An online store is all the rage these days. With the convenience of shopping online and the access to a wider audience, many businesses have jumped on the ecommerce bandwagon. There are many benefits to online shopping especially for businesses, but there are also a few challenges that come with this type of marketing platform.

Marketing Mix Is Crucial

When running a business, you will inevitably face many challenges, but one of the most important is marketing and advertising. Without an effective marketing plan, your business will not stand a chance against the competition. In the world of digital marketing, the phrase ‘one-size-fits-all’ does not apply. You need to be aware of many different platforms and technologies that your customers are on. From social media to email marketing, each one is slightly different and requires a specific approach.

Mobile Is King

If you run a business and are not mobile-friendly, you are truly missing out on the boatload of potential customers who are out there, online especially on their mobile phones. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 46% of consumers shop on their mobile phones or tablets. With so many people searching for products and services on the go, the chances of your product or service being discovered are pretty high. You can target specific markets or demographics and create offers that are tailored to their interests. In addition, you can also track website visitors on the go via mobile analytics tools to determine how effective your mobile strategy is. You can use this information to improve your mobile strategy and maximize your results.

Innovative Technology Is The Key

To stand out from the competition, you need to develop innovative technology that will create a unique experience for your customers. Some of the trends that came out of ecommerce that will continue to evolve and affect marketing and advertising are: 1) Augmented reality – customers can literally ‘walk’ around a virtual store in their phone’s screen, virtually exploring the products and identifying those that they like best; 2) Chatbots – customers can engage with a conversation with a live agent via text or chat; 3) Virtual reality – allowing customers to ‘step’ into a commercial and experience the products first hand before making a purchase; 4) 3D printing – allowing customers to see what their products look like before buying them and eliminating the possibility of fake goods; and 5) Personal relationships – customers want to feel that they are dealing with ‘someone’ they can trust, so building a personal relationship is critical.

One Size Fits All

With the exception of online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon where the seller’s profile includes numerous product information boxes, online stores like yours typically include just a few small text boxes with a few key product information items. Due to the nature of the medium, online stores do not require customers to take the time to navigate through a complex website, find what they are looking for, and then look for an email address or phone number to contact the business. In other words, you cannot assume that customers know what you do and offer, so you will have to make sure that they know about you.

Digital Marketing Is Ever-evolving

The digital marketing landscape is always changing, and you must be aware of all the latest trends, tools, and platforms that you can use to reach your audience. Some of the recent developments that impact marketing and advertising are: 1) Email – with the introduction of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations), email marketing is no longer a one-way communication mechanism and now requires that you have a two-way conversation with your audience (e.g., by adding value and engaging with them); 2) Content strategy – creating content to support various marketing and advertising campaigns and then assessing the results of each campaign to make strategic decisions about future content production; 3) Audience analysis – using data and analytics to determine the demographics and psychographics of your audience, as well as their interests, hobbies, and behaviors, so that you can tailor your messaging and approach to convert the right audience into customers; 4) Social media – the most popular social media platforms have changed the game, so you must be aware of what is trending and how you can use this to your advantage.

With so much to think about and so many platforms to choose from, the process of marketing and advertising for an online store can seem overwhelming. However, by taking the time to plan and strategize, you will be able to maximize your chances of success.