Digital Marketing Essentials: Strategic Marketing Channels for eCommerce Businesses
Customers in today’s competitive eCommerce scenario look for flexible and adaptable communication. It’s not difficult to understand why; consumers regularly use a range of marketing channels, and they want businesses to distribute content across different platforms.
However, not every marketing channel is created equally. Some demand that you invest money to provide information to potential clients. In contrast, others allow you to spread content organically.
In this article, we’ll define marketing channels in more detail, provide examples of various channels, and provide a framework for choosing the best ones for your company.
Strategic Marketing Channels for eCommerce Business
The medium through which you communicate with your target market is known as a marketing channel. The two primary categories of channels are:
- Paid Channels: Paid Channels are mediums you spend money on to Distribute information to your audience.
- Organic Channels: These channels are free-to-use channels where you can distribute information to your audience.
Your business’s entire marketing strategy is determined by the combination of marketing channels you select. Here are some of the best marketing channels for eCommerce businesses.
1. Email Marketing:
Email marketing is the practice of promoting your company’s goods and services via email. To let customers know about a promotion or deal, you can launch a comprehensive email marketing campaign or send a one-off email.
Emails can also be distributed at crucial points in a buyer’s journey, such as when a consumer initially signs up for your email list or completes a website checkout.
You must collect their contacts before emailing potential clients. Several businesses even provide a one-time discount to build an email list. For instance, the natural cosmetics company St. Botanica offers free shampoo to all customers that sign up on their website and fill up a survey.
2. Social Media Marketing:
Social Media Marketing is vital for finding, interacting with, and developing relationships with niche audiences. You might be able to connect with communities on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok depending on what you sell.
Posting material on your social media platforms falls under organic marketing instead of paid or display advertising because you are not paying for leads. A powerful social media presence can help you gain followers, expand your reach by working with influencers, and even perform sales on the platform.
3. Affiliate Marketing:
By employing affiliate marketing, you collaborate with experts who promote your products on your behalf. Using blog entries, reviews, and social media posts, your affiliates direct customers to your store using a unique link or coupon code. A fashion blogger might, for instance, include several items from your clothing store in a post featuring their “best picks” for the current season.
The affiliate receives a commission on sales whenever someone purchases one of their affiliate links. This form of marketing is effective since it uses an affiliate’s credibility to draw customers to your company. When something is recommended by someone they trust, people are more likely to buy the product.
4. Search Engine Marketing:
SEM, or Search Engine Marketing, is a strategy used to increase your website’s visibility on search engines like Google and Bing. When users search for a term, you can pay a fee to have your advertisements appear above the other search results. This is known as sponsored search engine marketing.
You can increase your chances of engaging with clients who are already interested in purchasing your product or service by focusing on the intent of your target audience with your SEM strategy.
5. Event Marketing:
Showcasing your services and products in person to buyers, whether at a trade event, conference, or neighborhood fair can help your brand develop. Even though attending events can be beneficial at any stage of your business, it pays a lot in the long run to have your ideas verified in the early stages.
Establish relationships with your target audience and receive real-time feedback to help you better understand what marketing messaging is effective.
Conclusion
Consider your business strategy, resources, and areas of expertise before pursuing any marketing methods. You can find the best channels to start with by doing this.
You can also carry out market research to figure out what your ideal channel mix should be. You can choose the best platforms for customer-focused marketing by knowing your target demographic, where they hang out online, and what drives them.
At Envision eCommerce, we understand that decision-making might get overwhelming at times. So we help you make the right choices for your business success. Visit our website to schedule a call and connect with our certified eCommerce experts that can help your business shine.