Embraced e-commerce power yet? How every brand can excel beyond the pandemic

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

When entire countries endured stay-at-home orders, consumer spending didn’t stop; it surged. E-commerce in 2020 was record-breaking.

On Cyber Monday alone, US shoppers spent $10.8bn online. Up 15% from the previous year. This sale set a record for the largest US online shopping day ever.

No matter what type of business you are running, you can transition some or all of it online. Whether you are selling consumer goods, facilitating bookings, or cooking food, being visible on the internet will help you increase revenue and grow a customer base who cares about what you are doing.

Take a quick look at the food delivery industry. While some food establishments were forced to close their doors, others thrived by adapting to online ordering and engaging with food delivery services. The top four food delivery apps in 2020 saw collective revenue skyrocket by over $3bn in just the second and third quarters.

Essentially, the pandemic has forced sudden yet expected change in how consumers spend, as well as how businesses sell. Having online visibility is no longer ‘nice to have’, it’s now essential for survival.

Tips to excel your business online

You don’t have to sell t-shirts or the best mattress to achieve online success. The real magic in e-commerce has more to do with demanding attention and consistently connecting with the digital world.

The more visibility you give your brand online, the higher your chances of success. Here are four key things to consider when you are starting a journey of online success.

1. Tell your story across all platforms 

You’re reading this today because something in the headline caught your eye as you were scrolling. Wouldn't it be fantastic if you could connect with customers in the same way? You can, and that’s the power of having a presence online.

Storytelling is a successful marketing tactic many people use to get noticed. You can tell your story in several ways. Post blogs, write articles, create videos about your products and services, create captivating images - there are limitless ways to tell people about what you are doing and what you have to offer.

All of these examples above are different variations of content. Online content is best compared to face-to-face conversations. The big difference online is that one piece of content has the power to reach hundreds, thousands, and even millions of people. Digital content is like a salesman who never sleeps.

Most industry spectators would agree that GoPro is a brand that personifies the art of storytelling. GoPro has amassed 9.9 million subscribers online merely by sharing the videos of their users.

Tell your story, share your customers' experiences, utilise all platforms and watch as your audience grows.

2. Diversify product offerings and value propositions 

Would you buy a house online? Your knee jerk reaction to this question might be to say no. But what if you could take a virtual tour of the house and use augmented reality to switch up the furniture to see what it would look like with your own choice of decor? What if you could save your time and additional fees? Now you might consider it.

Regardless of what you are selling, if you can create a convenient digital experience, people will notice. Think outside the box and customise a journey that offers value to prospective buyers.

Years ago, buying a new mattress online was a foreign concept. Fast forward to right now, and we’ve got examples of companies like Puffy who are achieving monumental success by offering unbeatable value to customers.

Puffy CEO, Arthur Andreasyan, suggests a customer-centric approach to product and service development non-negotiable. Puffy mattress customers enjoy free shipping, free returns, free sleep trial, free lifetime warranty.

This example demonstrates that creating an irresistible offer will compel prospective buys to hit checkout.

3. Deliver value and grow a meaningful audience

Delivering value is a tried and tested strategy that will boost your engagement rates and help you attract an audience of people who are interested in what you are selling.

Have you heard of Canva yet? It’s a design platform that allows anyone to create beautiful images and presentations entirely for free! Canva is valued at $2.5bn, with over 15 million users. Canva makes money by charging around $1 for premium images and offering small plans for additional features. But the platform is free to use, and it’s so valuable that people are willing to pay.

People who prioritise value when creating content online build trust. As soon as you can gain their audience's trust, they will have complete confidence in investing in your products and services.

4. Embrace paid digital advertising

So far, we’ve told you about organic strategies you can use to excel your business online beyond the pandemic.

To supercharge your efforts, you need to take advantage of paid advertising channels. Paid digital advertising will help you amplify your success and gain valuable insights into how people are engaging with your product or service.

Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, affiliate marketing, display ads, Google Search Network: There are so many places where you can position your brand and demand the attention of an audience you want. It’s called PPC (paid per click) advertising, and all successful brands, big and small, use this method to sell more.

When you utilise PPC, you can quickly test different types of content to see what converts.

Ready to get digital?

Now is the perfect time to rethink your business model and start taking your piece of the e-commerce pie. The internet is the most powerful tool you have to capture more customers and increase your revenue exponentially.