Ecommerce marketing: it can be an overwhelming space for business owners. Today, the experts say you should be doing dozens of different things to ensure good ecommerce marketing, and it’s easy to feel a little intimidated by the long to-do list. 

Fortunately, there are easier ways to go about ecommerce marketing and to ensure that you earn great results in the meantime.

In this post, we’ll talk about the history of ecommerce marketing, how you can improve yours, and what you need to know about the ecommerce landscape as a whole.

Let’s dive in. 

First Things First – What is Ecommerce Marketing?

The overall concept of ecommerce marketing is simple: it’s the act of promoting your store to would-be customers through a variety of digital channels. 

When ecommerce marketing is done well, it’ll help drive interest in your products and boost your conversions from all sources. One of the first steps to good ecommerce marketing, though, is to find the channel (or channels) that work for you. 

The 9 Best Ecommerce Marketing Channels

To generate ecommerce traffic, you want to first focus on driving leads to your online store. You can do this by focusing on various marketing channels. While each company’s preferred channel/s will vary, here are a few of the most popular ecommerce marketing channels in use today:

1. Facebook

Facebook is a very powerful ecommerce marketing channel, specifically when it comes to ads. Thanks to things like dynamic product ads and general retargeting campaigns, Facebook has quickly become a popular platform of choice for many ecommerce companies.

2. Instagram

Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, is a powerful force in ecommerce marketing. The platform allows companies to run ads, sell products directly, and integrate Instagram photos into an ecommerce website. 

3. Pinterest

Pinterest has been popular among teams attempting to improve their visual marketing. That’s not its only function, though – it’s also a powerful ecommerce marketing tool. Like Instagram, Pinterest makes it possible for customers to buy items directly through the platform and can be an effective way to attract and engage followers. 

4. YouTube

As video marketing has become more popular, YouTube has risen to the top as a versatile and powerful platform. Today, YouTube allows companies to use videos in place of traditional marketing tactics, which is a great way to draw a crowd and provide real results. 

5. SEO

SEO is an organic way to attract customers to your brand. By investing in SEO, you can improve your visibility, enhance your marketing efforts, and create a steady stream of customers for your brand. 

6. Affiliates

Affiliate marketing has long been a favorite approach for ecommerce companies. By partnering with the right affiliates, your brand can boost sales and enhance marketing efforts across the board. 

7. SMS

In the smartphone era, SMS has become an increasingly powerful tool. Thanks to things like segmentation, tags, abandoned cart reminders, and CTA buttons, SMS is an excellent approach for any ecommerce brand looking to make an impact. 

8. Chatbots

Ecommerce chatbots can be a massively helpful tool for companies. Right now, experts predict that chatbots will be involved in 85% of customer service interactions by 2020 and that that number will continue to grow over the coming years. Versatile and powerful, Chatbots can support product-page buttons, Facebook ads, and more. 

9. Influencers

Last but not least – influencers. Influencers are real people you can pay to promote your product, good, or service. By working with either celebrity influencers (very well-known personalities with large social followings) or micro-influencers (niche-specific influencers who cater to a specific demographic), you can enhance your online presence and engage more meaningfully with your audience. 

While some companies focus on each of the channels listed above, others choose to narrow their focus, paying particular attention to things like email, video, and content. By building a strong base with these approaches, brands can lay a foundation for all future ecommerce marketing efforts.  

How to Develop a Powerful Ecommerce Marketing Funnel (Without Breaking the Bank)

Now that you know which channels drive ecommerce marketing most effectively, it’s time to start thinking about how you can improve your ecommerce marketing without spending your entire marketing budget. 

Here’s what a functional marketing funnel looks like right now:

1. Customers enter the awareness phase
2. They move into the interest stage
3. Customers decide to make a purchase
4. They come back to make a repeat purchase

As you can see, the marketing funnel isn’t a one-and-done step. Instead, it’s a four-step process that takes some time. Some customers need as many as 15-20 touches before they finally decide to purchase from a company. 

To further illustrate the point, here’s a marketing funnel diagram from Single Grain:

By creating an ecommerce marketing funnel, you can ensure that you nurture your prospects throughout the purchasing process. You can also ensure that they feel confident about your company by the time they decide to buy from you. 

With that in mind, here are a few steps to build a smart ecommerce sales funnel. 

1. Start With Content

Regardless of what your goals may be, content is the way to support them. If you’re trying to drive more traffic to your company site, for example, or establish yourself as a thought leader or industry expert, content is one of the most effective methods. Done well, it will support your efforts and build a strong foundation for your overall approach.

2. Provide Additional Information

When your prospects enter the consideration phase, they’ll need information to convince them that your product is the right one. With this in mind, consider the following approaches:

• PPC. Google Ads, for example, can lead visitors to a landing page that includes an opt-in form, which can drive people toward your product or offer. 
• Facebook Ads. Invite customers to a webinar or other platform to build confidence and promote information.
• Content. Guest blogs on industry websites are a great way to expand your audience and optimize your presence for enhanced visibility. 

3. Invest in Visuals

A picture is worth a thousand words, and that’s just as true with ecommerce marketing as with anything else. To make a splash on the internet and enhance the reliability of your products, be sure to invest in high-quality visual content. Hiring a photographer or videographer here at The H Hub is an excellent first step. 

4. Evaluate and Pivot

Once you’ve built the base for your funnel, keep an eye on the outcome of your efforts. If you see good results, you can bet you’ve created a functional funnel. If not, you may want to go back and re-evaluate. 

Marketing is a fluid approach, and paying close attention to how it’s panning out will allow you to adjust accordingly. 

Enhance Your Ecommerce Marketing This Year

Ecommerce marketing can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. By investing in your ecommerce marketing this year, and learning how to build a strong sales funnel, you can create a powerful marketing platform that continues to serve your brand for many years to come.

Ready to improve your ecommerce marketing in 2020? The H Hub will help you find skilled, world-class editorial and product photographers for your needs.