eCommerce has grown in leaps and bounds over the last decade. However, over the last six months, and with the global impact of COVID-19, it has expanded beyond expectation. In fact, research shows that the pandemic pushed the growth of eCommerce forward by five years. Non-essential physical retailers have also taken a 75% hit on sales with fewer feet through the door. This article’ll explore the top eCommerce trends to drive your long-term sales strategy.
With online shopping’s growth at an all-time high and expected to continue over the next few years, now is the right time to enter the industry. If you haven’t already, and if you are considering joining the world of eCommerce, we thought we would step in to help.
Not only do you need to have a solid business strategy and sellable product lined up, but you will need a strategic digital marketing plan in place to drive traffic and sales for your site. How do you go about using current trends to benefit and get those sales streaming in? We broke down the key trends of 2020 and how you can use them to your advantage in long-term eCommerce trends.
Websites Optimized to Drive Traffic
If high conversion rates are your main priority, the first thing you will need to consider is how traffic is being driven to your site. Naturally, if you are just starting out, traffic doesn’t just start coming to your site, so you will need to start devising smart ways of getting eyes on it.
One popular way new business owners generate traffic from the outset is by buying over an existing website. In most cases, this means that you will be buying the whole business, but the advantage here is that the website already comes with existing traffic and customers that can just be expanded on.
It will also usually mean that you will most likely have a list of email subscribers to start marketing immediately. So, it would help if you were generating high conversion rates and leads immediately from your first campaign. As a result present on top ecommerce drive sales strategy.
Luckily, there are several platforms that sell websites. Here, you can find reliable brokers who can help you establish a successful business and generate capital from the outset.
If buying a website and taking over a business is not your path, you have other options. You can either use a digital platform like WordPress or create a new site from there. Or, you can code a brand-new site from scratch. SEO will be your biggest priority in both cases, even more so in the latter.
If you start fresh, it will take a lot longer for Google to rank your site. If you choose the WordPress option, however, the platform provides you with established guidelines and SEO rankings when you kick off, so you will start on the right foot in eCommerce trends long term.
Brands Will Need to Be Ever Present and Communicative
One of the critical aspects of the customer journey is that every touchpoint that the customer experiences needs optimization. Customers want instant gratification. This means that you, as a brand, will need to ensure that you are available 24/7.
Consider integrating chatbots and instant chat messaging on all of your platforms. Even if they are initially automatically in, instant responses will indicate to your customer that they are acknowledged. Personalizing these messages is also important and is possible on most platforms once initial contact.
Chatbots are affordable and highly effective customer engagement methods, especially during off-peak and busy times. Simple questions, concerns, complaints, and troubleshooting can keep your resources free and the customer happy.
Mobile Will Keep Getting Bigger and Bigger: eCommerce Trends Long-Term Sales
Four years ago, Google had just updated that site’s ranking to be mobile-friendly. Back then, it was more a case of finding a product and then moving over to the desktop to actually make the purchase.
Statistics show that 60% of searches occur on a mobile device, and 45% of transactions are completed on the same device. And this will only keep growing. With more options to pay, more payment, and device security, and with sites evolving to be mobile-friendly, mobile is soon looking to take over the desktop. Moreover, top ecommerce to drive sales strategy.
Your priority will be ensuring that pages reflect well on mobile, keeping in mind that you will need to adjust them for each due to the different diameters of the devices. Mobile phones are more susceptible to long, vertical scrolling. Your page folds will also be vastly different from that of a desktop, and your CTAs can come lower.
You will also need to rework your pop-ups or eliminate them completely. Lastly, consider your page speed on mobile. Software and connectivity issues on mobile are totally different from those on desktop, so keep content, images, and features simpler of eCommerce trends long term.
Content Will Keep Evolving
One of the biggest features of your digital marketing strategy is your content. You need to ensure that your content is informative, educational, entertaining, and empowering for your customers. Regular blog pieces not only encourage existing customers to come back to your site but also heighten your SEO rankings.
With the intelligent use of keywords and information-driven content, you can extend your brand’s reach by giving visitors something they want to read and something they can use.
Look at your visual content too. Attractive images are key to hook a customer, but video content is starting to dominate marketing trends. Short, engaging videos with well-placed products and calls to action are currently the most sought after content. Luckily for you, do not need to be resource heavy if you have a few techy tricks and a vivid imagination.
eCommerce Trends Long-Term Wrapping Up
The next few years will most likely transform the face of eCommerce and business itself. With technology constantly evolving, you will most likely see concepts like AI, virtual reality, and drone technology play an increasingly important role in online business. In fact, if you are not already integrating some of these strategies into your business, you might already be lagging.