What Is Ecommerce Marketing? Everything You Need To Know

Do you know what the perfect weekend night looks like for me?

It's lazing on the couch. Netflix is in the background. Beer in hand. And check out everything I have in my online shopping cart.

Ah, bliss.

And trust me, millions of people feel the same. With the current state of the world, staying in is the new cool thing to do these days.

That entails buying necessities online. And indulging in other things, of course.

The point is, ecommerce is now essential for our everyday lives. It's incredibly convenient. And even offers a broader variety of products than traditional retail.

Because of this, ecommerce businesses are flourishing more than ever. Just take a look at the numbers:

• Ecommerce sales are predicted to grow to $8.09 trillion in 2028.
• By 2023, ecommerce sales are forecast to take 22% of worldwide retail sales. That's $6.5 trillion in sales.
• Globally, 63% of people said they bought more online due to the pandemic. 86% said they would continue doing so post-pandemic.

So, if you have already run an online store, congratulations! You're already on the ride to success.

If not, then there's no better time to start than today!

Once you establish your online store, it's time to think of your ecommerce marketing.

After all, you need to let your target audience know about your products and services.

In today's blog post, we're going to answer the following:

• What is ecommerce marketing?
• What are the types of ecommerce marketing?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of ecommerce marketing?
• What are some of the successful marketing campaigns?
• What are some tips you can use for your ecommerce marketing strategy?
• How to write an ecommerce marketing plan?
• FAQs

Let's dive right in!

What is Ecommerce Marketing?

Ecommerce marketing is creating awareness about a business that sells its products or services online. You can apply this to acquiring both new customers and old ones.

What more? Ecommerce marketing also doesn't stop online. Its channels also include traditional, offline methods. Here are some types of ecommerce marketing:

• Online publications
• Podcasts
• Blogs
• Email marketing
• Social media marketing
• Search engine marketing
• Offline marketing such as newspaper ads, radio ads, and TV spots

There are a lot of things ecommerce marketing can do for your business. Besides driving traffic to your ecommerce business, it can also:

• Bring more brand awareness to people looking for products in your niche
• Bring your ecommerce brand directly to your target audience
• Create a positive post-purchase experience to increase customer loyalty
• Converts new users to become a customer
• Encourages old customers to buy again from your online store
• Promotes larger and more frequent orders

Here's the bottom line... You won't be able to make any sales without a marketing strategy. People need to know about you, to spend money on you.

Read our blog post about composable commerce.

Now you know how important ecommerce marketing is, let's move on to expanding the...

Types of Ecommerce Marketing

Let's take a look at different channels you can use to advertise your target audience. Since your business is online, most types are digital spaces. But there are traditional channels you can use, as well.

The first one is...

Ecommerce Social Media Marketing

This is the use of social media websites and apps. It's to connect with your audience to build your brand and increase your sales.

The social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and WhatsApp.

These help in building relations with the customer. Hence, building loyalty.

 Social media marketing can be made more effective by: 

• Showing Your Product On Social Media Platforms. Posting them will draw the attention of the audience to your product pages.
• Creating Shoppable Content. This is the type of content that enables your audience to buy your product right away. Tapping the Product Tags on Instagram directs them to your product page.

Don't be afraid to use product reviews as content for your social media. Use the Facebook Business Page to add your customers' praises to your product.

Another reliable type of marketing is...

Email Marketing

This type of marketing involves sending emails to a list of potential customers. It provides direct contact with the clients. It also drives prospective customers to your website.

You might think that email marketing is old school. And it is. But it's also reliable. How so?

It is easy and effective in that you can send updates and reminders to your customers within a short time.

Also, it helps do a follow-up on people who have made purchases in the past.

Once you get your email list going, you can automate this process. And you don't have to worry about it anymore!

Ecommerce SEO

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This is the process of getting traffic through a natural search on search engines (Google, Bing, etc.).

When users visit your website more often, it maximizes its chances of ranking well for relevant searches.

So, how do you optimize your ecommerce website?

Most of the time, it's by adding relevant keywords to your copy. And by relevant keywords, I mean words that your potential customers would search when looking for products similar to yours.

The best thing about doing SEO is it's free!

Content Marketing

Content marketing involves continually creating and distributing valuable and relevant information about a brand. 

It is crucial in that it helps in attracting and retaining a specific audience who can ultimately become potential customers.  It focuses more on communicating with the customer without always selling.

There are a lot of ways you can create content. Here are some forms you can try:

• Optimizing your product pages
• Writing relevant blogs
• Creating guest posts for external websites
• Recording a podcast

The good thing about your content is that you can reuse them. Post them on your social media platforms. Or add them to your promotional emails. Up to you!

You can also partner with other people through...

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing involves using people who can help sell your product online for a commission. These people who help sell your commodity are called affiliates.

You, the merchant, will provide them with hem a unique link. The link will track who's contributing to the buying process.

Your affiliates usually promote the products using their blogs. They earn profits for each sale they make.

Due to ecommerce trends, affiliate marketing is slowly being replaced by...

Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing involves using a group of people or a brand that possesses a significant influence. They will then promote your business to potential buyers of your product.

This could include using a celebrity. Or an Instagram account with a large number of followers. Or a community that your target audience follows or belongs to.

Plus, it can also reach other audiences you haven't realized yet.

Lastly, you can try...

Pay-Per-Click Advertising

This type of marketing is the process of gaining traffic by purchasing ads on a search engine.

You, the advertiser, get charged a pre-determined amount every time the ad gets clicked.

For example, you can gain more customers through Google Ads. Bing is also a choice you can opt for. Social channels are also available for your use.

And that's it! These are the types of marketing you can utilize to further your ecommerce business.

So, now that you know what to do, it's time to learn...

What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages of Ecommerce Marketing?

In order for you to make a better decision, I've listed the following advantages and disadvantages of ecommerce marketing.

Advantages

• Low-cost ads. The cost of advertising online is affordable, and many social media platforms such as Facebook allow free advertisements.
• Fast response. You can get a response from a customer within a very short time.
• Increased interactivity. You can interact more often with potential customers. Thus, creating a better relationship which in turn boosts your sales.
• Boundless universal accessibility. You can provide 24-hour daily exposure to users. So, you can make customer relationships worldwide.

Disadvantages

• Dependability on technology. Ecommerce marketing can affect people who prefer to interact live while shopping.
• Security and privacy issues. Advertising your product on the internet does not limit the number of people who see your information.
• Worldwide competition. You'll have to face the competition of all other products in your niche. Since it's online, that includes other ecommerce businesses all over the world.

How do you feel about the info you just read? Am I missing some points you can think of? Comment your thoughts down below!

Let's move on to six definitive tips you can try for your ecommerce marketing...

6 Effective Ecommerce Marketing Tips

1. Work On Personalization

This involves identifying the unique needs of each of your customers and addressing them. 

Because after all, everyone wants to feel special!

So, personalization easily allows you to get your customers to purchase your products. It puts what the customer needs right in front of them rather than waiting for them to search for it.

Next up is to...

2. Capitalize On User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC focuses on ways to make your customers advertise your product to others. In doing so, their posts drive traffic to your online store.

Some of the ways you can use UGC are:

• To fill your social media feed with UGC. Keep your social media platforms entertaining for your visitors. Include a variety of content to avoid monotony. Add short videos and creative images.
• Use a personalized social media hashtag. Make a hashtag so creative that your customers have no choice but to use it. Keep it catchy but still easy to spell.
• Include it in your ecommerce email marketing strategy. You can avoid cart abandonment when you include UGC in your email marketing campaigns. User testimonials and reviews help hesitant customers to click that checkout button.
• Put a spotlight on social proof in digital marketing campaigns. People love to see content they can relate to. Optimize your ads by adding real-life testimonials to your social media ads.

Another tip you should consider is...

3. Build A Loyalty Program

This is all about creating a program that gives incentives to loyal customers.

Don't cop out on your loyal customers! Did you know that they spend 67% more on products than new customers?

And you could reward them any way you want to. You can reward them with points they can redeem. Other forms of reward that you can use are discount coupons or free shipping.

4. Create A Mobile-Friendly Website

It's no secret that people are addicted to their mobile phones. This is why numerous ecommerce businesses add mobile marketing strategies to their playbook. Why not maximize it?

You see, 67.2% of all ecommerce is from mobile accounts.

So, here are some techniques to make your ecommerce website mobile-friendly:

• Integrate a mobile chatbot. That way, your customers can contact you around the clock.
• Install a responsive, eye-catching Shopify theme. Thankfully, Debutify has everything you need in a theme.
• Keep user-friendly navigation. Put all the essential pages on your main menu.
• Include social commerce features. Different social media platforms offer easy ways to shop. You can use Facebook Shops and Instagram's Product Tags.

Another feature you can include is...

5. Include Pop-up Offers

Pop-ups have a lot of potential. Make sure to harness it!

For example, you can encourage your visitors to opt in to your email list. You can also offer them your newsletter or some of your unique content.

Not only does it grow your email list, but it can also ultimately boost your sales.

Take a look at Debutify's pop-up. It offers essential and trending information that helps ecommerce businesses. Doesn't it sound enticing? ?

Further optimize your ecommerce website and …

6. Install A Live Chat

Unlike a brick-and-mortar store, your customers can't immediately ask for your assistance. A live chat fills that gap.

Through a live chat, your customers can ask you about your products or services. You can also assist them through the checkout process.

It certainly makes their buying journey easier and smoother!

You can either use a chatbot or a live person to answer your customer's questions. It all depends on the size of your business and resources.

Now that you have tips in your arsenal, why don't we put your knowledge into action?

Let me tell you...

How To Write An Ecommerce Marketing Plan?

Since your business is online, most of your marketing will happen digitally.

Lucky for you, creating a digital marketing plan can be done in seven easy steps:

Step 1. Set your long-term goals.

Set your goals with the SMART device. SMART means Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. You can choose your goal from some of the suggestions below:

• Acquire new leads
• Drive website traffic
• Boost brand awareness
• Grow social media presence

To check your progress toward your goal, there are four metrics you can track. First, track the number of your customers. Second, compute your average order value (AOV). Third, you can measure your cost per acquisition (CPA). And finally, keep an eye on your lifetime value (LTV).

Step 2. Extensively learn about your audience.

Learning about your audience will help you understand their needs and wants. Additionally, it will also help you create content they enjoy and can share. You can learn more about your target customers by creating a buyer persona. You can start with collecting their data through surveys, interviews, reviews, and online forums.

Step 3. Research your competition

Identify your direct and indirect competitors. There are various ways you can analyze them to better your marketing strategy. Some courses are through market sophistication, content strategy, and competitor claims.

Step 4. Create your buyer's journey

After your research, it's time to map out your customer's process pre-purchase. They have to go through 8 steps as they buy from you. They have to:

1. Be aware of your brand
2. Engage with your business
3. Subscribe to your online platforms
4. Convert into customers
5. Get excited about receiving your products
6. Be repeat customers
7. Talk about your brand online
8. Be an advocate for you

Step 5. Choose what type of marketing campaign you'll use

You know your brand the best. So, you have to evaluate your resources and available platforms to choose which type of marketing to use. After figuring it out, optimize your profile to further your plan.

Step 6. Execute your ecommerce marketing plan

Plan your project properly. Write down your objective to make it more straightforward. Identify the tasks to be achieved. Then, delegate the tasks to the appropriate team member. Make sure that you also have enough budget for your chosen plan.

Step 7. Analyze your data, then optimize it

Analyze the results of your marketing campaign. Audit your social media content to check if everything is working as it should. Then, make adjustments as you see fit.

Yep, it's that easy! After you're done with this blog post, head on over to The Most Comprehensive Digital Marketing Guide For Brand Owners In 2024!

To inspire you more, here are some of my favorite marketing campaigns...

Successful Marketing Campaign Examples

Aerie Real

Aerie wanted to celebrate real women. So they promised to use un-photoshopped and un-airbrushed models in their ads.

Plus, they also wanted to empower their customers through the hashtag #AerieREAL. They encouraged them to share their images wearing their apparel.

And it worked!

Their sales now doubled to $2 billion because of their campaign.

Airbnb

How did Airbnb manage to stand out from traditional hotels, motels, and BNBs? Well, they created a community for people with similar interests.

For example, they leveraged their user-generated content for their social media campaigns. They post customers' photos on Instagram. Then, they also share their hosts' recommendations on their guidebooks.

People who love to travel and discover new places can have a digital mecca of sorts.

IHOP

When you want pancakes, IHOP is the place to go. But for burgers? Hmm...

As you may now know, IHOP also serves burgers. But the public generally doesn't go there for it. So, IHOP launched its campaign to promote its burgers.

They announced that they were changing their name from "International House of Pancakes" to "International House of Burgers."

And it went viral! People reacted with curiosity and wanted to try it out themselves.

Their sales also quadrupled in the first three weeks of the announcement.

Corona

Ecommerce marketing isn't just boxed within the online world. Check out what Corona did for the week of World Oceans Day.

They created a cause-driven campaign called the "Pay With Plastic" program. Corona accepted plastic waste as payment for their beer. Bars and sellers in Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Italy, and Colombia were part of the program.

Considering they cleaned 3 million square meters of beach, I'll say that counts as a success!

(source)

Still, have lingering questions about ecommerce marketing? Keep reading to learn more...

Ecommerce Marketing FAQs

What is the difference between ecommerce marketing and digital marketing?

Digital marketing encompasses any marketing done with digital media. This includes SEO, social media marketing, and email marketing. Ecommerce marketing includes promoting through different marketing channels. This covers digital marketing and offline media such as radio ads, TV spots, and billboards.

When will I see the results of my ecommerce marketing campaign?

Getting results overnight is not realistic. So, using multiple marketing channels helps speed up the process of acquiring new customers. Check your data after a month to check for small increments in engagement. For paid ads, check the efficacy after a few days.

What type of marketing will drive me the most revenue?

Generally speaking, paid advertising brings the most revenue. However, there are different factors that affect your marketing's success. This includes your ecommerce website's quality, your product demand, your sales funnel, and more. For instance, you may use an email marketing campaign for your new leads. Then implement social media postings for brand awareness. All of these aspects contribute to your paid ad's success.

How much should I spend on ads for Google vs. Facebook?

Your budget depends on many factors. It includes your niche, target audience, product, and online store. It also depends on your average cost-per-click, as well as your conversion rate.

However, here's a good rule of thumb: If one platform is more profitable, allocate more budget to that platform. If the lower-performing one still brings in leads, consider increasing your budget as long as your profits remain the same. Scale both if they are equally performing well. If neither of them is doing well, it's time to go back to creating a more detailed marketing strategy.

How often should I post on my social media platforms?

Do not over-post! Instead, better examine your target audience. Check when they are online the most, and let that be your guide for posting. For example, you can start by experimenting with Facebook. It offers insight into your audience, as well as when your followers are online.

What can I do to boost my CTR on my email marketing campaigns?

Make sure that your email's subject line is relevant to your content. That way, it sets the mindset of your readers when reading your content. When you deliver what you offer, they are likely to click all the way. Furthermore, utilize a soft CTA, and clickable images. And if you have enough resources, personalize the email content based on your reader's preferences.

How do I make my brand stand out?

To simply answer this, you need to create value. You can begin by asking yourself: What do I offer to fix my customer's problem? You can also learn more about your chosen niche. That way, you can consider yourself an expert on it. In turn, you can build authority over your ecommerce industry.

Any other questions?

Let's create a dialogue! You can post other questions you have below. You can also check out Debutify's blogs to help you with anything about your ecommerce business.

And now you have everything you need to know about ecommerce marketing! There's only one thing left to do...

Ready, Set, Sell!

Without ecommerce marketing, your online store won't go anywhere. How, you ask?

Ecommerce marketing will skyrocket your ecommerce business' conversion rate. It does its magic by attracting potential customers and revitalizing your old ones.

Do you know what else can help you attract (and keep!) new customers?

A beautiful, super responsive, and efficient Shopify store.

Lucky for you, Debutify is THE Shopify theme that gives you all you need.

It offers much more than a great-looking store. It's also your Profit Optimization Partner.

Join over 384,647+ smart brand owners who switched to Debutify!

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