10 Tips For Launching An Ecommerce Business

Launching an ecommerce business in today’s overcrowded market can be tough.

That’s why we’ve gathered our top 10 tips, so you can get a head start and beat the competition! Whether you’ve been planning your ecommerce launch for several years or you’re just starting to think about the endless possibilities that an ecommerce website brings along, these tips are sure to help you on your way to a successful online brand! Let’s delve in.

1. Choose the right web design agency

First things first, you’ve got a grand idea for an ecommerce business but don’t know where to start when it comes to building a website from scratch? It’s time to choose a web design agency that suits you. We’d recommend investing time in thorough research when it comes to this stage as you’ll need to be sure that the agency has experience in building successful websites for your industry. Look for great reviews, testimonials and be sure to read case studies of previous work so you an get a feel for how the agency works and if it will suit your style. An agency worth their salt will always help you to find the right platforms and technologies for your unique needs.

2. Develop your branding

Strong branding is paramount for any business but particularly for ecommerce. When launching your online shop, you’ll need to have clear and robust branding in order to have a strong online presence from the outset and make a lasting first impression. When it comes to brand, you’ll have to consider your businesses core values and personality along with brand colours and style choices. To get you started, we’ve gathered our top tips for Building A Strong Brand!

3. Showcase trust signals

Trust signals are key to instilling trust in first-time site visitors and are integral to pushing users over the finish line and converting them into loyal customers. Trust signals can include anything from integrated reviews and testimonials within your website all the way to secure payment gateways and return policies. Spend some time mapping out these trust signals before launching your ecommerce site for the best chance of success.

4. Align with social media

As with any business, social media is playing an increasingly crucial role in driving success and sales. This is even more apparent when it comes to product-based ecommerce businesses. Ensure your website is aligned with your social media channels in terms of branding, content and any cross-linking between your social channels and ecommerce site to ensure a smooth and seamless journey for users.

5. Build an SEO strategy

SEO is absolutely paramount to a successful ecommerce business. Whether you are planning on utilising paid SEO or organic SEO, it’s crucial that you’ve carefully considered your strategy and have your target audience in mind when doing so if you want any chance of success. From PPC to content marketing, there are numerous ways you can incorporate SEO into your marketing strategy and it certainly shouldn’t be an afterthought! If you’re only just getting to grips with SEO or have never even heard of it, read our handy guide to SEO For Ecommerce for everything you need to know!

6. Photography is key

High-quality and appealing photography is integral to a successful and beautiful ecommerce website. No-one is going to purchase products online if they are photographed in poor-quality or if there are a very minimal number of photos to get a true feel of the product itself.

When it comes to photographing your product catalog, ensure you hire a professional who is experienced in getting the perfect shots for ecommerce and consider 3D rotating images or videos to showcase your product in more detail. Remember the more visual information you provide here, the more conversions you are likely to achieve!

7. Email marketing to drive sales

Next up, it’s time to drive traffic to your website via email marketing. Aside from social media which is also a great marketing tool to push customers along the sales funnel, email marketing can be just as (or even more!) lucrative as your subscribers are most likely to be ready to purchase or convert in some way.

Offering exclusive discounts, promotions or priority access to new launches for newsletter subscribers is a proven way to build your email list and ultimately, drive more sales!

8. Think about mobile

Considering that at least 79% of smartphone users have purchased something via their phone, it’s clear that offering a quick, seamless and user-friendly experience for customers is key to growing your ecommerce business. When choosing a web design agency, ensure that you establish their experience with responsive and thumb-friendly web design to guarantee a brilliant mobile experience for your customers.

9. Consider user experience

The more intuitive your website is for users to navigate and get to their desired destination, the more likely they are to remain on your site for longer and eventually, commit to a purchase. It is paramount that friction points are minimised, site speed is lightning fast, call-to-actions are clear and obvious and product are displayed in a clean and clear format. User experience should be continuously reviewed and updated throughout your ecommerce journey to ensure it is keeping up with latest tech, trends and customer expectations.

10. Offer seasonal promotions

Before launching your ecommerce website, it’s a good idea to plan your seasonal promotions, launches and events in advance. This will enable you to be fully prepared in terms of your marketing activities, unique photography you may need to shoot and ensure that your website has the capability of adapting through the different promotions.

And there we have it! Our top 10 tips for getting your ecommerce business started. If you’re interested in launching an ecommerce website, don’t hesitate to get in touch!