipping and delivery options
- Accept localized payment methods
- Implement a consistent domain structure
- Optimize site content for local search engines
- Provide market-specific customer care
Mistake #5: Missing Out On Mobile
Mobile has become an integral part of any eCommerce experience as more consumers are doing research and making their purchases on mobile devices. In fact, mobile sessions account for 59% of all sessions by device on eCommerce sites and will only continue to grow. You’d be falling behind if your website and user experience aren’t optimized for mobile users.
Fix it: Go beyond mobile responsive interface and consider the many aspects of mobile marketing and user experience, e.g.:
- Make links and buttons “tap-friendly”
- Include a “click to call” feature
- Utilize visual content
- Simplify forms and implement pre-fill function based on geolocation
- Leverage geolocation and mobile-friendly ads to reach the right customers
Mistake #6: Not Doing A/B Testing
Split testing can help an eCommerce website improve user experience, visual design, website content, and marketing strategies to dramatically increase sales. An A/B test can show you exactly what works for your website. By ignoring this important method you could end up with a pretty website that doesn’t convert.
Fix it: Create a plan to A/B test your online store. Your entire checkout process is a good place to start. Elements you can test include:
- Sales page copy – e.g. headline, product description etc.
- Placement and design of your call-to-action
- Single page vs multipage checkout
Mistake #7: Insufficient Sales & Customer Support
Customers are expecting real-time sales and customer support. Having to fill out a contact form on your website and then wait 24 hours to get an email reply is often not enough to convert them to customers or make them stick around.
Fix it: Implement an omnichannel customer support strategy that includes touchpoints such as live chat, phone support, email, social media, and more.
Your turn – have you learned it the hard way? What advice would you give our readers to help them avoid eCommerce marketing mistakes? Leave a comment below and share your insights:
