This short post will cover some of the major shifts that have occurred in that timeframe, as well as some changes that are transforming the digital landscape through the present era. 

The Rise of eCommerce: 2010-2020

Let’s flash back to 2010. It’s hard to think that this was almost 15 years ago at this point. There was eCommerce way back then, but less than 5% of retail sales went through a website. 

It wasn’t so long ago that there weren’t even that many eCommerce-only sites like Amazon, eBay, Temu, and Alibaba, and to be sure, some of these (like Amazon and eBay) actually did exist before 2010. But it has only been in the last ten years that many of these eCommerce websites got off the ground. 

Early in the history of eCommerce, sales were stymied by old habits. Shoppers like to interact with products before buying, and the age-old “way” to buy things was at established, brick and mortar outlets. Even the expression “to go shopping” implies a transitive action; physically going somewhere before making a purchase. 

There were also a lot of roadblocks in the early days of eCommerce. For one, there just wasn’t a wealth of websites dedicated to eCommerce. In the early days, there were few (to no) platforms dedicated to eCommerce. Consider that Shopify and BigCommerce only hit the scene in 2006 and 2009, respectively. They existed, but they were new, and they were nascent. Volusion was one of the first, on the scene in 1999. But Volusion, though it’s eCommerce-centric, is not as easy to use as a SaaS platform and was fairly limiting. 

Consider also that transacting used to be much harder back in the past. You can’t pay with cash or even a check through a website, and we’ve only developed unique, easy to implement and use payment gateways and processors like Google Wallet, PayPal and Apple Pay in the past couple years. In 2010, there really weren’t any user-friendly payment processors or payment gateways.

So these things, in sum, also contributed to the slow rise of eCommerce as contrasted to the generally meteoric rise of internet communications. 

There were other inhibitors, too. One is simply that old habits die hard. People like to actually shop for things, and even in the modern era, with AR and VR, shopping online is fairly impersonal. 

On top of that, it used to be that there just wasn’t that much access or accessibility in the realm of eCommerce. In many, many ways, it was easier to go to a local store than it was to shop on the internet. 

That paradigm shifted strongly with the onset of the coronavirus. 

Coronavirus and the eCommerce “Revolution”

While hard to believe it was almost 5 years ago now, when the world “shut down” as a result of the coronavirus, and many businesses started working remotely, as a result of draconian impositions by local and regional governments, many businesses had no option but to start operating solely online as opposed to in person.

While a completely artificial factor, the result was that it did force some businesses to start selling online, just as it forced consumers to start shopping online. 

And, while the political and medical responses to the disease were holistically disastrous, the (potentially unintentional) effect on eCommerce was one of stellar growth. 

As an illustration, eCommerce sales in 2019 totaled about 540 billion. By 2022, that figure had risen to about 944 billion, nearly double. 

The value of all eCommerce sales is projected to grow to almost 1.8 trillion by 2028. If that projection holds, the total value of eCommerce transactions will have more than tripled, nearly quadrupled, in the space of less than a decade.

AI, AR, and VR in Personalizing the Online Shopping Experience 

It should go without saying that there have been many contributors to the growth of eCommerce and I do not mean to insinuate that its rise and subsequent growth in the past few years have been completely artificial, or insignificant. 

But with that said, it’s also the case that certain, select technological developments have also eliminated some of the barriers that conventionally kept consumers out of the eCommerce market. 

Consider the rise of AI (artificial intelligence), AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) in simulating a more realistic online shopping experience. 

AI is a bit more nascent, but AI models are increasingly being used by consumers to help them find information (and potentially products) and even if that trend ends up petering off, eCommerce platforms themselves can leverage artificial intelligence for personalized marketing – such as in the form of “recommended” products that increase conversions. 

With respect to AR and VR, which have been around marginally longer than AI but the effects of which are easier to scale with respect to the user experience, these tools are making a much bigger impact, cumulatively, on the online shopping experience. 

Consider a hypothetical experiment. Traditionally, consumers would shop for items like furniture and clothing in person. It’s easy to see why – you can take measurements of a sofa, for instance, but it’s impossible to know what it actually looks like until you can see it. And forget seeing what it will look like in your home. 

As for clothing, the answer to why consumers have conventionally shopped in person (and why many still do) should be obvious. You won’t know what something will look like on you until it’s, you know, on you. Literally. 

But with AR and VR, there are new tools emerging that offer 360° views of products and which are more interactive than ever before. And even if that were not the case, there are visualizers on the market nowadays that let you “try on” clothing and see what furniture will look like in a simulated view of your home, before you ever buy. 

Are augmented and virtual reality completely replacing the value of in-person shopping? Certainly not. But what can be said without a shred of doubt is that they are increasingly eliminating the barriers that some shoppers have to buying online. 

The Evolution of Search Engine Optimization 

Notwithstanding all of the changes in consumer behavior that have already been fronted by this article, there have been significant changes to eCommerce marketing strategies in the past ten years or so, as well. 

Take, for instance, SEO, which is still considered (by most digital marketers) to be the most important digital marketing channel of all, the most sustainable, the only one that’s entirely without restrictions, and the option that (in almost all cases) offers the highest conversion rate and return on investment. 

But the SEO of 2024 is not what the SEO of 2014 was, and it most definitely is not what the SEO of 2010 was (or earlier).

While SEO is still fundamentally about making a domain (or, in some instances, a specific page) more attractive to search engines, SEO in 2024 is more about optimizing the website for UX. I mean to say, SEO is now more about the user than it is about the search engine. 

Consider, for instance, that Google recently formally announced that user engagement metrics like time on page and pages per session are now officially going to be counted as ranking factors. While many digital marketing folk (myself included) have suspected as much for a long time, it was not officially a “truth” of search engine optimization. 

It makes sense why Google would start doing this – if it hasn’t already been doing so for years. Clearly, a user that spends more time on a page and ultimately clicks through to another page is getting value from the experience. Some aspect of search intent is definitely being met, and that’s the whole point of Google. 

These are also things that can’t be “faked” for lack of a better term. As digital marketers, we can do keyword research, we can optimize page titles, we can compress image files and make websites faster. But there are limits.

So what we can’t do? We can’t force users to spend more time on a page that is boring or fluffy and doesn’t contain the information or content the user came for. In order to do that, the page must be truly optimized for the user experience, which arises largely from a pleasant display, responsive design, and of course, content and copy that engages and informs. It takes a true industry expert (or something close) to do so. 

And the truth is, you can be an expert in SEO, but unless you’re an expert in the client’s vertical, it’s hard to engage and inform. That’s why someone like me has been able to write authoritative posts like “How to Advertise in the Gun Industry” and “Cigar Store Marketing,” and “How to Write to Get Featured in a Google AI Overview,” but why I shy away from some topics and industries on which (or with which) I am not as informed. I won’t show my full hand; you get the picture. 

Anyway, the point is that SEO has evolved quite a lot, perhaps more than any other digital marketing channel. There was a time when tactics prevailed that would be completely unacceptable today. 

What are now known today as “black hat tactics” and which might otherwise be categorized as “gaming” the system, not only will no longer work, but will result in pretty harsh penalties for those that get caught trying. 

It used to be that you could just stuff a bunch of keywords in title tags and in really thin, valueless page “copy” and you would get catapulted to the top of page one.

Today, you need to publish useful, actionable, engaging content. There is still an element of keyword optimization but in many ways it is secondary to the value of good copy. 

Changing Social Media Marketing and the Rise of Influencers 

In 2010, the only social medium we really had was Facebook. How times have changed. While Facebook is still huge, platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok (especially the latter) have really gained ground. 

These latter three – which are largely focused on image and visibility, have enabled users to pose as “experts” in certain industries – or, as you have probably heard them called, influencers. 

Of course, I don’t mean to suggest that all influencers are charlatans. The vast majority, perhaps, are, but there are certainly some that truly understand their industry and are experts in their own right. 

This is highly valuable to brands that leverage their credibility, because social media marketing enables fast-track visibility that SEO cannot offer, and it has in many ways upended the conventional digital marketing paradigm. 

Ten years ago, a digital marketing expert would have told you that (basically) all digital marketing could be condensed into PPC or SEO. Those are still important channels, but through influencer marketing, brands can now buy credibility (and visibility) in ways they could not have done in even the recent past. 

I expect that these trends will continue to shape eCommerce into the near future, though I can’t rightly or exactly predict the ways in which they will do so.

The Near Future: eCommerce in the Next 5 to 10 Years

All that’s left now is to explore some of the ways in which eCommerce is expected to grow (and how) in the next few years. 

First, I’ll start with an estimate. Shopify seems to think that the total value of eCommerce in 2025 will reach $4.8 trillion. Whether or not that’s going to pan out is anyone’s guess, but if it holds, it would represent a substantial increase. 

Here are some trends that are expected to continue to define eCommerce in the coming years. 

• AR and VR are expected to continue to personalize the online shopping experience, to make it more realistic and immersive, and to break down more and more barriers to buying online. 
• Omnichannel marketing, or marketing through multiple channels while maintaining a consistent message and brand position, is expected to become more central to a unified user experience. 
• Subscription models, which minimize involvement on behalf of the buyer and which represent passive revenue streams for the merchant, are expected to account for a larger share of the market in the near future.
• Video marketing is expected to become more prevalent in the coming years, though whether that will take the form of video marketing on conventional platforms like YouTube, or through social media like TikTok, is anyone’s guess. There could also be a new platform on the horizon that has not taken off yet but which will leverage video marketing. 
• One trend that’s expected to shape eCommerce, although this might influence the broader retail market, is one on “deinfluencing” or a trend in informing consumers about which products not to buy, either because they are low quality or because they are not sustainable. Either way, this requires manufacturers to place a serious emphasis on quality manufacturing processes and brand management. 
• Short term financing and BNPL (buy now, pay later) models are expected to make eCommerce transactions more accessible, enabling more consumers to take part in online shopping.
• It might sound crazy, but my research is also indicating that “word of mouth” marketing is expected to make a resurgence. When I was in school for marketing, we called this “buzz” and I remember being told it was the most powerful advertising of all, because it is credible and inherently personal. Funny that something so old and so patently non-digital by nature is expected to have a marked impact on eCommerce, but hey, I’ve seen, heard, and learned weirder things. 

All in all, anything I can say about the presumed shifts in the eCommerce marketplace are conjectural at best, but given the latent trajectory of the overall online industry, it’s safe to say that growth will continue for the foreseeable future. It’s just too easy to buy online, and there’s too much selection, for consumers to revert entirely to in-person purchasing.

The post The Evolution of eCommerce: A Look at the Past Decade appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Understanding Who’s Watching

First up, knowing your audience. This isn’t just Marketing 101; it’s the bread and butter of your TikTok strategy.

You’ve got to know who you’re talking to—be it CEOs, the marketing geniuses, or the folks shaping the future of digital. Get this right, and you’re not just talking into the void—you’re sparking conversations.

The Bright Side of Things

Let’s talk lighting. Good lighting doesn’t just make your video look better; it makes it feel better. It’s like the difference between a handshake and a high-five.

And when it comes to how to build a following on TikTok, making your audience feel good is pretty much the golden rule. Trust us, they’ll notice—and they’ll stick around for more.

How to Build a Following on TikTok with Songs

Let’s talk about tunes—because, honestly, picking the right track is like finding the golden key to TikTok fame. It’s all about hitching a ride on the trending song train. That’s your shortcut on how to stand out on TikTok.

Grab a beat that’s catching everyone’s ear, and let it lift your content up where it belongs—right in the spotlight. Remember, music’s got this way of bringing folks together, and on TikTok, it’s no different.

More Than Moves

Here’s where we switch gears. TikTok isn’t just for dance-offs; it’s a platform ripe for education. Share a tip, drop some knowledge, and watch your authority grow. It’s about adding value—because when you educate, you elevate.

And hey, for those of you wondering “is TikTok just hype?”—this is your answer. It’s a serious tool for anyone, including those into selling on TikTok. Educate your audience, and you’re not just another face on their feed; you become the go-to guru.

Challenge Accepted

Now, who’s up for a challenge? No, really. Starting your own trend or challenge isn’t just fun—it’s your ticket to standing out in a sea of sameness. Make it catchy, make it easy, and watch as it catches fire.

This isn’t about reinventing the wheel; it’s about putting your own spin on it. And the best part? You get to watch your community grow, as they take your challenge and run with it. That’s community-building 101, right there.

It’s All About the Timing

And here’s the thing about posting—timing is everything. You could have the coolest content in the world, but if you’re sharing it when your audience is asleep or busy, you’re shouting into the void.

It’s like showing up to a party at the wrong time. Sure, you’re there, but you’re missing the action.

So, grab that schedule and start testing. Morning, noon, night—find that magic moment when your followers are wide awake and ready for what you’ve got. No magic formula, just good old trial and error.

How to Build a Following on TikTok with Captions

Let’s chat about captions—yeah, those little lines of text at the bottom of your videos. Adding them? Genius move.

It’s like opening your door wider, so more folks can join the party. It’s not just about being polite; it’s about bringing everyone into the fold. After all, who doesn’t want to be part of a crowd that gets it?

Keep it Organic

Fake followers? Hard pass.

If you’re serious about building something that lasts, then real talk is the only way forward. Authenticity isn’t just a fancy word we toss around; it’s the bedrock of your TikTok presence.

Think of it this way: genuine connections are the secret sauce to a community that’s all in. No shortcuts, no gimmicks—just you, your content, and the real folks who dig what you do.

Call to Action—Make It Count

Here’s the scoop: every TikTok video you drop is more than just a few seconds of fame—it’s your chance to spark a convo, to invite folks into your world. Skipping the call to action is like forgetting to say “Please” and “Thank you.”

Whether you’re asking viewers to hit that follow button or directing them to your latest and greatest on your site, be clear, be direct, and watch those connections turn into a community that rallies behind you.

TikTok Ads—The Next Level

With TikTok ads, you can pinpoint your audience—like, really zero in on them. And the best part? It’s actually kind of fun.

Crafting an ad that pops, watching it find its tribe, and then seeing the magic happen as your following grows—it’s a pretty sweet deal. So yeah, if you’re serious about figuring out how to build a following on TikTok, diving into the ad game is a pretty solid step.

Diving Into TikTok SEO

Believe it or not, SEO isn’t just for Google anymore—TikTok’s got its own version, and getting a handle on it can really set your content apart. Think of it like this: you’re throwing a party (your video), and TikTok SEO is the map that guides people right to your doorstep.

The trick is using the right hashtags, crafting captions that catch the eye, and ensuring your videos are the kind you can’t scroll past. It’s all about leaving a trail of digital breadcrumbs so your audience can easily find their way to all the awesome content you’re creating.

So there you have it—our no-nonsense guide on how to build a following on TikTok. It’s not about chasing trends or gaming the system. It’s about creating content that resonates, connects, and lasts.

Feeling inspired but not sure where to start? That’s where we come in. At 1Digital® Agency, we’re all about helping you find your voice, refine your strategy, and connect with your audience in ways you never thought possible.

Ready to make waves on TikTok? Reach out to us at 1digitalagency.com for a free consultation. Let’s turn your vision into viral success.

The post Mastering How to Build a Following on TikTok appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Got no clue what it is, I’m talking about? Let’s break it down. Because there’s a reason why backlinks are still important for SEO, and those reasons can be related to this decades-old farming game that dominated social media once upon a time.

What is Backlinking?

When boiled down to its core, backlinking is ultimately the act of cultivating the relationships you have between you, your audience, and other blogs or websites. It’s about getting other website owners to trust in you and your work and share it with their own audience.

When you think about FarmVille, players cultivate relationships with their virtual neighbors. This involves helping them with their farms by plowing and planting crops.

Similarly, backlinking involves cultivating relationships with other websites. Just as helping neighbors in FarmVille enhances the gaming experience, linking to other reputable sites enriches your website’s digital ecosystem.

Why Are Backlinks Important for SEO?

1. Backlinks Are a Sign of Trust and Authority

In FarmVille, the trust of your virtual neighbors is crucial. When players collaborate, exchange gifts, and assist in farm activities, they build trust within the community.

Similarly, backlinks are a sign of trust across the digital space. When reputable websites link to your content, it’s pretty much them vouching for your credibility and reliability. Just as in FarmVille, where trust facilitates collaborative efforts, online trust through backlinks enhances your website’s authority.

In the same manner, when you think about an actual farm, trust in your produce is critical. However, the only way that you can build and create a sense of trust is by having others who have tried your produce recommend it.

Recommendations are backlinks. They link back to you and the work that you do on your farm. In other words, the more recommendations or backlinks you have leading back to your website, the more trust signals you send out to potential customers and clients.

2. Backlinks Continue to Increase Discoverability and Ranking

Remember how in Farmville you could visit your friends’ farms and help them out with a couple of chores and tasks that they need to get done on their farms? Helping friends clear debris often helped open up new areas for exploration and cultivation.

And chances are, whenever you helped a friend out with their tasks, then they were more likely to return the favor and help you out as well.

Backlinks act similarly. They’re ultimately an exchange in either goods or distribution, both of which help in increasing your authority as well as your discoverability and rankings.

When websites link to one another, it’s like placing signposts directing traffic to each other’s virtual farms. More signposts, more visitors, more discoverability! This, in turn, tells Google your content is worth finding, further boosting your ranking.

Similarly, you might remember selling your produce at the Farmville market.

This is a shared space between the community where users can check out what the neighboring farms are selling. If a farm has a certain type of produce that they’re looking for, they may purchase from that farm, and maybe even pay them a visit or add them as a friend.

Backlinks are like you asking other farmers to share their stalls with a couple of your prized goods. When relevant websites link to your content, they’re essentially exposing your offerings to their audience, expanding your reach and discoverability.

3. Backlinks Uplift Your Domain Authority

Step back from the intricacies of farming for a moment and try to recall what everyone was doing with their farms back in the day.

More often than not, they were sharing screenshots of how grand and massive they’ve built up their farms—so much so that whenever you saw one of your friend’s huge empires, you found yourself trying to engage with their accounts more often.

These big farms literally increased their domain’s authority.

Domain authority in SEO is like your scorecard, indicating your overall SEO performance and reputation in the eyes of search engines. It’s a number (typically from 1 to 100) that reflects how likely your website is to rank well in search results.

A high domain authority signifies that your website is considered a reliable source of information in your niche. As a result, this makes your website more visible in search results.

Websites with high domain authority have more “power” online. Links from these websites carry more weight, meaning even a single backlink from them can significantly impact your own domain authority and ranking.

Similarly, a large, reputable plot of land on Farmville means players and users are more likely to find the crops that they need from your farm. This keeps them coming back, which then increases the value of your farm even more—which then increases your visibility and traffic.

What Makes a Backlink Good or Bad?

Now, granted, just as not everything a farm produces is top-notch, not all backlinks are necessarily of good quality either. Some backlinks will sprout robust SEO growth, while others will be like stubborn weeds, choking your online visibility.

So, how do you discern the good from the bad?

Good Backlink Traits:

• Relevance: The website linking to you should be thematically relevant to your niche. A backlink from a gardening blog to your tech website will offer little SEO value.
• Authority: Choose links from websites with high domain authority. Think of them as established, respected figures in your online community. Their endorsement carries far more weight than a link from a brand-new, unknown website.
• Natural and Organic: Avoid link schemes or paid backlink services. Search engines penalize these practices, potentially harming your website’s ranking. Focus on earning links through high-quality content and genuine relationships.
• Followable Links: Choose websites with followable links, as these pass “link juice” to your website, directly impacting your ranking potential. Nofollow links, while valuable for referral traffic, don’t offer the same SEO boost.
• Context and Placement: Ideally, the backlink should be embedded within relevant content, naturally mentioning your website. Randomly placed links, especially within footer sections, raise red flags for search engines.

The key thing here is to choose quality over quantity. Just as you wouldn’t buy bad quality produce from a farm to use for the dishes at a fancy restaurant, you don’t want to have just any random website link back to yours. Choose your backlink partners wisely. Just as you would tend to your precious farm, nurturing good backlinks will yield a bountiful harvest.

Should You Also Be Linking Out to Other Sites?

Just as you would water the crops or send fertilizer packs to your Farmville friends, it’s always a good idea to link to other relevant websites in your niche. While it may seem counterintuitive, it’s actually a very good practice that can yield you positive results.

Every relevant, high-quality link you share reaches potential partners and influencers, increasing the chances of them returning the favor and sending you fertilizer packs too. In the end, both your virtual plots of land grow and increase in value.

What’s more, sharing valuable resources, citing sources, and linking to relevant content showcases your expertise, your willingness to collaborate, and your authority on the subject. This fosters trust and respect, making you a more attractive partner for potential link givers.

The blog The Marginalian (formerly known as Brain Pickings) is one such website where the owner, Maria Popova, links out to a plethora of sources on a great number of subjects. Popova deems the website as a record of her readings, where she shares her insights and reflections on the many subjects she reads through, from science and philosophy to poetry and children’s books.

In her case, linking out does not detract from the value that she brings. Rather, it elevates her expertise and authority.

Ultimately, the importance of backlinks has never diminished. So just as you should continue to build backlinks to your website, so too should you embrace the spirit of sharing in the digital landscape! Link out to relevant websites, build connections, and cultivate a collaborative online presence.

Remember, in the digital co-op of the internet, sharing truly is caring, both for your website and the wider online community!

The post Why Backlinks Are Still Important for SEO appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

1. Getting the Lay of the Land

First things first, let’s talk about checking out the competition on TikTok. See what they’re doing, learn from their hits and misses, and figure out how to make your brand really resonate with people. Here’s how you can really understand the competition and find your unique edge on TikTok:

• Follow and Analyze Top Competitors: Start by identifying and following your main competitors on TikTok.Pay close attention to what they’re posting. Are they using humor or emotional appeal? What’s their storytelling style? This observation will give you a clear picture of what’s appealing to your shared audience.
• Learn from Their Mistakes: It’s not just about the wins. See what’s not working for them – videos with low engagement or negative comments. This can steer you away from potential pitfalls.
• Incorporate Your Brand’s Unique Voice: Now, with all this insight, it’s time to brainstorm how your brand can stand out. Maybe your competitors are all about high-energy content, and you find a niche in more informative, calm videos. It’s about finding that gap and filling it with your brand’s unique personality.

2. Grabbing Attention in Seconds

Now, let’s talk about making an entrance. On TikTok, you’ve got like, three seconds to make someone go “Wow!”

So, start your videos with something that makes people’s ears perk up. It could be a quirky fact, a fun question, or just something really eye-catching.

You want to make them stop scrolling and watch your video. It’s all about making that first impression count in a world where attention is super short!

3. Trending Audio: Your Secret Weapon

Using trending audio is also one of the best ways how to stand out on TikTok. Find a tune that fits your brand’s vibe and use it in a fun, creative way.

It’s not just about picking any popular song, but the right one that echoes your brand’s personality. The perfect audio can turn your content into something unforgettable and super shareable.

4. How To Stand Out on TikTok Using Captions

Captions on TikTok aren’t just subtitles; they’re your secret weapon to connect and engage with your audience. But how exactly do you craft captions that capture attention and complement your content? Here’s your go-to guide:

• Start with a Bang: Your first few words in the caption are crucial. They appear right next to your video thumbnail, so make them catchy. Ask a provocative question, drop a surprising fact, or start a joke – something that makes viewers click to see more.
• Context is Key: Use captions to add context to your video. If you’re doing a dance challenge, mention why you chose it or how you felt doing it. This helps viewers feel more connected to your content.
• Embrace Brevity and Wit: TikTok is all about quick consumption. Keep your captions concise but impactful. A short, witty phrase often works better than a long explanation.

5. Keeping It Short and Sweet

Mastering the art of brevity is key when marketing your brand on social media, especially on a platform like TikTok. Here’s how you can create content that’s not just short and sweet, but also packs a punch into your TikTok marketing strategy:

• Focus on One Key Message: Each video should convey one clear, concise message. Avoid trying to pack too much information into a short clip. Decide on the one thing you want your audience to remember and build your video around it.
• Test and Learn: Experiment with different lengths and styles to see what works best for your brand.TikTok’s analytics can provide insights into what your audience prefers, helping you refine your approach.
  

6. How to Stand Out on TikTok with Collaborations

When it comes to figuring out how to stand out on TikTok, partnering with the right influencers is like striking gold. But it’s not just about teaming up with someone famous; it’s about finding that perfect match who genuinely vibes with your brand. Here’s how to nail authentic collaborations:

• Identify Influencers Aligned With Your Brand: Start by scouting influencers who already embody the spirit of your brand. Their content, audience, and values should align with yours. This synergy is key to the importance of authenticity on TikTok.
• Engage in Genuine Outreach: Once you’ve identified potential influencers, reach out with a personal touch. Explain why you think they’d be a great fit for your brand. Authenticity starts with real, human connections, not just transactional emails.

7. Being Real and Regular

To truly stand out on TikTok and even help get your blogs to rank, it’s all about showing the authentic and everyday side of your brand. Here’s how you can do it:

• Create a Content Calendar: Consistency is king. Develop a content calendar that outlines what and when you’re going to post. This keeps your posting regular and takes the guesswork out of what’s coming next.
• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Share the making of your products or a day in the life at your office. This kind of content humanizes your brand and gives your audience a peek into your world. It’s relatable and often more engaging than polished ads.
• Educational Content: Share tips, how-tos, or fun facts related to your industry. This type of content positions you as an expert in your field and adds value to your audience’s TikTok experience.​​

8. Mastering Timely TikTok Content

When it comes to TikTok, tapping into the spirit of holidays and special events is a fantastic way to connect with your audience. Here’s how you can do it effectively:

• Plan Ahead for Seasonal Trends: Start by marking your calendar with upcoming holidays and events, both globally recognized and those specific to your audience. This planning ensures you don’t miss out on key dates.
• Create Themed Content: Develop content that aligns with the holiday or event. For example, for Valentine’s Day, create a TikTok showcasing your products as ideal gifts, or share love-themed tips related to your niche. Be creative and ensure your content directly relates to the theme.

Your journey to rocking TikTok is just starting, and we at 1Digital® Agency are excited to help you every step of the way. From TikTok advertising services to making your content stand out, we’re here for you. Drop us a line for a free chat, and let’s make your brand the next big thing on TikTok!

The post How to Stand Out on TikTok This Year appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Be Authentic

This is the biggest piece of advice I can give you — be authentic. Every social media post, blog entry, and advertisement has to genuine. Gamers can sniff out “cringe” and fake energy immediately and your brand will be called out. Don’t try to talk about topics you know nothing about and don’t use old, aged memes.

Instead, focus on your own strengths and create campaigns and content that uses a genuine voice and shows how you truly fit into the industry. This works whether you sell gaming PCs or jewelry — as long as you tell a real story and create authentic connections.

Learn the Demographic

The gaming industry is full of a very large fanbase and the truth is you won’t relate to everyone. It’s important to find a specific demographic within the gaming industry that will be most responsive to your brand and products. This will make it easier to create authentic and impactful campaigns and content for a certain group since you’ll understand what makes them tick.

Here’s an example from my own experience at a past gaming marketing company. A non-endemic brand focused on crptyocurrency came to us wanting to inspire awareness in the gaming industry. I presented them with a content and engagement plan focused on Dota 2. Why? Dota 2 players and esports viewers are usually older, with their own money to spend. They would be more likely to care about cryptocurrency than, say, a 14-year-old Fortnite player. Then, the experience I created involved letting Dota 2 players have a say in the results of a project, something that works for Dota 2 players since they often feel they are not listened to despite being very passionate about the scene.

Another time, a toy company came to us wanting some creative content aimed at gamers. We paired them up with a Call of Duty team to create some fun, viral video content. This made sense since Call of Duty players are often younger and we wanted to provide them with fun, genuine content that showed them the toys in action, used by pros that inspire them.

Stay Up to Date

You will need to be internet-savvy if you want to succeed at advertising in the gaming industry. This includes understanding internet culture as well as the latest video game trends. That’s because you want to create genuine content that really relates to gamers and doesn’t feel “try hard.” For example, keep track of the newest games that gamers are talking about and create content and ads based on these titles. Or check out the latest viral TikToks in the gaming community to learn what social media content will feel authentic and create connections with gamers.

Contact our social media experts to learn more about using trending topics and social media to get the most out of your advertising.

Use Alternative Platforms

Unlike more traditional industries, the largest social media platforms for gamers are a bit different. One big site that’s often looked over is Reddit. This is a site where gamers come together to discuss the latest games, memes, esports news, and controversies. You can add to the conversations in authentic ways and create content based on the discussions you see. Another important site is X (formerly known as Twitter). This is where big gaming and esports news is shared first and it has become where the community gathers to share their thoughts and stay up to date. TikTok and Instagram are also great places to share social content.

Have Fun

Lastly, just have friggin’ fun. Honestly. If you are enjoying the content you create — whether it’s fun videos of people at your company playing horror games or providing young gamers with online tournaments or just simply writing fun blog posts about the latest games — it will come across to gamers. Instead of screaming corporate, it will seem like you truly want to make gamers laugh and enjoy your content and products. Just be yourself, share your brand’s true story, and stay up to date with all things gaming and gamers.

The post Advertising in the Gaming Industry — The Importance of Authenticity appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

However, AI is disrupting the marketing landscape and rapidly accelerating these changes in a multitude of ways. If you’re an eCommerce merchant interested in the state of digital marketing as we head into 2024, this article will highlight what you should keep an eye out for, at a high level.

Can AI Tools Replace Marketers?

Let’s start off with one of the most pressing questions in the world of AI as it pertains to marketing. Are these tools putting marketers out of jobs? Can you manage the marketing campaigns of your business with the right kinds of AI?

Not at all.

Like other advanced software applications, AI at its best is still only a tool. To be used with any kind of consistency and effectiveness, this tool has to be in the hands of a seasoned marketer. One who not only understands the ins and outs of traditional digital marketing, but who also has a firm grasp on various AI apps and their use cases.

AI in a vacuum is still far and away just a novelty, a way to pass time. Recent updates to popular AI apps such as ChatGPT have actually reduced how effective the app can be as it pertains to automating certain marketing tasks. OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, are more focused on advancing AI in general, not creating a “marketing product,” as it were.

So one thing to note as we enter 2024, we’re nowhere near close to leaning on AI as a replacement for digital marketing agencies or skilled marketing professionals. Anyone trying to say otherwise is selling you a dream.

What Can AI Do Now?

In many ways, 2023 was the year of AI. It went from obscure to mainstream in Q1, and by all accounts is now a part of the everyday conversation. Here’s a high level look at some of the various applications of AI as it stands right now:

• Enhanced Natural Language Understanding and Generation: AI models like GPT-4 can now understand and generate human-like text, enabling them to write essays, create poetry, code software, and even generate creative stories. They can also answer complex questions and engage in nuanced conversations. It can be difficult at times to coax AI apps to generate perfectly usable output, however, but considering where we were last year at this time, this use case looks promising.
• Advanced Image and Art Creation: Tools like DALL-E can generate highly detailed and creative images from textual descriptions. This technology is used for artistic purposes, graphic design, and visualizing concepts that don’t yet exist in the real world. Considerable advances have been made with AI image generation this year but unless you have a computer powerful enough to run a local build of Stable Diffusion, there are certain limitations in terms of the quality you can expect, as well as options for resolution, removing watermarks, and other issues. As this area of AI expands, it will become a boon for marketers, especially as it pertains to sourcing high-quality creatives for advertising purposes.
• Sophisticated Healthcare Applications: AI is being used for early disease detection, personalized medicine, and drug discovery. It can analyze medical images with high accuracy, assist in surgical procedures, and predict patient outcomes based on various health markers. Some are speculating that medical applications might be one area where AI will truly excel, because human error stands as one of the biggest issues throughout the world of medicine and care.
• Enhanced Robotics and Automation: AI-driven robots are becoming more sophisticated, capable of performing complex tasks in industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics. They can navigate complex environments and make autonomous decisions.
• Improved Speech Recognition and Generation: AI can now understand and generate human speech with high accuracy, enabling voice-activated assistants, real-time translation, and accessibility tools for those with speech or hearing impairments. These capabilities will likely be used to great effect in the gaming sector to create dynamically generated conversations with NPCs within games.
• Autonomous Vehicles: AI is at the heart of self-driving car technology, allowing vehicles to navigate roads, recognize obstacles, and make split-second decisions without human intervention.
• Personalized Education: AI systems can adapt learning materials to suit individual student’s needs, pace, and learning style. It’s used for tutoring, language learning, and providing personalized feedback.
• Predictive Analytics in Business and Finance: AI is used for market analysis, consumer behavior prediction, fraud detection, and automating financial processes. While AI is still in its infancy and therefore somewhat unreliable, once these systems become more trustworthy, this will become one area where marketers and store owners alike may depend for advanced information on campaign performance.
• AI in Gaming: AI is creating more immersive gaming experiences, with NPCs (non-player characters) that can react more realistically to player actions and game environments that adapt to individual playing styles.

Do any of these applications directly apply to marketing right now?

Yes and no.

Surely there are content farms churning out a bunch of AI content, and a few AI influencer accounts that are leveraging image generating apps to create lifelike personas to use in various marketing efforts, but by and large, AI is still not at a place yet where it has widespread reliable marketing applications.

Digital Marketing in 2024: What Will Change?

Quality and a rock solid strategy are always going to win out over fly-by-night tactics and low effort paths.

However, expect some interesting developments in the world of AI that may potentially improve digital marketing strategies as a whole. Here are some significant advancements in AI that have been introduced recently, particularly by OpenAI at their DevDay 2023 event:

• GPT-4 Turbo: This is a more advanced version of the AI model GPT-4. It supports a 128K token context window, which allows it to process over 300 pages of text in a single prompt. This model is known for its improved efficiency and lower cost compared to its predecessor, GPT-4. It also features an updated knowledge base up to April 2023 and can handle both text and image inputs​.
• Custom GPTs and the GPT Store: OpenAI introduced Custom GPTs, allowing developers to create tailored versions of GPT for specific tasks or domains without needing coding expertise. Additionally, the GPT Store, a new platform, will act as a marketplace for these custom GPTs, allowing creators to share and monetize their AI models​.
• Assistants API: This new feature enables the creation of more complex, agent-like AI applications. The Assistants API allows developers to build AI assistants capable of understanding complex commands and leveraging a variety of models and tools to perform tasks​.
• Improved Instruction Following and JSON Mode in GPT-4 Turbo: The new JSON mode in GPT-4 Turbo ensures that responses are valid JSON, simplifying connections with other systems. This feature, along with improved instruction following, enhances the model’s utility in various applications​.
• Model Customization: OpenAI has launched an experimental access program for GPT-4 fine-tuning. This program allows organizations to work closely with OpenAI to develop customized GPT-4 models suited to their specific needs​​.
• Whisper v3 and Consistency Decoder: This is an advanced version of the automatic speech recognition model, Whisper large-v3, offering enhanced performance across languages. The Consistency Decoder improves image quality, especially in text, faces, and straight lines​​.
• New Modalities in the API: GPT-4 Turbo now supports image inputs, enabling the AI to generate image captions, analyze images, and extract information from documents with figures. DALL·E 3 is available through the Images API, and there’s also a Text-to-Speech API for generating human-quality speech from text​​.

Whether you’re a digital marketer or an eCommerce merchant, you can appreciate how some of these advancements could be effectively utilized within the scope of a digital marketing campaign. What is interesting about AI in general right now is how fierce the competition is, with everyone from Meta to Amazon throwing their hat in the ring in order to compete and grab some attention and market share.

As always, it’s important to focus on what actually drives revenue and attracts customers to your store – so in that regard, AI still has a little ways to go if marketers are going to utilize it without wasting time. A smart, custom marketing strategy will win over something cooked up by AI at the moment.

Be sure you are partnered with an agency that understands the digital marketing landscape and how it shifts. 2024 is sure to have many marketers getting “shiny object syndrome” as they chase the next big thing. Meanwhile the foundational strategies and tactics across SEO, PPC, and social media remain largely the same.

The post Advances in AI and What it Means For Digital Marketing appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

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In an era where global eCommerce sales are projected to reach $7.39 trillion by 2025 and $8.56 trillion by 2026, having a robust digital footprint on Amazon is paramount. Your brand’s position in this expansive digital marketplace is crucial.

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Read More

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With a tapestry of interconnected films, the MCU has not only managed to create blockbuster hits but has also woven a compelling narrative that has captured the hearts of millions globally.

While the on-screen action and beloved characters have certainly played a part in its success, behind the scenes, Marvel’s marketing prowess has been a cornerstone of its dominance.

From teasing fans with post-credit scenes to launching merchandise that becomes an instant craze, Marvel’s marketing strategies are a masterclass in brand building and engagement. For online store owners and digital marketers, the MCU provides a treasure trove of lessons on how to capture attention, drive loyalty, and ultimately, increase sales.

This article dives into the Marvel marketing strategy playbook, extracting key lessons that can be employed to make an online store as captivating as a superhero saga.

A Quick Look Into the Success of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU as it’s popularly known, began its journey in 2008 with the release of “Iron Man.” Little did audiences know that this was just the beginning of what would become the highest-grossing film franchise in history.

Spanning multiple phases, each introducing new characters and narratives, the MCU has redefined what it means to build a cinematic empire. But this rise to global stardom wasn’t without challenges.

In the early days, Marvel Studios took a considerable risk.

Unlike established characters like Spider-Man or the X-Men, which had already seen screen success under different production companies, Marvel Studios’ initial roster, including Iron Man and Thor, were not household names. The challenge was not just to introduce these characters to audiences, but to make them likeable and iconic.

Marketing was the key to achieving this.

Instead of relying solely on big-budget special effects or A-list celebrities, Marvel employed a series of calculated marketing moves to ensure their movies were events, not just releases. From cohesive branding and interconnected story arcs to social media buzz and fan engagement, Marvel Studios turned each film into a can’t-miss event, paving the way for its unprecedented success.

This marketing genius did more than just fill cinema seats; it created a fervent community of fans who lived and breathed the MCU, eagerly awaiting each new chapter.

The strategies Marvel used to engage its audience, cultivate loyalty, and create anticipation are goldmines for online businesses looking to elevate their brand and drive customer engagement. As we peel back the layers of Marvel’s marketing magic, we’ll discover tactics and techniques that can be applied to the digital storefronts of today.

Lesson 1: Consistent Branding and Storytelling

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is, at its core, an expansive, intricately-woven tapestry of stories.

Every film, while a standalone entity, is a piece of a larger narrative puzzle. This consistency in storytelling is one of the key factors behind the MCU’s unparalleled success, and it’s underpinned by one of the most fundamental principles of marketing: consistent branding.

Marvel’s Mastery of Consistency

From the iconic Marvel Studios intro that plays before every film — evoking feelings of excitement and nostalgia — to the recurring themes, characters, and Easter eggs sprinkled throughout each movie, Marvel has mastered the art of brand consistency.

This consistent branding means that every touchpoint, whether it’s a movie, merchandise, or a social media post, reinforces the larger Marvel brand identity.

This meticulous branding has made the Marvel logo synonymous with quality entertainment. Fans know that anything under the Marvel banner promises a certain standard, a specific feel, and a connection to a larger universe.

This trust wasn’t built overnight but was cultivated over years of delivering consistent storytelling and experiences.

Application for Online Stores: Crafting a Compelling Brand Story

For online retailers, the lesson from Marvel’s success is clear: consistency is key. Just as Marvel has its overarching narrative, online stores need to create and communicate their own brand story consistently across all platforms.

• Visual Consistency: Ensure that your store’s logo, color scheme, and design elements are consistent across your website, social media profiles, email campaigns, and any other touchpoints. This visual consistency helps in reinforcing brand recall, just as the Marvel logo does for the MCU.
• Voice and Messaging: Just as Marvel maintains a distinct tone in its movies and marketing materials, your brand should have a consistent voice. Whether it’s playful, professional, or passionate, make sure it resonates throughout your content, product descriptions, and customer interactions.
• Engaging Narratives: Marvel movies are loved not just for their action but for their stories. Online stores can take a page out of this playbook by weaving engaging narratives around their products or brand journey. Share the story of how your brand came to be, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the mission you’re on. Storytelling can humanize your brand, making it more relatable and memorable to consumers.

Lesson 2: Leveraging FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

The anticipation leading up to the release of a new Marvel film is palpable.

Fans worldwide mark their calendars, theories circulate on the internet, and tickets often sell out weeks in advance. This urgency, this irresistible pull towards being part of a cultural moment, is in no small part due to Marvel’s expert leveraging of FOMO.

Harnessing the Power of Anticipation

Marvel has mastered the art of teasing its audience just enough to pique their interest without giving too much away. Consider their usage of post-credit scenes. These brief snippets, often hinting at future movies or unfolding events, leave audiences in eager anticipation for what’s next. This desire to be “in the know” and part of the narrative as it unfolds creates a strong compulsion to watch each new release.

Similarly, Marvel often drops limited-edition merchandise or exclusive content, further amplifying the sense of urgency. If you aren’t part of the moment, you’re missing out on something significant.

Application for Online Stores: Creating Urgency and Exclusivity

For online retailers, Marvel’s tactics of inducing FOMO offer a blueprint for driving sales and engagement.

• Limited-time Offers: Host flash sales or promotions that last for a short duration. The ticking clock can compel customers to make purchases they might otherwise procrastinate on.
• Exclusive Products: Launch products or collections available only for a limited period or in limited quantities. This not only creates a rush but can also position your brand as unique and sought-after.
• Teasers and Sneak Peeks: Before launching a new product or collection, tease it on your social media channels or email newsletters. Offering just a glimpse can build anticipation and have customers waiting eagerly for the release.
• Engage in Storytelling: Share behind-the-scenes content, hint at upcoming developments, or create narratives that keep your audience engaged and eager for what’s next, much like Marvel’s interconnected story arcs.

Lesson 3: Building and Engaging With a Community

One of the undeniable strengths of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is its robust and passionate fanbase.

Fans don’t just watch Marvel movies; they live them. They dress up as their favorite characters, create fan art, theorize about future plotlines, and engage deeply with each release.

At the heart of this fan fervor is Marvel’s dedication to building and fostering a community.

Community: The Heartbeat of the MCU

Marvel’s engagement goes beyond mere movie releases. They interact with fans on social media, host conventions and fan events, and frequently acknowledge and celebrate fan-made content. This consistent interaction has turned casual movie-goers into devoted fans, elevating the MCU from a series of films to a cultural phenomenon.

By nurturing this community, Marvel ensures not just ticket sales but merchandise sales, social media buzz, and an evergreen word-of-mouth marketing machine.

Application for Online Stores: Cultivating a Loyal Customer Base

For online retailers, building a community can be the cornerstone of sustained success.

• Loyalty Programs: Reward your repeat customers with exclusive deals, early access to new products, or points that can be redeemed in future purchases. By acknowledging and rewarding loyalty, you encourage more of it.
• Engage on Social Media: Don’t just use your social platforms for promotions. Engage with your followers, reply to their comments, host Q&A sessions, or run polls to understand their preferences. Create a two-way dialogue that makes customers feel heard and valued.
• Celebrate User-generated Content: Encourage customers to share photos or reviews of your products. Share these on your platforms, giving them a spotlight. This not only provides you with content but also makes customers feel a part of your brand story.
• Host Virtual Events: Much like Marvel’s fan events, consider hosting webinars, product launch events, or interactive sessions that bring your community together. These can foster a sense of belonging and keep your audience engaged with your brand.

Marvel Marketing Strategy Secret Ingredient: Collabs

The world of superheroes is no stranger to collaborations.

Whether it’s the Avengers assembling to save the world or Spider-Man teaming up with Doctor Strange, the Marvel Cinematic Universe thrives on bringing together powerful entities to achieve even greater feats.

Beyond the on-screen alliances, Marvel Studios has adeptly used real-world collaborations and partnerships as a cornerstone of their marketing strategy.

This has played a pivotal role in expanding their reach and enriching the fan experience.

Marvel’s Collaboration Mastery

A glance at Marvel’s journey reveals numerous strategic collaborations that have amplified their impact. They’ve collaborated with:

• Major brands: Coca-Cola, Audi, and Samsung, among others, have had tie-ins with Marvel movies, bringing unique merchandise, product placements, and co-branded campaigns. Epic Games, the producers of popular gaming sensation Fortnite: Battle Royale, even partnered with Marvel several times. Thor is even seen playing the game in Avengers: Endgame.
• Fashion and lifestyle brands: From Adidas’ sneaker collections inspired by Marvel characters to high-end fashion lines crafting superhero-themed apparel, Marvel has touched various segments of the fashion market.
• Content creators: Be it YouTube influencers creating exclusive behind-the-scenes content or renowned artists designing limited-edition posters, Marvel has tapped into the power of influencers and creators to expand its narrative.

These collaborations don’t just boost Marvel’s visibility but also allow fans to experience the brand in diverse ways, outside of the cinema.

Application for Online Stores: Expanding Reach through Partnerships

For online retailers, collaborations can be a game-changer, opening doors to new audiences and creating unique value propositions.

• Co-branded Products: Partnering with complementary brands to create exclusive products can generate buzz and drive sales for both parties. For instance, a skincare brand might collaborate with a popular influencer to launch a limited-edition product range.
• Joint Promotions: Two brands can come together for joint promotional offers, such as bundle deals, where buying a product from one brand offers a discount on the other.
• Content Collaborations: Team up with influencers or content creators in your niche to create engaging content. This could be in the form of guest blog posts, joint webinars, or collaborative social media campaigns.
• Events and Pop-ups: Collaborate with other brands to host events or pop-up shops. This can provide customers with a unique shopping experience and drive footfall for both brands.

Learn From the Greats: Taking Your Digital Marketing to the Next Level

The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t just a testament to captivating storytelling and larger-than-life characters; it’s a masterclass in innovative and strategic digital marketing. For online retailers, these strategies offer a roadmap to success in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.

By adopting the principles that have made the MCU a cultural and commercial juggernaut, online stores can elevate their brand presence, foster deeper connections with their audience, and drive sustainable growth.

While every brand might not have a team of superheroes at its disposal, with the right marketing strategies inspired by Marvel’s playbook, they can certainly create super results. The challenge, then, is not just to admire the Marvel success story but to learn, adapt, and implement its lessons in unique and innovative ways.

The post The Marvel Marketing Strategy: 3 Lessons For Online Stores appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Fast forward a couple of years later, and I’ve found myself spending more time on TikTok than almost any other app. It’s one of the first ones that I launch when I find myself with a bit of idle time, and to be honest with you, dear reader, I’m not sure how it happened, either. 

More than that, I’ve found myself sufficiently “influenced” on TikTok beyond liking the occasional useful short-form video. In addition to liking and saving videos, most of the purchases I’ve made over the past couple of months are because I saw the product on TikTok, or were bought directly from a TikTok shop. If that’s not a testament to its effectiveness as an advertising platform, then I don’t know what is. 

But don’t just take my word for it–here are a few reasons why you should consider advertising on TikTok if you run an ecommerce business:

Surprising TikTok Statistics You Need to Know

• TikTok has been downloaded 3 billion times globally as of Q2 2021, demonstrating its immense popularity. It is now considered a global phenomenon and one of the most successful social media platforms in history. To further support this statistic, TikTok has been downloaded more than 571 million times between Q1-Q3 of 2022. 
• It counts over 1.5 billion active monthly users worldwide, as of Q3 2022.
• TikTok is also the second-highest revenue-generating non-gaming app (say that 3 times fast) globally in May 2021, with users spending over $102 million on the app. 
• It has grown and continues to grow exponentially in terms of users: as of 2022, 20.83% of all internet users in the world were on TikTok, up from 18% in 2020. 
• 90% of TikTok users access the app on a daily basis (myself included; guilty!)
• TikTok’s social media engagement rate is also exponentially higher than other platforms–higher than Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Influencers on the platform charge considerably less per post, but can achieve engagement rates of 18% or so; for perspective, YouTube’s engagement rate is 1.63% while Instagram’s is 3.86%. 
• TikTok is currently the 7th most popular social media platform in the world, ahead of Facebook Messenger, Douyin, QQ, and Sina Weibo. It is, however, expected to break into the Big Five (which includes Facebook, YouTube, Whatsapp, Instagram, and WeChat) over the next couple of years or so.  

Why TikTok Needs to Be on Your Radar as an Advertising Platform

Beyond the fact that being on TikTok means more eyes on the products that you sell and/or the services that you offer, here are a few more compelling reasons why you should consider it as an advertising platform:

It’s a great way to reach a diverse audience

One of the biggest misconceptions about TikTok as an advertising platform is that it only caters to Gen Z. 

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, most of the content creators on the platform are between the ages of 16 and 24, making up 41% of its users. However, that still leaves a solid 59%-sized chunk of users made up of millennials, Gen Xers, and even Baby Boomers! 

In fact, according to a 2023 report from Omnicore, the number of US adult TikTok users has grown 5.5 times over the last year and a half, having been downloaded in the first quarter of 2020 more than any other app during the same time span. 

It’s budget-friendly

Another major misconception that most businesses have with regards to using TikTok as an advertising platform is that it can be complicated–and expensive. 

In reality, though, setting up a TikTok campaign isn’t that hard at all. There are plenty of resources online that can help you get started, or you can employ the services of an agency (ahem) that can do it for you. TikTok also charges roughly the same cost per click as Facebook–about a dollar–in addition to having programs that can aid small businesses get their feet off the ground on the platform. 

It’s versatile

TikTok’s ads are its bread and butter, and when utilized correctly, the chances of users engaging with yours are rather high. You can choose from these common variants:

• Topview ads function much in the same way as Top of Page for PPC, which means that your ad will be the first video that users see when they launch Tiktok;
• Brand Takeover ads are similar to non-skippable YouTube ads and often show as soon as the user opens the app. Unlike other TikTok videos, though, these ads do not give the user the ability to like or comment. 
• In-Feed Ads allow you to tell your brand’s unique story with content that shows up on a user’s For You Page (FYP), where users spend the most of their time on the app. 
• Branded hashtag challenges encourage users to create their own content around the theme of your campaign. 

Best Practices for TikTok Advertising

Forget everything that you know about advertising on other social media platforms: successfully advertising your products and services on TikTok is a whole new ballgame. Here are a few pointers:

Adapt to TikTok’s unique style

Videos that feel raw and natural is what TikTok is known for, and it’s important to lean heavily into those elements. You’ll want to make sure that your ads are attention-grabbing while being sincere. You can also make use of TikTok-specific features such as text overlays, green screen, and voiceovers to better connect with the audience. 

Follow the trends 

Virality is a difficult thing to chase, but hopping onto the latest trends, memes, and challenges decidedly isn’t when it comes to TikTok. At any given moment, there are a number of significant and culturally relevant moments that you can use to help tell your brand’s story–and all you have to do is check the Trends page on the Creative Center of your TikTok for Business account to get to know what they are. 

Focus on structure

TikTok’s focus on telling stories is one of the biggest reasons why so many people are drawn to the platform in the first place. Knowing how to tell a good story, structurally, can help improve ad recall and pull audiences in. Make sure that every video you create has a hook, body, and a call-to-action that seals the deal at the closing. 

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Looking to get your brand noticed on TikTok but not sure where to start? Leave it to the professionals and contact us today!

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As an agency that provides ecommerce strategy services, we can say for certain that even though marketing tactics often change over time, the underlying strategies behind these tactics are what entrepreneurs and business owners should really pay attention to.

That’s why, in this article, we explore 10 must-have ecommerce strategies that remain effective to this day because of the underlying principles that drive them. Let’s dive in.

1. Prioritize Excellent Customer Service

Customer service is the cornerstone of every successful business. Exceptional customer service, however, goes beyond simply processing orders; it involves building strong relationships with customers and going the extra mile to meet their needs. The best way to embody this in your company is through the following:

• Show empathy and understanding when customers encounter challenges or express dissatisfaction
• Listen attentively to their concerns
• Validate their feelings
• Assure them that you will do your best to address the issue.

Empathetic customer service can turn negative experiences into positive ones. In fact, going the extra mile to resolve issues promptly can transform dissatisfied customers into loyal brand ambassadors.

So always ensure that your support team is readily available to assist customers with their queries and concerns. 

2. Answer Audience Questions or Comments

Tightly knit with customer service is being able to engage with your audience in a timely manner. Promptly responding to your audience’s inquiries not only shows that you value their opinions and concerns, but it also demonstrates a high level of commitment to providing top-notch customer service.

By addressing their inquiries, you create a positive experience that encourages repeat visits and increases the likelihood of conversion.

Now, if your business services customers across the globe, then its understandable that you may not exactly be open 24/7 to answer queries and questions. This is where you can take advantage of chatbots and other automated and AI tools.

In Facebook, for example, you can collate the most frequently asked questions you get in your inbox, and create automated responses for them inside of your Facebook Page settings. This way, you won’t have to manually respond to the same question over and over again, and can instead address only those questions that are in need of a more personal touch.

If you’re not sure how to set these up for your business, you can always ask marketing agencies and other ecommerce strategy services to lend you a hand.

3. Optimize Your Customer Journey

Optimizing the customer journey is a crucial aspect of maximizing conversions and ensuring a positive experience for your website visitors. A seamless customer journey involves carefully designing and refining the user interface and user experience to make the browsing and purchasing process effortless and enjoyable for customers.

By addressing their needs and pain points, you create a more engaging and satisfying journey that increases the likelihood of conversions and customer retention.

Here are a couple of key elements for optimizing your customer journey:

1. Simplify navigation throughout your website by creating simple and easy-to-understand menus and buttons.
2. Optimize your website speed and loading times
3. Make sure your website is mobile-optimized
4. Streamline your checkout process by reducing friction and eliminating unnecessary steps

A well-structured navigation system, fast-loading pages, mobile responsiveness, streamlined checkout, and personalization all contribute to a positive customer journey, ultimately driving higher conversions and fostering customer loyalty.

4. Tell Stories About Your Products

Stories are the backbone of any and every successful marketing effort. They’re also a way to crystalize and compartmentalize all the information about your product into a clear-cut narrative that’s easy for your customers to understand and relate to.

Craft compelling narratives around your products that resonate with your target audience. Share how your products have made a positive impact on real people’s lives, and showcase the benefits they can enjoy by purchasing from your store. Storytelling evokes emotions, forging a deeper connection with your customers and driving them to take action.

5. Feature Customer Pictures with Their New Product

User-generated content is excellent social proof, and a great way to build trust and credibility for your brand. It’s also the perfect means of showcasing the joy and satisfaction your customers experience when they interact with your products.

A fitness apparel brand, for example, that encourages its customers to share post-workout selfies while wearing their latest activewear collection is more likely to bring in new and repeat customers.

6. Share Customer Reviews, Both Positive and Negative

Honest and transparent customer reviews play a vital role in building trust and influencing purchase decisions. Feature a mix of positive and negative reviews on your website to demonstrate authenticity and show that you value customer feedback.

Addressing negative reviews with genuine concern and offering solutions can turn unhappy customers into loyal advocates. Remember, it’s all about providing excellent customer service to all of your customers.

7. Create Up-Sells & Cross-Sells

Boost your average order value by implementing up-sell and cross-sell strategies. Offer complementary products or upgraded versions of items your customers are interested in, increasing the chances of additional purchases.

For example, if a customer is buying a camera, offer them a bundle with extra lenses or accessories.

Another example of an up-sell is when an electronics store offers a gaming bundle that includes a gaming console, controller, and two popular video game titles at a discounted package price. This encourages customers to purchase the complete gaming setup, as it offers better value compared to buying the items individually.

As for cross-sells, one example is when a fashion retailer suggests matching accessories such as belts, scarves, or handbags while customers are adding clothing items to their shopping cart. If a customer is purchasing a dress, the website displays a selection of coordinating accessories, allowing the customer to complete their outfit in one convenient purchase.

8. Reach Out to Users with Abandoned Carts

Abandoned carts represent missed opportunities for sales. Implement a cart abandonment email campaign to remind users of their pending purchase and offer incentives, such as discounts or free shipping, to entice them to complete their orders. This strategy can significantly improve your conversion rates and recover potentially lost sales.

9.  Create a Customer Loyalty Program

Creating a customer loyalty program is a powerful strategy to foster repeat business and build a loyal customer base. By offering incentives and rewards to your loyal customers, you not only encourage them to keep coming back but also turn them into enthusiastic brand advocates who spread positive word-of-mouth and attract new customers.

A well-designed loyalty program can significantly boost customer retention, increase customer lifetime value, and drive long-term business growth.

Here are some specific examples of how to apply a customer loyalty program in real life:

• Points-Based Loyalty Program: Customers earn points for each purchase they make.
• Tiered Loyalty Program: Create a tiered loyalty program with different levels based on customer spending or engagement.
• Birthday Rewards: Surprise and delight your customers on their birthdays by sending them personalized offers or gifts as part of your loyalty program.
• Referral Program: Offer rewards or discounts to customers who refer friends or family members to your business, creating a win-win situation for both the referrer and the new customer.

10. Offer Personalization of Your Products

Personalization creates a unique and memorable shopping experience. Implement product customization options, such as engraving, monogramming, or color choices, to cater to individual preferences. This level of personalization not only delights customers but also sets your ecommerce store apart from competitors.

Ignite Your Ecommerce Success with Proven Strategies

As an ecommerce entrepreneur, you hold the power to achieve explosive growth for your business. By adopting these ten must-have ecommerce strategy services, you can connect with your audience on a deeper level, optimize their journey, and convert them into loyal customers.

The post 10 Must-Have Ecommerce Strategies for Steady Growth in 2023 appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.