10Feb 22 10 E-Commerce Marketing Mistakes That You Can Easily Avoid

Running a store online is not just a matter of a few clicks and reviews! It requires persistence, courage, and prudence like any other conventional business. And in this context, setting up a website is not enough. Even seasoned business owners, at times, fall victim to many avoidable mistakes when it comes to running an online business.
That is why in this article, we will discuss some common e-commerce marketing mistakes.

Not having your goals & objectives in place

Marketing is not just a concept; it is a complete strategy consisting of long-term and short-term goals broken down into various objectives to be achieved. This way, you know if your business is heading in the right direction regarding the marketing aspect. Not having goals and objectives for marketing risks deviation from the purpose and motivates you to achieve.

Not mapping a plan or a backup through research

Having a plan is a safety net that you can fall on. When things go out of place because it is a given with every business, be it online or offline, you will be able to put things back as per the plan or the backup you have mapped out. Research to find out what’s hot and trendy in the market and see where and how it can fit in your plan and bring benefits to your business.

Not researching your target customers

Your customers are why your business functions. So it is pertinent that you know what they want, their likes and dislikes. You need to research your target customers and build a consumer persona. These personas help you better serve your customers based on their different pain points and various demographics.

Splurging on SEM & not paying attention to SEO

Everybody likes to see instant results, and that is why when marketing plans get prepared, hefty budgets are allocated for SEM because you get the results quickly. However, many fail to understand that SEM is just short-term. The results of SEM are proportionate to the amount you spend. Once you stop, the desirable results will stop appearing too.
SEO, on the other hand, is long-term. Investing resources in SEO may not give you instant results, but gradually you can see the improvement it brings that will stay for a longer time. So, keep a balance between SEM and SEO while making any marketing plan.

Underestimating the power of content marketing

Content is an essential aspect of any marketing, especially online marketing. You can share your business values and messages with customers using well-developed content.

Content can get integrated into other marketing channels, like SEO, email marketing, or social media marketing. Properly planned content resources guarantee long-term success. So never underestimate content marketing.

Putting mobile optimization in the backseat

Nowadays, everybody is more on mobile devices than personal computers. Even Google has updated its algorithm from time to time to consider the mobile-friendliness of a website as an essential ranking factor. So why would you overlook this important aspect?
Make sure to sit together with your web developers and designers to check whether your website is compatible with mobile devices. Indeed, you do not want to lose some brownie points with a website that performs poorly on cell phones when that is clearly the favorite device for most.

Failing to retarget your customers

Your past customers are as important as your present ones. Some people may have visited your website, shown interest in your product but, due to some reason, may not have made it through the checkout. If you are letting these people go, you are missing out on many potential sales opportunities.
You need to retarget such customers using remarketing techniques through Google Ads and increase conversion rates.

Have a weak brand identity and message

A thriving online business needs to have a strong brand identity and marketing that the audience can relate to. Your brand is not just your product or service. Sometimes it is not your product that makes the sale, but your brand image (e.g., your logo, your social media presence, the tone and message you choose to represent your business, and so on).

Not making use of analytics

Analytics are there for a purpose. The numbers and patterns reveal essential insights, and they should be used comparatively with your competitors to see what they are doing and how differently they are doing it. Look for what keywords your competitors are ranking for and how you can make your business rank for those. Analytics and comparative study are valuable tools for marketing plans with high success rates.

Not having discussions with experts

It is essential because many people fail to realize that most of the mistakes in this list can be avoided if they could have just had a clear discussion with someone from the industry and get an idea of how things work.
Seasoned digital marketers know the ins and outs of how things work online. They can guide you better and advise you to take the right actions at the right time.

Give wings to your digital marketing with Use Per Wish. Our digital marketers are always ready to assist you in growing your business presence and adding value to your business.