The WOW factor: How retailers can build customer relationships that last
Retailers can no longer rely on product pitches to win customers. Find out how to deliver personalized experiences that build loyalty and drive growth.
Online stores have become a key part of the global retail sector thanks to the shift in consumer behavior over the past couple years.
According to data by Statista, retail e-commerce sales hit $4.9 trillion in 2021 and are expected to reach about $7.4 trillion by 2025, making up nearly a quarter of total global retail sales.
With e-commerce an unstoppable force, more and more companies are trying to get a piece of it. How can you attract customers in such a crowded market to increase sales and grow your online store?
Here are five core strategies:- Improve your website
- Double down on SEO
- Leverage social media
- Step up your email marketing
- Focus on fulfillment
How to grow your online store: Improve website performance
As your online store scales, the website must be able to handle the load. This might require upgrading your server or website provider.
Work to improve website loading speed. Many studies have shown that fast load times increase conversion rates. Without seamless web performance, you risk losing visitors and sales.
To prepare a website for scaling, optimize the site for mobile devices. Mobile e-commerce sales have grown rapidly over the past years as more people switch to online shopping.
Design a mobile app for your online store so that customers can shop on the go, ultimately increasing sales and revenue.
Tracking analytics such as conversion rates, product performance, website and social media traffic helps you know whether your online store is performing well. This data can be used to see what’s working and what needs improvement.
To stand out from the competition, attract more customers to your website by developing buyer personas, special offers and promotions, and using both traditional and digital forms of marketing.
Essential e-commerce website features for online success
There are the three capabilities online sellers need in order to provide an experience that meets consumers' actual needs. Brands need mobile-friendly, AI-driven sites with great CX to thrive.
Get seen: Double down on SEO
Online retailers need to constantly improve their SEO to solidify their online presence and grow e-commerce business. SEO is a crucial part to making sure consumers find you.Statistics by Safari Digital show that 9 out of 10 users will select results from the first page of Google. A strong SEO strategy ensures that your online store is on the first page and can be discovered easily by customers.
Use tools such as Google Analytics to monitor performance and make sure your team knows how to optimize content.
Keep in mind that Google keeps updating its algorithm. Ensure that your website, product pages, and other content align with the latest updates from Google to boost SEO rankings.
Boost engagement through social media
More marketers today are leveraging the power of social media for online businesses. Research by Statista shows that social media ad spend is expected to go above $200 billion by 2024.
As you grow your online store, plan and allocate more money from the marketing budget to social media ads. Create diverse content, including images and videos, and tailor this to specific consumer segments. Personalized content will result in better ROI.
Additionally, partner with influencers to promote products or services to boost your social media game. Influencer marketing opens the door to new audiences. Take advantage of business features on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to reach more customers.
Social commerce examples: The power of social influence for online selling
Social commerce is a huge opportunity for any company that sells products online. See how you can harness the power of social influencers to sell more.
Scale email marketing
Despite the growth of social media, email remains a vital way to reach consumers. Email marketing helps entice customers and build loyalty with targeted messages promoting new product releases, special offers, and discounts.
One of the most common email marketing tools are newsletters. Upgrade your newsletter format and style and update email lists to get more subscribers.
When sending emails and newsletters, tailor them to the audience and avoid spamming. Personalized email increases open rates and sales.
Personalized email: Relevant messages get real results
What's the secret to getting email marketing right? Discover how personalized emails boost customer experience, open rates, and conversion.
Grow your online store by focusing on fulfillment
As your e-commerce business grows, you’ll need to handle and manage more inventory to meet customer demands. Develop a fulfillment approach that allows your online store to receive, ship and process orders quickly and accurately. Having the right systems in place will protect you from losing customers to competitors.
For instance, if your e-commerce is shifting to global shipments, ensure that the shipping and payment system is integrated for faster product and service delivery. In addition, automate systems to streamline operations.
When planning shipping, budget for the change in costs. Due to rising diesel prices, there’s a spike in fuel surcharges. Price volatility has forced most carriers to double their costs in the past few months.
With efficient order fulfillment and effective marketing, customers will keep buying from your online store and fuel growth for years to come.
