This year, global consumers will spend an estimated $6.77 trillion on goods and services bought online. More and more retailers want to be a part of this success and many achieve it through hard work, introducing their brand to a new country and securing good sales figures.
However, too many e-tailers reach a certain point where they’re either content with their level of online success, or they simply don’t know how to progress. We present some key areas to focus on and some new ways to get e-tailers unstuck and on the path to further growth.
Can your user experience be better?
With so much competition around, the average consumer is truly spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting online stores. Your user experience (UX) should be the best it can possibly be, which means continually reviewing your website and analysing it objectively for ongoing improvement. Quite simply, if your website confuses, frustrates or irritates your customers, then they’ll leave for somewhere else. As Practical Ecommerce states: ‘A positive UX reduces bounces and encourages visitors to browse and purchase. It drives ratings, referrals, and inbound links.’
Site navigation should always be easy and it should be made absolutely clear what your brand does (what’s obvious to you might not be to your customers). Include clear, concise calls to action and make sure the shopping cart is easy to access, leading to a straightforward checkout process. Think about embedding valuable content on your website and don’t forget to optimise UX for mobile, given the remarkable rise of m-commerce.
Improve SEO for your website
Due to the rapid growth of ecommerce, more and more businesses are entering an increasingly crowded space. This means it’s more important than ever to master SEO to stand above the competition and ensure your search ranking is as high as it can be. After all, how can customers buy from your shop if they can’t find it?
Surprisingly, it’s a vital aspect of online selling that many e-tailers neglect. Ecommerce platform BigCommerce states: ‘Despite the fact that SEO has the highest ROI of any ecommerce marketing campaign, most online shops are put together with little to no consideration of search engines.’ If you’re in the dark about SEO and haven’t got a firm grip on its principles yet, then it’s time to read up on this all-important subject.
Find out about Google updates, keyword research, alt tags, backlinks, meta description and organic search. If you already have a grasp of SEO, then make sure you never take your eye off it; keep on learning, practising and staying up to date with the latest developments.
Effective social media for ecommerce
Executed the right way, social media can be the heartbeat of your business and the direct, instant link between your brand and your customers. It’s a powerful tool for ecommerce websites who want to direct shoppers towards new products or exclusive deals, and to attract new customers. Business 2 Community advises: ‘If you engage actively with your audience and quickly resolve their apprehensions, then you can convert them into true fans.’
So are you engaging with your customer base, and how active are you on social media? Are you offering them anything valuable through your social media? Many online businesses restrict themselves to snappy Facebook posts, but there are so many platforms to exploit, from Instagram and LinkedIn, to YouTube and Pinterest.
Consider other elements of content marketing too, such as video creation or writing blogs. Help your customers by sharing useful information on your brand, your industry and your product lines.
Build strategic partnerships
When it comes to the pursuit of greater success, it’s rare for ecommerce companies to make it completely on their own. Regardless of the type of company, all brands can benefit from bringing partners on board to handle different parts of the organisation for them, freeing them up to focus on business growth.
Look for partnerships opportunities wherever you can. One area, for example, is fulfilment, which is a popular department to outsource. A world-class fulfilment partner should be able to take over the operation efficiently and have the necessary solutions to help streamline your business and build your brand. Outsourcing your fulfilment and distribution to a global brand like Sprint Logistics allows you to relax as you leave complicated, time-consuming processes in the hands of logistics experts.
Sprint Logistics provides worldwide fulfilment services, distribution, storage, mass mailing and supply chain management. With an extensive distribution network covering over 200 countries, we aim to be the best provider of smart supply chain solutions to local and international clients.
Contact Sprint Logistics to discuss your fulfilment needs and see how we can help you achieve your goals.