While ecommerce is a game of constant innovation, some trends have remained consistent over the past decade. We’ve seen it all. From digital marketing tools to social media marketing strategies, businesses have been using these technologies for as long as they’ve existed.
But what happens when these same trends become obsolete? What do you do when your ecommerce strategies become irrelevant and ineffective? It’s a scary thought, but it’s also inevitable.
The future is unpredictable–especially in the online world. That’s why it’s crucial to stay ahead of the curve and keep an eye out for emerging trends in small business that could potentially impact your brand. Here are some trends you need to watch out for and what they mean for your ecommerce business.
Brands must deliver an exceptional customer experience
As a business owner, you know that customer experience is crucial in ecommerce. But what exactly is it? Customer experience is not just about the product but also about the service and supports you provide your customers throughout their buying process.
This customer-centric business trend is a combination of all elements that make up the buying process. It involves how easy or hard it is for them to find you on Google and navigate your website to payment options, delivery timescales, packaging, and returns policies. The list goes on!
Of course you can promote your online store by partnering with a PPC agency for Ecommerce and hiring the best marketing team, but customers will always expect the perfect treatment.
If you want people coming back again and again, then delivering an exceptional customer experience should be high on your priority list right now!
Mobile commerce takes over
Flexible and mobile commerce (m-commerce) is taking over the world.
Ecommerce is no longer just about desktop computers and laptops, it’s about mobile devices as well. The growth of m-commerce has been explosive over the past two years, and projections show that it will continue to grow at a rapid rate in the next four. eMarketer estimates that m-commerce will account for over 10% of all retail sales in the United States by 2025.
Mobile tools like POS systems (e.g., TouchBistro, Square, or Vend alternatives) can help you stay ahead of this curve. With these tools, you can offer customers a seamless shopping experience regardless of how they prefer doing business with you: face-to-face or online via their phones or tablets!
Consumers want to know who made their products and how
In today’s world, customers want to know more than just what they are buying—they want to know who made their products and how. There is a growing trend of transparency in the supply chain as consumers become more aware of where their products come from, how they are made, who is behind the brand, and how they can support it.
Ecommerce retailers have responded by creating tools that allow brands to connect with customers personally through social media channels. Instagram or Facebook Live, for instance, offer videos where you can show off behind-the-scenes footage of your workshop.
Storytelling engages visitors and converts them into customers
Storytelling is now used on ecommerce websites to engage visitors and convert them into customers.
This social media trend is the art of telling stories, which anyone can do through words or images. It’s an effective way of communicating with your customers because it allows you to connect with them, making it easier for them to trust you as a brand or company.
Storytelling using the best ecommerce solutions for small businesses can help boost sales leads. If done right, this engaging marketing tool can increase sales conversions.
SEO matters!
The first step to getting more traffic is ensuring a quality website. A great website will help you rank higher in search engines and attract more visitors, which means more conversions.
If you need to become more familiar with search engine optimization (SEO), it’s optimizing your site to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs) like those of Google and Bing. The goal is to get as many people as possible to visit your store from organic sources rather than paid ads or social media campaigns.
This traffic converts better—meaning those visitors are more likely to become customers when they land on your site!
Voice search is the way of the future
The future is here, and it’s voice search. Voice search has been around for a while now. This technology was introduced in 2012 and became popular through Google Home and Amazon Echo devices.
Around 20% of the searches done on Google’s mobile app are now made by voice. And this number is expected to grow even more over time.
What does this mean for you? Your site needs to be optimized for voice search if it wants to stay competitive with other ecommerce sites.
Social media is now a primary marketing and sales tool
Social media is no longer just a place for interaction between friends and family; it has also become a critical tool for marketing and sales. Social media platforms are the most cost-effective way to reach your target audience with relevant content that will build brand awareness, increase traffic to your website, drive sales, and boost customer loyalty.
Social media can help you connect with customers by providing them with an easy way to find out about new products or services before they’re available on store shelves or online stores. You can use social networks like Instagram or Pinterest to showcase new items from different angles.
Video content marketing is on the rise
Video content marketing is on the rise. As a small business owner, you know that you can use video to educate and entertain your audience. But did you know this robust type of visual content is also an effective way to build customer trust?
You might be ready for a full-fledged YouTube channel later, but don’t worry—there are plenty of other ways to incorporate videos into your ecommerce strategy. For example:
- Use video product descriptions or reviews on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook (check out our guide here)
- Create an explainer video for new products and services if yours aren’t immediately self-explanatory (see below)
Personalization separates great brands from the rest
Personalization is a crucial way to engage customers, and it can increase sales. Personalized messages and content are more effective than generic ones. For example, recipients are more likely to open and click on personalized emails than non-personalized ones.
Customers also expect personalized offers—they want you to know what they like so that you can recommend products based on those preferences. This requires gathering data about them (such as their age range), analyzing it to understand their needs better, and then using this information in your marketing strategy. In this way, you’re targeting them only with relevant content or offers that speak directly to their interests at any given moment.
Conversational AI in online shopping
Conversational AI is a new way of interacting with customers. You can use it for customer service, sales and conversion optimization, and product development.
Conversational AI uses natural language processing to understand human speech and respond appropriately. The bot will ask questions about your product or service based on the information you give. If you’re shopping online and want to learn more about something, type out a question in plain English and watch as the bot searches its database for answers!
This technology will make life easier for shoppers who want instant access to information. It’s also helpful to businesses that need help answering customer queries quickly. In this way, they can focus on more important tasks like creating new products/services or selling them effectively online.
Takeaway: Businesses must keep an eye on emerging trends and adapt to changing technologies
In today’s crowded ecommerce market, brands need to adapt to changing technologies and keep an eye on emerging trends that could help them evolve their businesses further.
It is vital for small businesses to not only stay ahead of the curve but also learn about new technology platforms that could help them cost-effectively grow their business.
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