Marketing, like almost everything else, can have trends, fads, and hot topics. It’s important to pay attention to these trends, but it’s also important to recognize which are passing fads, and which are here to stay. It’s also important to try different techniques, and figure out what strategies will work best for your business.
Mobile Devices
Mobile devices are one of the trends that every business needs to pay attention to. It was always important, but it has been becoming more and more important. Mobile e-commerce increases year on year, making mobile responsiveness one of your website’s most important aspects. You need to be sure that your site looks as good, and responds as well if it’s on a mobile device or on a PC. Make sure that it loads quickly, that all your links are working, and that your images are high quality.
Voice Search
More and more people are using voice search when they’re looking for businesses, information, or basically anything else they need to know. Google, for example, has guidelines that all e-commerce stores should have text content to optimize the store for voice search. You should also include voice-enabled buttons on your site.
Consumer Awareness
Consumer awareness means inspiring brand loyalty in your customers, building your brand, and ensuring that there is transparency between your business and your customers. It means developing a plan to ensure that you understand your customer base, and who your prospective customers would be. It means that you target the appropriate customers. It also helps you develop a plan to help customers find the information about your products, and how your product will help solve their problems.
User Experience
User experience and customer experience should be at the forefront of everything you do. If your customer can’t navigate your site, they probably won’t return. If they have a problem, and your customer service can’t resolve it for them, they probably won’t return. Make sure that your site is responsive, clear, easy to navigate, and has a simple, seamless purchase process. Make sure that your prices, fees, and services are transparent. Post-user-generated content on your site to show prospective customers positive feedback.
Content Marketing
No matter what new trends come and go, content marketing will always be extremely important. It’s a very useful way of engaging with customers. It can also help you establish your business as a trusted source of information. You need to be sure that your content is well-written, accurate, and useful for your customers. It needs to be compelling, interesting and written so that it makes sense to read. You also need to make sure that you promote your content on your social media channels.
Social Media
It’s almost impossible now for any business to gain any kind of online traction without social media. Social media is used by all types of people, including your prospective audience. Make sure that you are on social media too. It’s another great way to interact with your customers and can be used to deliver great customer service. You may also want to take advantage of some social media networks ‘buying’ options. It means that prospective customers can gain information, read your content, and make a purchase all without even leaving their social media page.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is also gaining in popularity. It allows a smaller business to reach a much larger audience quickly, and with the advantage of an endorsement from a trusted person. When you consider teaming up with an influencer, firstly, make sure that their audience is your target audience. Look for a trustworthy, credible influencer, with a large following. Offer incentives to the influencer, such as unique discount codes, competitions, contests, or giveaways.
Video Marketing
Video marketing should be included as part of your social media marketing plans. Your videos need to be high quality, shareable, informative, and engaging. You should also make sure your videos are also optimized for search engines. YouTube is considered to be the second-largest search engine, so properly optimized, and tagged videos can make it onto the first page of Google’s search results.
Amazon
Amazon is an e-commerce giant. It has a huge product selection, highly competitive prices, fast shipping, and a seamless purchasing process. It’s had a huge effect on all retail businesses – online and offline. It makes sense for you to assess if your business would suit becoming an Amazon retailer, and using that as part of your marketing strategy.
Guest Post By:
Jovan Averill