Are your Facebook Ads strategy ready for Black Friday? 

This is THE time of the year when shopaholics are hunting for the best offers, so you need to make sure your Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads campaigns are ready to attract hungry buyers. 

So, do you have your Black Friday Facebook Ads strategies all planned out? No? Well, you’d better get on that, because the big day is just around the corner! 

With so many changes to how we advertise on Facebook and Instagram in a post-iOS world, the Meta algorithm is going through some growing pains of its own. So, how can you be sure you’re setting your ads for success? Well, we talked to ACTUAL engineers at Meta and created a checklist with everything you need to have your target audience open their wallets for you!

7 Meta Tips & Updates You Need to Know BEFORE Creating Black Friday

#1. 20 is the New 50

Everyone has heard that an ad set needs at least 50 conversions in a 7-day period. And yes, that was true a while ago, but now things have changed. 

In the past, the Facebook Ads Learning Phase ended when, in a 7-day period, an ad set reached 50 events (whether it is conversions, lead gen, landing page views, etc). However, the Meta Ads Manager has evolved and improved. Now to exit the learning phase for optimization, your campaigns need 20 completed events in a 7-day period.

What does that mean? 

Now, a campaign can leave the Learning Phase after it reaches 20 events, again, depending on the objectives you select. The algorithm will gather data until that time to help you make better decisions in a simplified, quicker way, and make it easier for you to be successful on the platform. 

But what happens if my campaign doesn’t achieve that goal? Then, after the 7-day period *and not a minute before*, you can edit your campaign to optimize it! The algorithm will still learn based on successful events, but to hit true Meta Ad success velocity, you’ll want to consider increasing your budget so that you can achieve the 20 events Meta needs your campaign to hit for optimization in a 7-day period.

#2. Keep Your Cold & Warm Audiences Separated

Let’s think of our cold and warm audiences like a dating process. 

Cold traffic is like when you’re interested in someone you don’t know and want them to swipe right back at you. Your profile pic and information is all they have on you to make a snap judgment decision on whether they’ll engage in a convo and maybe give you their number.  

This is the same for an IG ad. They have 1-3 seconds MAX to decide whether or not your ad is worth ‘swiping right’ via engaging with your content by stopping their scroll. 

Meanwhile, our warm traffic is geared to those that have already engaged with your profile and is either mid-convo or mid-first date. Like a Facebook ad, you’ve already captured their attention, and now you’re ‘courting’ them. Asking them to get to know you more and ideally make some sort of commitment. With dating, you’ll want to ‘make it official’ and with ads you want that lead or purchase! 

They’re totally different, right? 

• Cold Traffic’s primary goal is to get them to swipe right or engage with your content (and maybe purchase!)
• Warm Traffic’s primary goal is to get them converted into being Facebook officials by subscribing to your list and actually purchasing a product

When you blend warm and cold audiences in your campaigns, you’re giving the algorithm the chance to favor warm audiences as they’re more likely to convert to a more cost-effective bidding strategy. This means, using our last example, that it’s more likely for someone that already had a first date with you to say “yes” to a second date because they already know you. Thus slimming down the chance of new swipes showing up on your feed.

Taking this into account, at the top level of your campaign, for cold audiences, you’re teaching the Meta Ads algorithm which cold audiences are yielding conversions. A successful conversion sends a signal to the platform to find more humans like the user who just converted. 

When you’re using cold audiences in a campaign, and excluding warm ones, you’re forcing the platform to find new people *aka people that don’t know anything about your product/service* that will make the desired conversion event.

Should you blend the audiences and include warm audiences in the campaign, Meta will favor the warmer audience time and time again because an abandoned cart purchaser is more likely to convert than someone who doesn’t yet know, like, or trust your offer. 

And Meta is always optimizing for the easier (more cost-effective) win in their algorithm.

That’s why at Mongoose Media we recommend not mixing these audiences in the same campaign. When you throw cold and warm audiences together you’re not teaching the algorithm to specifically find new prospects, you’re asking your algorithm to find the best buyers possible, allowing it to cheat and deliver the ads to people that already know who you are. So, instead, build a campaign for prospecting and another for retargeting warm traffic. 

#3. Know What CPA You’re Willing to Pay for Your Cold & Warm Audiences

The algorithm is listening to you, so you have to tell it exactly what you want. And this applies to anything you set up in Facebook Ads, but it is especially important for the CPA.

Let’s suppose that you are willing to pay $85 per CPA (cost per acquisition) for a skincare customer, but you capped the bid budget at $75. In this case, the algorithm doesn’t have the means to know that you have more money than what you put, so you’ll be forcing it to optimize your ads for a $75 budget. Which can mean you’re limiting your audience reach to forced CPAs that fit within your lower budget. Meaning, you’re missing out on potential customers that you’d be willing to pay for but your bidding strategies say otherwise.

Why is this so crucial? Because there may be better people with potentially higher order value or propensity to purchase available to you, but because you told the algorithm that $75 is your spend limit, your ad may not reach those people. 

Bear this in mind: if your CPA is too high, it will eat into your profits. Conversely, if your CPA is too low, you could be missing out on potential customers. 

Additionally, every day we get closer to Black Friday is a day that the auction experiences additional new competitors to the marketplace and more auction pressure that you’re competing against. So, start thinking about your CPA before the big day approaches. 

{important dates graphic: September 20th, the soft pressure increase in a ‘pre-Black Friday auction’. October 15th – the unofficial kickoff for Black Friday and the D-Day for heavy auction bids. November 15th – consider using different Meta objectives cause everyone and their grandmothers are doing ads.}

And, if you’re not sure what your CPA should be, working with a qualified Meta Ads consultant can help you to set a realistic CPA for your business!

NOTE: Your WARM CPA and COLD CPA should be different.

#4. Your Ads are a Marathon, Not a Place to Bet on Horses

I know that it is very tempting to look at your ad campaigns and ads like they are competing in a horse race. But you’re not betting on a pony, you’re marketing your products or services, so there’s no rush. 

What I mean is that even though you may want to perform a gazillion changes every time you check your ads statics and something seems off, you need to let it rest! As I said above, the Facebook Ads Learning Phase covers a 7-day period; however, if you edit your ad every other day, what will happen is that the time period will restart with every change and your campaign will be stuck in the Learning Phase *sounds like time traveling, right?*. 

Plus, you won’t be giving the algorithm enough time to optimize your campaign! Simply put, let’s suppose you launched your ad on a Monday, but by Wednesday you don’t get any of the results you wanted, so you turn it off. But, what you don’t realize is that, in a 7-day period, the algorithm is working to understand your campaign, so it may take time to reach your target audience and generate conversions. 

And don’t worry! 

Everyone is tempted to edit or stop a campaign when it is not achieving what we want! In fact, at Mongoose Media we used to make that decision after a 4-day period. However, we realized that, by doing this, we were potentially wasting the effort the algorithm is making to optimize a campaign, so now we wait a full 7 days before touching anything. 

So, walk away and go back in a week… But wait, there are a few things you need to be mindful of before you sit back and relax. Here’s a quick ads checklist

• Tracking: 

For Facebook Ads to be effective, it is essential that you have your tracking set up correctly. Without tracking, you will have no way of knowing whether your ads are succeeding or failing during the Holiday season. 

• Creatives: 

During Black Friday, brands compete for consumers’ attention with ads that are often loud, colorful, and eye-catching. As a result, it’s important to make sure that your ads are designed to be thumb-stopping.

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One way to do this is to start working on your ad creatives well in advance of Black Friday. This will give you time to experiment with different designs and ensure that your advertising campaigns are truly eye-catching. 

• Winning offer

Have you already put some thoughts into your Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals? It is important to craft a must-click offer that your specific audience is going to love. 

Remember that Facebook, unlike Amazon, is like walking into the mall during the holiday season. There are a lot of options you can pick and different offers that sound appealing, so, with many competitors out there, it is important to create deals that really persuade your audience!

• Work within a comfortable budget

Have a budget that you’re comfortable spending daily with a long-term goal of success. If you’re coming to Meta ads for a silver bullet, a single solution in your company’s bottom line, you better have a budget to back up the investment for data and the algorithm to find your target audience.

Meta Ads are great to-scale offers that work and as a discovery tool for new audiences. When Meta Ads stand on their own without a cohesive marketing plan for omnichannel remarketing, subscriber engagement, and more, expect to pay high acquisition costs to cover your marketing gaps. 

{Meta Ads on a CVJ image? Meta ads drive awareness, meta ads help subscriber acquisition, Meta Ads can drive excitement and loyalty, but Meta Ads aren’t Atlas, holding the weight of the company alone – that’s my graphic recommendation…. People think Meta Ads are the Atlas holding the world, but instead, it’s the offer that’s atlas and Meta is the muscle on the one bicep only}

#5. The Algorithm Assumes the Data is True

This may sound like a no-brainer, but it is important to understand that the algorithm can’t read your mind, so it learns from the data you give it. 

That’s why it is so important to be mindful about what you tell it. From your target audience to your ad spend, that algorithm will take everything you put as a fact and, if you’re not careful, it can affect your campaign negatively.

#6. Advantage+ Placements & Advantage Campaign Budget & Why They Matter

Placements are also known as the different platforms on which Meta can show your ad. An example of this is running your ads on Instagram, Facebook, or Messenger.

In this case, choosing multiple placements is a great idea if you want your ads to reach your target audience across different platforms. Meta’s platform is going to try and serve your ads on the placement your targeted audience is most likely going to engage and convert.

Taking this into account, by using Advantage+ placements, you’ll be allowing Meta to find the best conversion opportunities for your ad in all the placements.

This not only will help you to get the optimization events at a low cost (because Meta’s delivery system will analyze the data from all available placements and choose placements that are both cost-effective and high-performing) but also will help you make the most out of your campaign budget!

Another way of automating your campaign is by using the Advantage Campaign Budget. This is a feature that allows Meta to distribute your budget depending on the placements where each ad set will get the most optimization events at a low cost. 

With both features, you can make sure that your budget is effectively invested, Advantage+ placements and Advantage Campaign Budget are godsend help during the Black Friday season

#7. Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns

If you were looking for a way to increase your campaign’s performance without having to stick to your computer 24/7, the new Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns, launched on August 15, 2022, is quickly becoming my favorite new roll out from Meta. This new Meta product can automate an entire ad campaign with machine learning, so you can focus more on the general aspects of your online store and less on managing campaigns.

Just imagine being able to automate EVERYTHING from creatives and placements to audiences. With Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns you can maximize your ads’ performance throughout the Black Friday weekend (and beyond) without all the manual work it used to require. 

Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns allow business owners and paid media buyers to use AI to automate a campaign from end to end and make the best out of their ad budget by finding the best placements in which your ad will get the most conversion events at a lower cost.

And, if that wasn’t enough, this new feature can also automate creatives to analyze which ones are more effective in a specific audience! 

Finally, if you have a Facebook or Instagram Shop, Meta is using AI to drive traffic to the most converting destination for your eCommerce store. Either your in-platform store (FB or IG shop) or your website, depending on which one will generate the most optimization events in a certain audience! 

There’s nothing you can’t achieve with this tool and, even though it’s still in its Beta version, acting on it now will give your campaigns a lift as most other brands and advertisers aren’t taking advantage of this new campaign!

What’s the Best Time to Run Facebook Ads for Black Friday?

As soon as possible! Taking into account that you have to wait for the Learning Phase 7-day window, help the algorithm understand and optimize your campaign, and make edits if necessary, at Mongoose Media we recommend our clients to start their Black Friday Facebook Ads campaigns between July and September. 

However, this doesn’t mean that you should have launched your sale months ago! What you should have done is launch campaigns to find your audience and build a warm list.

The idea is to build a list of buyers that want your product/service and are eager to get a good deal, so you can offer them early access or another offer if they signup or register ahead of the big day. 

Why is this so important? Because even though Black Friday and Cyber Monday may seem like a weekend events, more and more people start craving good deals and offers even before November starts, so it is crucial *and cheaper* to start warming up your traffic early

But wait! If you’re reading this in October/November, that doesn’t mean everything is lost. You just need to be mindful that, when you launch your Facebook ad campaign, there’s going to be a lot more auction pressure. 

Ready to Start Preparing for a Successful Black Friday?

Planning your Black Friday campaigns with time is the key to not only crafting profitable ads that catch the attention of your target audience and persuade them to click the “Buy now” button, but it also helps the algorithm understand your brand and put your deal in front of the right people. And now you have a checklist with everything that has changed in Facebook Ads and you need to keep it in mind to set your campaigns up for success. 

Do you feel already overwhelmed with all the preparations pre-Black Friday? Fear not, you’ve come to the right place! At Mongoose Media we have a team of Facebook experts, copywriters, designers, and strategists that will help you with the planning while you worry about running your business!

So, meet with us and start your journey to a successful Black Friday Facebook Ads strategy!

The post 7 Things You Need to Do AHEAD of Your Black Friday Facebook Ads According to Meta appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

If you’re a store or website owner, one of your biggest goals is likely to increase customer conversions. After all, successful conversion rate optimization can make a world of difference when it comes to growing your business.

What if we say you can take your struggling to store to a successful one by just making some small tweaks?

Yes. There are plenty of proven tactics that can help you increase conversion rate of your store while also boosting profits. And no, you don’t need much technical experience for that.

In this comprehensive guide, we will outline everything from understanding Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) to implementing easy-to-understand strategies that will take your store’s results up another level.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

What Is Conversion Rate?

Simply put, the conversion rate is the percentage of visitors to your website or store who take a desired action. It can be anything from signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, sharing content, or downloading an app.

Most often, though, it’s used to measure how many people are actually buying something on your site.

Conversion rate is a good way to measure the success of your store. The higher the rate, the better it is for you in terms of sales and customer acquisition.

What Is A Good Conversion Rate?

The answer to this question depends on the industry you’re in, as well as factors such as:

• Traffic source
• Your Goals
• Audience profile
• Your Offer
• and a couple of other things

Generally speaking, though, a good conversion rate is anything above 2%.

However, remember that improving your conversion rate is always an ongoing process. If you have a decent conversion rate today, there might be room for improvement tomorrow. That’s why you should continuously track and analyze your data to fine-tune performance.

What Is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?

Conversion rate optimization (also often called CRO Optimization) is the process of improving the performance of a website or store through measures that increase conversions.

In other words, it’s about identifying which elements on your site work best and which need to be improved. CRO can involve testing different design elements, making changes to the user experience, or even running campaigns with special offers and discounts.

The primary goal of CRO is to increase your store’s overall performance by improving customer satisfaction, increasing sales, and driving more traffic to the site. Doing so can make more money and improve your bottom line.

But how do you calculate the conversion rate?

How To Calculate Conversion Rate?

Calculating your conversion rate is fairly simple. All you have to do is take the total number of visitors to your website or store, divide it by the total number of conversions, and multiply by 100. The resulting figure will give you an idea of how effectively your store converts visitors into customers.

For example, if you had 1000 visitors to your site and 24 converted, your conversion rate would be 2.4%.

But remember that you need to define a conversion first. This could be a purchase, sign-up, or download — all of which can be tracked inside your Google Analytics dashboard.

Also, remember to associate your goal with the relevant page. For example, if your goal is to get newsletter sign-ups and the form is on the contact page or a product page, you will only count the website visitors on that specific page, not the home page or others.

That’s how you accurately calculate the conversion rate.

But why do businesses get crazy about conversion optimization? Why are conversion rates important?

What Are The Benefits Of Conversion Rate Optimization?

CRO optimization allows you to maximize the potential of every visitor who comes to your store. This means more sales, leads, and customers – all without spending a dime on advertising.

Besides the numbers, the conversion rate optimization process also helps you understand customers’ psychology. You get to know what motivates people on your site and which channels are the most effective at driving high-quality traffic.

This information can be invaluable when crafting your brand’s digital marketing strategy.

In addition, CRO also helps you identify opportunities to improve user experience, making visitors more likely to trust your brand and add to your website’s conversion rate.

Finally, conversion optimization allows you to maximize your profits, reduce costs, and increase customer satisfaction –what every brand desires!

Now that you understand what is conversion rate and how to calculate it, let’s walk you through the core elements of an effective CRO process.

The Science Of Ecommerce Conversion Optimization: 6 Critical Elements

The six elements of a successful CRO process can be grouped into two categories:

Here’s how each one of them affects your site’s conversion rate:

Website Speed

Let’s admit it. Slow websites are annoying. This is true to the point that website visitors almost immediately bounce off a page if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.

This not only impacts your conversion rate but also hurts your website’s SEO.

So, make sure your website loads in under 3 seconds, or be prepared to lose more and more prospects.

Design

Looks matter. A Lot!

If you have a professionally designed, eye-pleasing website and landing page, users will automatically feel welcomed and comfortable to navigate.

So, naturally, a good design will drive actions and add to the conversion rate.

Copywriting

The next thing site visitors notice on your product pages or landing pages are the “words.”

Users are more likely to spend time or take a desired action on your website if the copy speaks to their needs and desires.

So, hire an experienced and highly-skilled copywriter who knows how to research your target audience and write compelling copy.

Website Structure

This should be easy to understand.

When shopping online, people don’t stay on a single web page. They often like to check out different items and browse product pages.

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This is where a decent website structure can aid in conversion.

If your website is easy-to-navigate, users are likely to stay on your website and move closer to a conversion.

On the other hand, if the structure is complex, they will most likely bounce off.

CTAs

Next up are your call-to-action buttons. Although they’re part of the website copy, they play a different role. While website copy influences decision-making, CTAs are often the key drivers behind conversion.

Words and phrases like “Order Now For Free Shipping,” “Access Now,” or “Contact Today For A Free Quote” have the power to influence people’s decisions and drive actions.

So, choose your CTAs wisely.

Forms

Finally, your website forms and their optimization are critical to the conversion rate.

If your web form is long (with unnecessary fields) or too complicated (requiring extra steps), it will negatively impact the conversion rate.

The idea is to keep them short, sweet, and simple.

These are some of the core elements of a successful CRO strategy that can help brands get more out of their digital marketing efforts.

Now that you know what makes a successful conversion funnel, here are a few tips to increase the conversion rate of your ecommerce site or store.

Conversion Rate Optimization Tips & Tricks

Tip 1 – Do Some Split testing or A/B testing

Split testing or A/B testing is often used to optimize the website and make it more conversion friendly.

It basically involves creating two versions of a web page with slight variations and testing them out on live audiences to see which one performs better.

Though you can test several things, it’s a nice idea to test variations of:

• Headlines
• Color themes
• Design elements (buttons, banners, etc.)
• Button placement
• Layout
• Website copy
• CTA
• Images
• Videos

However, make sure you don’t change several things together. Why?

Because it will make it almost impossible to figure out which change actually had an impact on the conversion rate.

So, don’t overdo the variations.

Tip 2 – Add A Site Search Feature

A search bar is a must-have for any website or store with plenty of products.

It helps users quickly find what they’re looking for and improves the on-site experience.

This was even confirmed by Forrester Research (a research and consulting company). It found that almost 43% of web users head straight to the search bar. Plus, it increases their chances of conversion by 2-3 times and helps prospects take action.

That’s one way how the search bar helps. But there’s another way.

You can analyze search queries to understand user behavior and tailor your website according to their preferences.

Tip 3 – Set Up Easy Forms

Remember the core elements of CRO optimization?

As already mentioned, forms play an important role when it comes to optimizing the conversion rate.

That’s why it’s important to create simple forms with minimum fields and help users get through the process effortlessly. Also, make sure you add helpful prompts or auto-fill features to reduce friction and expedite the process. These simple tweaks can make a world of difference.

You also need to apply the same logic when creating forms for lead generation or any other purpose. Keep them short and sweet.

Fact: “Using a quiz-like form to capture information has the potential to triple conversions.” (WPForms)

So, get creative with your forms to get more conversions. Use a quiz format, add a lead magnet, or incorporate a chatbot. They will help you get more prospects and conversions.

The idea is to make the process simple and engaging for users.

Tip 4 – Use Better CTAs

The CTAs you use on your website can be a game changer.

Good CTAs are clear and concise and should help users take the desired action without any confusion. How?

Well, you need to come up with CTAs that are:

• persuasive
• descriptive
• benefit-focused

Besides the above, effective CTAs usually invoke a sense of urgency or achievement. For instance, words like “Unlock” or “Get Exclusive Access” play with users’ psychology and make them feel rewarded. It creates a sense of exclusivity and often leads to higher conversions.

Similarly, phrases like “Order Now Before Stock Runs Out” or “Free Shipping For Next 10 Hours” trigger emotions of urgency and encourage prospects to take action quickly.

This is how you can leverage compelling copy to make your CTAs more effective and boost your conversion rates.

Plus, you can also try changing the following CTA elements:

• CTA type (Forms, text, button)
• Placement
• Button Shape
• Button Size
• Colors

Refer back to tip number 1 and do split testing to see what works better.

Tip 5 – Better User Experience

User experience plays a key role when it comes to CRO optimization. That’s why you must ensure your website or store provides a pleasant user experience.

How?

Think from a customer’s perspective – what would make your site more enjoyable for them?

Here are a couple of aspects to focus on:

Navigation: Make sure your website or store has an intuitive navigation system that makes it easy for users to find what they’re looking for.

Content: Create well-structured, organized, and informative content that is both easy to grasp and adds value. Make sure your content is tailored to the readers and resonates with them.

Layout: Design a website or store with clean lines and an organized layout that makes it easy to read and navigate.

Optimization: Optimize your website or store for speed, performance, and mobile devices.

By addressing all the above, you can enhance the user experience and increase conversions.

So, focus on enhancing the user experience to get more sales and leads from your website or store.

Tip 6 – Use Heat Maps For User Testing

A heat map is a powerful tool that helps you determine where users click on your web pages.

For instance, heat maps show which sections or elements of your website or store are getting the most attention and which ones are being neglected.

Yes. You can actually find out if users are paying attention to the navigation bar, CTA buttons, or links that you have carefully placed on your website. Some tools even have an eye-tracking integration to tell you where users look first when they land on your ecommerce website.

This can give you greater insights into user behavior and help you identify:

• effective website sections,
• improvement opportunities,
• and, potential issues and problems.

Overall, heat maps are excellent for ecommerce conversion optimization as they help you understand what elements of your store need more focus and attention.

Tip 7 – Add Pop-ups

Pop-ups are great for boosting conversions. They help you capture customer information such as email address, name, phone number, and more.

You can use pop-ups for a variety of purposes, such as:

• Offering discounts or coupons,
• Inviting people to join a newsletter,
• Introducing new products or services,
• Collecting feedback and ratings,
• Showing important notifications.

Pop-ups are also extremely effective in retargeting customers. You can use them to show special offers or discounts to customers who have already visited your website or store.

However, despite having an excellent conversion rate of 11.09%, you need to be careful when using pop-ups, as too many can annoy customers and drive them away. Also, they must have fast loading speeds and easy-to-spot exit options, otherwise, it could turn off the existing traffic and drive them away.

So, be cautious with pop-ups and use them right!

Tip 8 – Leverage Live Chat or Chatbots

Live chat is a great way to boost conversions. It enables potential customers to chat with you directly and get their queries answered in real time. This helps build trust and customer loyalty, which leads to more conversions.

But if you don’t have the resources for a live chat team, you can use chatbots instead. Chatbots are automated conversational AI systems that can answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) and help customers with their queries.

However, make sure you choose a chatbot that fits your budget, integrates well with your system, and aligns with your business goals.

So, these were some of the most effective conversion rate optimization strategies you can use to increase conversion rate of your store.

Besides the above, you can try:

• adding some social proof
• using targeted lead magnets
• enhancing the checkout experience
• focusing on abandoned carts
• using retargeting

These are all proven techniques that boost website conversion rates by turning website visitors into paying customers!

However, instead of relying only on tricks of the trade, developing strong ecommerce marketing concepts is highly recommended to get ahead in the commerce world.

Master The Fundamentals For Successful Ecommerce Conversion Optimization

While this guide will surely help you get started with your store’s CRO optimization, there’s much more to CRO than just tips and tricks.

Ecommerce success depends on understanding your target audience and developing a suitable marketing strategy for your store.

So, before starting your optimization efforts, you need to focus on the basics, like understanding the core pillars of ecommerce, creating customer avatars, and developing a sales-worthy offer. How can you learn this all?

Our Ecommerce Marketing Mastery Certificate offers advanced ecommerce marketing knowledge so that you start strong and optimize your store from the ground up.

Don’t have time on your hands? Consider hiring a specialized ecommerce agency to take care of ecommerce conversion optimization and marketing for you.

With the right knowledge, tools, and team, you’d be well on your way to building a profitable ecommerce business.

The post Easy Conversion Rate Optimization Strategies: A Practical Guide On How To Optimize Your Store appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

Are you a business owner looking to build a successful ecommerce website?

If so, then SEO should be at the top of your list.

Search engine optimization can make or break an online store – optimizing for search engines is essential for any ecommerce website if you want to stand out from the competition and increase traffic.

This ultimate guide to SEO for ecommerce websites in 2023 will give you insights into how SEO works, what are the best SEO strategies for ecommerce websites, and how to create an effective SEO strategy for ecommerce websites that will help grow your business.

Let’s get started with the burning question, “What is ecommerce SEO?”

What is Ecommerce SEO, & How Does It Work?

Ecommerce SEO is the process of optimizing your online ecommerce store for search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

This means taking all the necessary steps to make your website appear higher in search results when users search for related keywords.

SEO for ecommerce site involves optimizing your website’s written and visual content, as well as its structure and technical aspects. This makes it easier for search engine robots to crawl, index, and understand your website and ultimately rank it higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

What does “indexing” mean?

Indexing is like registering your website on Google’s directory or database.

If your website is not indexed, users won’t be able to see it, which means you can’t rank on search engines.

How Does Search Engine Optimization Work?

SEO is a combination of on-page and off-page optimization strategies.

On-Page SEO

On-page optimization involves optimizing elements on your website, such as the design, content, coding, and URL structure.

Some of the basic on-page optimization tasks include:

• Writing keyword-rich website content, titles, and meta descriptions
• Setting up an internal linking structure
• Enhancing page speed and mobile-friendliness
• Optimizing images with alt text
• Using structured data (Schema markup)
• Adding quality external links

All of these factors help search engine robots understand the purpose and content of your website so they can compare it to other ecommerce sites in organic search results.

Off-Page SEO

Off-page optimization, on the other hand, involves activities outside of your website, such as building links from other websites, using social media to promote your content, and submitting your website to directories and webmaster tools like Google Search Console.

These activities all help to increase your website’s visibility and authority in the eyes of search engines.

These on-page and off-page factors are generally known as ranking factors in technical SEO language.

But what exactly is the purpose of ecommerce SEO besides boosting search engine rankings?

Let’s have a quick rundown of the benefits of SEO for ecommerce website.

Benefits of An Ecommerce SEO Campaign

SEO for ecommerce site is essential because of the following:

1. Boost In Website Traffic & Search Visibility

One of the most obvious benefits of ecommerce SEO is that it increases the visibility of your ecommerce site and promises better engagement chances with potential customers.

Doing so builds your digital presence, drives more traffic, and increases customer conversion rates.

2. Minimize Paid Ad Costs

Investing in your ecommerce SEO campaign could mean a significant reduction in your paid advertising budget.

But, thankfully, it would still offer a higher ROI.

Why? and HOW?

Because “53.3% of all organic traffic comes from organic search.” (Source = Ahrefs)

This means more than half of the users ignore paid ads and click on organic search results.

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So, cut your paid marketing costs, and double down your investment in SEO tools.

3. Enhance Brand Image

Customers are likely to trust and buy from top stores on search engine results pages simply because they are seen more often.

4. Sit Above Your Competition (Literally)

Ranking higher in search engine results not only puts you above competitor ecommerce sites on Google, but it also gives you the edge when it comes to capturing leads.

The higher your website appears in the SERPs, the more likely customers are to click through to it and make a purchase.

5. Improve Your Retargeting Campaigns

Retargeting campaigns involve targeting previous website visitors with personalized ads in order to remind them about your products and win back potential customers.

SEO can help you with this by providing you with data that lets you know how many people are visiting your website and which pages they’re viewing.

This data will allow you to better determine the right retargeting campaigns and optimize them for maximum ROI.

6. Better Usability & Customer Experience

Good ecommerce SEO practices mean that your website is optimized for usability, which in turn enhances the customer experience and makes it easier for visitors to find what they’re looking for.

This can lead to more satisfied customers and higher conversion rates, making SEO a great investment.

All in all, ecommerce SEO is one of the smartest investments you can make for your online store. It doesn’t just help you to rank higher in search engine results; it also helps you grow in every aspect and emerge as a trusted brand.

Now that we’ve covered the working and benefits of ecommerce SEO, it’s time to dive into the ecommerce SEO best practices you should be using.

12-Step Proven & Effective Ecommerce SEO Strategy (+1 Bonus Step)

Here is what a comprehensive ecommerce SEO strategy should include:

1. Registering Your Ecommerce Site On Search Engines

The very first step to kick off your ecommerce SEO campaign is to submit your website on Google, Bing, and other search engines.

Why?

Registering your website with search engines will ensure that your website is visible to search engine spiders and crawled more frequently.

Moreover, it will send you notifications about any technical issues related to crawling or website usability in general.

How to register your website with search engines?

By adding your website’s URL to the respective search engine’s webmaster tools.

For Google, it’s Google Search Console, and for Bing, it’s Bing Webmaster Tools.

2. Setting Up & Optimizing Your Website Structure

Optimizing your site architecture is one of the key ecommerce SEO tools to benefit from. A well-organized and structured website tells search engines that your ecommerce site is easy to crawl and index.

Moreover, a well-structured website appeals to customers and helps them find the information they are looking for quickly and easily.

So, you need to optimize your website structure for both.

How to optimize ecommerce site architecture for search engine bots?

It’s easy. Simply add your sitemap file to Google and Bing using the respective webmaster tools.

A sitemap is basically a visual representation of all the pages on your website that you want search engines to crawl. This should essentially include all of your product pages, category pages, blog posts, and other content.

What does a sitemap do?

It helps search engine bots crawl and index all the pages of your website. Plus, it also helps users see how your website is organized and where they can easily find the information they’re looking for.

You can create a sitemap yourself or take advantage of automated solutions such as Google’s Webmaster Tools. XML and HTML are both used for sitemaps, but HTML sitemaps are a user-friendly option.

How to optimize ecommerce site architecture for website visitors?

Besides adding a sitemap, make sure that all major pages of your ecommerce store aren’t far away from the homepage.

Users like it when a product or category page is easily accessible within three clicks from the home page, as this lets them navigate your website easily.

So, have a clear navigation system with well-defined categories and properly labeled product pages. But avoid adding unnecessary layers of pages; it could make customers feel lost.

Also, add an easy-to-spot search bar somewhere on the page (preferably in the header area). This will allow customers to quickly search and find what they’re looking for on your website.

Bonus Tip: Want to build more trust with your visitors?

Add an About Us and a Contact Us page so customers know who you are as a brand and where they can reach you.

3. Performing In-Depth Keyword Research

The next step to setting up an effective ecommerce SEO strategy is keyword research.

Why?

Because keywords are the foundation of any successful search engine optimization campaign.

They help you understand what people are searching for when they look up something related to your business and the products you offer.

So, how do you find keywords?

Two of the most effective methods are:

Use a Keyword Research tool:

There are plenty of free and paid keyword research tools available online. Ubersuggest, Answer the Public, and Ahrefs Keywords Explorer are some of the popular ones.

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These tools will provide you with a list of keyword suggestions related to your business and products, their search volumes, CPCs, keyword difficulty scores, and more.

Or, you can use a free tool like Google Keyword Planner. It’s a great way to find relevant and popular keywords for your website.

Bonus Tip: You can use the auto suggest feature on Amazon, Etsy, and other platforms to find more relevant keywords.

Google’s Autosuggest:

Another easy way to find keyword ideas is through Google’s auto suggest feature. All you have to do is type a keyword into the search box, and Google will automatically suggest related terms.

For example, if you type ‘running shoes,’ it’ll give you a list of related keywords such as ‘best running shoes,’ ‘running shoes for women,’ and so on.

These keyword suggestions will give you a better idea of what people are searching for, allowing you to create targeted content and campaigns.

Plus, you’ll uncover excellent long-tail keywords with high buying intent — which brings us to another aspect of ecommerce keyword research.

4. Understanding Search Intent & Creating Relevant Content

Search intent refers to the intention behind search queries: the reason why people are searching or looking up a particular keyword.

Identifying search intent and optimizing your content accordingly is the key to driving more organic traffic and conversions.

For example, if someone is searching for ‘running shoes,’ their search intent could be learning about features, pricing, and different options available in the market.

You can optimize your content around this intent and write product-review articles, comparison articles, or guides, including informational keywords.

On the other hand, if someone’s searching for “running shoes for men under $200,” it means they’re almost ready to spend that amount. You can create website pages targeting those keywords and include relevant calls-to-action in your product pages, category pages, and product descriptions.

The key is to understand what people are searching for and create content that aligns with the search intent. This will surely help improve your SEO rankings.

5. Optimizing Your Website

Once you’ve done your keyword research and identified search intent, the next step is to optimize your existing website content.

Add Keywords

Include your keywords in the following:

• Title tags, meta tags, and meta descriptions on your home page, ecommerce category pages, product pages, and blog posts.

Why?

Because users see these tags and descriptions first when they search for a keyword on Google, so it’s important to make sure they are optimized.

However, you would want to stay away from keyword stuffing and place them naturally throughout your content.

• URLs.

Write descriptive URLs including your primary keyword, to get an edge over your competitors.

Having keywords in the URL helps you stand out in the eyes of both the search engine and visitors.

• Alt tags (or alt text).

This is the text you add to images to serve as an alternative text for search engines. This gives Google the ability to read what your image is about, giving you an extra boost in rankings.

Tip: Adding modifiers such as “Coupon,” “Discount,” and “Free Shipping” in your meta description can increase clickthrough rate (or CTR), which is a strong ranking factor in the eyes of Google.

Focus On Link Building

Link building is an indirect ranking factor, but it can make a huge difference in your SEO rankings. There are two sides to it:

Internal links – Link to other pages on your website. This helps Google better understand the structure and content of your website, which can help boost rankings. Moreover, it also helps visitors stay on your site for longer.

External links – Link to other relevant websites and blogs. This helps Google verify that your content is valuable and trustworthy, thus boosting rankings.

But make sure you only link to relevant and credible websites and don’t link to irrelevant or low-quality sources. Not only is it bad for SEO, but it also ruins user experience and reflects poorly on your reputation.

Also, try not to link to direct competitors, as it will give them free traffic and a possible ranking boost to outrank your website.

6. Creating High-Quality Backlinks To Your Ecommerce Website

Backlinks are one of the most powerful ranking signals for Google and an excellent way to strengthen your SEO strategy for ecommerce website. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the higher your website will rank in search engine results pages (SERPs).

You can get high-quality backlinks from authority websites in your niche. Consider guest blogging, directory submissions, and leveraging social media to get some relevant backlinks. You can also reach out to influencers in your niche to get them to link to your website or products.

Lastly, make sure the backlinks are from credible sites and use relevant anchor text to increase the chances of getting a higher ranking.

7. Enhancing User Experience

Google uses a number of factors to determine the quality and relevance of content, one of which is user experience. It looks at how long users stay on a page and whether or not they find the information useful.

A good user experience is essential for ecommerce SEO success, so make sure your website is easy to use, and navigation is simple.

Here are a couple of things you can do to improve user experience.

Have a Responsive Design:

Make sure your website is optimized for mobile devices and has a responsive design. This will ensure that users on all types of devices have a good experience navigating your website.

Reduce Page Load Speed:

Page load speed is one of the most important factors for user experience and SEO. If your website takes too long to load, users will quickly leave, and it will hurt your rankings.

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Make sure the page is optimized for speed by using caching, compressing images, and minimizing scripts.

Add a Search Bar:

Adding a search bar to your website makes it easier for users to find what they’re looking for. This helps reduce bounce rate and keeps users on your website for longer.

Create User-Friendly Checkout:

The checkout process should be simple and straightforward. Make sure the checkout process is easy to navigate and keep distractions to a minimum.

Also, provide features like guest checkout and payment options such as PayPal and credit card to ensure customers have a smooth checkout experience.

Following these tips will help you make your ecommerce website more user-friendly and help visitors stay long enough to convert into paying customers. It will, in turn, signal Google to rank you higher than websites with poor design and high bounce rates.

8. Having An Optimized, Simple URL Structure

Having a simple URL structure is super important from an SEO perspective. Why?

Because it simplifies navigation for users and helps search engine crawlers understand the structure of your website more easily.

Here are a few URL tips to keep in mind:

Your URL should be short. 50 to 60 characters is the recommended limit.

• It should be easy to read and understand.
• Include your target keyword in the URL.
• Don’t use stop words in URLs, such as “the,” “and,” “of,” and “a.” This will help keep your URL short.
• Also, make sure you use hyphens (-) to separate words instead of underscores (_).

For example, a bad URL structure would look like this:

On the other hand, a simple URL structure would be:

9. Using Schema Markups To Facilitate Google And Users

Schema markup is a type of structured data that helps search engines understand the content on your website. It’s basically a code added to your HTML that provides additional information about what’s on the page.

Using schema markup can help search engines display your website’s information in the form of rich snippets, like product markup snippets and review snippets. These snippets help users spot useful information faster and easier.

The most common ecommerce schema are:

• Product schema: For displaying product-related information like price, availability, and images. This extension also allows more efficient displaying of product ads.
• Review schema: For displaying review ratings and summaries on the search result page. Users can see the reviewer’s information and verify if the review is credible.
• Video schema: For displaying videos in search results. This extension helps search engines understand the type of video and its content.
• Price schema: For displaying pricing information of products. It is often used to display price ranges for product variations.

Using schema markups will help you get more visibility and clicks from search results, which eventually leads to better SEO rankings (and more sales).

10. Tackling Duplicate Content

Duplicate content is when one page has the same or similar content as another page, which is a common issue for ecommerce stores.

Having duplicate content on your website is bad for SEO because it creates confusion for search engines and makes it difficult to determine which page should be ranked higher in search engine results pages.

You can avoid this by using canonical tags. These tags essentially tell search engines which page is the original or “master version” and that all other pages with similar content are to be ignored.

Or, you can use the Robots.txt file to block duplicate content from being indexed.

Both methods work, but the canonical tag is preferable since it offers more control over duplicate content.

By avoiding duplicate content, you will be able to improve your SEO for ecommerce site and get better SEO rankings.

11. Monitoring & Tracking Your Ecommerce SEO Efforts

Finally, you should monitor and track your ecommerce SEO efforts to measure their effectiveness.

How?

Google Analytics is one of the best ecommerce SEO tools out there, and it can be used to track your website’s performance. By setting up goals and tracking metrics like bounce rate, time on page, and click-through rate (CTR), you can get insights into how well your SEO efforts are working.

You can also use other tools like Screaming Frog, DeepCrawl, and Ahrefs to audit your website and track changes in the backlinks.

You should also use A/B testing to determine which changes have a positive impact on your SEO rankings.

By tracking your ecommerce SEO efforts, you will be able to identify areas where you need improvement and make the necessary changes. This will help you achieve better SEO rankings and more organic traffic in the long run.

12. Keeping Up With SEO Trends

SEO trends are constantly changing, and you need to stay up-to-date if you want to keep up with the competition.

You can do this by attending SEO conferences, reading industry blogs, and staying up-to-date with the latest Google updates.

You should also keep an eye on your competitors’ SEO strategies and use tools like Ahrefs to monitor changes in their backlinks.

By keeping up with SEO trends, you’ll be able to create effective SEO strategies for ecommerce websites, stay one step ahead of the competition, and stay on top of the SERPs.

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And now for some more value, here is a BONUS that most ecommerce brands ignore.

13. BONUS = Leveraging The Power Of Pinterest SEO

Did you know that Pinterest is a search engine in itself?

People search on Pinterest just like they would on Google or Bing.

However, instead of delivering traditional results like Google, it offers visuals.

So, when someone enters a query in the Pinterest search bar, it will work to find the most appropriate (read: optimized) pins for that individual’s needs.

This means with a proper Pinterest SEO strategy, you can increase your profile’s visibility and get more website traffic from this unique search engine.

Here are a few actionable tips to optimize for Pinterest SEO:

• Get a Pinterest business account, as it has more optimization features.
• Use relevant keywords in the pin description and post titles.
• Create visually appealing pins optimized for Pinterest.
• Include links to your website in the pin description.
• Incorporate rich pins into your strategy.
• Optimize the board titles and descriptions for keywords related to the content you are sharing.
• Use keyword-rich headlines on your blog posts and link them to corresponding Pinterest boards.

Follow these simple tips to improve your SEO for ecommerce website, drive more traffic, and increase your overall visibility online.

Build Your Way To Success With Ecommerce SEO

Following the above-listed strategies will surely help you build a successful ecommerce website that ranks well and drives more sales.

But remember, ecommerce SEO is an ever-evolving field, and staying up to date with the latest trends can be a challenge.

This is where an Ecommerce Marketing Mastery Certificate can help – it will equip you with the most up-to-date knowledge and competencies to make your ecommerce business succeed.

Or consider having an expert team that understands SEO strategies for ecommerce by your side to implement the latest tricks of the trade.

No matter which way you decide to go, your ecommerce business will surely benefit from the power of SEO.

The post Best SEO Strategies For Ecommerce Websites in 2023 appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

The marketing and advertising landscape is constantly evolving. With the continuous emergence of new technologies and changes in consumer behavior, it’s super important to stay ahead of the curve by staying on top of the latest digital marketing trends.

But, as digital marketers or business owners, it can get a little challenging to catch up with everything happening so fast.

So, to help you get a head start and stay ahead of your competition, we, at Mongoose Media, created a comprehensive list of the top trends in digital advertising that any company should watch out for in 2023.

From advances in AI to leveraging content marketing and influencer collaborations, these strategies have the potential to amp up your marketing efforts and build a winning digital marketing strategy for your business.

So let’s take a deep dive into each one of them and help you become more strategic about how best to capitalize on modern technologies!

12 Top Digital Marketing Trends

Here is a list of the top digital marketing trends with  detailed insights you need to pay attention to in 2023:

1. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

The use of AI and machine learning is probably the most popular trend, which is gaining traction in digital marketing at the moment.

With algorithms controlling what social media posts you engage with, which search results surface, and even determining the ads that appear before your eyes, AI-driven marketing ensures a tailored experience for customers everywhere.

This amazing technology can help organizations optimize their marketing campaigns with predictive analytics and advanced data insights.

Plus, AI can also be used to automate mundane tasks such as content curation, customer segmentation, & personalization to facilitate better engagement with customers.

AI content creation tools such as Jasper, ChatGPT, and Midjourney are already revolutionizing how digital marketers create written content and images at 10x speed.

This is definitely going to be one of the hottest trends in advertising in the coming years.

2. Immersive Experiences

Immersive experiences are becoming an increasingly important part of digital marketing these days as they enable customers to interact with a brand on a more personal level.

Customers today don’t just want to browse through products. Instead, they look for an emotionally engaging experience that adds to their overall satisfaction.

Some of the best tools to offer immersive experiences are:

Virtual Reality – VR helps customers immerse themselves in a virtual environment and see what it would be like if the product was bought.

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Augmented Reality – AR helps customers to virtually experience the product in their own physical environment.

Using AR and VR, marketers can create interactive video ads and pop-up stores where customers can try and interact with products before buying them.

And this is exactly what happens in the metaverse. It’s a virtual world where people have digital avatars, which they can use to interact with other people and visual projections of products, play games, participate in virtual events, and buy or sell virtual assets.

This might sound unreal, but it’s all happening. As a matter of fact, brands like IKEA, Nike, and Amazon are already using AR to offer such virtual product experiences.

Immersive experiences like these create an interactive, real-world-like environment for customers to explore and gain insights about products/services, enhancing the user experience.

3. Content Marketing

Content is said to be “king” and definitely one of the most powerful digital marketing channels for engaging customers and driving conversions.

However, besides increasing engagement and conversion, content marketing is essential for another strong reason: brand awareness.

Did you know that it takes an average user 5 to 7 instances of interaction before they can remember a brand?

This is why it’s important  to consistently create high-quality content that resonates with the target audience and helps them get to know your business better.

Content marketing should be an integrated part of any digital marketing strategy in order to build brand awareness, generate leads, and increase conversions.

In addition to traditional content such as blog posts, emails, and social media posts, marketers should also consider creating interactive content such as webinars, live product reviews, quizzes, and polls in order to increase engagement.

All of these make for an excellent customer experience and build long-term brand loyalty.

4. Chatbots & Voice Assistants

Chatbots and voice assistants are gaining prominence as they help companies provide a more personalized experience for customers.

Chatbots use AI-driven algorithms to provide personalized customer service with automated responses, while voice assistants interact with customers in a more natural way.

Both chatbots and voice assistants help organizations save time and money by automating mundane customer service tasks while providing a more personalized experience for customers.

Doing so, they help customers pass through the sales funnel in a personalized and immersive way, which ultimately helps drive more conversions.

This is why these two have become essential tools of conversational marketing in the modern digital marketing world.

5. Influencer Collaborations

Every day, you see content creators promoting clothes, accessories, tech gadgets, or any other product. Whether it’s an Instagram post, Facebook story, or a TikTok or YouTube video, you will come across such collaborations.

What does it tell you?

It tells you that influencer marketing is an essential part of digital marketing today.

Influencers can help create buzz around a product or service on different social media platforms, attract more people to your website, and drive conversions.

How?

The explanation is simple; customers today are more likely to trust an influencer than a brand when it comes to recommendations.

This is why many brands and organizations have started leveraging influencer collaborations and making them a vital part of their digital marketing efforts.

Besides more awareness, businesses can also use influencer collaborations to get honest reviews from trusted figures in the industry before they launch their product or service.

6. Live Video/Streaming

Live streaming is yet another powerful form of digital marketing and a hot trend in the digital advertising world.

Streaming live content allows brands to engage with their customers in real time and build a strong connection with them. Plus, it also helps customers get answers to their queries and encourages more conversations around the product/service.

Brands can stream live content on various social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This can be in the form of product demonstrations, Q&A sessions, webinars, interviews with industry experts, and more.

But why is it recommended?

Because the algorithm of most social media platforms pushes live content to its news feed and ranks it higher than older content.

This means it will be easier for brands to reach their target customers with live content.

And it’s not just all in theory.

Live commerce is a whole new industry that has gained huge traction in China and is slowly spreading to other regions.

In 2023, the total live commerce market in China is projected to cross $700 billion.

Imagine the impact you can have if ecommerce brands add it to their digital marketing activities.

7. Email Marketing

There may come a hundred new trends in digital advertising, but email marketing is the “never-gonna-die” classic digital strategy.

Even today, in 2023, it remains one of the most effective ways to reach customers and promote products/services.

Why? Because it’s a more direct marketing tool as compared to other tools like Google ads, sponsored posts in social media feeds, or TV ads.

Emails are highly targeted and personalized messages.

This is why businesses (especially ecommerce businesses) use email campaigns to build relationships with customers, announce new product launches and upcoming sales, offer content upgrades, and send other personalized messages.

It is a cost-effective way to reach out to existing and potential customers, build long-term relationships, and drive more sales.

8. Omni-present Social Media Marketing

No doubt, social media has become an integral part of digital marketing.

However, just a few years ago, only Facebook was the key platform for brands.

But now, many businesses are focusing on developing an omnipresent social media marketing strategy.

This means they now try to be present on every social media platform. From Instagram to Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, and even Pinterest, businesses have started creating their presence on all these platforms.

This omnipresence helps brands ensure that their content reaches a wider audience and is visible in multiple places. This increases brand awareness, encourages more customer engagement, and helps increase conversion rates.

9. Short Form Video Content

It’s no surprise that video content has become one of the most popular forms of digital marketing.

But what’s different today is the type of videos being created. Users no longer want to watch long videos and instead wish to consume content in short bursts.

This is why TikTok rose to fame and became the most popular app in 2019 and 2020.

TikTok’s popularity moved businesses towards creating short, eye-catching videos for social media marketing. These videos range from product/service demonstrations to funny skits and even customer testimonials.

However, what happened afterward is even more interesting.

After the meteoric rise of TikTok, Facebook and Instagram introduced “Reels,” and YouTube launched “Shorts.”

Why?

Simply because short videos are effective; they are great for grabbing the attention of viewers, quickly conveying a message, and engaging customers in an interactive way.

So, short video content is a hot digital marketing trend, which is here to stay!

10. LinkedIn

This might come as a surprise, but LinkedIn is now one of the most important platforms for marketing teams.

It is no longer a site for job hunting, business to business collaborations, or data collection. In fact, it has become a hub for individuals and businesses to share digital content in the form of short posts, blog posts, images, and videos.

Entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and business profiles can use the platform to post relevant content and reach out to their target audience, build relationships with potential customers, and generate leads.

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Plus, you can direct all of your followers to your website and get free organic traffic.

So, if you have not yet started using LinkedIn for digital marketing purposes, now is the time to do it.

It’s definitely going to be one of the top trends in advertising in the near future.

11. Voice Search

With voice search becoming increasingly popular, digital marketers need to factor this in while creating their marketing strategies.

Voice search is, essentially, the process of using voice commands to search for something on the internet.

For example, if you wanted to know about a local restaurant, you would say something like, “Find me a good restaurant near me,” and the voice assistant would display the best results based on your query.

This has now become one of the most popular ways to search, and businesses must create strategies that include voice search optimization.

This means optimizing your content, website, and other marketing materials for voice search. This will help you appear higher in the results when someone uses voice search to look for something that your business offers.

12. Inclusive Marketing

Finally, there is the concept of inclusive marketing, which is becoming increasingly important for businesses.

Inclusive marketing refers to creating content and campaigns that are sensitive to people of all backgrounds and cultures, regardless of gender, physical ability, sexual orientation, age, or race.

This is important because it allows businesses to create content that resonates with a wider audience and reach out to customers who may have felt excluded in the past.

Furthermore, it helps create an environment where everyone can feel included and accepted, which can be beneficial for businesses in the long run.

So, these are some of the most promising 2023 trends in digital advertising that businesses should look out for.

Remember, these trends will not be the same for all businesses. You should take the time to analyze your own business and create strategies that are tailored to its needs and goals.

Not sure what your business really needs? This social media certificate can help bring clarity.

Or, work with an expert and experienced digital marketing team to help make the right decisions for your business.

Either way, make sure to stay up-to-date with the latest digital marketing trends and capitalize on them while they’re still hot.

The post Top 12 Digital Marketing Trends in 2023 You Should Know appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

Social media has become an indispensable tool for businesses in today’s digital age. You need it to connect with your target audience, boost your brand’s visibility, and drive sales.

But most businesses and even beginner marketers don’t fully understand how to use social media for ecommerce.

If you’re one of them, we’ve got you covered.

Whether you’re new to social media or looking to enhance your existing social media strategy for ecommerce, this blog is here to help.

We’ve compiled ten effective social media ecommerce strategies that can propel your brand to new heights. So, grab your favorite snack, sit back, and get ready to unlock the potential of social media for your ecommerce business.

Let’s get started!

What is Ecommerce Social Media Marketing?

Ecommerce social media marketing refers to the strategic use of social media platforms to promote, sell, engage, and support customers in the context of ecommerce.

Some of the most common ways brands use social media for ecommerce marketing include:

• Setting up online shops and selling products directly on social platforms (this is known as social commerce)
• Promoting brands on social media accounts and driving traffic to online stores (ecommerce websites)
• Replying to customer queries and engaging with potential customers to build trust
• Offering customer support before and after sales
• Using customer insights and data to revamp marketing strategies

But why do brands do all of this? What’s the benefit of having a social media presence? Let’s try to understand.

What Are the Benefits of Using Social Media for Ecommerce?

Social media is a game-changer for ecommerce businesses, offering a wide array of benefits, such as:

1. Increasing Website Traffic & Generating Leads
2. To Build Brand Awareness
3. Building Customer Loyalty & Trust
4. Acquiring New Customers
5. Creating Opportunities for User-Generated Content (UGC)
6. Improving Customer Service
7. Engaging with Target Audiences in Real-Time
8. Enhancing SEO Efforts & Search Rankings

Fact: Did you know that online stores leveraging social media networks drive 32% more sales than those that don’t? (WPForms)

This stat alone should get you excited about crafting an effective social media strategy for your ecommerce business!

So, now that you know what ecommerce social media marketing is and the benefits it offers let’s look at how to use it.

10 Powerful Social Media Ecommerce Strategies

Here are ten powerful social media ecommerce strategies you can employ to drive sales for your brand:

1. Set Clear Goals

Setting clear and measurable goals should be the first step in your social media ecommerce strategy. Goals will provide you with direction, help measure success, and hold you accountable.

But what kind of goals should you set?

The most common ones can be:

• Drive Sales on Your Social Profile
• Drive Traffic to Your Ecommerce Store
• Get More Customer Queries/Leads

Other than these, you might want people to subscribe to your newsletter or loyalty programs.

These and other similar targets could all be part of your e-commerce social media goals.

But the important thing here is to decide whether you want to do social selling, social commerce, or social media ecommerce marketing.

Social Selling vs. Social Commerce vs. Social Media Ecommerce: What’s the Difference?

Social selling is the practice of using social media to attract your target audience, engage with them, and nurture your relationship with them.

You don’t actually sell them anything but make them remember and trust your brand or business. So, when they’re in the buying mode, they know who they’d be calling – that’s social selling!

Social commerce involves marketing and selling your product (or service) directly on social media platforms.

Social media users can stay on their social profiles, read about the product/service, and buy it — all of this without leaving the platform.

Facebook, TikTok, Instagram Shops and Pinterest Product Pins are typical examples of social commerce being executed.

Social media ecommerce marketing is what we’re studying in the blog right now: marketing your product, generating leads, and helping future prospects on social media but then driving them to your online stores.

So, first, decide what it’s gonna be for you and then move forward.

2. Build Your Social Media Strategy for Ecommerce

After you’ve set your goals, build a comprehensive ecommerce social media marketing strategy that helps you achieve them.

Your strategy should include the following:

Define Your Target Audiences

• Who are your potential customers?
• Are they millennials or Gen Z?
• What do they like and dislike?
• What interests them?

These insights will help you create relevant content, campaigns, and offers.

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Create Relevant Content

• Research the type of content that resonates best with your target audiences — blogs, videos, images?
• Study your target market and see what kind of content attracts them.
• Use this knowledge to create content that will help you engage with them.

But before you can do any of this, there’s an even more important decision to make: “What platforms should you choose?”

3. Choose Your Preferred Social Media Channels

Which social media platforms should your business have an active presence on?

This largely depends on who you’re targeting. For example, Gen Zee tends to be more active on TikTok and Instagram, while millennials prefer Facebook and Twitter.

But don’t depend on our or somebody else’s opinion. Study your target audience and see what the data suggests.

For instance, if your target audience primarily comprises women, it might be a good idea to have a Pinterest profile. Why? Because women make up 60% of all Pinterest users!

Similarly, you can study age demographic stats and see where your audience spends the most time and choose a platform accordingly.

Besides your target audience, also consider each platform’s features and ROI. It doesn’t make sense to invest heavily in a channel that won’t give you the desired results.

So, think carefully and choose wisely!

4. Optimize Your Profiles

Once you’ve chosen the platform(s), it’s time to optimize your profile.

Make sure that all your social media profiles have the necessary information about your brand and products, such as its logo, contact details, website URL, etc.

This will help customers get to know your business better and trust you more.

Also, don’t forget to do proper keyword research. It will help you figure out the best words to use in your descriptions and hashtags to use in your posts to get more people interested.

5. Have a “Mobile-First” Approach

Out of 4.48 billion social media users, 99% access the websites or apps through a mobile device – backlinko.

What does it tell you?

You must adapt your ecommerce strategy accordingly and make sure that all content looks great on small screens too.

Here are some tips to optimize your social media accounts:

• Invest in creating high-quality visuals that look great on small screens.
• Make sure your website is mobile responsive, and the checkout process is easy to complete.
• Utilize mobile advertising tools like Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, etc.
• Use shorter hashtags and URLs to make them easier to tap or type on mobile keyboards.
• Use a clear call-to-action in your posts so that users can take action right away.

Important: Having a responsive and easy-to-navigate ecommerce website is super important – don’t sleep on it!

6. Employ Chatbots

Chatbots are like your brand’s trusty sidekick in the world of social media ecommerce!

Did you know that around 50% of people are totally on board with making a purchase through a website’s chatbot using conversational marketing? That’s right! These friendly virtual assistants can offer personalized and real-time assistance to your customers, making their shopping experience a breeze.

Need product recommendations? Chatbot’s got you covered!

Have a question about shipping? Chatbot’s got the answer!

By having chatbots as part of your social media ecommerce strategy, you can provide instant support, boost engagement, and, most importantly, drive those all-important sales.

So, why not harness the power of chatbots and make your customers’ journey even more enjoyable?

7. Leverage UGC (User-Generated Content)

UGC refers to content created by your customers, such as reviews, testimonials, photos, and videos featuring your products.

It’s one of the most powerful tools for driving engagement and boosting sales.

Why?

• It’s like having an army of brand advocates who are eager to spread the word about your offerings.
• UGC showcases real-life experiences and authentic customer interactions with your brand.
• It builds trust and credibility among your target audience as it comes from real customers.

Plus, it’s not just about showing off your products – it’s about making customers feel part of a community. It shows that you value their input and recognize their contribution to the brand.

So, why not include UGC in your social media ecommerce strategy?

Encourage your followers to post pictures with their purchases, use relevant hashtags, and provide incentives for doing so.

8. Publish Short-Form Content

Today, short-form content reigns supreme! With dwindling attention spans, social media users prefer watching short, 30sec-1min videos instead of reading text.

This is exactly what brands need to capitalize on and capture their audience’s interest quickly and effectively.

But what kind of short-form content can you create to engage your social media followers? Here are some ideas for short-form content:

1. Tips & Tricks: Share bite-sized advice and hacks relevant to your industry.
2. How-Tos: Break down complex processes into step-by-step guides.
3. Behind the Scenes: Offer glimpses into your brand’s inner workings.
4. Quick Product Demos: Showcase your products’ features and benefits in short videos.
5. Inspiring Stories: Share stories that evoke emotions and inspire action.

Remember to keep your content visually appealing, concise, and shareable.

Try different formats like Reels, Stories, or TikTok-style videos to maximize engagement and captivate your audience instantly!

9. Collaborate with Influencers

Did you know that a whopping 72% of Gen Z and Millennials are avid followers of influencers on social media? That’s right!

Influencer marketing has taken the digital world by storm, and it’s an incredible opportunity for ecommerce brands like yours to connect with your target audience in a meaningful way.

Here’s how you can incorporate influencer marketing into your ecommerce marketing plan:

• Find Relevant Influencers: Look for influencers who align with your brand values and target audience.
• Set Clear Objectives: Define your goals for the influencer campaign to guide your strategy.
• Prioritize Authenticity: Encourage influencers to create genuine content that resonates with their audience.
• Foster Creative Collaboration: Involve influencers in the creative process to showcase your products in their unique style.
• Track Performance: Measure the success of your campaigns using tracking tools and unique discount codes.
• Consider Long-term Partnerships: Build strong relationships with influencers for ongoing brand integration and audience connection.

By collaborating with influencers, you can amplify your brand’s reach, enhance credibility, and drive meaningful results in the competitive ecommerce landscape.

10 . Track Progress & Evolve

Tracking and analyzing the results of your social media ecommerce strategies is vital for ongoing success.

Analytics tools can give you valuable insights into audience demographics, reach, and engagement.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter provide built-in analytics dashboards to assess post performance. Use them to understand audience behavior and analyze what’s working for you.

Similarly, monitoring ad performance is especially important if you’re selling directly on social media. Tracking metrics such as click-through rates, conversion rates, and sales will help you assess the effectiveness of your ads and make data-driven decisions.

Besides analyzing your social media posts, keep a close on your website analytics (Google Analytics) to measure the impact of your social media campaigns. See which platform gets you the most traffic and which one’s not doing the job.

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But remember, tracking progress isn’t just about numbers; it’s about understanding your audience and their preferences.

Use the data to identify patterns, trends, and customer behaviors that can shape your future strategies. Adapt and evolve your approach based on these insights to ensure continued success in the dynamic world of social media.

Supercharge Your Ecommerce Journey with Social Media

So, this is it — use this 10-step strategy to build an effective ecommerce marketing plan on social media and drive real results for your brand.

If you find tracking progress and analyzing data challenging, consider completing Digital Marketer’s Social Media Certificate.

This short but in-depth program can help you master the art of creating an effective social media strategy for ecommerce to drive engagement and revenue for your business.

Sounds like too much work? Mongoose Media is an award-winning, modern digital marketing agency. They can develop & execute effective strategies to maximize your brand’s online presence and drive sales.

Don’t hesitate to reach out and take your ecommerce business to new heights!

The post 10 Strategies to Mastering Social Media for Ecommerce appeared first on DigitalMarketer.

Artificial Intelligence seems to be everywhere we look – from streaming services to self-driving cars and virtual assistants — it’s the talk of the town!

But what exactly is AI? And how can it benefit businesses and their customers?

Let’s take a closer look at artificial intelligence meaning, its rise in popularity, and the advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence to determine if incorporating this innovative tool is right for you.

What Is Artificial Intelligence?

Simply put, Artificial intelligence, or AI, is a form of computer programming which enables machines to “think” like humans. This intelligence can be used to process data, solve problems, and make decisions automatically.

AI uses algorithms that analyze and interpret large amounts of data from various sources, allowing it to learn from past experiences to make future decisions.

Although still in its early stages, the potential benefits of AI are vast, from streamlining businesses to improving healthcare outcomes. It’s exciting to see how this technology is changing the world and how we can harness its power for the greater good.

Popular AI Use Cases

Artificial intelligence use cases are vast, ranging from healthcare and finance to transportation and security.

You must have seen AI-powered chatbots being used for customer service inquiries. These are very popular on ecommerce websites and offer a personalized shopping & browsing experience.

Artificial intelligence is also being used to improve facial recognition software in security applications, as well as for automating predictive analytics in finance and banking.

Not to forget, the healthcare industry is rapidly adopting AI technology to reduce costs, improve diagnosis and treatment accuracy, and provide better health services to patients.

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And, we are sure, you must be familiar with Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google assistant – they’re all powered by AI!

Now that you understand the term artificial intelligence and its applications let’s look at the pros and cons of AI.

What Are The Advantages & Disadvantages Of AI?

Any technological advancement has its pros and cons, and AI is no exception. While it has a huge positive potential to revolutionize the world, some serious drawbacks must be considered before investing in AI technology.

Let’s study some advantages of artificial intelligence and its possible downsides as well.

Artificial Intelligence Advantages

1. Minimum-to-No Errors

One of the key benefits of AI-driven systems is their extreme accuracy and reliability.

Unlike us humans, machines do not make mistakes simply due to fatigue, distractions, or emotional biases. Thus, they can perform tasks with unmatched precision and consistency.

This is the differentiator in industries where human error can be costly, such as healthcare, finance, space exploration, etc.

2. Increased Productivity

People are amazing; human intelligence, grit, and work ethic can do magic when used to their full potential.

But human resources have limitations. Our attention and focus span often decrease with time, resulting in lower productivity levels.

Sitting too long in front of a screen can make us tired and sloppy. Even if we start the day fresh, we might have something else on our minds, like a breakup or a sports team losing. It’s “natural” but that’s the thing.

Unlike humans, computers and programs don’t get tired – AI can work round the clock with the same levels of energy and enthusiasm, boosting business productivity.

3. Improved Decision-Making

AI-driven decision-making is fast, unbiased, and driven purely by data. No personal opinions or judgments are considered when making decisions, thus eliminating any potential bias.

This is particularly advantageous when decisions are difficult and can be adversely affected by emotions or personal opinions – legal, political, and financial matters, for example.

4. Enhanced Automation

AI-driven systems can take over mundane, repetitive tasks to free up human resources for more creative, innovative tasks.

This helps streamline the process and makes it easier to manage large volumes of data with minimum human intervention.

In email campaigns, for example, AI can take over the task of sending out 2-3 emails a week. This frees up time and resources for more creative content and allows marketers to tailor their emails to different target audiences better.

5. Increased Accessibility And Availability

A human being will always need time off. Whether it’s for vacation, health reasons, or fulfilling a family commitment, we humans need to take a break.

AI-driven technologies, on the other hand, are available 24/7. They don’t get sick, don’t need breaks, and can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

This better accessibility and 24/7 uptime make artificial intelligence a great tool for businesses, especially to perform repetitive jobs. Why? They keep doing the same task with the same precision, accuracy, and quality without getting fatigued, over and over again.

6. Cost Efficient

AI-driven systems are cost-efficient in the long run.

While an initial investment is required for setting up such a system, the ROI is higher in the long run since AI-driven systems require no additional labor costs or salaries.

They also do not need to be trained or upgraded regularly, meaning the cost of maintenance is quite low.

Therefore, when used correctly and efficiently, AI-driven systems can help businesses reduce costs while also improving productivity.

7. Countless Applications

While human beings can wear multiple hats to do different jobs, AI robots can do infinitely more.

From facial recognition and natural language processing to motion tracking and computer vision, the possibilities are endless with AI.

Similarly, machine learning algorithms can be used for predictive analytics, allowing businesses to identify potential opportunities and risks before they happen. AI-driven systems can also help in identifying customer preferences and predicting customer behavior.

8. Improved Security

AI-driven systems offer enhanced security and better protection of sensitive customer data.

AI-driven authentication mechanisms can identify malicious users who are trying to gain unauthorized access to data and systems.

AI-driven systems can also monitor user activity in real time, detect anomalies, and alert administrators to potential threats.

These technologies are essential in today’s digital world, where cyber security is paramount.

AI-driven systems are also much more efficient at detecting and blocking fraud, thus keeping businesses safe from potential financial losses.

Artificial Intelligence Disadvantages

Despite all the advantages of artificial intelligence, it comes with some drawbacks. Let’s look at a few artificial intelligence disadvantages.

1. Lack Of Emotion & Critical Thinking

AI-driven systems lack the ability to understand human emotions and empathize with people.

This means that AI-driven systems are not equipped to respond to emotional cues and cannot provide the same level of customer service as a human being.

Also, AI-driven systems cannot think critically and make decisions based on emotions. This can be a major limitation when providing customer service or making complex decisions.

2. Unpredictable Behavior

AI-driven systems can perform complex tasks and make decisions quickly, but they are not infallible.

AI-driven systems can face unforeseen errors and exhibit unpredictable behavior in certain situations.

This means there is a lack of control over the system, which can lead to undesirable outcomes.

3. Job Losses

The increased use of AI-driven technologies could lead to job losses as machines take over human labor.

This could significantly impact the economy, leading to a reduction in purchasing power and an increase in unemployment.

Therefore, AI-driven technologies must be used responsibly, and their impact on the job market should be considered carefully.

4. Ethical Issues

The increased use of AI-driven technologies has also raised ethical concerns, as they can be used to manipulate data, influence public opinion, and even control people’s behavior.

The potential for misuse of AI-driven technologies is real, meaning governments and businesses need to be aware of the ethical implications of using these technologies.

5. High Cost

The cost of developing and deploying AI-driven technologies can be quite high, making them inaccessible to large businesses and highly advanced organizations.

Therefore, it is important for businesses to consider the cost implications before investing in advanced AI-based technologies.

Overall, artificial intelligence offers numerous benefits like digital assistance, high productivity & efficiency, improved security, and more.

However, artificial intelligence disadvantages like lack of empathy and unpredictable behavior mean it can’t imitate the human brain.

The ethical issues and high implementation costs also signify that AI can’t entirely replace human resources.

Should You Adopt Artificial Intelligence?

Being diplomatic, we’d say: “only you can decide if AI is the right choice for your business” or “you have to weigh the pros and cons of AI” — that’s nonsense!

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The truth is that AI offers excellent potential for businesses of all sizes, and it’s becoming a requirement to stay relevant in today’s tech-driven world.

Businesses and individuals that know how to leverage AI-driven technologies can see improved efficiency, cost savings, and a competitive edge over their peers.

So, yes, you should definitely consider adopting AI-driven technologies for your business. The long-term benefits could far outweigh the risks that come with it.

Strategically Integrate Artificial Intelligence For Maximum Benefits

While AI has many advantages, it should be approached with caution.

Incorporating artificial intelligence without a proper plan or human oversight can lead to vulnerabilities. For instance, uploading content without fact-checking could risk a decline in your reputation or visibility on platforms like Google.

Moreover, while isolated AI projects may bring success, you need to ensure scalability and plan for the long term to maintain your success.

Comprehensive planning, fact-checking, and human oversight are essential to ensure that the AI-driven technologies you adopt actually deliver tangible benefits.

Sounds complicated? Check out this AI Bootcamp that offers a holistic approach to understanding and leveraging AI for your brand and team’s success.

Or, if that sounds too much work, let Mongoose Media infuse the power of AI into your marketing and business. We offer premium AI content at near-freelance pricing, allowing you to benefit from artificial intelligence without breaking the bank.P.S.Our Pinterest Services (backed by AI tools) are worth checking out!

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