Why You Should Use E-commerce Marketing for Your Small Business

June 11 2020 - The world of business has changed significantly over the past twenty years. Our reliance on technology and the internet has increased, so companies have had to transition their services onto digital platforms. This is especially prevalent now we’re amid a worldwide pandemic which forced high street shops to convert to online stores. Marketing has also had to shift with the digital age. Television adverts and pamphlets are no longer able to make the cut. Instead, entrepreneurs must focus their efforts on marketing for e-commerce. So, how exactly does this form of advertising help your small business? Here’s what makes e-commerce marketing a sure-fire for success:

Inexpensive

Television adverts are an incredibly expensive form of advertising with their prices ranging from the thousands to the millions depending on the time slot. This means they’re not a remotely feasible form of marketing for small businesses. On top of that, online streaming services are now overtaking television providers regarding their subscriptions. Traditional marketing like posters and pamphlets are also less cost-effective nowadays. You’re paying for prints which nobody is reading. So, the general pattern is that everything is shifting to the internet, making e-commerce marketing of paramount importance. Aside from a bigger audience, online marketing has the major advantage of being inexpensive. It doesn’t cost a penny for businesses to create an account on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram - nor are you charged for the content you post. You can share videos which highlight all the advantages of your products or post infographics to show consumers how your service can benefit them. Social media is an invaluable tool which costs small businesses nothing to use.

Analytics

If you’ve ever taken a business lesson, you should already know the importance of having a target audience. This is the demographic your business is aimed towards because it will most likely benefit or interest them. What’s brilliant about e-commerce marketing is you can easily track who specifically is engaging with your adverts. This is incredibly useful for small businesses that don’t have their own statisticians to identify where customers are coming from and at what time of year. With the analytical information you obtain from e-commerce marketing, you can pinpoint your target audience and begin tailoring your adverts to them. For example, if you’re a local florist and your analytics show more males from the ages of 14 to 21 are engaging with your website during March, you can surmise this linked to Mother’s Day and start an advertising campaign with a limited time offer. It’s obvious how your business will profit from this.

Cookies and Paid Ads

E-commerce marketing often uses what is referred to as tracking cookies, which are tiny text files stored in a customer’s web browser history. Contrary to popular belief, they’re not a form of spyware. They can help businesses and advertisers track what customers are most interested in, so next time they visit your company’s website, you can provide a shopping experience tailored to their needs. This means the customer is more likely to find what they’ve been looking for, and you’re more likely to guarantee a sale. Paid ads work similarly to this. Platforms like Facebook will identify potential customers for you based on what they’ve ‘liked’, then show your adverts on that specific customer’ s page. This type of advertising is expensive, but it’s also incredibly effective. Rather than spending loads on ads to general audiences, e-commerce marketing can narrow everything right down.

E-commerce marketing is the way forward in the digital age. Capitalise on this technological movement by investing in online advertising for your small business.

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