Content marketing continues to be a dynamic component of e-commerce. Many areas of a business operation need content. So marketers are challenged to think out of the box and collaborate with the rest of the team. They also need to strategize with a 360-degree mindset. If you are a digital or content marketer, your duty does not stop with blogging. It is time for you to design beautiful experiences for your customers, from start to finish.
Here are five simple ways to start:
Unveil a holistic user experience.
E-commerce is not just about building a beautiful website. Dressing up your online store and filling it with pretty product shots are the icing on the cake. But like its brick-and-mortar counterparts, your website should carry substance to make the user experience memorable. In lieu of salespeople, direct traffic to your blog for valuable information including product recommendations. If you cater to a global market, install a currency converter for prices. Find ways to reduce the checkout time.
Example: Warby Parker goes the extra mile by ensuring customer satisfaction in every step. This online seller of eye frames nurtures leads through free eye exams, a free home try-on of their pairs, and a style picker that comes in a quiz form.
Personalize messaging per target segment.
Not all leads are created equal. You will encounter first-time visitors and returning visitors on your website. Some will just be shopping around. Others will go straight for the items they want to purchase. But one way to get anyone to check out your shop is to write a blog post on a common concern. Constantly churn out informative content and, depending on the lead’s status, introduce your products or share the news about an upcoming sale. If you are doing email marketing, segment your lists accordingly using lead scoring. This approach will help you focus your energy on high-scoring targets and avoid wasting time on low-scoring ones (those least likely to convert).
Example: If you haven’t been using its product, Dropbox sends a snappy, non-intrusive email to remind you it still exists. At the same time, it offers a refresher course or a limited-time coupon to make you come back.
Pay attention to the tiniest details.
A product that looks good online but not in real life is a common customer pet peeve. People will surely come back at you in the reviews section or a community forum. So, when it comes to promoting certain goods in an article or presenting them on the online catalog, make sure you are not adding embellishments or over-promising. Again, buyers should get a favorable experience overall.
Example: Althea Korea, a Seoul-based boutique specializing in K-beauty products, takes great pains to ship orders intact through careful packaging. It sees to it that the actual wares live up to their virtual representation.
Maintain the momentum.
So the customers already bought from you. What’s next? Maintain the momentum by sending follow-up messages, including a “Thank You” note, an order confirmation, and a receipt. Then provide them with real-time shipping updates. Your presence in their inbox within the delivery period is highly important. These days, online shoppers want to know about each and every detail when it comes to their orders. Follow-up interactions signal to them that you care about them after making the sale.
Example: Amazon lets its members track the status of their shipments. There is a feature available both on its site and mobile app. And it also offers delivery tracking via SMS to customers who agreed to receive notifications this way.
Keep customer information safe.
Lastly, have a transparent system for collecting and employing customer information. Assure your visitors and users that you are out to protect their data and privacy. Create a link and landing page for your Terms of Agreement and Privacy Policy. It does not end with drafting the content. If possible, install HideMyAss, one of the best VPNs on the market, on your devices to prevent hackers from intercepting confidential data like credit card names and numbers.
Example: Shopify, while not an online store per se, is a good model because it generates a Privacy Policy for its merchants. It also covers some of the legalese that small business owners often find confusing. Shopify-hosted stores are not allowed to store credit card or PayPal credentials for the long term, offering customers peace of mind.
