Did you know 93% of North American companies are moving their eCommerce efforts to social media? If not, it’s time to read up on current eCommerce marketing trends. One of the hottest industry trends today is social commerce. This subset of eCommerce focuses on selling things via Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and other popular social channels.
Dive into eCommerce marketing trends worth exploring in 2022 below.
Brand Ambassador Marketing
Launching a brand ambassador program is one of the most effective ways to improve your marketing strategy. Ambassadors are passionate customers who already love your brand. Their enthusiasm builds hype and drives sales. Their content reaches a broader range of people than your brand has access to on its own.
A huge benefit of having brand ambassadors on your side is social proof. Ambassadors’ social media posts, known as user-generated content, are more authentic than ads. Because people trust friends and family more than ads, they are more likely to make a purchase when they see someone they trust recommending a brand.
The beauty of working with brand ambassadors is that you don’t need people with massive followings. Recruiting nano-influencers with a genuine passion for your products results in better long-term outcomes than mega-influencers who aren’t personally invested in your brand.
If launching or managing a brand ambassador program seems daunting, we make it as easy as possible with our streamlined platform. BrandChamp integrates seamlessly with leading marketplaces and eCommerce solutions.
Voice Search Capability
Voice searching has increased in popularity in recent years. While it got off to a bumpy start, its improved responsiveness and accuracy have created a greater dependence on voice commands across all types of technology. Mobile wearable devices and central home devices (like Alexa and iHome) have contributed to this increase.
What does this mean? It means you should optimize your content for the possibility of voice searching. This requires incorporating voice search phrases in your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy to ensure that you’re not missing out on potential business. Some companies are even incorporating voice commands into their purchase process, which could be something to keep an eye on for the future.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Many companies already use AI in targeted advertising campaigns, with more businesses jumping on board as the technology continues to grow and improve.
The combined force of AI and machine learning helps you target specific demographics, track the customer experience on your website, and remember what they have shown interest in or already purchased. This can help you target your ads even more specifically to what they might want to buy in the future. For example, instead of showing them the thing they’ve already purchased, you can target them based on those purchases toward the new product line.
AI can also assist in the checkout process by automating aspects that would otherwise require human interaction. What’s another AI tool that businesses everywhere have come to love? Chatbots. Using chatbots for every stage of engagement can help companies save resources and maintain a seamless process for their customers.
QR Codes
When QR codes first came on the scene, they struggled to make much headway in everyday usage. Now, partially due to the pandemic, people are becoming more comfortable with them. These codes can send customers directly to your eCommerce website or communicate a large amount of information in an instant.
QR codes can link to your online store, menu, feedback page, social media, or content platforms. They can also act as a way to offer discounts and rewards for signing up or making a purchase. This particular function could integrate well with rewarding brand ambassadors!
Live Streaming
With social distancing becoming more necessary over the last two years, live streaming has become a way for people to connect more naturally than through formal webinars. Incorporating this technology as user-generated content or partnering with influencers to advertise during live streams can be an effective way to boost your eCommerce marketing strategy.
Some companies have even hosted their own live streams as a way to reach customers directly. This can be a great tactic depending on the voice of your brand. Since it’s a more casual format, you want to make sure it aligns with your overall strategy and that you have something interesting to say to engage customers. Otherwise, it might come across as inauthentic.
Social Media Buy Buttons
These days, it’s common to see social commerce integrated with social media platforms. Many brands do this by incorporating buy links and shops right into their platforms. It contributes to a seamless customer experience by reaching out to customers where they already are instead of trying to direct traffic to a different website.
You don’t want to be left behind with this eCommerce marketing trend because it is truly one of the more simple ways to attract new customers.
Allowing customers to purchase items directly from Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook takes away that extra step many marketers struggle with. This strategy tied to a brand ambassador program can really help increase your overall conversion rate.
Content Marketing
Content marketing (sharing interesting content online that doesn’t explicitly promote a product or brand) is a strategy with staying power. It is such an effective tool because of the different ways it can pull in new customers. Having engaging content on your website that people want to share is an excellent way to position yourself as a company worth supporting.
Another plus? More content means more words on your website, allowing for increased SEO. This boosts traffic to your website. Striving for that elusive number one spot on Google is something marketers work on constantly, and content marketing is one of the best ways to achieve that goal.
Mobile Experience
In our current mobile world, there is no excuse for websites that aren’t optimized for a mobile phone. And yet, a shocking number of brands haven’t made that leap. The number of people who make eCommerce purchases from their phones has increased exponentially in the past few years. A website incompatible with mobile devices might be the difference between a repeat customer and someone who never makes it to that “purchase” button.
If you have the capability, consider building an app for your website. It improves the user experience immensely and generates more data on your customers, which can help you target their needs even more directly.
In Summary
These are just a few of the most important eCommerce marketing trends we’ve identified for the current market. Regardless of the brand, marketers engaging in social commerce need to stay on top of the trends. Staying up-to-date will ensure you aren’t left behind and help you reach and engage with potential customers.
Feeling overwhelmed? Brand ambassador marketing is a great place to start. BrandChamp would be happy to help you create your own brand ambassador program or upgrade an existing program. Together, we can take your eCommerce marketing to the next level. Get in touch to learn more!
