How has e-commerce transformed marketing

With the technological advances that the world faces every day, traditional marketing has slowly shifted to digital marketing. Every business now needs a well-built and maintained website to succeed.

In this article, I aim to show how eCommerce and SEO have transformed traditional marketing into a new digital adventure. I’ll also share with you some of my favorite tools to engage in digital marketing, so stick around. Let’s dive into it.

Examples of Classic Marketing 

Before jumping right to the conclusion that traditional marketing holds no value, think twice. Digital marketing is a must in today’s world, but we should not forget our roots.

Some examples of classic marketing that still work in 2022 are:

• TV or radio: Paying for your visual or auditive ad to be cast on-air is something companies still do, though the cost is higher.
• Direct mail marketing: More often than not, a promotional letter, catalog, or brochure delivered to a recipient is guaranteed to be delivered. Established brands like supermarkets still rely on this method.
• SMS marketing: Everyone has a phone these days. Everyone’s had a phone for a decade. And what’s more interesting is that SMS text messages within the first 30 minutes. You get why SMS marketing is a go-to option.

What is eCommerce?

Again if we look at Wikipedia  we will see the following definition of eCommerce: is the activity of electronically buying or selling products on online services or over the Internet

What is Digital Marketing?

According to Wikipedia digital Marketing is a component of marketing that uses the Internet and online-based digital technologies such as desktop computers, mobile phones, and other digital media and platforms to promote products and services.

As you can see, Digital marketing is already a newer, modern way, covering everything that is definitely like e-com and even more. E-commerce has not only transformed marketing but is already outdated and has given way to a new concept in online business – Digital marketing (and in my opinion, this is very logical). Since such an understanding of things is my subjective opinion, I will not focus on it and I will show what it is connected to. However, I will say that I have often noticed how people say often “online business” or “Digital Marketing when talking about eCommerce and I consider this proof of the modern evolution of the meaning of the terms of the era of high technology. Perhaps they will “throw stones” at me, but I will continue to cover the topic in the same vein as digital marketing and eСom. not the same thing but extremely related things at the level of synonyms…

So In a few words (in general), eCommerce consists of transactions conducted online. An online store owner sells you a product, which you buy with a Visa credit card, PayPal, or other payment methods. Every type of good is available online, from basic needs items like clothes to even financial services.

Did you know that almost 30% of the world’s population shop online in 2022? That means that about one in every four people you see in the street are online shoppers. As you can imagine, there’s a large audience waiting for you.

Advantages of eCommerce

Many advantages and benefits come from building an eCommerce and online store.

• 24/7 selling: Unlike in-person stores, which have closing periods, an online shop is open to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That equals convenience and more conversions in the long run.
• More products: Some shops offer a wider product catalog online than in their in-person store. 
• Digital products: Products like books or music, for example, are very demanded in their digital form. While traditional stores can offer them, customers tend to rely on eCommerce to acquire the products.
• Big data: Thanks to online shopping, business owners can store and analyze large amounts of data to draw insights, such as supply and demand, customer behavior, target audience, etc. They can then adjust the eCommerce to the customers’ needs.
• No geographic limitations: What if you are an American businessman who wants to sell your goods to European clients? You can’t do that in an in-person shop, but you certainly can on the Internet.

Examples of eCommerce Digital Marketing 

eCommerce (online business) can function in four main different ways:

• B2C: Business to Consumer. It’s what we all know. A business sells something by offering it directly to potential customers.
• B2B: Business to Business. For example, companies that offer Saas (Software as a Service) to other companies.
• C2C: Consumer to consumer. For example, a regular user sells their preowned goods to other buyers.
• C2B: Consumer to Business. In this model, a consumer offers value to a company. It’s what happens in freelancing services.

Amazon’s Strategy

Think of the best online store you know. I’ll talk about Amazon. Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer and continues to grow – They’re good at digital marketing in their B2C business model.

The main objective of Amazon’s digital marketing strategy is to obtain conversions via direct and personalized communications with the user. They offer customers content of interest through Internet platforms such as websites, emails, searches, and digital advertising.

There’s no way we can’t overlook their paid ads and clever use of big data to customize said ads. If you’ve been thinking about getting a new oven and Amazon suggests one “out of nowhere,” it’s no coincidence.

Types of eCommerce Platforms and Ways to Do Digital Marketing 

An eCommerce platform is software that allows business owners to create and manage their stores. A good platform will allow you to manage inventory, set prices, describe the products, organize them by categories, offer discounts, etc.

If you’re on business, you must have heard of Shopify. It’s the largest – and probably best – application to support your online store, even if you’re a small entrepreneur.

How to Advertise your Store

Once you have created an online store, it’s time to create awareness, drive traffic to the website, and convert visitors into customers. You can use four main channels:

• Mobile
• Social media
• Website
• Email

In the upcoming sections, I’ll explain how to leverage each to maximize sales.

1- Mobile eCommerce

As the name suggests, mobile eCommerce refers to sales and purchases conducted via wireless devices, such as smartphones or tablets.

As a general rule, you want to target younger generations. They use smartphones more than any other age group individuals. A good tip is to send them SMS texts with promotions or discounts related to their interests.

It’s imperative to optimize your website for every type of screen. Users with smaller or bigger screens or disabilities must be able to read the text, engage with the content, and so on. 

2- Social Media eCommerce

Social media eCommerce (SMM) consists of using social media platforms to market your business. It helps you create brand awareness, attract new customers, and generate sales.

You must research the market and understand the new trends, the products your target audience likes, etc. You can casually engage with your potential customers by replying to comments or liking their pictures.

It’s one of the best ways to increase sales, as you target potential young customers on the platform they spend the most time at.

3- Website eCommerce

This one refers to what we’ve discussed throughout the article. It consists of buying and selling goods via online platforms.

On-Page SEO is one of the best ways to optimize your website eCommerce and drive traffic and sales. SEO optimizes your content and website to make it more attractive to customers and search engines. The SEO results are long-term, but they’re worth it. You’ll slowly rank higher and higher until one day you appear at the top results. 

Other tips consist of investing in a good user experience and website design, high loading speeds, etc.

4- Email eCommerce

Email is a great way to increase sales, but it’s tricky. You don’t want to become spammy and get customers to block you or mark your company as “spam.” 

Instead, you want to send tailored promotions and messages that make the user want to click on the link and purchase your product. It takes a lot of research, customer segmentation to tailor messages, and a copywriter to persuade with the written word.

The frequency is also something to keep in mind. An email a month may be way too little, though one a week can become pushy. Be that as it may, never send a daily (or, God forbid it, more than one) email.

Starting an eCommerce Business and Where to Start 

Now that you want to start your own online business, where do you begin? What’s the first step? It can be scary to build an empire from scratch, but I’ll try to explain everything in a simple yet useful way.

1) The type of business

What type of service will your company offer? B2C, B2B? Knowing your products or services before starting an eCommerce is key to success.

2) Research the market

This goes hand in hand with the previous step. What is your target audience, and what do they need? Long story short, marketing is about meeting the needs your customers have.

Research your niche to determine what strategy will work best for your company. This includes researching keywords, social media, large competitors, etc.

3) Register the company’s name

Then it’s time to obtain a domain and register your brand. You don’t want a competitor taking your brand name and identity.

Registering your company comes with legal protections and tax benefits, so don’t skip this step. Also, find legal advice to know whether you need additional licenses.

4) Create the online store

As previously mentioned, platforms like Shopify or WordPress will allow you to buy an intuitive and user-friendly online shop for your potential customers.

I recommend you use reliable platforms – Slow-loading pages or sketchy websites will drive your conversions away.

5) Attract customers and grow your traffic

Digital marketing comes in this step, from SEO to PPC aids and collaborations with influencers. The more visibility your store gains, the more conversions you’ll have by the end of the month.

Best eCommerce tools

I will now share my favorite instruments for digital marketing, especially SEO, CRM, and PPC. They will be game-changers for your new business.

My 5 favorite SEO tools 

1) SEMRush

This paid software provides you with most of the SEO tools you need to boost a medium to size business. You can conduct keyword research, monitor competitors, implement on-page SEO, track your ranking, content marketing, etc.

It’s one of the most popular tools and one of my favorites. If you have the budget, I recommend you check it out.

2) HubSpot Marketing Hub

Besides having a CRM tool included, which I’ll discuss in an upcoming section, the HubSpot also integrates email marketing and campaign automation.

It also offers marketing automation, A/B testing, and social media marketing and integration. The price is quite competitive, offering good value for money.

3) Yoast

Yoast is a free tool you can use to enter the world of SEO. If you’re not an expert, this website allows you to optimize the content so it can rank higher on search engines.

The software tells you whether you’re using too many keywords or too little, whether the tags and metadescription are acceptable, how many internal links the text has, etc. And let me repeat: It’s free!

4) Google Analytics

Google Analytics is the SEO tool by default, and it’s free. My favorite features are:

• Audience reports that help you understand the users
• Custom reports, including big data
• Campaign measurement to determine what’s working and what’s not
• Conversions and user activity tracking
• It shows the keywords driving more traffic to your site

5) Moz Pro

Moz Pro is not as well-known as other tools, but it’s still a great choice to manage your website SEO. It offers keyword research and explorer, a link explorer to identify backlinks, a site crawl to ensure your website doesn’t have link errors or pages that don’t load, and much more.

My 2 favorite CRM tools 

1) HubSpot CRM

Again, HubSpot manages to position itself among the best management tools for your website. It helps you interact with your customers, create email campaigns, segment clients to send tailored messages, build customer loyalty, create deals, analyze metrics and big data, and almost any feature you can think of.

2) Salesforce

My second option for you is Salesforce. This CRM tool allows you to boost channels management, analytics to understand how users behave on your website, email service, forecasting, and automatization.

I believe it’s one of the most comprehensive CRM tools you can find in the market. The product is highly customizable and user-friendly, so you can master it even if you’re a beginner.

My 2 favorite PPC tools for PPC (pay Per Click) 

Pay-per-click ads are everywhere. Google Ad Sense and Facebook Ads are the most popular PPC tools. They have a wide range and are very reputable, so I highly recommend them.

Google Ads primarily relies on Google users’ keyword searches, while Facebook has a more extensive audience targeting – Remember they own Meta (Instagram, Whatsapp, Facebook).

Overall, I’d say the main difference is that Google helps bring in more customers by driving organic traffic, while Facebook Ads targets users depending on location, demographic, and profile information.

Few More Online Marketing Tools and Services I Use All the Time

Other digital marketing tools that are a must for your business are:

• MailChimp for email campaigns and automation
• Frase for content writing and SEO optimization
• Canva for graphic and template design
• Grammarly & Hemingway App to correct your spelling

FAQ for Digital Marketing

1) What is an eCommerce business?

An eCommerce business is any type of online store that supports transactions. The customer can pay via Visa cards, Paypal, etc.

2) Why the explosive growth of eCommerce could mean more jobs?

eCommerce means more conversions and globalization. As a result, companies need more workers to keep up with the demand, leading to a higher number of jobs.

3) How many types of eCommerce categories are there? 

There are four types, depending on who sells goods or offers services and who receives them.

• B2C: Business to Consumer.
• B2B: Business to Business. 
• C2C: Consumer to consumer.
• C2B: Consumer to Business.

4) How the growth of eCommerce is shifting retail jobs?

Retail eCommerce businesses have created new jobs, though they’re not enough to make up for the number of traditional retail positions lost. Hopefully, as the online shopping habit grows, so will the number of workers.

5) What is the definition of eCommerce, and how is it conducted? 

E-commerce refers to buying and selling goods or services online. It implies there’s an online store in which customers can pay via Visa cards, PayPal, and other methods.

It’s conducted and powered thanks to the Internet. Many eCommerce platforms like Shopify or Wix allow you to build your online store.

6) How to make a small business grow with the unique features of eCommerce?

Since most people are on the Internet nowadays, you can leverage your online store to grow your small business. Your website will offer you key data, such as:

• Consumer behavior
• How much time do customers spend on your page
• Demographic traits
• Bounce rate
• Products that are often purchased together

You can use this information to improve your online store and send tailored emails or SMS to customers.

7) How is blockchain powering the evolution of eCommerce? 

Blockchain is becoming a driving force in the global economy. Some people already use cryptocurrencies to buy safely in online stores.

Blockchain provides security and peace of mind to both parties, that is, customers and owners. And this technology is also more affordable, as it reduces the intermediaries fees, the need for IT support, etc.

8) How to start an eCommerce business?

With a few steps, you can get started in the online shopping business:

• Determine your type of business (B2C, B2B, C2B, C2C)
• Research the market
• Register your brand name
• Create the online store
• Use SEO, PPC, and other marketing strategies to drive traffic and boost conversions

9) How to hire an eCommerce specialist or manager?

You can find an online freelancer who is familiar with SEO, coding, and website design. If you have enough budget, hiring an external agency to provide the services is always a good option.

10) How to start content for eCommerce?

The first thing you must do is understand your audience. They have an unmet need you must cover. Conduct keyword and market research to adjust your services and products to what they need.

Then hire a copywriter or content writer/marketer to provide SEO-optimized content for your business.

11) How will eCommerce change in the future?

You can expect the metaverse, Augmented and Virtual Reality, and other technologies to make customers crave interactive and engaging environments when buying online.

Who knows? Maybe people will create avatars that look just like them, so they can try the clothes on them and check how they’d look in real life.

12) How can eCommerce boost your small business sales?

An online business allows you to reach out to more potential customers, and thus it will boost your sales and conversions. It also offers key data, stored as big data, which you can use to improve your business services and products.

13) How to host an eCommerce website? 

It’s as easy as finding software or platforms that are intuitive and affordable. Examples are WordPress, Shopify, or Wix. You can also build your own website, though you need to hire programmers and professionals if you can’t code yourself.

14) How to spell: eCommerce or e-commerce? 

You can pretty much use any of the variations. I’ve used eCommerce throughout this guide, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use others.

15) Where to get images for free for e-commerce platforms?

Many online websites offer free high-quality images, such as Pexels, Pixabays, or Unsplash. Some require author credit, while others don’t.

16) Where to find an eCommerce developer?

You can find an online freelancer familiar with coding and website design. If you have enough budget, hiring an external agency to provide the services is a good option.

17) Where can a recruiter find dev-ops engineers for an eCommerce agency?

Online freelancing websites are all over the Internet. Fiverr is just one of them, but external agencies are also an option.

18) Where can I buy pictures for my eCommerce brand?

Websites like iStock, Adobe, or ShutterStock offer paid pictures for your company.

19) Where to buy products to sell on eCommerce? 

The best way is to contact wholesalers who provide you with a lot of quality products at an affordable price. You can also design and manufacture your own products, though that requires more budget and effort.

20) Where to buy clothing for my eCommerce business?

You can contact a retail wholesaler, which is the most popular choice. You can also hire designers to design and sew your own clothing, though the costs increase this way.

21) How social media “buy” buttons are changing eCommerce? 

These buttons allow customers to make instant purchases and get redirected to the website in seconds. It leads to more conversions because the buyer is more impulsive and desire-driven.

22) When did eCommerce begin? 

Though we tend to think it’s very recent, eCommerce can be tracked down to the 70s and 80s.

23) Who do you hire for an eCommerce store? 

Workers you hire depend on the company size, goals, and other factors. As a general rule, you’ll need:

• A copywriter
• A social media and digital marketing expert
• IT support
• Logistics and orders specialists
• Warehouse workers

24) Best companies who offer eCommerce websites

The most popular software that allows you to create an online store are:

• WordPress
• Shopify
• Wix
• BigCommerce