In 2020, online sales are soaring across the board. Because of that, new eCommerce companies are popping up all of the time. But how do you stay on top of the pack and set your business up for success in this increasingly competitive marketplace? One of the main things you’ll need to do is work on driving traffic to your online store.
Whether you’ve just launched or you’ve been around for a while, everyone is looking for ways to increase eCommerce traffic and ultimately get customers to purchase their products. From social media to SEO, working with influencers and more, these proven ways will surely drive traffic to your online store. But before you get started on trying to figure out how to get traffic to your website, here are a few things to consider in order to make sure your site is ready to turn increased traffic into increased sales.
Organize your site with an uncomplicated structure and clear CTAs. Make sure shoppers can easily navigate your site to find what they’re looking for. If your product catalog is not directly on your site’s homepage, add a prominent “Shop Now” or “Start Shopping” button that leads customers there.
Make it clear what you offer. Have you ever visited an online store and had to wander around before you really understood what the product was that they were selling? Don’t make that mistake. Make it clear on your homepage what services you provide.
Remember that photography is king. We’re living in a visual age. High-quality product photography is a must so customers can see exactly what they’re getting. In fact, 83% of US smartphone users said product photography is “very” and “extremely” influential to their purchasing decisions.
OK, now you’re ready to get started on increasing your website traffic and converting it into more sales.
01. Attract Customers with a Sales Campaign
When shopping online, do you immediately click the “sales” tab to find the best prices, or is that just us? By creating the right sales campaign, visitors will come running to your website looking for a good deal. Whether that campaign is planned just in time for the next holiday season or for no particular reason, people will respond.
To get you started, here are some campaign ideas you can implement:
- Offer a competition or giveaway
- Create a coupon available on your website only
- Create a sense of urgency: Flash sale, Free shipping or Upcoming sale
- Buy one, get one deals
02. Target Your Audience on Facebook
Did you know that 75 percent of consumers turn to Facebook before making a purchase? That’s reason enough to be active on today’s most popular social network. Plus, it’s one more way for customers to hear from you and stay up-to-date on your business’s news. The following methods will help you utilize this social network to the fullest.
- Create a Facebook page
- Run Facebook ads
- Integrate Facebook shop
03. Use Instagram’s Many Features
Depending on your business, Instagram can be a huge asset for increasing traffic to your website. Use it to cultivate your brand and to give people a look into how your product is developed and how your store is run. Let your customers fall in love with your business and with you.
- Optimize your Instagram bio
- Use Instagram stories
- Integrate Instagram with your site
04. Lean into Email Marketing
Although email marketing may sound outdated in the world of TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, this marketing channel actually boasts the highest return on investment (ROI) of all, with an average of $40 earned for every dollar spent. As one of the most successful ways to direct your customers to your online store, it’s definitely worth implementing. Plus, it’s completely free, so what do you have to lose?
05. SEO Optimize Your Site
Your potential audience is already searching Google for products like yours anyways. You just need to find a way to be one of the first online stores that they see in the search results. The way to get your business to be featured prominently in Google’s search results is through a process called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Keep in mind that even when SEO efforts are done correctly, landing a seat on page one results can take time, so you’ll need to be patient.
06. Utilize Content Marketing
If you’re a newer company trying to compete with bigger brands or if you’re trying to increase your brand recognition, a great way to grow your website traffic is through content marketing.
Content marketing refers to any content your business creates that offers valuable, relevant, and engaging information that’ll attract your targeted audience to your online store and your brand. The immediate goal isn’t necessarily to get them to buy, but to stimulate interest in your products and to present your business as an authority within your field.
Some of the most common forms include blogs, videos, and infographics.
07. Engage with Influencers
Stepping out of your network into someone else’s is a great way to gain traffic to your site by expanding your reach to a whole new audience. Like guest blogging, working with social media influencers is an outreach marketing tactic that does just this for your reach. Influencers are those that have established high credibility in their industry as trend-setters, with a large following of users (typically on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube). Consumers tend to take their advice seriously – especially when it comes to their shopping experiences – since it’s usually honest, relatable, and unbiased.
It’s also possible to create an affiliate program to automate the process, allowing you to work with a large number of influencers in the most efficient manner. These efforts usually lead to them discussing your product in their Instagram stories, or tagging you in a post, both of which are excellent ways to drive traffic to your online store.
08. Advertise on Google
Whereas with SEO, you garner traffic organically, here you pay Google to show your site to your target audience. Each click you receive due to their ads costs a specific amount depending on the keywords you’re targeting, which is why they’re called PPC (paid-per-click) ads. You’ll need to budget a bit more money for this method, but the results can be significant.
