One of the best things about e-commerce is the fact that you can make alterations as you go with as little as several clicks. In theory, this would mean that you can make a mistake, however, there’s one massive flaw in this equation. Time is a finite resource, a scarce one in the case of startups and young enterprises, which is why having a great start might make a difference between a success and a failure. With that in mind, here are several tips for starting an e-commerce business in 2018, that should provide you with a solid head start.
1. Content marketing strategy comes first
One of the things you need to understand is the fact that your SEO strategy might just play a pivotal role in your success. This is why it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a worked-out content marketing strategy even before the launch. For instance, you should figure out the frequency of the content and the creative process, as well as all people involved in it. This will help you out immensely once the logistics of your e-commerce platform become a major worry.
2. Focus on user-generated content (UGC)
The next thing you need to understand is the immense power of the UGC. You see, the truth is that it isn’t that hard to start an e-commerce business, which automatically makes it a breeding ground for all sorts of scams, tricks and hoaxes. This means that you’ll have to work twice as hard in order to establish your business as legitimate. One of the easiest ways to get there is to rely on the user-generated content. Testimonials, comments, screenshots of tweets with positive brand mentions are just some of the methods you can try out.
3. Professionally-made platform
Just think about all the money you can save on your business by sticking to the digital environment. First, you won’t need a retail place. Second, you won’t need a staff of skilled salespeople. Finally, you can stick to the drop shipping, which means that you won’t even have to have a steady supply, to begin with. For these three reasons alone, you have no right to be mad about the fact that your audience expects your e-store to be absolutely flawless in its execution. This alone justifies the thought of hiring a professional Shopify developer instead of tackling this issue on your own.
4. Testing your checkout process
Your checkout process is perhaps the most important aspect of your entire business. This is why you need to ensure that it’s in a proper working order. By A/B testing it, you’ll be able to see how each of the features is affecting it. This is not only feedback but effective feedback, one that informs you of the immediate action that leads to the resolution of the problem. Either way, A/B testing is inexpensive and, seeing as how it’s more than worth your time, there isn’t a single reason for you not to follow through with it.
5. Mobile advertising
Not only is the majority of your audience on their phones most of the time but their phones are also connected to your e-store. This means that they can access it with a single click and make a purchase within several seconds. Needless to say, this helps you exploit the phenomenon of impulse buying to your full benefit.
Conclusion
By sticking to these five simple techniques from the beginning, you’ll get bigger traffic, more revenue and even an accelerated growth in a scenario in which you need it the most. This will help you get to the break-even point a lot sooner, thus making your business self-sustainable earlier than it would otherwise be.
