Introduction

In the fast-paced world of ecommerce, staying ahead of the competition is a constant challenge – especially with the holidays coming up (no, it’s not too soon with marketing). With millions of online stores vying for attention, you need a strategic edge that only a digital marketing agency ecommerce specialist can provide. Let’s dive into our industry hacks for success in ecommerce. 

Understand The Ecommerce Landscape

Before we explore the benefits of partnering with a digital marketing agency for your ecommerce business, it’s crucial to understand the competitive landscape you’re navigating. 

The ecommerce industry has witnessed significant growth over the past decade, with consumers turning to online shopping for increased variety and competitive pricing. Not to mention the 80% of U.S. smartphone users who’ve made an online purchase in the last six months. There’s always a storefront in the palm of a consumer’s hand. A comprehensive and data-driven approach to marketing is where an ecommerce digital marketing agency comes into play. 

Figure Out Where You Stand

When was the last time you conducted a competitor analysis? More competitors may have emerged since your last audit and it’s crucial in understanding how to position your business. A competitor analysis starts with determining who your competitors are and researching their sales tactics. How do your products stack up? What are your comparative price points? Who is your target audience and how do they align? 

With that foundation, you can analyze their social media audience and identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (also known as a SWOT analysis). Finally, be prepared to adapt with data-backed insights. 

A digital marketing agency specializing in ecommerce can leverage this data to identify untapped potential customers that your competitors haven’t reached yet. 

Leverage The Tools an Ecommerce Agency Offers

An ecommerce digital marketing agency offers a comprehensive suite of tools and resources. To create a thorough strategy, agencies need to offer these core services, and we compiled a crash course for you. 

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• SEO gives you a competitive edge by skyrocketing your search results to the top of the page. Investing in SEO (hint: 5-20% of your marketing budget should go there) builds credibility organically. A few easy boosts include site architecture, fresh content, and quality backlinks. An ecommerce digital marketing agency will help you find ways to improve existing SEO strategies or kick off a new effort.

Paid Advertising (PPC)

• Pay-per-click advertising drives immediate traffic to your website. Ecommerce PPC campaigns can target specific products, demographics, and locations. Results are easy to measure and track, giving you immediate insight into what’s working and what could be better. The fundamentals include keyword research, ad copy optimization, landing page optimization, and conversion analytics.

Content Marketing

• An online presence = trust with customers. A digital marketing agency specializing in ecommerce will help you produce creative content that catches eyes and drives conversions. The trifecta for content marketing includes stunning graphics, attractive copy, and intentional strategies. Content marketing can also include blogs that educate your audience and improve SEO rankings. 

Email Marketing 

• Don’t underestimate the power of email! It’s a powerful tool for nurturing leads and retaining existing ones. Through segmented campaigns, the targeting options are nearly endless. The holidays are the perfect time to launch email marketing campaigns that allow you to rise up against the competition. Don’t just take it from us – for every $1 invested in email marketing, companies are seeing a $36 ROI. 

… And that’s just the start. Before you commit, ensure your digital marketing agency offers all of those core services and can tailor them to your ecommerce needs.

Vet a Prospective Digital Marketing Agency

You don’t want any agency, you need the right one. When searching out and vetting the right digital marketing agency with ecommerce specialization, we recommend keeping these six tips in mind throughout your decision-making process. 

Specialization

• Find an agency with a proven track record in ecommerce. They’ll understand the unique challenges you face and how to best troubleshoot any unforeseen obstacles. An ecommerce agency will also have the necessary connections for promoting your brand.

Portfolio

• It’s totally appropriate to ask for examples of client work. This gives you a chance to assess their work as well as the results to ensure high-caliber production and execution. 

Client Reviews

• Learn about the client experience before signing the dotted line by checking out testimonials and asking for references. Dive into customer satisfaction, results, interactions with the agency team, and anything else you value. 

Transparency

• You should never be kept in the dark. A reputable ecommerce digital marketing agency will provide clear reports on progress, results from tests, and everything in between to keep you in the loop. Yes, they’re handling your marketing but it’s your business. 

Communication

• Connected to transparency, open communication is critical to success. Find a digital marketing agency that’s committed to maintaining regular communication and updates. Even if everything is going great, your agency team should always be accessible. 

Budget

• Every business owner’s favorite word. Be open about your budget and make sure your agency is able to work with it before committing to anything. The right partner will navigate within any financial boundaries and deliver a strong ROI. Don’t think of it as an expense – it’s an investment.

Let’s Get Started 

Choosing an agency and outlining specific expectations can feel daunting. From trusting others to act in the best interest of your business to the waiting game of results, we get it. As a digital marketing agency with extensive experience in the ecommerce space, C Squared Social has the resources, tools, and team to crush your goals. From sprucing up organic social to optimizing PPC strategies, we have specialists in every aspect of marketing campaigns. 

It seems early, but the holidays are truly just around the corner and Q4 is major for ecommerce. So impactful that we’ve societally agreed to make a holiday about online shopping (looking at you, Cyber Monday). We’re ready to design a strategy with you and put in the work to make the rest of the year a smashing success for your business.