With the recent surge in the ecommerce industry growth, it is no surprise to see new businesses emerging. Brands that have already established themselves may find that the competition will become even fiercer than before.
Expecting a constant influx of new customers may prove as a waste, particularly if you lack the right digital marketing strategy. It is necessary to evaluate your approach and think about methods that work and methods that offer lackluster results.
Of course, it comes down to how much time and money you invest in testing different setups. Having more variety at your marketing strategy disposal is not necessarily the best approach because you may be dedicating more resources to a mediocre method and missing out on something that could bring you more profits. Here are some suggestions that you can consider to implement in your marketing strategy or dedicate more resources toward them.
Method #1 – Custom-Made Merchandise
Services like Printify allows brands to print custom t-shirts and distribute the merchandise. TOP10 items sold on Printify in 2020 include t-shirts according to Printify ecommerce statistics.
Of course, there is no need to limit yourself to just t-shirts. Products like mugs, phone cases, hoodies, or even face masks sell as well.
However, your goal in creating custom merch is not about selling. No, you will be using it to promote your brand.
For example, you can include complimentary gifts with your brand elements on it. A mug with a logo or a t-shirt would go a long way in raising brand awareness and showing appreciation that you have for your customers.
Participating in a live event wearing a custom-made t-shirt would also let viewers and other participants find out about your brand. For instance, running in a charity marathon or joining a workshop.
Method #2 – Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization should be on the priority list. It is necessary to dominate Google and other search engines if you want to create a sustainable business.
Organic traffic is worth a lot because potential customers find you after typing keywords and phrases with the intent to buy goods or services.
New brands want to get popular quickly and are reluctant to invest in SEO. Nevertheless, given that one’s presence on the top Google pages builds authority should not be underestimated. Even if search engine optimization takes a while to take effect, you should still invest money in it.
Method #3 – Social Media
Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter should not be the only platforms you need to participate in attracting customers. The competition in the most popular social media sites is fierce. That is why it is recommended to check other, less popular pages.
Valence, Tribe, Open Diary, and even Reddit are a few examples of sites that brands can take advantage of. And the sooner you start building your authority on less popular social media platforms, the higher your odds of getting a big share of the market for your industry.
Method #4 – Influencer Marketing
Customers trust influencers more than corporations. Collaborating with A-tier celebrities can be a bit difficult, though. If they ask for too much money or other demands, you can always look to work with micro-influencers. Micro-influencers may not have as many followers, but they are known for better overall engagement rate and reasonable rates for a sponsored post.
If your brand has been working with influencers before, you can look to expand the network and cooperate with even more influencers. After all, the wider the reach, the more customers you can expect to get.
Method #5 – PPC Marketing
PPC marketing has fallen out of favor recently. It seems that businesses are prioritizing social media and SEO over pay-per-click. Perhaps it costs too much to hire a competent copywriter for ads, or the results are not satisfactory.
Nevertheless, PPC should still have some place in the digital marketing strategy. You pay for clicks rather than impressions. If nothing else, the people who click on the ad will be redirected to the landing page and check the store if they are interested.
Creating a solid pay-per-click marketing campaign requires investments. However, you do not need to start a campaign from scratch by using the Google Ads platform. Adjusting campaigns by replacing or removing keywords and changing ad copy gives you the advantage of having plenty of room to test different variations.
Method #6 – Email Marketing
Collecting an email list is a challenge. Not every website visitor will be interested in subscribing to the list. You will need to offer them something. Maybe it would be possible to start a regular newsletter that provides exclusive information? Or maybe you can offer perks like free shipping or a discount for first-time email subscribers?
Your priority should be growing the email list. Once you accomplish that, you can look to send out offers and try to convert email subscribers to customers. Keep in mind, though, that sending too many promotional emails may result in people blocking you or unsubscribing.
[Guest post, contributed January 12, 2021]