Reginald Chan

Category: Strategies

Find the best strategies to get more traffic, sales, and revenue from affiliate marketing, blogging and becoming a leader in today’s world.

  • Marketing Strategies For Ecommerce Platforms

    Marketing Strategies For Ecommerce Platforms

    These days, the majority of consumers (perhaps you included) prefer shopping online as opposed to driving or walking to the mall. It’s more convenient, saves time, provides more variety, and leads to money savings. However, this is something that many entrepreneurs are well aware of, which only means one thing. Competition in eCommerce is only getting stiffer. This also means that to have an edge over your competition and come out on top, you have to go the extra mile in satisfying your target customer’s needs. Most importantly, your marketing strategies will be a huge determinant of success or failure. They will dictate your brand’s popularity, sales conversions, profits, and ultimately, the growth curve of your eCommerce business. 

    So, if you just launched your eCommerce business website or you’re about to, it’s important to understand the various ways you can market your business, products, or services to win more customers and make more sales. Starting with the definition of the subject, here are some marketing strategies for eCommerce platforms online entrepreneurs should know about.

    What An eCommerce Platform?

    Simply defined, an e-commerce platform is a software solution that incorporates various functions and operations of online business into a single central solution. It includes features to allow functions such as the following:

    • Marketing
    • Inventory & order management
    • Promotions and pricing
    • Procurement
    • Reporting & analytics
    • Content management
    • Customer support

    Now, as you might have guessed already, this article focuses more on the marketing bit of eCommerce platforms. There are several types of eCommerce platforms (software), including SaaS, open source, Pass, and store-owner variants. However, most of these features or functions are more or less the same in terms of how they work. So how can you get the most out of your eCommerce platform’s marketing bit? Well, read on as we count together, the eCommerce marketing strategies you should know about as a smart entrepreneur.

    1. Search Optimization is Paramount

    Over the past few years, many online entrepreneurs have discovered the importance of search engine optimization and the impact it can have on a business. It is undoubtedly one of the most essential parts of marketing in the digital world we live in. As you may already know, SEO involves strategically enriching your site pages with content and keywords that your target audience is more likely to search for. Sunshine Prame from Mass Appeal, a digital marketing and SEO company in the UK says that when done right, Search engine optimization places your site on the top most positions of search engines like Google. This not only makes your site easy to find online, but it also increases your site’s traffic, and sales conversions because consumers will easily find the products or services you‘re offering.

    To get the most out of SEO, you’ll need to perform thorough research, so you can identify the right keywords as well as their variations. Other than research, SEO also takes a bit of work because it requires continuous performance analysis, creating content, monitoring the results, and so forth. This is all the more reason to consider working with a reputed digital marketing agency that provides SEO services to businesses like yours.

    2. Content Marketing

    As they say, “Content is King”. Especially in the digital space, nothing is more important than content as far as marketing is concerned. Apart from providing descriptions and product information on your site pages, content marketing means using various types of content to attract potential customers to your site and even influencing them into making a purchase. Content marketing is by far one of the most effective ways to generate leads for your business. The most commonly used types of content are blogs, although many people also use stunning images, interesting videos (ads), and ebooks for marketing purposes.

    When it comes to content marketing, you generally have two main options. You can make your own content and save money, or hire experienced content marketers for the job. Your decision will largely depend on your budget as well as how ambitious you are in seeing your venture grow into a household name.

    If you choose to create your own blog content, it is important to watch that you don’t make your posts all about your new products. Instead, you can write an interesting post with related content that lures the reader into checking out your site. If you’re selling kitchen appliances, for instance, the post could be about amazing recipes to try out on weekends and suggest a few appliances or tools the reader would need to make these recipes. You’ll be surprised at how effective this strategy can be in generating leads over time.

    3. Social Media Marketing

    Social media has become a way of life over the past few years. With the ever-growing number of users worldwide, social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest have turned into a goldmine for business owners, big and small alike. The best part is that social media marketing is actually free, with an option to upgrade to a paid plan for a better experience. Apart from being a platform where you can showcase your products or services and promote your brand, it also allows you to connect, engage, and interact with your customers as well as potential customers. This is not to forget that social media presence can be a good way to build trust as it shows customers that you’re a legitimate business. For many businesses, it also doubles up as one of the most reliable customer service platforms. When promoting your eCommerce site over social media, here are some helpful tips. 

    • Ensure consistency in presence and branding
    • Keep your followers engaged
    • Provide new content and posts regularly
    • Use stunning images and videos
    • Create a shoppable IG page
    • Try Facebook ads and promoted pins
    • Make your blogs/content shareable

    4. Product Page Reviews  

    The importance of user and professional online reviews can never be overstated when it comes to eCommerce. According to a recent publication on Inc.com, at least 84% of shoppers trust online reviews as much as they would rely on recommendations from their close circle. Before making a purchase decision, the majority of shoppers read reviews first. In other words, very few people want to buy something that hasn’t been tried by another person before. This is basically why many companies invite potential customers and target consumers into a practical demonstration of what the product can do, and so forth. Such customers can give their account of what they think of the product, meaning that even entirely new products can have reviews.

    It also means that customer reviews are an essential part of eCommerce marketing. While not all reviews may be positive, it is important to have customers provide feedback on your site or other platforms after using or trying your product. In case a customer wasn’t satisfied and ended up leaving a negative review, you’ll want to follow up with the issue and ensure that the customer’s concerns are addressed. This will paint a bright picture of your brand, and future potential consumers will see that you care about their experience and needs. Depending on the e-commerce platform you’re using, features and plugins to help you upload customer reviews are available.

    5. Pay-Per-Click Advertising

    Perhaps next to SEO, PPC is the next big thing, a strategy you can’t afford to ignore as an e-commerce entrepreneur. It basically involves working with PPC advertisers and affiliates, paying them for every click, like, or conversion made by users on your money link. As a marketing strategy, PPC will cost you a bit more on average, but when used well, it is one of the most effective strategies to spread awareness and increase sales. This largely relies on how strategic you are in tracing your target audience’s whereabouts and placing the products in front of them at the right time. There are various ways and avenues to use PPC ads, including the following:

    • Search advertising (Adwords)
    • Social media ads
    • Display ads
    • Google shopping
    • Remarketing ads
    • Sequential remarketing

    When it comes to PPC, you will need to work with an experienced digital marketing agency to get the most out of it. This is basically why it tends to be costlier than most of the e-commerce marketing strategies discussed above and below. All the same, it is an investment that you won’t regret making if you choose the right expert.

    6. Use Influencer Marketing

    This is another strategy that many online businesses and eCommerce retailers are profiting hugely from. In the simplest of terms, influencer marketing involves using already-popular brands and personalities to attract leads and profit from their already-established audience. The popular brands or personalities are referred to as influencers, who may also be celebrities, professionals, or even business entities.

     In most cases, influencer marketing works best when used in social media marketing campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The amount you pay for these deals will largely depend on how popular the influencer is, how many followers they are, and how many conversions or clicks you’ll get from the same. When choosing an influencer, it is important to ensure you pick one that is followed by your target audience. Influencer marketing can be an amazing way to not only popularize your brand; but also attract traffic to your eCommerce site, increase revenue, and see it grow to newer heights.

    7. Don’t Forget Email Marketing

    Email marketing is another great way to keep your target consumers engaged and coming back for more purchases. It is often a great channel to deliver product and service updates to subscribed users, as well as send reminders, offers, and other tools to improve sales conversions. It especially works best for potential consumers who already have an interest in your product line or business. With an effective email marketing campaign strategy, you can automate personalized emails to increase the chances that the recipient will read it and it won’t end up in the junk folder.

    8. Use Quizzes for Leads

    For most eCommerce marketers, it can be a huge challenge to acquire a user’s personal information during sign-up. This is because some shoppers don’t like providing their personal information online, meaning that it’s easy for a willing buyer to click cancel or back as soon as the site requests for personal information. It ends up hurting conversion rates in the long run. However, Quizzes can provide a way around this challenge. On this note, lead generation quizzes can be an amazing way to compel your prospects with reasons to share more of their personal information apart from just their email addresses. With more personal information, it becomes easier to create personalized marketing information for prospects in your email list and other sources.

    9. Use Gift Guides More

    Many e-commerce sellers will only use specific seasons to promote items and products that make great gifts. However, you don’t actually have to wait until it’s almost Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, or Christmas to promote giftable items for those occasions. These seasons are also more competitive. Instead, you can have a gift-guide page and provide content all-year-round to help your prospects to make meaningful giftable purchases. After all, no day is a bad day for gifting!

    10. Link Wishlists and Subscriptions to Discounts

    There are several types of online shoppers. One; are those who shop in advance and may leave items in the cart. Number two; are those who keep items in the wishlist for when they’re sure enough they can make the purchase or when it becomes available. The third category, are those who just make a purchase, never to be heard from again. Now, for the latter, you can use offers and discounts to get them to subscribe to your site or email newsletter. In the case of abandoned carts and wishlists, reaching out to such users with a reminder email and a discount or incentive attached can be a great way to increase conversions.

    11. Tap Into Sold-Out Products

    One of the most common frustrations online shoppers face is finding that a product they’re so interested in is out of stock. It also means lost profits for the business, but you can also make it work for you. Whenever you have sold-out products, you can ease the frustration by suggesting similar or alternative products (using tags) or asking the user to request a notification once the product is back in stock.

    12. Have an App Developed

    Lastly, you can also have an app developed for your eCommerce business and ensure it is enabled with push notifications. This can be a great way to keep your brand in the minds of your customers while also making their shopping experience easier and faster.

    While e-commerce is among the most effective ways to do business these days, it doesn’t always come easy. You’ll often have a competition to beat, not forgetting several hurdles and challenges on your way. As far as marketing and lead generation are concerned, the above are a few strategies you can take to the bank as an e-commerce entrepreneur. 

  • 6 Ideas To Improve The User Experience Of Your Website

    6 Ideas To Improve The User Experience Of Your Website

    Your website visitors expect a seamless and engaging experience. To hold attention and convert leads, there are many different things you’ll need to focus on. It’s advisable to use conversion rate optimization tools to assess the performance of your site. Besides this, try the following six steps.

    1 . Simple Navigation

    One of the simplest ways to improve user experience is to ensure that the navigation is simple. Users should be able to move through the various features and sections of your website without guidance. Ensure that your visitors can find the answers to all of their queries easily on your site. It’s also advisable to use chatbots, to cover any extra queries and improve customer service.

    2. Personalized Experiences

    In 2020, personalized marketing is right on-trend. This style of marketing attempts to appeal to consumers on an individual level. One brand using personalized experiences on its website is ‘Shutterfly.’ First, they ask users for access to their photo library. From here, Shutterfly displays that person’s photos on the various items in the store (photo mugs, photo calendars, etc.). Using AI and social media preferences, you may be able to offer your customers a personalized experience.

    3. Social Buttons

    When consumers read an intriguing article or watch an exciting video, they want to share it on social media. This is good news for brands, so make sure that you provide social sharing buttons on your website. Remember that your consumers may use a range of different platforms, so it’s best to incorporate all social sites, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.

    4. Engaging Calls To Actions

    Guide your visitors through your site by using engaging and distinct calls to actions. The trick is that you don’t want to be too ‘salesy’ about it. This year an increasing number of brands are using conversational copywriting. A conversational tone isn’t just useful for a call to action; it’s useful for your overall content. Consumers respond well to a casual tone of voice, and these tones are also handy to optimize for voice searches.

    5. Authentic Photos & Videos

    Most brands know that using attractive photos and videos is vital. The best thing to do is to use authentic images of your employees, as opposed to stock photos. Authentic photos can help your company seem more professional and personable. When it comes to your videos, employee-generated content can help to widen your reach and save you money on marketing. High quality video content will also help to boost your SEO.

    6. Fully Responsive

    It’s essential to make sure your site is fully optimized for mobile. The vast majority of searches are conducted via mobile phones, so your layout should look just as perfect on a phone screen. Free tools such as Google Page Speed Insights can help you check your page speeds on different devices.

    With lots of competition online, it’s advisable to invest in custom website design. Using a professional design company, you’ll achieve the perfect site to represent your brand and generate leads.

  • Building The Aesthetic Of Your Firm, Piece By Piece

    Building The Aesthetic Of Your Firm, Piece By Piece

    All firms have an aesthetic of some kind, either directly or indirectly. Some companies do seem to take their image more seriously than others. For instance, consider Disney Corporation’s expansive legal team and careful board of directors, always and forever mindful of keeping the magic alive, and ensuring that families feel comfortable including them in their children’s lives. This is no accident.

    However, while that example is somewhat behind the scenes so as to look natural, other brands are very direct regarding how they preserve their image. For instance, consider the Apple store. Minimal products, minimal decoration, no sales clerks, only mobile pay systems. A white aesthetic and clean lighting adds to the effect, showing you that these products are polished, reliable, and on the cutting edge.

    Building the aesthetic of your firm, piece by piece, is a journey you will reach many milestones in, but never truly complete. However, learning how to get started, even if you’re running a humble operation, can be one of the best soft marketing strategies you can adopt. Here’s what that may look like:

    From The Freebies Up

    Developing the best freebies/merchandise can help you show consumers that you pay attention to detail even when branding using seemingly inconsequential items. For instance, quality tote bags from 4All Promos can be a very useful and impressive product to give away at business expos, because the quality itself shows your firm’s dedication to excellent, while also managing your reputation in a practical sense. Remember, an aesthetic is much more than a logo, but the entire measured output of your UX design.

    Managing Staff Behavior

    Remember that your staff are your representatives. If they continually act with irrationality on social media, or do not take good care of their cars or uniforms, or are rude to customers, managing staff behavior may be necessary. Through incentives, encouragement, fair discipline and most importantly of all, outfitting them correctly, you can establish an excellent new normal within your firm, and ensure that your staff become more than just workers, but top-down ambassadors of your brand. There’s nothing more impressive to a consumer than a staff member who truly believes in the vision of the company, in a totally non-artificial sense. You can sure this will leave a long-lasting aesthetic impression of your firm.

    Graphic Branding Is Key

    Of course, it’s important to theme your color palette and to ensure your graphic design is appropriate to the industry you are trying to partake in. For this, hiring expert graphic designers, or taking a chance on proven freelance professional can open you up to creativity that will continually surprise you. A strong, clean, professional and interesting visual motif can allow you to grow your brand with much more power and potential than a bland firm – and even more ‘clinical’ businesses, such as law firms, can benefit form this approach. Invest your money here wisely.

    With this advice, we hope you can more easily build the aesthetic of your firm, piece by piece.

  • Is Your Business Making These Cybersecurity Mistakes?

    Is Your Business Making These Cybersecurity Mistakes?

    Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly more common – and small businesses tend to be the victims. Studies suggest that one in five small firms have been hit by a cyberattack. As a result, having good cybersecurity measures in place is essential.

    Most companies understand the basics of cybersecurity. However, many companies fail to do enough. Here are just some of the most common cybersecurity mistakes that companies make.  

    Using outdated software

    If software isn’t regularly updated, it won’t be secure against the latest threats. Some people fail to update software simply by never shutting down their computer – most updates require you to restart your computer and if you’re constantly leaving it on standby, your software will never have a chance to update. However, another more dangerous problem is using old versions of software that are no longer supported. Such software may no longer be receiving updates and could be vulnerable to every new threat that is developed.

    Migrating software can be complicated, which is why some companies put it off and continue using old software. It could be worth looking into a database migration service to help you. When choosing new software, make sure that it receives regular updates and is well supported.

    Using weak passwords

    You can have the most robust firewall and anti-virus software in the world, but it will all be for nothing if you’re using weak passwords like ‘1234’ or ‘password’. Cracking passwords is still one of the most common forms of entry for hackers. It’s therefore important that you use strong passwords.

    The best passwords are over 14 characters and consist of random strings of number and letters (upper and lower case). Such passwords aren’t easy to memorise of course, which can be an issue as it often results in people writing down these passwords somewhere where they could be stolen. Fortunately, there are a few tricks that you can use to create memorable complex passwords. This could ensure that your passwords are as secure as possible.

    Having no backup

    Hackers may try to steal, encrypt or delete information. This is particularly the case with ransomware attacks, in which a hacker may effectively take your files hostage. Having data backed up could allow you to continue business as normal afterwards. If your data isn’t backed up, you could end up losing valuable information, which may even make it impossible to continue operation.

    There are many different forms of backup that you can use from external hard-drives to the cloud. Start backing up your files now if they’re not already backed up. You can read more about forms of data backup online.

    Not scanning websites and emails

    One of the most common ways in which viruses enter computers is via attachments on malicious emails and automatic downloads on unsecure websites.

     Many antivirus programs come with scanning tools that allow you to check if an email or website is potentially dangerous before clicking on it. If you don’t have these scanning tools activated, it could be worth looking into them. While email servers and search engines can offer some warning, these scanning tools could help to offer a more effective warning before clicking on emails and sites, so that you’re less likely to download a virus.  

    Failing to use a VPN

    If you often work from different locations, you may be logging on to many different wi-fi connection. Some of these connections may not be secure and could result in your information being stolen.

    A VPN (virtual private network) can keep your connection secure so that hackers can’t infiltrate your system. VPNs are relatively easy to set up and aren’t particularly costly. You can compare various VPNs on the market online.

    Having no cyberattack response plan

    When a cyberattack happens, you and your employees needs to know how to react. In some cases, you may not have much time. For this reason, it can be worth putting in place a cyberattack response plan and drilling it with your employees.

    Going on a cybersecurity course might help you to implement such a plan. Alternatively, you may be able to talk to a business IT expert who may be able to help you put in place a plan.

  • Why You Should Use An Expert To Make Your Website?

    Why You Should Use An Expert To Make Your Website?

    No matter what kind of business you have, it is very important to have a quality website. Typically, new clients and customers will look at your website as they will have come across it by searching on google or after being referred to your business by a friend or someone in your family. Potential new customers will compare your website to the websites of your competitors so you must have the best website on the market. 

    To make sure that you have an industry-leading website, it is important to hire an expert in website design to maximize your site’s potential to attract and secure new business for your company. Whilst it may be tempting to try and save money and make the website yourself, there’s a great number of benefits that a professional website designer can bring. 

    This article will explain why you should use an expert to make your website.

    Top Rankings on Search Engine Results Pages

    Your business can provide the best product or service on the market, but if your potential customers can’t find it, then you are never going to make any money. Expert website designers will make sure that your business’s website ranks high in search engine results pages by implementing advanced Search Engine Optimization methods.

    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) cannot be done by just anyone as there are so many elements that need to be addressed to ensure that your website is ranked high by Google. It is so important that your website appears at the top of search engine results pages because most people will not even look past the first 3 or 4 results.

    If you are ranked low down the list when your potential customers search for keywords related to your business, then all your competitors who are ranked above you will get all of the new business. Professional website designers will make sure that new leads come to your website first so there is a better chance of converting them to customers. 

    Make Your Website Attractive

    Now that your website designer has succeeded in attracting significant traffic to your site, you must have an attractive website that will impress your potential new clients and customers. Expert website designers know how to make your website look great and know exactly what features and information should be given on the website to ensure the best possible results.

    There are some great website designers online and it may benefit you to visit this site to see the benefits of hiring a freelance designer for your business’s site. It is often better to work with freelance website designers because they provide a more personalized touch and will design a website that both appeals to your audience and fits with your branding and messaging. 

    Depending on your business, you will usually want to have your products and services heavily featured on your website, testimonials from satisfied customers, profiles of your team members if you are just a small business, and some kind of tool for direct engagement with visitors to your website. These things can be very difficult to build into your website yourself if you don’t have good knowledge of website design as you will usually have to use a website template which does not allow you to integrate all the features that you want.

    Make Your Website Fit for Purpose

    An unattractive website is not going to impress anybody but a website that has functional problems is an even bigger issue as visitors will get very frustrated. If your website has slow page loading times, links that lead to nowhere, scrolling issues, or other functional errors, then potential new customers or clients are going to associate this with the service they can expect from your business.

    You should consider your website to be your business’s first chance at a good impression with new customers. If your website doesn’t even work properly, then visitors will assume that your business has an amateur set up and will deliver poor customer service. Especially when compared with the smooth functioning websites of your competitors, your site will be such a poor reflection of your business that you will lose so many potential customers to your direct competition.

    Expert website designers will make sure that your website not only looks great but that it functions perfectly and is user friendly. 

    Whilst every good business is always looking at areas in which it is possible to cut costs, your website design should never be one of them. For modern businesses, a great website is one of the single most important factors which decides whether a business will be successful or not. Consider the reasons laid out in this article and contact a professional website designer to help maximize the potential of your business.

  • How To Tell If Your Website Design Is Helping Your Business

    How To Tell If Your Website Design Is Helping Your Business

    Your business’ website is an important part of your online marketing presence. It is your way of showing what your business can offer to the market. To build a better website, you must understand the importance of web design. It is also vital to comprehend this part of the market because it impacts how your audience perceives your brand. The impression you make on them can either get them to remain on your page and learn about your business or will leave your page and turn to a competitor.

    Below is a list of reasons why website design is going to help your business.

    1. It Improves Your Advertising Effectiveness

    Showing your website address on all your promotional material helps you gain additional exposure and will encourage visitors to first check your site for the things they need. Remember that a website that works and encourages potential customers to contact you is an effective website you’ll need.

    2. Sets Impression for Customer Service

    People can judge how you will treat them by looking at your website. Your design gives them insight as to how you view your customer. Your website is like a customer service representative. If your website is modern, clean, and inviting your audience will feel more welcome on your page. You’ll give them a clear picture that you are open and welcoming to new people. 

    3. It builds trust with your audience

    People lose interest in poorly designed websites. If they see your poor design or the information looks past out of date, they won’t trust your site. They may find your site as shady because you do not have an updated web. Some people may be looking to Taiwan web design as their developer. It is important to build trust with your customer so they remain on your site. It creates more opportunities for your business.

    Website Design

    4. Competition

    Every business wants their website to stand out from their competitors. If you have a clean, updated, high-quality website, you can outrank other businesses that offer the same services.  You can show your audience why they should choose your business over the competition. Aesthetic appeal and easy to use interface can speak volumes to the average consumer. 

    5. Consistency

    Businesses either big or small want to build up their brand. Website design is important because they help create consistency across your page. A good web design creates brand recognition.

    In this digital age, most businesses have already developed their respective websites to become more accessible for their customers. With the help of website design, business owners are able to create a user-friendly and welcoming environment where users can get useful information at any time of the day.

    Moreover, when you have a well-managed website, people can rely on you. It builds trust, and when customers trust you, they would not have doubts about getting your products and services. In effect, you will have a thriving and profitable business and that one thing will make your business stand out from the rest.