If you’re launching your e-commerce site, your goal is to expand your customer base. That’s where web marketing comes in handy, helping you grow your business, attract traffic, and convert it into customers. Optimum Circle is here to guide you through the opportunities that web marketing offers for improving your e-commerce conversion rates.
What is the e-commerce conversion rate ?
The conversion rate for an e-commerce site represents the portion of visitors (to your site) that you convert into customers, those who will make purchases on your site. And for an e-commerce business, it’s essential because it’s your bread and butter. But let’s not kid ourselves, it’s still relatively low compared to your traffic. Nevertheless, it shouldn’t be neglected; you must persevere, even if it takes time to materialize. The conversion rate also allows you to assess the quality of your web marketing strategy. It’s also a way to evaluate the quality of your pricing offers and promotions or your acquisition channels.
It is therefore necessary to regularly calculate your conversion rate. And even to track its evolution, to know if it is increasing and thus to gauge the success or failure of your digital strategy. Note that it is calculated as a percentage. You must first generate traffic. Without traffic, there are no customers. And without customers, there is no revenue. This is where your web marketing strategy comes into play.
Why choose web marketing to increase your conversions ?
To achieve a positive conversion rate, it is imperative to implement a good digital strategy. For that, you must first consider what resources you want or can allocate. Let’s not hide the fact that the more resources you have, the greater your chances of success. However, even with limited resources, a web marketing strategy can be successful. Therefore, you need to consider your needs, those of your e-commerce business, and what kind of clientele you are targeting. Web marketing can help increase your traffic and potentially convert it into customers. As an e-commerce entrepreneur, you must choose the marketing strategy that is most suitable for your website and your business.
Especially by asking yourself what your products are and who your customers are, what their behaviors are. But don’t forget that you can combine them. Indeed, acquisition channels are perfectly complementary. All means are good for generating traffic, building a customer base, and fostering loyalty. In short, it is essential to keep in mind what your objectives are and what is the most suitable strategy possible to meet them.
The acquisition channels of an e-commerce site
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Natural referencing is certainly the most widespread web marketing strategy in the world. The goal of SEO is simply to be well-ranked by search engines, such as Google. This essentially allows you to be noticed and thus to make yourself known. Regardless of your activity, good referencing is mandatory for any website. A good e-commerce and good content are not enough. A beautiful site doesn’t simply bring in more customers. You need to make yourself known. To do this, you must first be noticed by search engines. It’s a long-term acquisition channel. But nevertheless crucial.
Advertising
Paid advertising or SEA is also a very effective way to make yourself known. SEA, or Search Engine Advertising, is part of paid referencing. It involves all actions related to advertising displayed on search engines such as Google Ads. Purchasing sponsored links through Adwords operates on a CPC (cost per click) auction system and allows for better visibility on search engine results pages for internet users. It’s an excellent way to promote your business, your e-commerce site and an opportunity to showcase what you sell and entice potential customers. Yet, too few e-commerce businesses still utilize this traffic channel. Therefore, it’s ideal for setting yourself apart from the competition. Nonetheless, budget planning is necessary for it to pay off.
Social media
Social media represents one of the most important sources of traffic and therefore potentially one of the most effective and profitable means to generate conversions. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and even YouTube, are ways to showcase your brand, your e-commerce business. They also help capture the attention of your audience. Many people spend time on these social media platforms, and their user bases continue to grow. The more followers and authority you have, the more likely you are to generate traffic. Additionally, it allows you to engage with and nurture your community. For example, you can showcase your latest trends, promotions, and offers. The more significant this traffic, the more chances you have of gaining customers. However, be sure to choose your social networks wisely. Depending on your product and target audience, some platforms may be more beneficial than others. It would be foolish to overlook this potential.
Content
Even though it’s not always sufficient, don’t underestimate your content. Indeed, good content is a sign of quality. You have the opportunity to produce and distribute content such as articles, white papers, or newsletters. It’s important to diversify them to avoid boring your audience. If you’re not familiar with several dedicated sites, like Audrey Tips, the french ‘virtual’ coach who shares all her tips about Digital Marketing. Thus, creating a blog can be a great way to generate traffic for your e-commerce site. It can also be beneficial to be present on other blogs, with backlinks. The goal is to obtain external links pointing to your site, indicating to Google that it has authority. Content strategy is also useful for promoting your products and gaining the trust of your audience.
Partnership
You can create partnerships with other websites, or even with influencers. Influencers often have significant followings on social media. They can promote your products, extolling their virtues… or not. It’s a double-edged sword. You can leverage their large audience for easy advertising, often in exchange for money or offers on your products. But if your budget is not sufficient to collaborate with ‘big’ influencers, you can also consider ‘micro-influencers.’ The results will be lower, but so will the investment. It can help you gain visibility, but results are not guaranteed. It can be very positive for you, or the opposite. So, you need to be sure about what you want to promote.
Trends
The strategies for an e-commerce site are as numerous as they are varied. For example, Marketplaces are online spaces where buyers and sellers meet to conduct transactions. Another solution is price comparison websites. Users search for a product and compare prices from different e-commerce sites. This is a major source for online businesses. Additionally, you can utilize email marketing. This involves using email to promote your e-commerce site, special offers, etc. However, other digital techniques are becoming increasingly trendy, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, voice assistants, or the AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) format for mobile. The goal is to speed up the loading of web pages viewed on mobile or tablet devices.
Even though the conversion rate is still relatively low compared to your traffic, it is not negligible. That’s why a good web marketing strategy is important. It’s essential to carefully consider the one that best suits your e-commerce business. For this, many techniques such as advertising, SEO, or partnerships are possible. So if you want to boost your e-commerce, don’t miss out on a good digital strategy. If you need advice, feel free to contact us now !
Three ideas to remember
What are the conversions for an e-commerce site ?
The conversion rate represents the portion of visitors (to your site) that you convert into customers, those who make purchases on your site. They are calculated as a percentage, allow you to assess the quality of your web marketing strategy and they also help evaluate the quality of your pricing offers and promotions, as well as your acquisition channels.
What is the utility of web marketing for increasing your conversions ?
Web marketing is there to help you gain traffic and potentially convert it into customers. But first, you need to consider your needs, what you sell, and who your target audience is. You need to think about the most suitable web marketing strategy for you. A good strategy is crucial for increasing your conversions.
What are the main acquisition channels for an e-commerce site ?
There are numerous web marketing techniques, acquisition channels for your e-commerce site. Among them are search engine optimization (SEO), search engine advertising (SEA), content marketing, social media, and of course, partnerships with other sites or influencers. Other solutions are also increasingly popular, such as marketplaces, virtual reality, or the AMP format for mobile.