Ecommerce has grown steadily over the past decade. In the third quarter of 2017, retail ecommerce spend totaled $78.6 billion, compared to $28.44 billion in the same period in 2007, according to Statista.
If you’re looking to boost your ecommerce sales this year, consider these three notable trends:
1. Visual content from users
In today’s world of high-definition screens, it should come as no surprise that consumers react positively to visual content. So why not let your shoppers make some content of their own? Social media gives everyone an equal platform to show off the things in life that are most important to them. Brands that make it easy for customers to showcase purchases stand to gain greater visibility in the online marketplace.
According to Social Media Examiner, marketers view visual marketing as the second-most important form of content, after blogs. Visual content also takes more time to produce, however, which is why it’s a good idea to enlist the help of your followers. Ecommerce business can promote their brands by handing over the reins to the users themselves. Consider starting a hashtag for your brand, and encourage shoppers to use it when posting on visual platforms such as Instagram.
2. Focus on mobile experience
In 2014, mobile surpassed desktop as the No. 1 way global internet users access the web, according to comScore. Since then, the trend has continued, with desktop traffic leveling out – even declining slightly – as mobile traffic increases. With more shoppers turning to their devices for just about everything from researching new products to making purchases, brands need to focus on the mobile experience.
Ecommerce businesses should ensure that shoppers can easily find the products they want and check out with as few steps as possible. Each additional page is simply a barrier to making the sale. Business Insider reported that $4.6 trillion worth of merchandise was abandoned in digital shopping carts in 2016. To realize more of that potential income, ecommerce brands need to make it easier to check out on mobile devices and leverage email reminders to encourage shoppers to return.
3. Marketing integration
For businesses that exist in brick-and-mortar locations and on ecommerce platforms, marketing integration is key. In the past, it might have made sense to leave ecommerce in its own silo because marketing integration wasn’t as easy or cost-effective as it is today. Managing two separate marketing campaigns simply doesn’t make sense anymore. Customers don’t differentiate between a brand’s physical stores and ecommerce sites.
TimeTrade reported that 85 percent of shoppers still prefer physical stores to online shops, but that doesn’t mean they treat the two as separate entities. If a business’s physical shops are branded differently than its online presence, customers are likely to get confused. Integrating marketing campaigns across both sides of the business will create brand cohesion.
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