It is not a secret that marketing is one of the most challenging areas of any business. As a result, entrepreneurs are likely to spend thousands of dollars doing marketing strategies. However, only a few can execute them accordingly.

Moreover,the internet is an overcrowded arena and any ineffective execution of marketing plans makes sales hard to come by especially, with a lot of competitors out there.As E-commerce sales are expected to increase by more than 30 percent in 2020, according to trends, many competitors are now vying for your customers'attention which can make it more difficult and complex to choose where to focus your current marketing plan to make your brand stand out.

In this article, you will learn how eCommerce marketing will allow you to build brand awareness, improve online conversions, and increase repeat sales through the top 12 of the best e-commerce marketing strategies. Continue reading to know what strategies you can employ to boost your business: 

#1. Optimize your online store

Small tweaks to store content can make it easier for customers to find your brand online. Therefore, optimizing one's business' online store is more crucial than one can imagine. 

How do you do that? 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) should be at the forefront of your e-commerce marketing efforts. Optimizing your website for search engines will increase your business' visibility and organic traffic. In addition, SEO will help you build trust with potential customers. 

Here are examples of simple search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve an online store and increase sales with effective copywriting:

● Product pages  

Include descriptive and helpful keywords. Consider what search terms people might type into a search engine when looking for products similar to those you sell. Then be sure to include those words in your store copy.

● Product descriptions  

Help customers find products quickly through informative and organized descriptions. Ask yourself what questions customers might commonly have about the products you specialize in, then build in keywords naturally throughout the copy.

● Product listings

Help customers discover the answers to their questions by including FAQs in product listings. In addition, many tools and services are available for optimizing your product listings. Take Amazon account optimization, for example, which has been keeping up with dynamic changes in the algorithm. 

Aim for the best possible customer experience by making product listings concise, accurate, and easy to understand. Learn more about other tips for business success you need to consider at this stage.

#2. Content marketing  

 Content marketing is another essential marketing technique. Executing content marketing as a marketing strategy will drive traffic to your business through creating or sharing content.

Through content marketing, you can educate potential customers about your products. In addition, content marketing can help you build relationships with industry experts and leaders.

What type of content can these be?

Here are some of the sample content you can apply to your marketing strategy:

• Articles
• Comprehensive Infographics
• Content Copies
• High Photographs
• Videos

Please note that you need to research the types of content that work best in your industry. Most importantly, you have to test it according to content performance. Testing can help you assess if the content is working well with your audience.

#3. Take advantage of social media

Social media marketing is also key to the success of your e-commerce business. By promoting your products on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can reach a wider audience and generate more leads and sales.

Here are some tips: 

• Try starting with one or two social channels. Then, research the sites your customers are already using and focus on those. 
• Use well-written copy, engaging visuals, and videos to expand your reach and keep customers informed about new promotions and offers. You can also repurpose the contents you have with your current online store. 
• Consistently engage with followers, gather feedback, and court social influencers to build a loyal community.

One very important factor in social media marketing is knowing your target audience or developing a customer avatar that will allow you to tailor your campaigns.

#4. Run ads

Keep eyes on your brand, connect with target customers, and increase sales with strategic product ads. Running ads through paid advertising is also a great way to promote your eCommerce business.

By running ads on Google, Facebook, and other platforms, you can reach a wide audience and generate more leads and sales. Business owners should note that paid advertising can be expensive, but it's worth it if you want to grow your business quickly.

There are several common types of paid search ads:

• Pay Per Click (PPC) ads target a specific keyword on a search engine and make bids on the keyword, competing with others also targeting the keyword. You are only charged when a person clicks on your online ad.
• Retargeting is a technique that shows online shoppers relevant visual or text ads when they visit other websites. This can be a way to remind visitors of products and services after they leave your e-commerce site.

Choose the right keywords to help entice customers, raise click-through rates, and drive consistent traffic to your brand with product ads.

#5. Try affiliate marketing  

Affiliate marketing is another effective e-commerce marketing technique. Affiliate marketing programs can generate significant online revenue and drive sales.

By partnering with other businesses in your industry, you can promote their products on your website. In return, they will pay you a commission for every sale you make or generate. Sales are tracked via affiliate links from one website to another.

There are a lot of affiliate marketing programs available. The Amazon Associates Program, for example, helps content creators, publishers, and bloggers monetize their traffic. Associates can use link-building tools to direct an audience to their recommendations and earn from qualifying purchases and programs.

Learn more about how to use easy link-building tools to direct an audience to your recommendations: Amazon Associates Program

#6. Make use of reviews and testimonials

Talk to customers as much as possible. Customer interactions are marketing gold. Here are three powerful ways to use positive customer experiences in your marketing:

• Customer reviews can help you (or hurt you). They occur spontaneously, are visible to everyone, and happen without your control. In addition, reviewers are candid, and many buyers read reviews before deciding to purchase. So don't ignore reviews; be sure to monitor, analyze, and respond.
• Testimonials showcase a positive interaction your business has shared with a customer. Use testimonials on your websites and in other marketing materials to tell stories about your business and encourage customers to give your brand a try.

Customer reviews and testimonials are vital as they are the basis of your customers, especially the keen ones, on deciding a purchase.

#7. Review your store analytics

E-commerce analytics can deliver data-driven insights into how customers interact with your online business, taking some of the guesswork out of optimization and revealing opportunities for improvement and innovation.

Study this information to understand trends and shifts in consumer behavior. Then, armed with store analytics, you can make decisions to drive more online sales.

#8. Build an emailing list

Managing an email list can be a highly tailored way to keep customers connected with your brand. You can send targeted emails to segments of your mailing lists depending on what actions you want customers to take.

Here are a couple of common types of emails:

• Cart abandonment emails can encourage customers to return and purchase what they left in their carts.
• Special offer emails let readers know about promotions and coupons. Get creative with free shipping offers, buy-one-get-one discounts, or digital coupons.

To get the most out of your email marketing efforts, collect customer email addresses as early in the sales funnel as possible. You can do this by offering incentives to capture a visitor's contact information, such as a pop-up box with a freebie, coupon, or discount.

#9. Write blogs

 Blogging can be time-consuming but done well; it can develop your brand voice, share your story, and drive sales.

Keep these best practices in mind:

• Strategically choose blog topics to help educate, encourage, and inspire customers. First, do some keyword research to target concepts customers care about, then focus your posts on those topics.
• Get creative with wishlists and free giveaways. The goal is to give people a reason to share your blog content and join your email list.
• Guest post on other established blogs to drive traffic and position yourself as a thought leader in your arena.

Quality blog content isn't simple product promotion. Instead, it offers expertise and helps customers make purchasing decisions.

#10. Develop a community 

Think about what unites your customers. For example, does your brand care deeply about a certain cause?

Create a sense of community around your brand with the help of user-generated content (sometimes referred to using the acronym UGC).

Encourage your community to share their experiences with your business and product offerings. Here are some tips to get you started:

• First, categorize content and reach a wider audience with well-crafted hashtags.
• Create clear guidelines to help inspire customers and let them know what type of content you accept.
• Third, tailor content based on the channels you'll be using, and adjust content as necessary for different social media sites.
• Finally, run a contest or offer rewards to encourage user-generated content and create buzz about your brand.

#11. Offer your products in a bundle

Think of product bundles as package deals: combinations of individual products sold as one package for one price. Bundling can help increase sales and brand loyalty.

Bundle items that make sense together and communicate the benefit to the customer. For example, if you sell clothing, you might offer a belt to go along with a pair of jeans or a matching set of earrings to accessorize a necklace. Or let customers bundle custom orders themselves with select items.

Bundling can also be a great way to promote new products. Use analytics to track data on what sells as a bundle, then use insights to make decisions on future bundles.

You might want to check out what to sell on Amazon FBA and its definitive guide to help you with your business logistics. In this case, product-bundling.

#12. Curate subscription boxes

Do you offer products that customers order again and again? Subscription boxes can be a creative way to build anticipation and get customers excited about items they receive regularly.

The ideas are endless: Pet products, food goods, craft kits, and beauty products are just a few examples of items that can make great subscription boxes. Consider growing your business with Amazon Subscription Boxes, where you can list, sell, and manage subscription boxes all in one place.

With strategy, effort, and the right tools in your marketing toolbox, you can help boost e-commerce sales in a big way. Amazon is here to help you succeed.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the effective e-commerce marketing techniques you can use to grow your business. By employing these strategies, you'll be able to attract more customers and increase sales.

Remember to be patient and to test strategies keenly for better business performance!

So what are you waiting for? Start implementing these techniques today and see how they can benefit your business.

Author's Bio

Jayce is the managing director of Seller Interactive, an Amazon marketing agency that offers Amazon SEO services to brands built on Amazon. With content marketing skills that have taken him to top brands such as GoDaddy and Toyota, he's cemented his knowledge and expertise in helping brands reach new heights.