10 Out of the Box eCommerce Marketing Strategies for 2022
Unless you’ve been asleep these past two years, you’ll know that e-commerce is through the roof. Driven by changing consumer behaviors during the pandemic, online shopping jumped in growth between 2019 and 2020. In 2021, e-commerce retail sales hit a whopping $4.9 trillion across the globe, expected to grow by almost 50% by 2025. Take a look!
Awesome, right?! But also overwhelming, because it just goes to show how much competition is out there, but also how much potential there is to really profit in the e-commerce world.
We’re here to help you, with some of our best insights about what you need to succeed in e-commerce marketing strategy moving forward. Sure, there are thousands of articles online, promising you tips, tricks and hacks. But we’ve condensed it all into the key trends and tactics you should definitely be using, so this is the only e-commerce marketing guide you need!
Now, let’s dive right in with exciting new and not-so-new marketing and advertising strategies that are here to stay, and that every e-commerce business should be doing (including yours):
1. Livestreaming
Have you stumbled across a livestream from your favorite brand these past couple of years? Chances are, you have. It’s the latest trend and it’s also called Live Commerce.
Live commerce is a great way to engage customers in the moment and build their relationship with your brand. During a livestream, the presenter, often an influencer, showcases a product, explains what is great about it, and generally pumps up viewers’ interest. Then, the audience can actually click and shop for the product, right there and then. Live shopping is already a big hit in China, and it’s spreading in the US and all over the world, so make sure to keep up! You can livestream on Amazon, social media sites or live marketplaces like NTWRK.
2. Social media(s)
Ok, so the popularity of social media is nothing new, but with more shopping features, like Twitter Shops, (and the livestreaming commerce as mentioned above), it is absolutely essential to be active on several social media platforms where your audience lives. Plus, if your social ads are working really well for you, why not try to repurpose them for native ad campaigns? This is a really effective way to hugely expand your reach by targeting customers on the open web, while using the ad creatives you’ve already got. Have a go – it only takes a few clicks!
3. Delivery faster than the speed of light
This is a tough one. Yes, the supply chain is suffering at the moment, which means getting purchases delivered to customers is more tricky than ever. But still, it’s worth mentioning. At the end of the day, whoever can deliver first wins the race. Consumers expect to get their purchased items as fast as possible, hassle free. So stay on your game and provide the best possible delivery experience you can.
4. More and more channels
Your customers are everywhere. They are on social media and on the open web. They are reading articles on their favorite news sites and checking out the latest blogs they follow. They are on email, CTV, chat apps, and SMS. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Look for more touchpoints to engage your audience and be there, or be square. A well-crafted email or SMS at the right time might just be the key to their hearts.
5. Meet at the Marketplace
If you’ve already got a successful e-comm site, you should probably also get your brand onto an online marketplace. Better late than never! There are several to choose from, and they sure do attract a lot of traffic. Check out the main marketplaces visited in the US (as of April 2021):
Think of it as a kind of ‘spa vacation’ for your business – you sell your products, and the platform takes care of the hassles of logistics. This is also a great opportunity to expose your products to different audiences than the ones already visiting your website.
5. Be a shoulder to cry on
Want to know what will really get you more customers? Great customer service. When customers feel heard, appreciated and attended to, they will come back. Yes, even though we live in an e-commerce world, good, old fashioned customer support has never been more important. But here’s the tricky part: in e-comm, there’s no such thing as 9 to 5; digital support service must be always on. There are effective ways to do this, like live chat or chatbots during after hours. When you consider that customers who engage in chat spend 60% more than those who don’t, then it is clear that every online store should offer it.
6. Tiny screens rule the world
Yes, small screens matter. They matter so much, they are in fact the preferred shopping device for consumers today. Why? Because customers can use their mobile device anywhere, anytime, and buy anything and everything they want. If your customer is curled up on the sofa late at night, browsing your e-store on their smartphone, you want to make it as easy as possible for them! Bottom line: don’t forget to optimize your online store for mobile. And remember, there are lots of different devices with different screen sizes, so always QA the mobile experience on several smartphone models. Not convinced? Take a look at how much of global e-commerce sales are done on mobile devices (2016 to 2021):
10. Are you worried about the environment?
Your customers probably are (especially if they are millennials…)! Sustainability is a piping hot issue at the moment, and it is really important for brands – including e-commerce companies – to take a stand and make it a central focus. Whatever action you are taking to protect the environment, whether it be using recycled packaging or donating to a cause, make sure your target audiences know about it! Put it on your website, blog about it, post on social media about it. Use it to increase awareness and engagement. Great for the planet and great for your e-commerce business too!
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So there you have it. All the e-commerce marketing strategies that #werecommend. While everyone wants the quick wins, some of these strategies need to simmer over time, and will drive your sales up in the longer term. So consider your target audience and what makes them tick, choose the strategies you think will work for them, and start implementing them already today. With a creative marketing strategy that’s always in motion, your e-commerce business will keep moving in the right direction.
