26 E-Commerce Marketing Strategies to Boost Sales – Part I

Every online store wants to boost its traffic and conversions. However, even after establishing a basic strategy, it can be challenging to identify which marketing methods to try.

This article delves into effective marketing strategies and e-commerce tools, providing insights on how to leverage them. The focus is on direct client acquisition and encouraging repeat purchases from your current clientele.

What is E-Commerce Marketing?

E-commerce marketing involves using promotional techniques to drive traffic to your online store, convert visitors into buyers, and retain them post-purchase.

An effective e-commerce marketing strategy should include methods both on and off your website. This approach can enhance brand recognition, foster client loyalty, and boost e-commerce sales.

Promote your online store using e-commerce marketing tools for overall company growth or to increase sales of specific products.

E-commerce marketing strategies to boost sales

Here are 26 e-commerce marketing strategies to boost sales:

1. Invest in Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

E-commerce SEO involves optimizing your online store's search engine performance. The aim is to rank your product pages among the top results on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, attracting more organic (unpaid) traffic. According to Backlinko, the top-ranking organic result is ten times more likely to receive a click than the tenth result.

Enhance your SEO by:

• Conducting keyword research and incorporating keywords into your URLs, product descriptions, and blog posts.
• Optimizing your website structure and providing a good user experience.
• Building backlinks from other reputable sites.

2. Initiate an Influencer Marketing Campaign

Influencer marketing is a smart way to accelerate the growth of an online e-commerce business. Collaborating with social media influencers allows you to reach new audiences, raise brand awareness, and drive sales.

A recent study found that 85% of marketers consider this approach effective. TikTok is currently the leading platform, used by 69% of brands, alongside other channels such as:

Influencer marketing is particularly powerful for connecting with the right clients. How often have you seen an influencer's post on Instagram showcasing an outfit you liked and felt compelled to purchase it? Promoting products through influencers can significantly shorten the sales cycle. With growing commerce features on Instagram and TikTok, shoppers can purchase directly from these platforms.

3. Selling on Marketplace Platforms

Popular marketplace platforms like Amazon and eBay, which reach millions worldwide, help introduce your brand to potential clients. Many shoppers prefer these platforms, and there’s a higher chance they will purchase from familiar channels. However, it’s important to note that these platforms often impose substantial selling fees and other factors to consider.

Therefore, viewing popular marketplace platforms as an additional avenue for your unique store is wise. You don’t have to list all your products; just focus on a selection of your top-selling items. Create attractive listings highlighting your brand and add unique packaging elements to orders from these platforms to encourage clients to shop directly from your site.

4. Develop a TikTok Marketing Strategy

Incorporating TikTok into your business strategy is essential for any e-commerce entrepreneur. Brands succeed on TikTok by sharing original content, as these videos tend to garner more reach and engagement than heavily edited ones. This originality is key to fostering connections with your target audience.

TikTok offers several unique advantages:

• The algorithm prioritizes content from creators you haven’t seen before.
• The user interface is designed to keep people in the app longer than Instagram or Facebook.
• Its discovery engine helps videos go viral quickly, regardless of your follower count.

There’s a space for every category on TikTok, including fitness, fashion, beauty, and more. The platform offers live streaming, shopping, and advertising to help promote your products.

5. Use Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Campaigns

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a fundamental online marketing model for businesses of all sizes. It’s data-driven, scalable, and reportedly yields an ROI of $8 for every dollar spent, according to Google. PPC ads typically target online ad spaces on search engines, social media platforms, or websites. These ads are particularly effective for e-commerce brands as they target ready-to-buy consumers, often leading to higher sales than free marketing efforts.

Facebook and Google are the two most popular platforms for PPC ads. Google Shopping ads are particularly popular among e-commerce brands. For example, when searching for "men's shoes," you’ll often see ads showcasing detailed information about related products.

Conversely, Facebook ads can be displayed on both Facebook and Instagram. You can target specific demographics and use various ad formats to promote your offerings.

A significant advantage of PPC advertising is the precision targeting it allows. You can accurately choose your target audience and the type of ad they will see. Additionally, retargeting ads can be used for individuals who have visited specific landing pages or seen previous ads, encouraging them to return to your site.

For example, if you own a shoe store and have just received a new shipment, you could create targeted ads for these new rubber waterproof shoes. By using keywords like "best rain shoes," your ads will reach those actively looking to purchase what you offer.

6. Upselling

Many of us are familiar with the phrase, "Would you like to upsize your order?" This is an example of upselling—offering a product that is a step up from what the client initially considered.

For many e-commerce companies, upselling and cross-selling may be more effective than acquiring a new client. Sometimes, clients may not be aware of premium products available or may need additional information to see how an upgrade or bundle meets their needs.

For example, if one of your product models features higher-quality leather or includes a unique handmade element, be sure to highlight this distinction and ask the clients if they’d like to consider an upgrade.

7. Leveraging Instagram

If you’re taking attractive photos, using hashtags strategically, and posting at optimal times, you’re on track to attract many followers interested in your offerings on Instagram. The key to maximizing your organic reach on the platform is to engage with your audience actively.

Try running contests or sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses of your product development. You can also pay to promote on Instagram. For e-commerce marketing, tagging products in your posts, stories, and reels creates a direct purchasing pathway for your followers, which is crucial for boosting online sales.

8. Reducing the Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate

Every time a visitor leaves their shopping cart without completing a purchase, it results in lost revenue. Research indicates that approximately 70.19% of shopping carts are abandoned.

It’s beneficial to address as many abandonment cases as possible by reminding shoppers who left their carts to finalize their purchase, perhaps by offering a discount or free shipping.

One simple and effective e-commerce marketing strategy to reduce cart abandonment is to launch an email recovery campaign that encourages visitors to return and complete their purchase by offering them a discount.

9. Sending Text Messages

SMS marketing involves sending promotional text messages to current and prospective clients to inform them about special offers, promotions, updates, alerts, and product information.

For e-commerce businesses, SMS marketing can be used for:

• Recovering abandoned shopping carts.
• Cross-selling and upselling.
• Promoting sales.
• Offering exclusive deals.
• Requesting reviews.
• Providing client

10. Growing Email Subscribers

Email marketing is one of the most effective channels available for driving sales and cultivating loyal clients.

To start with email marketing, promote your newsletter, blog, and any other efforts to gather as many email addresses as possible.

11. Optimizing Email Campaigns

Simply collecting email addresses isn’t sufficient; you must send regular and valuable emails to ensure this channel becomes a productive marketing tool for your e-commerce business.

There are many perfect opportunities to send emails that your subscribers will appreciate:

• A welcome message following a purchase.
• Providing exclusive promotional codes and free gifts.
• Sending regular newsletters to inform subscribers about new discounts, product tips, and company news as appropriate.
• Sharing relevant content to help clients maximize their recent purchases.
• Launching timely campaigns like "buy one, get one free" during holidays or festive seasons.
• Thanking your highest-value clients with a personal note expressing gratitude for their support.
• Seeking feedback from visitors who didn’t complete a purchase to learn about their experience and areas for improvement.

In Conclusion

We discussed 11 e-commerce marketing strategies to boost sales in this part, and we will cover the remaining strategies in Part II.