I’m not the be-all, end-all of search engine optimization, but I might make a case that off-page SEO for eCommerce is probably the least understood of the four main pillars. 

Think about it. Anyone can understand that if your website is slow or doesn’t work (technical SEO) that’s bad for business, or that if you change page titles, that’s on-page SEO. Blogs, CMS pages, and product page copy? That’s easy – content. 

But what exactly is off-page SEO for eCommerce, and why does it matter? That’s what I’ll get to the bottom of here.

What Is Off-Page SEO for eCommerce?

To make this as simple as simple could possibly be, off-page SEO for eCommerce is anything SEO-related that doesn’t occur on your actual website. 

So think of it this way. If it doesn’t fall neatly into content, on-page SEO, or technical SEO, and it occurs somewhere other than your website, that’s off-page SEO. 

Backlinking is probably the most commonly cited off-page SEO ranking signal, but there are many others, like social proof and signals, video marketing, guest posting, and more. 

As you might imagine, there is some crossover. For instance, writing a guest post with a link back to your website does involve content, but since it’s not on your website, it’s off-page SEO.

Starting to make sense? Good. Now let’s go into some high-level tactics and techniques you can put into practice to optimize your domain’s off-page presence. 

The Power of Social Media Marketing

Social proof and social signals are, by this point, well-accepted ranking signals that either directly (or indirectly, through the splash effect) impact SEO. 

And, since it is not on your website, nor is it content or technical, it is, therefore, off-page SEO. 

There are no special tips or tricks for this that differ fundamentally from the rest of your social media strategy, other than that if you are going to build a social media presence, rely more heavily on organic strategies than on paid ones. 

Create profiles on the channels that you think most of your users frequent. As a general rule, B2B models should lean towards LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and those that target customers directly should focus on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and even TikTok. 

Use each platform for what it is good for. Facebook and LinkedIn are good for sharing long-form content and news, as well as for building connections. Pinterest and Instagram work great for showcasing products, uses, and tutorials. Twitter is also great for sharing industry news, the release of new products, and things like that. 

Post often, be consistent, and get active with your users. When they like or comment, like and comment back. Address them individually and practice social listening. When you hear a complaint or a positive comment, respond and see if you can turn the situation around to your favor. 

When you release new products or run sales or promotions, make sure you spread the word using your social platforms. You can also use your socials to advertise positive reviews, blogs, and guest posts. 

Every little bit helps, and all of those social signals and shares can help push traffic to your website.

Off-Page Content Marketing: Podcasts, YouTube Marketing, and More

Not all content marketing has to take the form of a blog that you post on your website (although that is an extremely effective content marketing strategy that directly helps SEO). 

Some content marketing takes the form of off-site content that isn’t even written. Two great channels are video content, distributed through platforms like YouTube, and podcasts, which you can integrate with or link to your website (or both). 

YouTube marketing can be extremely effective, especially if you have interesting ideas and news to share, and if you have a likeable brand ambassador, or even better, an influencer. 

Some things are just better expressed through spoken word and imagery than they are through writing. For instance, video tutorials on how to use products, how to care for products, or how to make modifications are all often well-suited to video. 

You can use the success of your YouTube channel to drive traffic to your eCommerce website, and you also can also embed videos on your pages where relevant and integrate them with your website, which will also boost engagement. l

As for podcasts, they are a great way to share news, host experts, and produce thought-provoking content online. They work better in some industries than others – but if you’re ever going over industry news or talking at length about the history of a product line, sport, or industry, podcasts are a great medium. 

These can also boost engagement on your website, generate leads, and increase buzz on social media. All of these things work together. 

Keep in mind that though YouTube marketing and podcasts can both be effective at generating interest and leads and driving traffic, other forms of content in the form of video and audio can also be used in off-site SEO for eCommerce. 

Do a Guest Post 

Guest posting can be another great way to generate interest in your brand, and it has another edge: backlinking. 

If you’re successful in your outreach and get another domain to agree to host some of your content (which doesn’t necessarily have to be a blog, by the way) you may be able to use the opportunity as a springboard for link-building. 

There are lots of ways to go about this. The most straightforward way is “cold emailing.” Just send out a bunch of emails to the administrators of content websites in your industry offering to write them a post in exchange for a backlink. 

I would assume that has a very low close rate, though, so it’s better to work with the contacts with whom you have established relationships. 

For instance, consider soliciting one of your suppliers. Doubtless, some of your brands have their own websites and it’s more likely that one of these would be willing to serve as a venue for your filmed or written content than a website with whom you have no connections. 

You can also do collaborations with your featured brands, and both of you can benefit. You can write for them or produce a video or review; they get free content and you get a “free” backlink. It’s a win-win. 

It works both ways, too. If your suppliers have skilled content creators, then you can ask them to publish on your website and trade a link for it. Both ways work. 

Answer Questions on Forums and Q&A Websites 

Have you ever looked something up on Google and gotten a top result from a website like Quora? 

There’s a good reason for this: even though Q&A websites and forums are littered with useless opinions (sad but true) for every ten pointless posts and comments, there’s a real gem from an industry expert with a lot of experience. 

Think about it. There are times when you need some very in-depth, granular help (consider looking on forums for how to make car repairs or how to write code) and the advice of experts is the only way to pull it off yourself without formally enlisting professional help. 

You can use the value of these boards to your advantage, provided the input you provide is legitimately valuable. If you can offer honest, accurate answers to the questions on those Q&A boards and your posts receive favorable responses and votes, they’ll rank well in the search results. 

You might not be able to put a backlink in your answer, but you can direct viewers to your website for additional information, and that alone is as good as referral traffic, even if it technically isn’t. It’s also an excellent tactic for off-page SEO for eCommerce businesses to follow. 

Backlinks: Critical but Elusive 

Last, I want to say a few things about link-building, although I already sort of did that when talking about guest posting. 

Link-building is one of the most difficult aspects of off-page SEO for eCommerce because there is nothing you can do to really influence the organic process of backlinking. You can’t  force links to your website from domains you don’t own.

Here’s the thing: there are still domains that will probably let you buy links, but there’s a good chance that, regardless of the domain’s authority, those links will get flagged as spam, and that will tank your other SEO efforts. 

All in all, it’s not worth it to buy links. It may have been ten years ago but it is no longer a legitimate strategy. 

So the best thing you can do today is produce useful copy and then wait patiently. If you answer questions in your copy and provide legitimate details and advice, over time, other domains will probably link to you and your website will grow. 

The other thing you can do is actively solicit linking opportunities from legitimate websites with whom you develop an established professional relationship. That’s the best way to build links, the most effective, and though it’s effort-intensive, the most sustainable practice over time. 

Getting Started with Off-Page SEO for eCommerce

Off-page SEO for eCommerce may be the most difficult of the four pillars to optimize for without any professional help, but it can be done. 

Put some of the practices mentioned here in action today and see what sorts of efforts they produce for your business. Just be patient. As with most SEO work, it can take a year or more before results really start to materialize.

The post Off-Page SEO for eCommerce: A Short Guide appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Of the two, organic marketing offers the greatest opportunities for long-term growth, as well as for building credibility. It also offers a lot of potential for developing authority as an industry leader. 

But it isn’t necessarily easy, and unlike paid advertising, organic marketing can’t simply be “bought.” There are organic marketing services you can pay for, but there is a huge difference between what constitutes quality in organic marketing compared to what quality is in paid advertising. 

So, let’s take a look at some helpful organic marketing tips that can help you grow your business and diminish your reliance on paid ads.

But first, let’s consider what value organic marketing actually delivers, and why it’s critical to invest in it as well as paid advertising.

Why Organic Marketing Is the Way to Go

Organic marketing, like paid advertising, can help build your business, but there are many things that organic marketing offers that the latter does not. 

• It’s cost-effective

Admittedly, startup costs associated with organic marketing are quite steep. For instance, if you want to start a company publication with high-quality content with the goal of entrenching your domain as an authority in your industry, hiring an experienced copywriter or SME can be cost-prohibitive. 

But only in the short term. In the long run, that will pay dividends, as authority builds on itself and is cumulative. The work you put in today will pay off in spades tomorrow making it highly cost-effective despite the high initial investment.

• It’s sustainable

This is sort of an offshoot of the latter component, but as your company builds brand awareness and solidifies itself as an industry leader, it will develop a brand image and mystique that will be difficult for competitors to outperform. This only comes with time, though.

• It builds on itself over the long-term

The longer you work at organic marketing, the more the results will compound on themselves over time. Consider your website’s organic footprint. The more quality content you publish, and the more actively you engage with followers on social media, the more respected your model will be in your industry. 

• It builds credibility and authority

Last but not least, organic marketing efforts, particularly SEO and content marketing, will establish your brand as an uncontested authority in your niche. This can – and will – take years, but once you’ve earned that position of authority and respect, it will be even harder for competitors to reach you. 

Helpful Organic Marketing Tips 

Now that you know some of the most important benefits of investing in organic marketing, let’s take a look at some specific organic marketing tips that can help you realize these benefits. 

Start a Blog and Publish Regularly 

This is arguably the most important tip I can possibly think of offering. It is also one of the best ways to increase exposure for a wide range of search terms, gather readers, generate leads and interest, and build authority. 

Without a doubt, starting a blog is one of the most important and effective ways to improve your organic marketing efforts. 

But you don’t just want to start a blog. You want to make sure you publish useful information in it, and do so on a rolling basis. A blog won’t help you if you only publish every three months. You want to add blog posts regularly and listen to what your customers have to say. 

Write on topics relevant to subjects customers regularly approach you about. Answer commonly asked questions. Write a buying guide. Break down some of the details associated with your products or services. 

Creating a content schedule and blogging regularly will have your website ranking higher in the organic search engine results pages and will bring more traffic to your website over time, generating leads. 

Another helpful organic marketing tip is to encourage users to leave their email addresses so you can use that contact information as a warm lead for email or content marketing.

Here are some more tips: solicit guest posts from industry experts as these will help capture more interest from your target audience. Also, open a comments section in the blog so you can connect with your audience. 

Don’t just write with the goal of selling through your organic content, either. Write to inform, and you’ll generate interest and fast-track your way to credibility. 

One more organic marketing tip: if you don’t have the human resources to devote to an active blog, or don’t have enough topics to blog about, at least make it a yearly goal to publish a few high-quality CMS pages. 

There are all different types of content you can offer, but whatever you publish make it as comprehensive as possible and fill the pages with answers to common client questions. Try to make it evergreen content, too. These will also improve your organic reach and will help generate new leads.

Do Something Useful with Your Product Pages

Another helpful organic marketing tip, and one that you might not expect, is to use your product pages to the fullest. 

First off, that means optimizing them for SEO. Remove duplicate copy and images. Take your own images, compress them, and add alt text. 

Add metadata to each product page and include target keywords for which you want to rank higher in the metadata fields and, where possible, in the URL. 

If you have the option, write some unique facts, or answer frequently asked questions, in the product description. This can help improve product page impressions and can even drive conversions. 

You can also use your product pages as funnels for your social media accounts. Most eCommerce platforms easily integrate with Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and other social media platforms. 

If you have the option, set up your product page templates with social media widgets somewhere visible on the page to encourage visitors to follow your accounts.

Don’t Just Post on Social Media; Interact with Users 

This brings up another interesting topic. Yes, you need to run an effective organic social media campaign if you want to gain followers, build authority, and increase exposure. 

But running an effective social media campaign is about more than just periodically publishing social media posts. 

Sure, if you put up pins every day and post on Instagram every few days, and have high-quality imagery, you’re going to get a few follows, and that’s great. Moreover, consistency will help you get more of them – and that’s a good thing.

But another important thing these platforms look at is interaction. Posting and gaining followers is good, but it isn’t enough. You need to engage. 

If your followers are liking your posts or leaving you comments, respond to them. At least like some of the more noteworthy comments. 

Encourage users that follow you to tag you in their posts if they are using/wearing your products. You can tag users, too, especially those that frequently like or interact with your posts. 

These signals will show those social media platforms that you are engaged with your follower base and can help you gain new followers.

Even if it didn’t, it’s better customer relationship management and will help humanize your brand – and there’s no model that doesn’t appreciate that. 

Start an Email Marketing Campaign and Actually Offer Something 

One more useful organic marketing tip is to start an email marketing campaign, even if you only have a few contacts. As I said, you should actively be soliciting more through your blog. 

There are lots of plugins you can use (like Mailchimp) that can help you customize email templates and run email marketing campaigns. Experience is useful but even a layman can easily launch an email marketing campaign with little notice.

Here’s the trick. You need to have something to offer. Don’t just blast your subscribers with emails showcasing your products at regular list prices. You’ll lose subscribers that way. 

Offer discounts, specials, or access to helpful information like guides. You can also use your email marketing efforts to promote your published content. That way, subscribers won’t always feel like you’re just trying to get money out of them. 

That’s what I mean by offer value. Give them a reason to click on your emails and not just ignore them. 

Put These Organic Marketing Tips Into Practice Today 

Now that you know about some of the differences between organic and paid marketing, as well as some of these tips to help you run an effective organic marketing strategy, all you need to do now is put them into practice. 

Adhering to some of these organic marketing tips can improve your standing in the organic results, drive traffic to your online store, improve brand authority, and encourage conversions. 

See which if any you can put into practice for your eCommerce model today.

The post Organic Marketing Tips That Will Help You Grow Your Business appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Instagram Followers Exchange vs. Follow Train for Instagram

When it comes to boosting your follower count on Instagram, two commonly used methods are Instagram Followers Exchange and Follow Train for Instagram.

While both approaches aim to increase your follower numbers, they differ in their underlying principles and the potential impact they can have on your eCommerce business.

Instagram Followers Exchange: Quantity Over Quality?

Instagram Followers Exchange refers to a practice where users exchange followers with one another to inflate their follower count. It involves a reciprocal arrangement where users agree to follow each other’s accounts in order to boost their numbers.

While this method may seem enticing due to the potential for rapid follower growth, it often leads to a plethora of inactive or irrelevant followers.

The Pitfalls of Instagram Followers Exchange:

A Deluge of Inactive Accounts

The followers gained through exchange networks often consist of dormant or inactive accounts, diminishing the engagement potential of your posts.

Genuine interaction and meaningful connections with your target audience become challenging to establish.

Relevance and Targeting Concerns

Since the primary focus of Instagram Followers Exchange is on quantity rather than quality, there’s a high chance that the followers you gain might not align with your target market.

Building a genuine customer base that resonates with your brand becomes an uphill battle.

Algorithmic Implications

Instagram’s algorithm favors posts with high engagement rates, such as likes, comments, and shares.

However, when your follower base comprises mostly inactive accounts, your posts are likely to receive fewer engagements. This can hinder your reach and limit your visibility on the platform.

Exploring the Temptations

While we have discussed the pitfalls of Instagram follower exchange in the previous sections, it’s only fair to explore the other side of the coin.

In this part, we’ll play devil’s advocate and delve into the potential advantages that some may argue exist within the realm of Instagram followers exchange.

Instant Visibility Boost

One of the primary arguments in favor of Instagram followers exchange is the immediate boost in visibility it offers.

When your follower counts skyrocket overnight, your posts have a higher likelihood of appearing on the Explore page or reaching the coveted top posts section.

This sudden surge in visibility can expose your brand to a wider audience, potentially attracting genuine followers who resonate with your content.

Social Proof and Credibility

Social proof influences brand perception in the digital era. A substantial follower count can serve as a form of social proof, conveying a sense of popularity and credibility to potential customers.

When users stumble upon your Instagram profile and see a high follower count, they may be more inclined to trust your brand and consider your eCommerce offerings.

Initial Kickstart for Organic Growth

Some proponents of Instagram followers exchange argue that it can provide a jumpstart to organic growth.

They claim that the initial influx of followers can pique the interest of genuine users, prompting them to explore your content and potentially follow your account organically.

In this perspective, Instagram followers exchange acts as a stepping stone to kickstart your presence on the platform.

Enhanced Influencer Opportunities

For businesses seeking influencer partnerships, a larger follower count can be a prerequisite for collaboration.

Brands often look for influencers with a substantial audience to amplify their reach. By temporarily boosting your follower count through exchange platforms, you may open doors to collaborations with influencers who prioritize follower count as a key metric.

Navigating the Gray Area

While these arguments may sound appealing, it’s important to approach the advantages of Instagram follower exchange with caution.

The potential drawbacks and risks we discussed earlier should not be ignored or underestimated.

It’s crucial to consider the long-term implications and sustainability of such strategies before engaging in follower exchange practices.

Cultivating Genuine Connections with Follow Train

In contrast to Instagram Followers Exchange, Follow Train for Instagram emphasizes building organic connections and fostering engagement within a niche community.

It involves users actively participating in follow threads, where they follow other accounts with shared interests and expect reciprocal follows from like-minded individuals.

Authenticity and Long-Term Success

In the dynamic world of social media, striking the right balance between growth strategies and authenticity is paramount. While Instagram followers exchange may provide temporary advantages, its impact on your brand’s reputation, engagement rates, and long-term success cannot be overlooked.

Authenticity, genuine connections, and valuable content remain the foundation for building a thriving eCommerce business on Instagram.

So, as you weigh the advantages and disadvantages of Instagram followers exchange, consider your brand’s values, goals, and the long-term relationship you aim to foster with your audience.

By prioritizing organic growth, meaningful engagement, and authentic connections, you can carve out a unique space in the Instagram sphere and cultivate a loyal following that genuinely supports your eCommerce endeavors.

Finding the Right Approach for Your eCommerce Business

Now that we have explored the contrasting aspects of Instagram Followers Exchange and Follow Train for Instagram, let’s discuss which approach is better suited for your eCommerce business.

Quality above quantity is essential in today’s saturated online market.

While Instagram Followers Exchange may offer a quick boost in follower numbers, it often results in a diluted and less engaged audience.

On the other hand, Follow Train for Instagram allows you to cultivate genuine connections, foster engagement, and attract a targeted audience with a higher potential for conversion.

To safeguard your eCommerce business from the pitfalls of Instagram Followers Exchange, focus on building authentic relationships with your audience.

Participate in follow trains, engage with users in your niche, and create compelling content that resonates with your target market. This strategy will help your eCommerce business expand by building a devoted and engaged audience.

To sum up, if you want to see a steady and sustainable increase in your Instagram following, you need to make sure your strategy is consistent with your larger company goals.

Embrace the power of genuine connections, prioritize quality engagement, and watch your eCommerce business thrive in the ever-evolving world of Instagram.

The post Don’t Let Instagram Followers Exchange Ruin Your eCommerce Business appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

In a social retail setting, customers are encouraged to interact with the store and other shoppers through various means. This can include incorporating social media platforms into the shopping experience, such as allowing customers to share their purchases or experiences on social media channels directly from the store. It can also involve creating spaces within the store for customers to relax, socialize, and connect with others who share similar interests.

Social retail often leverages technology to enhance the customer experience. For example, stores may use interactive displays, augmented reality (AR), or virtual reality (VR) to provide a more engaging and personalized shopping journey. Additionally, retailers may utilize data analytics and customer insights gathered from social media platforms to tailor their offerings and promotions to better meet the needs and preferences of their target audience.

Furthermore, social retail places an emphasis on community-building and fostering a sense of belonging among customers. Retailers may host events, workshops, or gatherings that bring people together around shared interests or causes. By creating a community-centric atmosphere, social retail aims to build long-term customer loyalty and advocacy.

Overall, social retail is an evolving concept that seeks to merge the physical and digital realms, leveraging social interactions and technology to create a more immersive, personalized, and socially connected shopping experience.

Why Is Social Retail Important for eCommerce Businesses?

Social retail is vital to eCommerce businesses because it increases customer engagement and offers businesses endless opportunities to improve credibility within their industry while selling more of their products. 

Some of the most important ways that social retail directly impacts eCommerce businesses, broken down, are as follows.

It improves customer engagement. Social retail allows eCommerce businesses to create more interactive and engaging experiences for their customers. By incorporating social elements into their online platforms, such as user-generated content, customer reviews, and social sharing features, eCommerce businesses can foster a sense of community and encourage customers to actively participate and engage with their brand.

Social retail leverages social media platforms, which have billions of active users worldwide, thereby improving brand visibility and reach. By integrating social media into their eCommerce strategies, businesses can expand their brand’s reach, tap into wider audiences, and increase visibility. Social sharing features enable customers to spread the word about products and promotions, effectively acting as brand advocates and driving organic growth.

It also allows eCommerce businesses to gather valuable customer data and insights from social media platforms. This data can be used to personalize marketing efforts, target specific customer segments, and deliver tailored recommendations. By understanding customer preferences and behaviors, businesses can provide a more relevant and customized shopping experience, ultimately driving higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Social commerce can also enable eCommerce entrepreneurs with online stores  to leverage user-generated content, such as reviews, ratings, and testimonials, to build trust and credibility. Social proof plays a significant role in influencing purchasing decisions, as customers often seek validation from others before making a purchase. By showcasing positive customer experiences and encouraging social interactions, eCommerce businesses can instill confidence in potential buyers and overcome trust barriers associated with online shopping.

Social media for retailers also provides opportunities for eCommerce businesses to collaborate with influencers and industry experts on social media marketing strategies. Influencer marketing can be a powerful way to reach a targeted audience and drive brand awareness and sales. By partnering with influencers and leveraging their social media platforms these businesses can tap into their followers’ trust and influence to promote products and generate buzz.

This channel also allows eCommerce businesses to gather valuable data and insights about customer preferences, behaviors, and trends. By analyzing social media metrics and engagement patterns, businesses can make informed decisions about product development, marketing strategies, and customer service improvements. These data-driven insights can help businesses optimize their operations, identify growth opportunities, increase sales, and stay ahead in a competitive market.

Now that we’ve covered that, what are some best practices your business can follow to be successful with your social retail strategy? 

Social Retail: Tips for Success 

In order to succeed with a social shopping or retail strategy, it’s best to be in-the-know about some of the best practices that others businesses like yours may have followed to improve their chances of success. 

These are some of the best of them.

• Embrace a wide range of social platforms. Don’t just stick to one, unless it makes sense for your business. Establish a strong presence on popular social media platforms relevant to your target audience. This can include platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and even LinkedIn (although this one has more limited utility for most businesses. LinkedIn is useful for B2B marketing and operations, though). Some models also do well with TikTok, especially those that sell consumer products and market direct to consumers. Regularly post engaging content, interact with followers, and respond to comments and messages promptly, all of which will improve your social imprint and which will increase your overall visibility. 

• Take advantage of user-generated content. Encourage customers to share their experiences with your products or services through user-generated content (UGC). This can include customer reviews, testimonials, photos, or videos. Showcase UGC on your website, social media channels, or even in-store displays to build trust and engage potential customers. Not only is user-generated content extremely credible and trustworthy from a prospective customer’s point of view, but it’s also extremely cost-effective – accepting and promoting UGC submissions from your customers is like having a PR and marketing team that works for free.

• Create your own branded hashtags. This goes along with taking advantage of user-generated content by soliciting it directly. Create your own branded hashtag and let customers know to use it when they post – that way, you’ll increase brand exposure and won’t be competing (or competing as much) for existing hashtags. 

• Integrate social sharing buttons or features on your eCommerce website. This allows customers to easily share products, promotions, or their purchases with their social media networks. This can lead to increased brand exposure and potential referrals. It also increases the visibility of your social channels and makes it easier for you to capture new followers using your website as a funnel. 

• Collaborate with influencers or brand ambassadors who align with your brand values and target audience. Influencers can help amplify your message and product reach through their established social media presence. Consider offering them exclusive promotions, discounts, or affiliate programs to incentivize their support. Some influencers expect to be given free merch/product in addition to being paid, but depending on their brand reach and credibility in their niche, it might be well worth the cost to you. 

• Monitor social media conversations and mentions related to your brand. Use social listening tools to track customer feedback, identify trends, and promptly address any concerns or complaints. Engaging with customers in real-time shows that you value their opinions and are committed to providing excellent customer service.

• Leverage customer data and insights (or your social listening takeaways) to provide personalized shopping experiences. Tailor product recommendations, special offers, and content based on customer preferences and behaviors. This can enhance the customer experience and increase the likelihood of repeat purchases.

• Organize events, contests, or online communities to foster a sense of belonging among your customers. Encourage them to share their stories, engage in discussions, or participate in user-generated campaigns. This can create a loyal and supportive community around your brand.

• Strive to create a consistent and seamless shopping experience across different channels, including your website, social media platforms, mobile apps, and physical stores (if applicable). Enable customers to easily transition between channels, access product information, and make purchases without friction. This will cultivate a unified brand experience that will help create loyal customers.

• Incorporate gamification elements or interactive experiences into your eCommerce platform. This can include quizzes, challenges, or virtual try-on features, depending on your industry. Gamification can increase engagement, time spent on your website, and overall customer satisfaction.

• Regularly analyze social media metrics, customer engagement patterns, and conversion rates to optimize your social retail strategies. Use the insights gained to refine your marketing campaigns, content strategy, and customer targeting for better results.

Keep in mind that the world of social retail is ever-evolving and this is just a basic framework with some high-level tips to help you get your feet wet. Just because I didn’t feature it doesn’t mean it’s not a good idea. In fact, if you have an idea that hasn’t been tried yet, you might be sitting on the idea that’s going to yield the greatest social retail tactic of all. 

The post What Is Social Retail? (Plus Some Social Retail Tips) appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Writing effective ad copy is an art form, but it’s also something that anyone can learn. In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of good ad copy for your business, the key elements of good ad copy, and how you can use them to create ads that get results.

Why good ad copy matters for your business

Advertising is essential to the success of any company. However, not all advertising is created equal. Good ad copy is critical to the effectiveness of any advertising campaign. Here are a few reasons why it’s so important:

Captures attention

The first and most important function of good ad copy is to capture the attention of your target audience. In a world where people are constantly bombarded with ads, it is crucial to create copy that stands out from the crowd.

Builds trust

In addition to capturing attention, good ad copy can also help build trust with your target audience. Consumers are more likely to do business with a company that they trust and believe in, and your ad copy plays a crucial role in establishing that trust. 

Increases conversions

The ultimate goal of any advertising campaign is to convert potential customers into paying customers. Good ad copy can help increase conversions by providing a clear and compelling call-to-action.

Creates brand awareness

Good ad copy can also help create brand awareness for your business. By creating a consistent message across all of your advertising campaigns, you can establish your brand identity and make it easier for consumers to recognize and remember your business.

Maximizes ROI

Finally, good ad copy is essential for maximizing your return on investment (ROI). By creating copy that is both attention-grabbing and persuasive, you can increase the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns and generate more leads and sales for your business. This can ultimately lead to higher revenues and profits for your business.

Writing good ad copy: getting it right the first time

Start with a strong headline 

The headline is the most critical part of your ad copy. It’s the first thing your audience sees, and it needs to be attention-grabbing, informative, and concise. A good headline should communicate your main message, and it should make people want to keep reading.

Power words that evoke emotion and create excitement, such as “free,” “limited time,” “exclusive,” and “new” can all help to pique people’s interest. You can also use numbers and statistics to create a sense of urgency and importance.

Know your audience 

Before you start writing your ad copy, it’s essential to understand your target audience. You need to know who they are, what they want, and what motivates them. By understanding your audience, you can tailor your message to their needs, and create ads that resonate with them.

Consider conducting market research, or creating buyer personas. This will help you to identify the key characteristics and behaviors of your target audience, and create ads that speak directly to their needs.

Highlight the benefits 

When writing ad copy, it’s crucial to focus on the benefits of your product or service, rather than just the features. Benefits are what your customers will get out of using your product or service, and they’re what will ultimately convince them to take action.

Think about what problem your product or service solves, and how it can make people’s lives better. Try to identify what pain points your product or service solves, and present them directly to the consumer in your ad copy. 

Create a sense of urgency 

One of the most effective ways to persuade people to take action is to create a sense of urgency. By creating a sense of urgency, you can make people feel like they need to act now, rather than later.

You can use words and phrases like “limited time offer,” “act now,” or “don’t miss out” to create a sense of urgency. You can also use time-sensitive promotions, such as discounts that expire at the end of the day, to encourage people to take action quickly.

Use social proof 

Social proof is a powerful tool for persuading people to take action. Social proof refers to the idea that people are more likely to do something if they see others doing it too. For example, if someone sees that their friends are all buying a particular product, they’re more likely to buy it themselves.

To use social proof in your ad copy, you can include customer reviews, testimonials, or endorsements from influencers. You can also use statistics to demonstrate the popularity or effectiveness of your product or service.

Use a strong call-to-action 

A call-to-action (CTA) is the part of your ad copy that tells people what action to take. A strong CTA is essential for driving conversions, as it tells people exactly what they need to do next.

Action-oriented language is key, and should be used clearly and extensively in your ad copy. For example, if you’re selling a product, your CTA might be “Buy now,” or “Sign up today.” Make sure your CTA stands out visually, and that it’s placed in a prominent position in your ad copy.

Test and refine your ad copy 

Even the best ad copy can be improved upon, which is why it’s essential to test and refine your ads over time. By testing different variations of your ad copy, you can identify what works best, and make changes to improve your results.

Consider running A/B tests to test your ad copy, which involves creating two versions of your ad and testing them against each other. You can test different headlines, CTAs, images, and ad copy to see what resonates best with your audience. Use the data you collect to refine your ad copy and create even more effective ads in the future.

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Writing good ad copy is a crucial part of any successful marketing campaign. With the tips above, you, too, can create ads that get results. Remember to test and refine your ad copy over time, to continually improve your results and drive more conversions.

If you’d rather leave this task to the professionals, though, 1Digital®️ Agency is here to help. Get in touch with us today and learn more about our digital marketing services, social media advertising services, and more. 

The post How to Write Good Ad Copy: A Guide to Crafting Effective Advertising appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

“More sales.” 

That is the ultimate bottom line, isn’t it? Yet various marketing channels, such as eCommerce SEO and B2B social media marketing strategies don’t just “deliver” increases in sales. 

They increase authority, credibility, reputability, brand exposure, organic rankings, and follower count, which in turn translate into more sales, in the long term. 

That is, in a perfect world, and assuming targeting and messaging have been properly researched, refined, and delivered. 

This is not the only thing that eCommerce SEO and B2B social media marketing strategies have in common, by the way. 

They also don’t work overnight. 

One of our clients, which serves municipalities, contractors, and forestry, landscaping, and construction businesses with skid steer, excavator, and tractor attachments, learned that lesson firsthand. 

Addressing The Myth of “Virality”

We’ve all heard about how social media marketing is instantaneous. At least, we’ve all heard about how social media has deleterious effects on our attention spans because it delivers instant gratification. 

We’ve also heard that social media marketing can make something explode overnight. 

There’s a glaring flaw here, though. This isn’t about social media marketing; just about social media in general. 

Businesses don’t flourish because of a video of a guy setting his kitchen on fire that accidentally took off. 

Frankly, no successful business strategy is, can be, or even should be predicated on virality. 

Virality is fickle, unpredictable, and most disturbingly, unreplicable. No business can succeed without a long-term vision. And virality is the actual antithetical incarnation of vision. 

This notion that social media makes things explode overnight is a dangerous disease for business owners. It sets false expectations that B2B social media marketing strategies should by right immediately take off. 

This is dangerous, because not only is the expectation unreasonable, but it is also unrealistic, and unattainable, and what’s worse, if a business experiences some degree of virality at the outset of a campaign, the natural conclusion is a terrible recession. 

That is, virality is not sustainable. 

This was a bit of a roadblock for the client mentioned previously, who had big hopes for social media marketing. 

It ended up turning out quite well – but it took a little bit of time and a whole lot of patience.

Challenges Associated with the Campaign; What Our Goals Were 

As stated, this client sells attachments for, and equipment associated with skid steers, excavators, and tractors. This client’s customer base is largely comprised of other business owners, such as landscapers, contractors, agricultural companies, construction and demolition companies, and municipalities. 

Operating in the business-to-business sector is challenging enough in its own right, but our social media marketing audit of this client’s competitors showed that their successes on their social platforms was likely attributable to their large following. 

Therefore, one of the prime goals of our B2B social media marketing campaign for this client, especially in the short term, was to accumulate a larger following among users in their target market. 

Early in the campaign, our social media strategists and content creators focused on improving visibility and authority on this client’s social media platforms, on Pinterest and Instagram, but chiefly through Facebook. 

Consisting posting, focusing on the variety and versatility of the client’s products, as well as on their key selling points – they are made in America with American steel and do not use cheap foreign parts or raw materials – helped to gain followers and improve interactions and brand visibility.

But, as is often the case at the outset of B2B social media marketing campaigns, spend was not being substantiated with conversions, at least not from the client’s perspective. 

Conversion Concerns: How We Turned It Around 

Early in the campaign, between May and July 2022, the several paid and organic campaigns, though they were improving brand awareness, encouraging customer engagement, and gaining followers, were not generating any conversions. 

Our dual approach of paid and organic marketing involved the creation of campaigns for prospecting and retargeting, and further segmented the audiences based on interest and location. We created multiple ad formats and performed A/B testing to continuously refine formats, creatives, and copy. 

Our project managers knew that part of the slow start to the campaign had to do with low spend so we collaborated with the client to triple spend. The client, though hesitant, agreed. 

Fortunately, after a few more months, we began to see consistent results, proving that our project managers’ assumptions – namely, that we needed more time and more spend – were accurate. 

Our average ROAS (return on ad spend) for this client steadily grew to 10x, which you can see in the figure below. 

It would be accurate to say that growth was slow but steady and that B2B social media marketing, like SEO, takes time, but it pays off in the end. In this case, the tale is told in concrete dollar values and ROAS.

We experienced similar gains in our organic strategy for this client, although it also took time. 

Since organic social media marketing works a little differently from paid channels, our primary goals revolved around aligning brand messaging and promoting the company’s core values and unique value propositions to increase visibility among their target audience, so as to increase engagement and followers. 

Our chief tactic in pursuing this strategy was to highlight the benefits of the client’s products; that is, how they can save users time, money, and effort, rather than simply enumerating product specifications. By addressing these potential pain points, we increased the appeal of our client’s products in the eyes of users. 

We also increased exposure by posting positive client reviews, which helped address client hesitation and improved the brand’s reputation. 

Serving this client a B2B social media marketing strategy, we knew that there were many in their target market that might not have a present need but who might also eventually become customers if presented with the proper circumstances.

Therefore, the main goal of the organic portion of the campaign was to favorably brand the company in the eyes of social media users and to amass the widest follower base possible. It continues to be our goal. 

Like the paid portion of the campaign, growth started slow, but as you can see from the data below, growth has been very positive. 

The data speaks for itself. New profile and page visits grew substantially, by more than 300%, from October 2022 to March 2023, and new likes grew well. Both started slow but really started to pick up starting in 2023. 

This is due in part to our consistency of posting, paired with the relevance of the content of our posts to the target audience of this client. The frequency of posting played no small hand here. 

As you can see from the graph above, we posted more frequently for this client than the majority of their competitors. It took time, but the results have responded in kind, and favorably. 

In addition to making follower base growth a goal, we also doubled down on nurturing existing followers. In partnership with the company’s owner, we developed a campaign message, “You can rely on us because we want you to win,” while continuing to focus on the value and quality provided by the company’s products.

Together, these tactics ultimately enabled us to triple their Facebook follower base.  

The Lesson: Patience Pays 

All told, we were able to turn around this client’s paid campaigns and ramp up the initial slow growth in interactions and follower growth that the campaign’s organic channels experienced early on. 

A key takeaway here is that as important as our consistency, target audience profiling, and brand messaging were, one of the most important aspects of success in social media marketing is patience. 

Like most if not all digital marketing strategies, success doesn’t come overnight and only arises from hard work and patience. 

It’s something our SEO and social media strategists know well, and a lesson learned for this client which comes with a desirable result: revenue and follower growth are still on a positive trajectory. 

The post B2B Social Media Marketing Strategy, Like SEO, Takes Time appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

For most eCommerce businesses, there are a few key areas where the budget should be allocated. These include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing. Let’s take a look at each of these areas and how they can help an eCommerce business reach its goals.

Digital Marketing Channels That Have a Big Impact on Businesses: SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO is one of the most important digital marketing strategies for eCommerce businesses. SEO is the process of optimizing your website for higher rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can be done by optimizing content, improving website usability, and building backlinks. Investing in SEO can help an eCommerce business reach its target audience, increase traffic to its website, and boost sales.

How to Break Down a Budget for eCommerce SEO in 2023

When it comes to allocating marketing dollars, eCommerce SEO is an important part of the equation. SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of optimizing your website and content for search engines. By optimizing your website, you can increase your visibility in the search engine results, resulting in more website traffic, leads, and sales.

The key to successful SEO is understanding what aspects are most important for your online business and allocating your marketing dollars accordingly. This means understanding the different types of SEO, such as on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO, and allocating the right amount of resources to each.

On-Page SEO

On-page SEO is the process of optimizing the content and structure of your website to make it easier for search engines to crawl and index your pages. This includes optimizing your titles, meta descriptions, headings, and content for relevant keywords. It also involves creating an internal linking structure that helps search engines understand the hierarchy of your website.

Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO is the process of building links to your website from other websites. Links are important for SEO because they are a signal to search engines that your website is authoritative and trustworthy. As such, it’s important to build links from high-quality, relevant websites. This can be done through link-building campaigns, guest blogging, and other tactics.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO is the process of optimizing the technical aspects of your website to make it easier for search engines to crawl and index your pages. This includes optimizing your page speed, mobile-friendliness, and website security. It also involves creating an XML sitemap and ensuring your website is free of any errors that may hinder its performance in the search engine results.

Allocating Your Digital Marketing Dollars

When it comes to allocating your marketing dollars, it’s important to understand the importance of each aspect of SEO. Each type of SEO has its own set of benefits, and it’s important to allocate the right amount of resources to each.

For example, if you’re looking to increase website traffic, you may want to focus more of your resources on off-page SEO. If you’re looking to improve your website’s visibility in the search engine results, you may want to focus more of your resources on on-page SEO.

It’s also important to understand which aspects of SEO are most important for your online business. For example, if your website is slow, you may want to focus more of your resources on technical SEO. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, you may want to focus more of your resources on optimizing your website for mobile devices.

Ultimately, the key to successful SEO is understanding what aspects are most important for your online business and allocating your marketing dollars accordingly. By understanding the different types of SEO and allocating the right amount of resources to each, you can ensure that your website is optimized for the search engines and that you’re getting the most out of your marketing dollars.

Why eCommerce SEO Matters 

There are actually a few things about SEO that put it in its own echelon. These are some of the reasons that we believe all eCommerce businesses should pursue an eCommerce SEO campaign, regardless of size, location in the country, or industry. 

Almost all digital experiences begin with an organic search. Most digital marketing experts (including us) are in agreement that SEO drives the highest ROI, by far, even when compared to social media and PPC. In fact, search engines drive ten times the traffic of social media platforms. 

Also, since we mentioned PPC, there is another reason that SEO is so important. SEO is uncensored, unfettered. There is a disappointingly large number of industries that Google is basically blacklisting and preventing from advertising. These PPC-restricted businesses cannot pay to advertise. 

But organic traffic is effectively uncensored, and all businesses are welcome to drive organic growth strategies. SEO is, for some businesses, the only avenue for sustainable growth, or any growth, for that matter. 

Other Digital Marketing Channels That Online Businesses Should Pursue 

Pay-per-click (PPC) Advertising: PPC is another powerful digital marketing strategy that can help an eCommerce business reach its target audience and increase sales. With PPC, businesses can create ads that will appear in search engine results and on other websites. These ads can be targeted to specific audiences and can be optimized for conversions. Investing in PPC can help an eCommerce business get more exposure and generate more leads.

Social Media Marketing: Social media is a great platform for eCommerce businesses to reach their target audience. Through social media, businesses can create content, engage with customers, and build relationships. Investing in social media marketing can help an eCommerce business build brand awareness and increase its customer base.

Content Marketing: Content marketing is another important digital marketing strategy for eCommerce businesses. Content marketing involves the creation and promotion of content such as blog posts, videos, and infographics. This content can be used to educate and engage customers, build relationships, and increase brand awareness. Investing in content marketing can help an eCommerce business reach a wider audience and increase sales.

Email Marketing: Email marketing is a great way for eCommerce businesses to reach their target audience and increase sales. Through email marketing, businesses can send targeted messages to customers and potential customers. These messages can be used to promote products, inform customers about sales and discounts, and build relationships. Investing in email marketing can help an eCommerce business reach its target audience and boost sales.

When it comes to allocating a digital marketing budget, it’s important to consider the needs of the business and the goals that need to be achieved. Investing in the right digital marketing strategies can help an eCommerce business reach its target audience, increase its customer base, and boost its sales. An experienced digital marketing agency can help eCommerce businesses create effective strategies and allocate their budgets for maximum impact.

Contact Us to Put Together a Multi-Channel Digital Marketing Strategy for Success in 2023 and Beyond 

At 1Digital^Ⓡ Agency, our team of experienced digital marketing experts can help eCommerce businesses create effective digital marketing strategies and allocate their budgets for maximum impact. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you reach your goals.

The post Allocating a Digital Marketing Budget for 2023 appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

Here we will dive right into some of the best Pinterest growth strategies you can use in order to grow your online store. We will also highlight some of the newest features that Pinterest just rolled out with, including the Watch Tab and “Takes.”

Make Video Content For Pinterest

It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, these days, video content is what gets clicks. 

While Pinterest began as a photo-only platform and was a slow-mover compared to some of the other social media giants in terms of having decent video functionality, that has all changed. You could even say that Pinterest has taken a video first position with the rollout of the Watch Tab.

This should not come as a surprise. TikTok, along with YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels are now the dominant way to serve engaging content online. 

Pinterest has just released a few sweeping updates that have changed the way users scroll their feeds. You can opt for the traditional Pinterest experience by using the Browse Tab (which is now dominated by video content anyway), or switch over to the Watch Tab, which is Pinterest’s take on the TikTok experience. 

Pinterest released “Idea Pins” a while ago, which were essentially a pared down vertical video format that seemed more like a Twitter Fleet than an actual Instagram Reel. They worked for what they were meant for however, and that was mainly for simple calls to action, recipes, and outfit inspiration ideas. 

The Watch Tab is designed to curate only Idea Pins that are based on what the users want to see, so in other words, a TikTok-esque algorithm working in the background. Good news for content creators and merchants that want to get as many eyes as possible on their products organically. 

Idea Pins (on iOS and Android, no desktop support just yet) get a full makeover. Video editing, music tracks, stickers, the works. Video content is the Pinterest growth strategy you should be utilizing, and is one of the key elements of our own Pinterest marketing services here at 1Digital. 

Proper Board Structure

Pinterest has come a long way from being a digital mood board. 

Pinners still use the platform to pin content in random boards according to their own hobbies and interests, but as an eCommerce merchant this isn’t what you should be doing with your account. 

Make sure that you are utilizing Pinterest Boards to their fullest potential, by plotting them out in the same way that you have your category pages structured on your own online store. 

This not only makes relevant content easy to find for users that search your profile, but helps improve your overall Pinterest SEO, which is a key growth strategy for growing your account. 

Everything that applies to traditional eCommerce SEO applies here: you want to make sure each of your boards is labeled clearly, with the right keywords and a description that explains what users will find on that board, with the right keywords as well. 

The pins you put on these optimized boards will have a better shot at ranking in the Pinterest Search engine, as well as in Google if your board gets enough attention. 

This is another key aspect of our Pinterest management services, so take this as your cue to get your Pinterest boards in order, stat!

Take on Community Growth With “Takes”

Another feature that was popularized on TikTok, Pinterest “Takes” allow for a greater depth of user engagement by allowing anyone to “respond” to Idea Pins with their own content. 

Pinterest actually took away the ability to like and comment on pins a few years ago, which turned out to be the wrong move. Even if most people want to use Pinterest as a search engine and not so much a social media platform, that extra level of engagement was part of what hooked users. 

So they brought back these features (along with “react” likes and some other functionality) not that long ago. “Takes” completely changes the way users will interact with content on the platform now, however, as these response videos will act much like TikTok videos in the sense that users can play off of the Idea Pins of other creators and put their own spin on them. This encourages content creators to create Idea Pins that are suitable and engaging enough to be worthy of Takes.

Keep this in mind as you develop your Pinterest growth strategy going forward, the content you generate should allow users to engage with it as best as possible for maximum exposure. 

Pinterest is a Shoppable Platform

If you are trying to boost traffic and sales for your eCommerce store, you’re missing out if you aren’t taking advantage of the fact that Pinterest has features that make it highly shoppable. 

You might be wondering what that means.

Simply that the platform is designed to encourage shopping. Large, high quality product graphics that click through to product pages has always been a staple of Pinterest and why it enjoys the highest eCommerce conversion rates in the entire social media world. 

This trend is likely to continue as Pinterest continues to update its shoppable features. Product tagging, Idea Pin product tagging, shop integration, and of course engaging video content in the popular TikTok style are all ways Pinterest is competing in this arena. 

Certain products even have AR Try On enabled on Pinterest, which allows you to see yourself wearing, for instance, a color of eyeshadow. This augmented reality feature is expected to explode across most major social media and eCommerce platforms in the next few years, and it’s interesting to see Pinterest come out ahead on this one. 

You also can’t forget about Pinterest PPC advertising. While Pinterest is great for generating organic traction, it has always had a seamless and rather effective advertising suite that is only getting better. As you scroll both the Browse Tab and Watch Tab, it’s hard to even spot which posts are ads and which aren’t, which is a testament to the seamless way in which ads are served on the platform. 

While there are less targeting options on Pinterest compared to PPC powerhouses like Facebook and Google, for many eCommerce industries, Pinterest advertising makes a lot of sense. If you are already on the platform and see decent organic engagement, chances are you would see a healthy ROAS with the help of a skilled social media advertising agency at the helm.

Best Pinterest Growth Service For Stores That Want to Scale

If you are ready to start scaling your eCommerce store, Pinterest very well could be a game changer for you. With so many interesting new features that seek to compete head on with the other social media platforms, it makes sense to be present there. 

Let’s review some of the key benefits of Pinterest and new features they have rolled out: 

• Idea Pins (engaging TikTok format video content in a dedicated feed)
• New Idea Pin features (filters, stickers, editing, music tracks, and more)
• Product tagging (any pin can be feature a clickable link to one of your products)
• Pinterest SEO: gain organic exposure by using tried and tested SEO tactics
• Takes enable users to engage with and “respond” to your content in a whole new way, like TikTok but better suited for community growth
• Augmented Reality “try on” functionality for certain products
• Creator Code, a content guideline rule set released to enforce high standards on the platform
• Pinterest Trends has been overhauled to provide marketers and merchants with even more insight into buying trends
• Seamless advertising that doesn’t feel invasive 

Need a Pinterest growth strategy? We got you covered. 

We specialize in meaningful marketing campaigns that improve user engagement and traffic, as well as brand impact and your bottom line. Here at 1Digital, we are eCommerce focused, which means Pinterest is one of our favorite platforms to create strategies on. 

If you have been looking around for a Pinterest growth partner or Pinterest marketing services and want to approach your marketing efforts on Pinterest in a strategic fashion, just get in touch with us. We love to help merchants succeed on Pinterest and we think your shoppers want to see more of you there too! 

The post Best Pinterest Growth Strategies For eCommerce Stores appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

As of January 2022, there were an estimated 450 million or so Pinterest users. Like the other big social media platforms, Pinterest has a truly global reach and monumental marketing potential.

Apparently, some metrics also indicate that despite the slightly lower reach when compared to other platforms, Pinterest is more effective at driving referral traffic and generating customer interest than competing platforms such as Twitter. Evidently, it is also the case that as many as 93% of online shoppers use Pinterest when planning upcoming purchases.

That’s big news no matter how you look at it. Pinterest has great marketing potential for eCommerce and offers both organic and paid strategies to discerning entrepreneurs. Whether you intend to go about it yourself or work with an agency, here are some tips on how to market a Shopify Store on Pinterest.

The Organic Approach: Tips and Tricks

When you’re considering how to market your Shopify store on Pinterest, it’s important to keep in mind that organic strategies are long-term and don’t generate immediate results. However, organic efforts drastically improve brand reach, are highly sustainable, boost credibility, and can even positively impact SEO.

Here are some best practices that you should observe:

Use a Pinterest Business Account

One of the first things you should do is launch a Pinterest Business Account or convert your regular account to a business one.

Pinterest Business Accounts give you access to proprietary analytics and let you use Rich Pins and create special product pins (see below).

Creating a business account is also the first step to launching a paid Pinterest ad campaign if that’s something you determine you want to do.

Create a Content Calendar and Pin Regularly

Once you’re established on Pinterest, you need to start creating social proof, which means you need to Pin.

Not everyone agrees on the frequency with which you should Pin, but one thing is certain. Any Pins are better than no Pins! Start Pinning, create a content calendar and get creative.

Some sources suggest anywhere from 15-30 Pins per day for active business accounts. You don’t need to shoot that high, especially in the beginning, but get your feet wet by Pinning products, blogs, or other content you created.

Change up the Content

Successful Shopify stores are active and engage with their potential customers on social media platforms like Pinterest. One of the keys to engagement is keeping everything fresh.

There’s nothing wrong with creating product Pins with rich, appealing product photography in order to attract customer interest, but it isn’t the only thing you can do. Variety is the spice of life, after all.

If your eCommerce website has blogs, post about them. Drum up creative ways to generate interest in your content or products. “Listicle” style pins tend to do very well – something along the lines of “Top 10 Uses for This Product” will generally perform well.

Of course, promoted Pins can be successful, too, and you can create product-focused pins to drive traffic and sales as well.

Add Follow Buttons to All of your Shopify Store’s Pages

Luckily, Shopify’s relatively open API makes integration with Pinterest easy and straightforward. Add a Pinterest follow button to every page on your Shopify website and put it somewhere prominent. Some businesses put it in the footer, but some customers might not get that far.

Instead, we suggest displaying it in a sticky header or along a sticky sidebar that follows user navigation. That way, your Pinterest account will be noticeably displayed on all of your pages – no matter where the customer journey takes your visitors.

If It’s Applicable to Your Industry, Create “Shop the Look” Pins

This is not applicable to every industry, but Pinterest’s “Shop the Look” Pins feed online shoppers’ cravings for convenience and easy shopping.

“Shop the Look” Pins are a special type of promoted Pin that places three little white dots over each product shown in a Pin’s images.

By hovering over these white dots, online shoppers can see the products that are featured in the Pin and compare them without needing to visit a separate website. This keeps everything in one place and is highly convenient and attractive to online shoppers.

Pinterest also has a tagging tool that will let online shoppers navigate from Pinterest to your Shopify store when they’re ready to purchase – it also helps shoppers keep track of what interests them.

Make Use of Rich Pins and Buyable Pins

A Rich Pin is a special type of Pin that is used to spread brand awareness. These pins are SEO-focused and pull context directly from the parent Shopify website to which they are linked.

There are multiple types of Rich Pins, such as app and recipe Pins, but for most eCommerce entrepreneurs, product Pins will be the most valuable.

Product Rich Pins draw product-related information from your Shopify website and display it in a Pin. They can display information about product price, availability, color and configuration, how and where to buy, and more.

Rich Pins have branding built-in, automatically update themselves, and help give your content and products more visibility online. Be sure to use high-quality product images, send your Pins to product pages that are easy to navigate, and feature customer reviews, and you will reap the rewards.

They help your potential customers find your brand and products but make it easy for them to keep track of your interests and support social selling, too.

Merge Search Engine Optimization and Pinterest Marketing for Your Shopify Store

One of the great things about Pinterest marketing is that you can actually use SEO best practices to boost your pins.

While it’s true that the majority of the interest the Pin generates will be on the basis of its imagery and the substance of its content, you can still enrich Pinterest Pins with SEO-best practices.

For instance, you can create a sense of continuity between your Shopify store and Pinterest Account by following the same keyword strategy and directing your Pins at key target URLs to boost organic visibility and traffic.

Obviously, you wouldn’t forget to write a spiffy title for your Pin in order to catch attention, but don’t skimp on the alt text. Think of your alt text as a rich snippet for your Pin that you get to create yourself.

You can choose what you put in it to catch viewers’ attention, and you can also optimize it according to your keyword strategy. That gives you the ability to boost the visibility of your Shopify store’s brand on Pinterest, bringing in new referral traffic and leads.

Driving Traffic to a Shopify Store with Pinterest Ads Services

Of course, we would be remiss in directing you on how to market a Shopify store on Pinterest if we didn’t mention that there are paid avenues in addition to organic techniques.

Online stores that partner with Pinterest advertising agency partners get to offload some of the heavy lifting. Agencies with specific experience can monitor metrics, perform targeting, and closely follow customer interactions with posts in order to generate the most revenue from each ad campaign.

Pinterest advertising agencies will develop a plan for targeting, content creation and posting, and reporting before posting so much as a Pin. Working with an experienced Pinterest ad agency that has experience serving eCommerce businesses is one of the best ways to generate the greatest return on the investment you allocate for Pinterest marketing for your Shopify store.

Partnering with a provider of Pinterest advertising services that also offers custom website design services can help optimize your website for conversions, helping you create a top Shopify store that is geared towards sales.

Read Enough About How to Market a Shopify Store on Pinterest? Get Started!

Ready to get started using Pinterest as a marketing tool and a cross-selling channel for your Shopify store? Get in touch with our Pinterest advertising services specialists and let us know what your goals are for your eCommerce website.

Our eCommerce experts take a consultative approach. No two projects are the same and we often unite our marketing efforts to create a unified marketing strategy. Let us know what your plans are for growth, and we’ll offer you the most lucrative suggestions for how to market a Shopify store on Pinterest. We are also skilled in Shopify development and design as well, so if your online store needs a facelift for conversions, we can take care of that too!

The post How to Market a Shopify Store on Pinterest: A Helpful eCommerce Guide appeared first on 1Digital® Agency.

But those that do so are overlooking Pinterest and all that Pinterest marketing has to offer. The fact of the matter is that Pinterest offers many of the same advantages as Instagram, with potentially even more room for growth.

But how does an online business get started with Pinterest marketing, and is hiring a Pinterest management agency worth it? Let’s peel back some of the layers.

What Does a Pinterest Management Agency Do: Organic vs. Paid Strategies

In order to describe what a Pinterest agency does, you need to understand there are two ways to utilize Pinterest for eCommerce: there are paid Pinterest strategies, in the form of Pinterest Ads, and organic Pinterest strategies, which are similar to how private Pinterest accounts are run.

A Pinterest management agency can offer either organic or paid Pinterest management services, or a combination of both.

Organic marketing strategies entail content creation, the development of a content schedule, and interaction with the client company’s Pinterest users.

Organic Pinterest campaigns can be a highly effective way to reach new customers and engage current customers because online shoppers are increasingly desirous of more “credible” sources of advertising, as compared to traditional paid strategies.

During an organic Pinterest marketing campaign, the managing Pinterest agency will define the client’s target audience, create Pins to attract and engage that audience, monitor Pin performance, such as saves and clicks, and then refine the organic strategy to attract more attention, spread brand awareness, and attract more users to the client’s main eCommerce website.

A highly involved organic Pinterest management system might go further. For example, an eCommerce consultant might suggest the development of specialized landing pages or even blog posts for which Pins could be created that attract new users and encourage conversions or sales.

There is a lot in common between running an organic campaign and running a paid Pinterest ad campaign, but there are a few discrepancies between the two.

In contrast to organic Pinterest marketing, in which the client’s aim will be to attract and develop a group of loyal Pinterest followers through activity and engagement alone, the purpose of a paid Pinterest ads campaign is to promote Pins in order to attract followers and drive traffic to an online store.

In a paid Pinterest marketing campaign, the Pinterest management agency will:

• Help the client define a budget

Setting a budget is essential to success and will help help the managing agency determine how aggressively or conservatively to pursue the client’s goals for growth. A qualified agency will work with its client consultatively in order to develop a budget that promises to deliver the greatest return on investment for every dollar spent.

• Define a target audience

Pinterest agencies may be able to leverage years of experience in marketing, but no one knows an online business’s target marketing like the business itself.

Pinterest ads manager enables administrators to define target audiences and lookalike audiences and to carefully target based on age, location, demographics, interest, and more. Precise targeting ensures promoted Pins are served to the right consumers.

• Produce content or pins

A Pinterest marketing agency will also create the pins that will be promoted in the form of ads. There are several different types of Pin ads, such as standard Pins, video Pins, and carousel Pins. Some businesses will even benefit from “App Install Pins,” the purpose of which is to encourage downloads.

The agency will be responsible for creating Pins that appeal to the client business’s target market and which will encourage interest and interaction.

• Monitor impressions, clicks and saves

After promoting the actual Pins themselves, the agency will be responsible for monitoring impressions, or the number of people that actually saw the Pin, as well as how many people clicked on it or saved it.

It’s vital to ensure that an ad variant is promoted properly to get enough impressions before its target audience, but it’s equally important that the audience click on it, save it, or click-through it to the eventual landing page with which it is associated. Without metrics indicating strong interaction, the ad strategy will need to be shifted.

• Monitor growth and conversions that result from the campaign

While an organic Pinterest campaign can be set around the objective of growth, reach and sales, if a Pinterest ad campaign does not generate conversions it will not pay for itself and will become financially tenuous.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of the Pinterest management agency to work closely with the client business to ensure that the right Pin ads are being promoted to the proper audience and that they are generating interest, conversions, and ultimately sales (unless the campaign is predicated on another metric as the goal.)

• Make continuous improvements to the current strategy to improve return on investment

Finally, it is also the responsibility of the Pinterest agency to monitor the success of the Pinterest ads campaign on a granular basis. What ads generate interest, clicks-through, and ultimately conversions, and which audiences are the most lucrative to pursue.

Experienced Pinterest agencies have developed thorough processes for monitoring the performance of Pinterest ads campaigns. They will monitor your campaigns on a granular level for the performance of each ad group and campaign, suggesting helpful changes that might better the overall performance of the advertising campaign with respect to your goals.

Pinterest for eCommerce: What Pinterest Offers Online Businesses

Pinterest is a social platform the true potential of which we may not yet have realized, collectively. While Facebook and Instagram are maturing, Pinterest has nearly 500 million active users (it was at 478 million by 2021) up from 160 million in 2016 – that’s rapid growth.

It is a platform that is clearly growing and has started proliferating into paid avenues as well, offering Pinterest ads as well as business accounts for organic growth.

Pinterest also offers an avenue to reach a global market. It is estimated that more than 50% of Pinterest users are based outside of the United States and, even more promisingly, over 90% of Pinterest users make active purchase decisions through the platform.

All the same, whether you decide to embark on an organic or a paid Pinterest marketing plan (or both) there are some distinct advantages that come with using the platform for eCommerce.

• Capitalize on visual interest

One of the great things about Pinterest is that it is inherently visual. Sure, you can enrich Pinterest posts with alternative text and text overlays, but the bulk of the impression you will make is visual.

To put it plainly, the vast majority of online shoppers are visual shoppers. Articles with visuals get almost twice the views of those without them. It’s estimated that social posts with visuals receive five times the engagement of posts without them.

The data paints a compelling picture (pun intended). Products sell themselves better when accompanied by equally compelling imagery or visuals, like pictures. Sometimes a picture sells itself.

Pinterest (like Instagram) is uniquely positioned to let a product “sell” itself through the visual nature of the platform.

• Engage with customers

Just like on other social media platforms, Pinterest allows you to engage with customers by interacting with them through the comments section.

Increasingly, customers want to feel like they are involved with the organizations they patronize and support. The age of non-interactive, broadcast ads is closing in favor of platforms like social media that allow for two-way communication.

• Capture new leads

Not every user that visits your website the first time will become a paying customer – at least not on that first go. However, social media platforms like Pinterest have utterly revolutionized marketing methods simply by how they allow businesses to capture leads.

There are two really effective ways to capture leads using Pinterest as a tool, both organically and through Pinterest ads. One is by amassing a group of loyal followers and delivering them new, engaging content on a consistent basis. The more followers you have, the greater your brand reach and the greater interest in your brand will become.

Pinterest ads also allow you to run retargeting campaigns that show promoted Pins to users that have either previously seen your ads or been on your site since they are more likely to convert due to higher interest in your products or services.

• Spot new trends

Both organic and paid Pinterest efforts will enable you to pick up on changing consumer preferences and trends in your industry that you might not otherwise have noticed. Buzz from customers can also give you an indication of changing tastes, as will changes in impressions in clicks and shares. This data can be used to help your Pinterest management agency refine your targeting and your branding if need be.

• Improve brand consistency and reach

Engaging in a Pinterest marketing strategy can help you improve your brand consistency and voice, giving the grounds to form a framework if your brand is new or solidifying it in its current position if it is well-established.

Pinning actively on Pinterest can also significantly improve your brand reach, getting your Pins and therefore your brand in front of potential new customers every day.

• Add a human element to your brand

This is not entirely unique to Pinterest, as being active on any social media platform can improve your brand positioning and make your company seem more relatable. Nonetheless, being active on Pinterest will give you the ability to reach a portion of the market that you otherwise wouldn’t reach.

Additionally, the more relatable a brand seems, the more credibility most users will assign to it, and brand credibility goes a long way in modern marketing. Credibility is one of the most important assets a brand can possibly own – and it cannot be bought, only earned.

• Promote your content

Pinterest marketing strategies – both paid and organic – can be an excellent way to promote your content, which serves several different benefits. It further spreads brand awareness, can result in additional buzz, and can serve as an engaging link with your customers.

Content is king, and Pinterest can be used as an additional link in your content marketing efforts. You can even enhance lead capturing efforts by building a book of interested readers or viewers. If they enjoy what you have to share, they’ll be back time and time again – and one of those times may result in a conversion.

• Drive traffic to your eCommerce website

Most obviously, Pinterest can be used as a channel to funnel leads to your eCommerce website where you’ll have additional chances to attract and engage users while encouraging conversions.

If your Pins – promoted or organic – are carefully crafted in such a manner that they captivate your viewers, you have a better chance of generating outbound clicks to your eCommerce store – which is a prime opportunity for your business.

• Get Started with Pinterest for eCommerce

Getting started with Pinterest marketing can be daunting, as can be said for diving into any social platform for the same purposes. It doesn’t need to be.

Work with a Pinterest agency that has experience with social media management and can create a custom strategy unique to your industry and the specific needs of your business.

We’ll work by your side to define and determine goals and then develop a strategic framework to use Pinterest to help you achieve them.

To learn more about our process or how we can help you get started, give us a call at 888-982-8269 or get in touch with us at Info@1DigitalAgency.com.

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