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Shelley Bellefontaine • Feb 03, 2020
How to Start an Online Marketplace
An online marketplace is a type of ecommerce business that can be rewarding to create, however, it comes with its own unique set of challenges. If you’ve ever thought of starting an online marketplace like the marketplaces you see online already such as Amazon, Etsy, or Airbnb then this is the perfect article to start off with. In this article, you’ll learn all about online marketplaces, what they are, how to start one and how to successfully run one.
Ready to get started bringing an online marketplace to life? Read on.
What is an Online Marketplace?
An online marketplace is an ecommerce store where multiple merchants can sell goods or services to customers. Examples of online marketplaces include Amazon, Etsy, Airbnb, and eBay. These online stores are considered to be online marketplaces because there are many merchants (hundreds of thousands, in fact) who can sell their products to the customers that browse the website.
Traditional ecommerce stores sell the goods and services of one brand, but not online marketplaces. Since an online marketplace has many merchants selling their products on the store, they have a greater product offering which can draw more visitors to browse the website. One of the main advantages of online marketplaces is that they draw in lots of digital foot-traffic, which can mean greater exposure for the merchants who sell on the online marketplace.
What unites all the sellers on an online marketplace together is that there’s one checkout process. When customers shop on an online marketplace, they don’t need to click away to different websites to complete the transaction, they can purchase from many different merchants on the marketplace at once, even if the merchants aren’t associated with one another.
When customers make purchases from online marketplaces, the merchants they purchase from get a notification that someone has purchased their product, and then each merchant can individually ship and send the customer the products that were ordered from them.
This means that although a customer can complete just one transaction on an online marketplace when purchasing from multiple different sellers, their products will be shipped from each seller individually meaning they’ll receive a shipping package from each merchant they ordered a product from.
Essentially, for consumers, shopping on an online marketplace is like shopping from several different ecommerce merchants at once, while being able to pay all the merchants in one transaction rather than in many transactions.
Another thing that unites online marketplaces together is that they usually are focused around one particular niche. Amazon, for example, started as an online marketplace of booksellers. Airbnb started as an online marketplace to rent rooms in San Francisco. Online marketplaces are generally more successful when they center around one niche because it gives consumers a reason to shop there and when they do shop there, they know what to expect from the merchants selling on the marketplace.
An online marketplace can also be referred to as a “Collaborative Economy” or a “Sharing Economy” because it’s usually made up of merchants who work together to share or sell their idle assets on a community-accessible marketplace.
“Trust, convenience and a sense of community are all factors in pushing adoption of the sharing economy forward.” – PricewaterhouseCoopers
Online marketplaces are becoming more mainstream for several reasons: First, consumers are more willing to trust online marketplace platforms to protect them from fraudulent merchants. Second, online marketplaces are a convenient way for merchants to earn revenue on goods or services they may have sitting idle, and finally, online marketplaces generate a sense of community where both merchants and consumers can support one another in niche markets that are important to them. We see this, in particular, on the online marketplace Etsy where merchants and consumers alike believe in supporting hand-crafted, small-batch, homemade and artisan products.
Why You Should Create an Online Marketplace
One of the main reasons to start an online marketplace is to either help merchants sell goods or services they don’t have a use for anymore—or don’t have a use for at certain points of the year—or to help consumers get access to goods or services more easily.
By creating an online marketplace, you create a place where users can rent or sell goods, spaces or services online at a cheaper price, better quality, or in a more convenient way. Every successful online marketplace does this in a way big-box retailers can’t, which is what makes them competitive players in the ecommerce industry.
Creating an online marketplace is also an ideal option because you don’t have to own any inventory to run one. This makes them an attractive option for entrepreneurs who want to provide a service or solve a pain point without investing a lot of their own capital into the business. Online marketplaces acquire inventory from the merchants who sell or rent their goods or services on the marketplace, so it’s not solely up to the founder of the marketplace to source inventory.
“Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world’s largest accommodation provider, owns no real estate.” – Tom Goodwin
If there’s a niche that exists where all the products or services can be sold or rented online from merchants to customers in a way where big-box retailers can’t provide the same service at a cheaper price, more conveniently or in better quality, then you should start an online marketplace that can supply this to consumers. Marketplaces don’t always work, but there are likely still many circumstances that exist today where the online marketplace business model can still succeed.
How to Create an Online Marketplace
Creating an online marketplace can be a bit of a challenge. There’s plenty of online literature documenting how ecommerce entrepreneurs can start their own online businesses, but those online businesses tend to focus on solo entrepreneurs who are interested in selling their own products exclusively on their own websites. That’s not how online marketplaces work, so another approach must be taken.
Building Your Online Marketplace Website
First of all, the success of your online marketplace will be partly dependant on the actual online platform you use to create it. Fortunately, you don’t have to hire a web developer to create your online marketplace website as other options exist.
Many solutions exist for ecommerce development...Squarespace and Wix offer simple ecommerce functionality. Larger, more complex solutions can be found with WooCommerce for the Wordpress platform, and one that's been getting a lot of attention lately is Sharetribe. In fact, it's well-recognized in the ecommerce industry as being the a reliable, user-friendly and cost-effective way for entrepreneurs to start their own online marketplace. With their software, any entrepreneur will be able to build a well-designed online marketplace in the most efficient and secure way possible.
If you were to create an online marketplace from scratch with a team of web developers it could cost you thousands of dollars to build your website, but Sharetribe doesn’t cost nearly as much and you’ll be able to have a simple, online marketplace up and running faster than if you were to completely have it built from scratch.
Coming Up With an Online Marketplace Niche
Successful online marketplaces are typically successful because they hone in on one particular niche to service the needs of the merchants and consumers within that niche. This means that in order to create an online marketplace, you’re going to have to select a niche market that your online marketplace will cater to.
This is an important step in the process of starting an online marketplace because it will impact what you sell on your online marketplace, the merchants who sell there, the customers who shop there, and the focus of your online marketplace as a whole. Without a niche to target, your online marketplace will have no focus or direction so it’s very important to find your niche and stick to it throughout the online marketplace building process.
Focusing on a Minimum Viable Product for Your Online Marketplace
With the Amazon’s, Etsy’s, Airbnb’s and eBay’s of the online marketplace world, it can be easy to get wrapped up in thinking about how you’ll scale your online marketplace to service millions of consumers right away. We encourage you not to get caught up in this way of thinking, because it takes a long time to grow an online marketplace like the ones we just mentioned, and you can still build a successful online marketplace without being a giant in your industry.
When you’re just starting out building your online marketplace, we suggest focusing on your Minimum Viable Product and creating that. Don’t get caught up in thinking about how you’ll create the perfect online marketplace within your niche, just focus on creating an online marketplace that a small subset of your niche market really believes in, and start from there.
By focusing on creating the perfect online marketplace you’ll likely cause yourself to feel overwhelmed in everything you have to do and accomplish to get there, but by zoning in on creating your Minimum Viable Product, you’ll be more likely to stick with your online marketplace idea and built it to fruition.
It’s okay not to create a perfect online marketplace right from the get-go. Create something that at least 10 or so users can be interested in and use their feedback and experiences to grow from there. Like we mentioned earlier, other online marketplaces started small too, and so can you.
Establishing Your Budget to Start an Online Marketplace
Just like any ecommerce business, starting an online marketplace will take some funds to get going. One of the main advantages of starting an online marketplace, however, is that you actually don’t have to purchase or create an inventory to sell which can be a huge relief off of your startup budget.
Although you likely won’t have to fork over any capital for inventory, there are other aspects of your online business that will require some budget. The main aspects of your online marketplace startup budget will likely include:
A word of warning, however, when it comes to creating a budget for your online marketplace: Don’t spend too much. When you’re just getting started, it can be tempting to pump as much capital as you have available into your online marketplace, but remember that you’re just getting started and it’s going to take some time to grow.
Don’t put too much into your platform and advertising before you launch or when you first launch. Put enough in to get started, and then give your online marketplace some time to grow and some time to earn revenue. At the beginning, focus instead on hustling to get free advertising whether it’s through SEO or your own social media, for example, and let your online marketplace start to generate its own revenue before you invest too much more into it.
Even if it’s slow growth, it will help to validate your online marketplace idea before you go investing too much money into it which you may not get back if your marketplace idea doesn’t work out in the end.
Focusing on the Outcome of the Online Marketplace
Finally, when it comes to creating an online marketplace, don’t forget to focus on the main outcome of the online marketplace. Ask yourself, what are you aiming to achieve with your online marketplace? What is it that your online marketplace is providing that adds value to those in the niche market it services.
The goal of any online marketplace is to connect merchants and customers within a niche to sell or rent goods or services, so think about how that actually begins to look within your online marketplace and how you want to bring that to life.
Types of Online Marketplaces
There are several different types of online marketplaces, and although they all run in a similar fashion, there are slight differences to them which can impact the shopping experience, the types of products that are sold, the customers that shop there and the service that the online marketplace promises to fulfill.
These are the different types of online marketplaces that exist:
Physical Product Online Marketplace
Some online marketplaces focus on selling physical products only. This means that the merchants create or supply physical products that must be shipped to the customers who purchase them.
When you have an online marketplace that sells physical products, customers will receive shipping packages from each merchant they order a product from, which can impact their user experience. It means that they’ll be receiving multiple different packages, which can be confusing for them if they don’t know to expect that. Be upfront with customers who shop on your online marketplace—if it’s a physical product online marketplace—that even though they may be completing one transaction, the products are sourced from individual merchants and the products they’ve ordered will be arriving individually from each separate merchant.
Digital Product Online Marketplace
Another type of online marketplace that exists is digital product marketplaces. These online marketplaces sell digital products that can be downloaded to computers or smart devices immediately after purchase which means that customers don’t have to wait for their products to be shipped and they won’t be receiving products one-by-one from each separate merchant they order from.
An example of a digital marketplace is Creative Market, where designers and creators sell digital assets like stock photos, logo templates, graphic designs and more. We wrote a complete Creative Market Review, and we’ve even rounded up some of Creative Market’s Best Instagram Templates, which we highly recommend checking for your online marketplace.
Property & Spaces Online Marketplace
Another type of online marketplace is one that rents or sells property, rooms, event spaces or locations to customers. A great example of this type of online marketplace is Airbnb, which is an online marketplace for property owners to rent out rooms, apartments, houses or properties all over the world.
This type of online marketplace comes with its own unique set of challenges, such as government regulations, property insurance, and booking confirmations that must be adhered to and organized in order to be viable and successful. Managing these types of online marketplaces can be complex, so ensure that you know what you’re getting yourself into if you decide to start an online marketplace like this.
Services Online Marketplace
Other online marketplaces can sell services to their customers, where merchants can rent or sell their own specialties to the marketplace. These types of online marketplaces can provide digital services that can be carried out online, such as website development services, or they can provide services that take place in-person, such as painting and restoration work, for example.
Just like all other marketplaces, online marketplaces that provide services aim to connect merchants who have a resource to offer to customers interested in acquiring an asset, so if you’re starting a services type of online marketplace, make sure you focus on building that connection.
The Challenges of Starting an Online Marketplace
Starting an online marketplace is slightly different from starting an ecommerce business, so naturally, it comes with its own set of challenges to overcome. The challenges that online marketplace owners face aren’t necessarily deal-breakers, in that they shouldn’t hinder you from starting an online marketplace if it’s really something you want to pursue, however, they are things you should be aware of before you actually start building an online business.
Being aware of these challenges in advance can help you find alternate solutions or prevent you from being blindsided by them when they arise. These are the top challenges you can expect to face when starting an online marketplace:
Convincing Merchants & Customers to Use Your Marketplace
When you first start an online marketplace, attracting both merchants and customers to use your marketplace is going to be your biggest challenge. Because you’re new, you’re going to have to build trust within merchants to sell on your site and you’re going to have to make sure customers know your marketplace exists so they even think to shop on it.
The main issue you’ll face when convincing merchants and customers to use your marketplace is perfectly described by the well-known adage: What came first, the chicken or the egg? In this context, you’ll be asking yourself which comes first, the merchant or the customer?
It will be challenging for you to convince merchants to come sell on an online marketplace if there aren’t customers already shopping there, and it won’t make sense to attract customers to your online marketplace if there aren’t any merchants selling their inventory there yet. Consider how you’ll approach this hurdle.
The general consensus around this dilemma is actually for online marketplace owners to approach merchants to join their online marketplace first because they have a greater incentive to join the marketplace. Their incentive is to earn more revenue and profit, and if there’s little-to-no risk for them to join the online marketplace, they’ll be more likely to use it to sell their goods or services.
By reaching out to suppliers first before attracting customers to your online marketplace, you’ll also build the inventory supply that your marketplace has to offer which is crucial for customers when they start landing on your online marketplace. Without any inventory, there’s no incentive for your customers to shop on your marketplace at all, so secure the goods and services before you start reeling in customers.
In order to start finding merchants to sell goods and services on your online marketplace, consider reaching out to merchants who are already selling on online marketplaces! This shows that they’re already comfortable selling on online marketplaces and if you give them a good enough reason to sell on yours too, they might be interested. Be sure to look for merchants that sell products that align with your online marketplace’s focus niche.
Investing Time Into Building a Successful Marketplace
Building an online marketplace takes time—a lot of time. Because there are usually more moving parts to an online marketplace than there are with ecommerce businesses (like handling multiple different merchants), it can take much more time to build one that runs successfully.
If you’re interested in creating an online marketplace, be prepared to have patience with it as it slowly builds and grows into the online marketplace you want it to be.
Providing a Useful Service
Online marketplaces can only be successful long-term if they solve a real problem for both merchants and customers. If they don’t provide a useful service, they won’t last long. This is why it’s so important when starting your online marketplace to make sure that you validate your idea beforehand so you don’t find yourself months or years later with a failed marketplace because it didn’t provide value to merchants or consumers.
Like we mentioned before, take your time building your online marketplace and don’t invest too much capital upfront just in case your online marketplace idea isn’t something that can withstand the test of time. It’s better to grow your marketplace slowly so you can adjust and adapt to merchants’ and consumers’ needs as you go which can result in you creating an online marketplace that provides value to those merchants and consumers and thus, becomes a successful online marketplace long-term.
Focus on solving a problem for both the merchants and the consumers, and you’ll be more likely to provide a useful service for both parties.
Existing Competition in the Market
Even if you think you’ve come up with a great idea for an online marketplace, it’s likely that someone else has already thought of it, too. Competition can be a hindrance to starting and growing your online marketplace, however, it shouldn’t completely deter you from pursuing it, either.
If there’s an existing online marketplace on the market that would be in direct competition with your marketplace idea, then you have to find a way to compete against them. Try competing on price, selection, quality, choice, the number of merchants, the geographic area or something else that gives your online marketplace an edge over any others.
If you aren’t sure whether there are any existing online marketplaces that are in direct competition with your online marketplace idea, then be aware that there probably is someone else also working on the same idea and you will eventually have competition. If this is the case, your only option is to execute your online marketplace idea better or faster than anyone else starting a similar online marketplace, so consider how you can make that happen. Execution is ultimately all that counts, so plan to execute well.
Financing Your Online Marketplace
Every marketplace needs to earn revenue and profit to survive, so you’ll need to determine a viable strategy to ensure that your marketplace earns the revenue and profits that it needs to last.
How to Run a Successful Online Marketplace
In addition to everything we’ve discussed thus far on creating and setting up an online marketplace, there are other aspects of growing an online marketplace that are important to consider in order to ensure long-term sustainability and success.
Select an Online Marketplace Business Model
Your online marketplace business model will impact how you will earn revenue and profit and how your merchants will earn revenue and profit, as well. It’s a fundamental aspect of every online marketplace and one that you should decide on before you launch.
It’s important that your online marketplace business model is able to balance the best interests of not only the revenue you earn but also the best interests of merchants and customers. Finding that balance can be tricky but when you do it’s worthwhile.
Create a Great Online Marketplace User Experience
A large part of creating a great online marketplace includes creating a great user experience. If users can’t use your online marketplace the way they want to or in a way that helps them find what they’re looking for, then they’ll simply go elsewhere.
The goal of your online marketplace should be to make it as easy as possible for customers and merchants to connect with one another so a transaction can take place. There are some important aspects you can integrate into your online marketplace to help make this as efficient as possible:
Best Practices for Launching Your Online Marketplace
When it comes to bringing your online marketplace to life, your launch will play a role in how your marketplace continues to progress over the course of its lifetime. Some best practices mentioned in Sharetribe’s How to Launch Your Marketplace article include utilizing promotion channels like an email list, advertising, press, influencers and online communities such as Product Hunt to get the attention of people who might be interested in what your marketplace has to offer.
No matter how you choose to draw attention to your online marketplace when it launches, it’s arguably most important to build trust within each and every user that enters your website as soon as you launch. Trust in your marketplace is ultimately what’s going to make it successful in the long run, so no matter how many people your promotion tactics bring to your website on launch day, focus on building trust within them as they experience your online marketplace.
Now that you’ve reached up to this point, you should be well-equipped with the knowledge to start your own online marketplace. Remember that your online marketplace’s niche will be what sets it apart from other marketplaces in the industry and that executing ideas is what really matters to help you stand up to any competition. Focus on getting suppliers for your marketplace first and then instill trust into every visitor that lands on your online marketplace after launch day.
Have a good online marketplace idea? Get started!
2023: The Year To Market Your Business Like Never Before
How to Choose a Web Design Agency?
Converting website visitors into paying and repeat customers is the goal of e-commerce, but getting there isn’t always easy. In fact, studies estimate the average e-commerce conversion rate is just 2-3%. Sounds gloomy, I know, given all the effort that we go through to build e-commerce websites, and the promotions to get it seen! But, there are things we can do. Follow this simple checklist to optimize your e-commerce website experience, and turn more of your existing website traffic into sales. 1. Attention-grabbing photos (and video, too) Photography needs to do the job of making the shopper feel like they can (almost) touch your product. And the more photos, the better. Include multiple angles of the product standing alone, with people using it, and a shot of the packaging. A short video is great for showing how a product moves, works or how it should be installed. 2. Powerful product descriptions Your product copy should be short and hard-working. Use a mix of action words and sensory words to paint a clear picture of specific product features and benefits. This is also the place to have a little fun if that fits with your brand voice. And don’t forget to spellcheck your text. 3. A clear call to action (CTA) If you don’t ask a customer to buy from you, chances are they won’t. An effective CTA is short and clear, such as Add to Cart or Checkout, and they work best on coloured buttons. Your Checkout button is like a cash register, so don’t make shoppers look for how to give you their money. 4. Reviews and testimonials Product reviews are powerful persuasion tools. A good review can answer a nagging question in the consumer’s mind and give them the confidence to buy from your business. Testimonials, although more effort to obtain because they require outreach, are worthwhile, detailed accounts of the customer experience with your product or service. If you’re able to get media or industry experts to review your products, these are worth featuring prominently. 5. Free shipping With free shipping the norm these days, it’s easy to assume that it’s the only way to go. And while free shipping can increase conversion rates on e-commerce websites, it can seriously eat into your profit margin. Shipping carriers can increase their prices, too, further cutting your profits. Many merchants choose to increase product prices to maintain the same margin, but there is another approach. Free shipping minimums are a great compromise that incentivizes customers to increase their order value while offsetting your shipping costs. 6. Sales, deals, promo codes, and coupons Satisfy the deal hunter in everyone by offering special promotions and discounts. A designated Sale section on your website navigation clearly tells shoppers where to go for the best savings. Ramp up the sense of urgency by using time-limited coupon codes or bundling high-demand products with sellout potential. 7. A straightforward return policy Offering a reasonable return policy is an important part of your e-commerce business strategy. If your policy is too generous, it may be abused. If it’s not flexible enough, customers may choose to buy elsewhere. Post your policy and clearly outline terms for returns, refunds, and exchanges to give shoppers the confidence to place their trust in your business. Ensure returns are handled professionally, and you’ll continue to build customer loyalty for future purchases. Ready to take your e-commerce business to the next level? AtlanticOnline.ca can help promote your business online. Find out more by calling 1-902-717-8496 for a free consultation with one of our eCommerce Account Consultants .
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Shelley Bellefontaine, Digital Marketing Architect, is CEO/Founder of AtlanticOnline.ca, a full-service marketing firm operating at the intersection of marketing and digital media. We provide a host of digital marketing solutions including website design, eCommerce storefront websites, content marketing, email marketing, SEO/ SEM, social media marketing, lead generation as well as marketing strategy, branding, and a variety of other marketing programs to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits.
To learn how AtlanticOnline.ca can help your business or organziation grow online, contact us for an enlightening discussion.
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2023: The Year To Market Your Business Like Never Before
How to Choose a Web Design Agency?
Converting website visitors into paying and repeat customers is the goal of e-commerce, but getting there isn’t always easy. In fact, studies estimate the average e-commerce conversion rate is just 2-3%. Sounds gloomy, I know, given all the effort that we go through to build e-commerce websites, and the promotions to get it seen! But, there are things we can do. Follow this simple checklist to optimize your e-commerce website experience, and turn more of your existing website traffic into sales. 1. Attention-grabbing photos (and video, too) Photography needs to do the job of making the shopper feel like they can (almost) touch your product. And the more photos, the better. Include multiple angles of the product standing alone, with people using it, and a shot of the packaging. A short video is great for showing how a product moves, works or how it should be installed. 2. Powerful product descriptions Your product copy should be short and hard-working. Use a mix of action words and sensory words to paint a clear picture of specific product features and benefits. This is also the place to have a little fun if that fits with your brand voice. And don’t forget to spellcheck your text. 3. A clear call to action (CTA) If you don’t ask a customer to buy from you, chances are they won’t. An effective CTA is short and clear, such as Add to Cart or Checkout, and they work best on coloured buttons. Your Checkout button is like a cash register, so don’t make shoppers look for how to give you their money. 4. Reviews and testimonials Product reviews are powerful persuasion tools. A good review can answer a nagging question in the consumer’s mind and give them the confidence to buy from your business. Testimonials, although more effort to obtain because they require outreach, are worthwhile, detailed accounts of the customer experience with your product or service. If you’re able to get media or industry experts to review your products, these are worth featuring prominently. 5. Free shipping With free shipping the norm these days, it’s easy to assume that it’s the only way to go. And while free shipping can increase conversion rates on e-commerce websites, it can seriously eat into your profit margin. Shipping carriers can increase their prices, too, further cutting your profits. Many merchants choose to increase product prices to maintain the same margin, but there is another approach. Free shipping minimums are a great compromise that incentivizes customers to increase their order value while offsetting your shipping costs. 6. Sales, deals, promo codes, and coupons Satisfy the deal hunter in everyone by offering special promotions and discounts. A designated Sale section on your website navigation clearly tells shoppers where to go for the best savings. Ramp up the sense of urgency by using time-limited coupon codes or bundling high-demand products with sellout potential. 7. A straightforward return policy Offering a reasonable return policy is an important part of your e-commerce business strategy. If your policy is too generous, it may be abused. If it’s not flexible enough, customers may choose to buy elsewhere. Post your policy and clearly outline terms for returns, refunds, and exchanges to give shoppers the confidence to place their trust in your business. Ensure returns are handled professionally, and you’ll continue to build customer loyalty for future purchases. Ready to take your e-commerce business to the next level? AtlanticOnline.ca can help promote your business online. Find out more by calling 1-902-717-8496 for a free consultation with one of our eCommerce Account Consultants .
There are plenty of exciting ways to grow your business! More people are using email and social media than ever before, and the result is plenty of new opportunities for leaders and marketing teams across all industries. One aspect of marketing you may be neglecting is your mobile strategy. Over 3.5 billion people own mobile devices globally, which means you’re leaving a lot of money on the table if you’re not doing everything possible to reach smartphone users. If you need more context, consider this; the average person spends 3.3 hours on their smartphone every single day. You can maximize sales and conversions by looking for opportunities to put your business front and center while your target audience uses their phones. The thing is, mobile users have slightly different behaviors and interests when compared to their desktop counterparts. Our goal today is to reveal four effective mobile marketing strategies you can use to help your brand thrive following the new year. Emphasis Personalization In 2021 and 2022, we learned that consumers love personalized experiences. Business owners quickly figured out that catering to their audience’s needs is a great way to generate more sales. You can see personalization aspects across all of the major marketing platforms today, including social media, email, and on-site. Nailing personalization will help you get more mobile conversions in 2021. People are interested in engaging with companies that offer products that help with specific pain points or cater to individual goals. The best way to make this strategy work for you is to understand the customer personas that visit your site. Personas are generalized personality type profiles that define your target audience. For instance, a sporting goods store would have personas for football fans and separate profiles for people interested in basketball. Because your products or services offer multiple solutions, you need to consider these factors when offering personalized content or promotions to smartphone visitors. Using a mobile-responsive design ensures that their experience is personalized to their interests and their device. Leverage the Power of Voice Search Another trend expected to impact mobile sales specifically is voice search. Consumers use smart speakers like Amazon’s Alexa to search the internet, but mobile phones play an equally important role. Android and Apple-powered smartphones have a voice assistant that smartphone users can use to ask questions, browse the website, and make purchases. We know that more people are using their devices to place orders too. A surprising 22% of people using smart speakers, including their mobile phones, used their devices to buy a product. You can improve your voice search visibility by including new keywords throughout your content. The truth is, people rarely speak the way they type. When you’re creating blog posts, use a conversational tone, and include some of these new words throughout your content. Now, when someone is searching for your chosen keywords, there’s a chance your site could pop up in their results. Due to this exposure, they could go to your website and become a subscriber or customer. Mobile users are likely to follow their voice-activated device’s suggestion, so getting this part of your mobile marketing strategy right is essential. Simplify Processes and Empower Users Next, let’s talk about your website’s design and choices you can make to empower users. The people interacting with your brand want a smooth and seamless experience across all platforms. Smoothing out your edges and using each marketing platform to your advantage will help you dramatically boost your mobile conversion rate. For instance, you may want to consider adding a customer support feature to your largest social media accounts. A whopping 63% of people expect customer support options through social media. If a smartphone user is thinking about becoming a customer, not having an additional support option could be a deal-breaker. Your objective is to make things as simple as possible for visitors discovering your company and those interested in the products or services offered on-site. So, improving your page loading times and reducing clutter on your website will ensure that mobile and desktop users alike can find exactly what they need. It’s also a good idea to simplify the big moments in the buying process. For example, fine-tuning your checkout page ensures that more customers stick around and complete their order. As a result, you’ll see fewer abandoned carts and an improved customer retention rate. This part of the process will evolve in phases. Take your time and slowly improve navigation, design, and function availability across all platforms, and you’ll see more mobile engagement. Shift to Visual Content We’ve also noticed a drastic shift in the way people consume content. Mobile users are a big fan of visual content like images and videos. Both of these types of media see more engagement when compared to simple text posts. There’s an additional engagement level that people get from experiencing others doing things instead of writing about them. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there are plenty of ways to mix up your content for mobile users. If you’re looking for a new way to generate more mobile leads for your email list, consider creating an infographic lead magnet. Lead magnets are essentially pieces of content that users can get in exchange for their email addresses. An infographic is a visual piece of content that displays interesting points and facts for people to read. Creating a lead magnet with a nice piece of visual content will encourage mobile users to subscribe, which opens the door to future engagement opportunities. Video content is also extremely helpful in helping brands grow their mobile audience. In fact, video content alone is 50x more likely to drive organic traffic than text-only posts! Think about unique videos you can make that focus on your products or industry as a whole. You can make an opinion piece, guide, tutorial, or even spend some time chatting with your followers. People love video content, and that trend will not change in 2021. Final Thoughts As you can glean from this article, trends will continue to grow. As more people get comfortable using mobile devices, expect to see a continued increase in shoppers. We think that there will be an increased demand for these strategies as brands continue adapting to their customers’ needs.
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Converting website visitors into paying and repeat customers is the goal of e-commerce, but getting there isn’t always easy. In fact, studies estimate the average e-commerce conversion rate is just 2-3%. Sounds gloomy, I know, given all the effort that we go through to build e-commerce websites, and the promotions to get it seen! But, there are things we can do. Follow this simple checklist to optimize your e-commerce website experience, and turn more of your existing website traffic into sales. 1. Attention-grabbing photos (and video, too) Photography needs to do the job of making the shopper feel like they can (almost) touch your product. And the more photos, the better. Include multiple angles of the product standing alone, with people using it, and a shot of the packaging. A short video is great for showing how a product moves, works or how it should be installed. 2. Powerful product descriptions Your product copy should be short and hard-working. Use a mix of action words and sensory words to paint a clear picture of specific product features and benefits. This is also the place to have a little fun if that fits with your brand voice. And don’t forget to spellcheck your text. 3. A clear call to action (CTA) If you don’t ask a customer to buy from you, chances are they won’t. An effective CTA is short and clear, such as Add to Cart or Checkout, and they work best on coloured buttons. Your Checkout button is like a cash register, so don’t make shoppers look for how to give you their money. 4. Reviews and testimonials Product reviews are powerful persuasion tools. A good review can answer a nagging question in the consumer’s mind and give them the confidence to buy from your business. Testimonials, although more effort to obtain because they require outreach, are worthwhile, detailed accounts of the customer experience with your product or service. If you’re able to get media or industry experts to review your products, these are worth featuring prominently. 5. Free shipping With free shipping the norm these days, it’s easy to assume that it’s the only way to go. And while free shipping can increase conversion rates on e-commerce websites, it can seriously eat into your profit margin. Shipping carriers can increase their prices, too, further cutting your profits. Many merchants choose to increase product prices to maintain the same margin, but there is another approach. Free shipping minimums are a great compromise that incentivizes customers to increase their order value while offsetting your shipping costs. 6. Sales, deals, promo codes, and coupons Satisfy the deal hunter in everyone by offering special promotions and discounts. A designated Sale section on your website navigation clearly tells shoppers where to go for the best savings. Ramp up the sense of urgency by using time-limited coupon codes or bundling high-demand products with sellout potential. 7. A straightforward return policy Offering a reasonable return policy is an important part of your e-commerce business strategy. If your policy is too generous, it may be abused. If it’s not flexible enough, customers may choose to buy elsewhere. Post your policy and clearly outline terms for returns, refunds, and exchanges to give shoppers the confidence to place their trust in your business. Ensure returns are handled professionally, and you’ll continue to build customer loyalty for future purchases. Ready to take your e-commerce business to the next level? AtlanticOnline.ca can help promote your business online. Find out more by calling 1-902-717-8496 for a free consultation with one of our eCommerce Account Consultants .
There are plenty of exciting ways to grow your business! More people are using email and social media than ever before, and the result is plenty of new opportunities for leaders and marketing teams across all industries. One aspect of marketing you may be neglecting is your mobile strategy. Over 3.5 billion people own mobile devices globally, which means you’re leaving a lot of money on the table if you’re not doing everything possible to reach smartphone users. If you need more context, consider this; the average person spends 3.3 hours on their smartphone every single day. You can maximize sales and conversions by looking for opportunities to put your business front and center while your target audience uses their phones. The thing is, mobile users have slightly different behaviors and interests when compared to their desktop counterparts. Our goal today is to reveal four effective mobile marketing strategies you can use to help your brand thrive following the new year. Emphasis Personalization In 2021 and 2022, we learned that consumers love personalized experiences. Business owners quickly figured out that catering to their audience’s needs is a great way to generate more sales. You can see personalization aspects across all of the major marketing platforms today, including social media, email, and on-site. Nailing personalization will help you get more mobile conversions in 2021. People are interested in engaging with companies that offer products that help with specific pain points or cater to individual goals. The best way to make this strategy work for you is to understand the customer personas that visit your site. Personas are generalized personality type profiles that define your target audience. For instance, a sporting goods store would have personas for football fans and separate profiles for people interested in basketball. Because your products or services offer multiple solutions, you need to consider these factors when offering personalized content or promotions to smartphone visitors. Using a mobile-responsive design ensures that their experience is personalized to their interests and their device. Leverage the Power of Voice Search Another trend expected to impact mobile sales specifically is voice search. Consumers use smart speakers like Amazon’s Alexa to search the internet, but mobile phones play an equally important role. Android and Apple-powered smartphones have a voice assistant that smartphone users can use to ask questions, browse the website, and make purchases. We know that more people are using their devices to place orders too. A surprising 22% of people using smart speakers, including their mobile phones, used their devices to buy a product. You can improve your voice search visibility by including new keywords throughout your content. The truth is, people rarely speak the way they type. When you’re creating blog posts, use a conversational tone, and include some of these new words throughout your content. Now, when someone is searching for your chosen keywords, there’s a chance your site could pop up in their results. Due to this exposure, they could go to your website and become a subscriber or customer. Mobile users are likely to follow their voice-activated device’s suggestion, so getting this part of your mobile marketing strategy right is essential. Simplify Processes and Empower Users Next, let’s talk about your website’s design and choices you can make to empower users. The people interacting with your brand want a smooth and seamless experience across all platforms. Smoothing out your edges and using each marketing platform to your advantage will help you dramatically boost your mobile conversion rate. For instance, you may want to consider adding a customer support feature to your largest social media accounts. A whopping 63% of people expect customer support options through social media. If a smartphone user is thinking about becoming a customer, not having an additional support option could be a deal-breaker. Your objective is to make things as simple as possible for visitors discovering your company and those interested in the products or services offered on-site. So, improving your page loading times and reducing clutter on your website will ensure that mobile and desktop users alike can find exactly what they need. It’s also a good idea to simplify the big moments in the buying process. For example, fine-tuning your checkout page ensures that more customers stick around and complete their order. As a result, you’ll see fewer abandoned carts and an improved customer retention rate. This part of the process will evolve in phases. Take your time and slowly improve navigation, design, and function availability across all platforms, and you’ll see more mobile engagement. Shift to Visual Content We’ve also noticed a drastic shift in the way people consume content. Mobile users are a big fan of visual content like images and videos. Both of these types of media see more engagement when compared to simple text posts. There’s an additional engagement level that people get from experiencing others doing things instead of writing about them. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there are plenty of ways to mix up your content for mobile users. If you’re looking for a new way to generate more mobile leads for your email list, consider creating an infographic lead magnet. Lead magnets are essentially pieces of content that users can get in exchange for their email addresses. An infographic is a visual piece of content that displays interesting points and facts for people to read. Creating a lead magnet with a nice piece of visual content will encourage mobile users to subscribe, which opens the door to future engagement opportunities. Video content is also extremely helpful in helping brands grow their mobile audience. In fact, video content alone is 50x more likely to drive organic traffic than text-only posts! Think about unique videos you can make that focus on your products or industry as a whole. You can make an opinion piece, guide, tutorial, or even spend some time chatting with your followers. People love video content, and that trend will not change in 2021. Final Thoughts As you can glean from this article, trends will continue to grow. As more people get comfortable using mobile devices, expect to see a continued increase in shoppers. We think that there will be an increased demand for these strategies as brands continue adapting to their customers’ needs.
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