As a new ecommerce business, you might have come across PPC, SEO, Google Ads, content marketing, influencer marketing, and a whole range of marketing terms. For a beginner, it might seem daunting to learn about all of them and figure out which plan fits best with your requirements. However, once you have a fair idea of all the concepts, digital marketing can boost your business unlike anything else.
Why do you need a marketing plan?
The exposure we have to ads on a daily basis is unsurmountable. To stand out in that sea of endless advertisements, you must have a unique, creative, and extremely effective marketing plan. Having a marketing plan allows you to streamline all your resources and have a clear vision. Putting aside money for marketing investments becomes easier, and you avoid the risk of overstepping your budget. Besides, having a strategy always ensures that you are on track and being consistent with your efforts. And, if stats are to be believed, companies that focus on their marketing endeavors are 13x more likely to witness a good ROI.
Steps to create the perfect first e-commerce marketing strategy
#1 Knowing your Audience
Needless to say, nothing can be accomplished without knowing your target audience. Most campaigns fail because they reach the wrong people at the wrong time. Defining your brand’s target market will allow you to break down the necessary demographics you need to appeal to. The age range, gender, location, financial status- all are imperative to your marketing plan.
For e-commerce, especially, having a knowledge of what you are selling and to whom you are selling is helpful even beyond the digital marketing world.
#2 Marketing Objectives
Once you have decided to go down the marketing road, you need to know where you are headed and what your endgame is. If you want more leads, you may have to master your SEO game. If you want to generate traffic, guest blogging and social media might help. You have to sit down and draft out your business goals and the resultant marketing objectives. Make sure that the goals are attainable and easy to fulfill. Having completely unrealistic expectations out of your first few marketing steps can deter your future moves.
#3 Setting a Budget
Since you are just starting out, set a budget and try to stick to it. Not all marketing needs to be paid. Figure out what fits best with your budget. Once you get the hang of the game, spending more money can be fruitful. But, if you are in the trial phase, heavy investments might be detrimental to your company’s finances.
#4 Figuring Out the Best Channels
There are countless marketing channels available to choose from. Depending on your needs and target audience, incorporate one technique at a time. Spreading your wings too wide might have the exact opposite effect of what you want. Highlighting the must-know marketing tools to incorporate into your strategy:
SEO:
Regardless of your preferred channel, SEO is something you have to master in this digital age. Search Engine Optimization not only helps you get discovered but also enables better leads and conversion rates. As an e-commerce enterprise, this can translate into increased sales in the long run. SEO includes everything from incorporating top keywords to designing a user-friendly website to creating quality content.
Pay Per Click Advertising:
The first Google search results are usually ads. We call them PPC ads. Google Ads allows businesses to bid for keywords, and the winners are featured on the top. The search engine gets some money every time a user clicks on the ad result. This technique requires a little investment but can have ample benefits in getting traffic to your webpage.
Content Marketing:
Granted that as an e-commerce venture, your focus is on selling products; however, creating content is a sure shot way to ace your marketing goals. Not everyone will invest in your products without being convinced of their authenticity and quality. With content marketing, you essentially convince your audience that you are an expert in the field and that your knowledge mirrors the efficacy of your products.
Social Media Marketing:
The 20s are the decade of social media. Everyone is on some or the other platform of social media. Demographics no bar. Based on your consumer base, pick a social media platform and hop on the latest marketing techniques. With little to no investment, social media can yield immense gains.
#5 Seeking Expert Help
Whenever possible, hire a marketing expert to guide you through the whole process. It need not be a permanent investment, just an initial one to get you started. Marketing professionals bring with them an abundance of knowledge and experience. An expert will be able to help you sort through the various marketing channels and utilize them effectively. They will also be able to create a baseline for you to work with in the future. For a start-up, hiring freelancers can do the trick!
#6 Refine and Redesign
You have done your research, you have created your content, and you have kick-started your marketing plan. Now what? Do it all over again. It will always take a few trials and errors to find your perfect marketing fit.
The Road Ahead
Being mindful of the current trends and incorporating them wherever possible is a must for a profitable venture.
Delivering what your audience needs can and will help you climb the success ladder. Keep regular tabs on your customers’ feedbacks. Most consumer insights are beyond useful in figuring out the next plan of action.
And, most important of all, track your campaigns and analyze your methods. Only by observing your results can you improve your future marketing plans.
Entering the big bad world of marketing might feel scary at first. But, once you are in it and have a fairly good idea of what to do, your business will flourish. Don’t be afraid to shake things up and try out something completely out of the norm. Remember, being creative is the best marketing plan!
Still confused about your marketing plans? Our team of digital marketing geniuses at Continuum can help you amp up your marketing strategy!