How to Remain Relevant in the E-Commerce Landscape in 2019

So what’s new in 2019?

Apart from a few technological novelties, the main prediction for this year is that there will be no big surprises in the industry. The journey will be smooth for both retailers and their customers, and we’ll finally get to reap the results we’ve started predicting a couple of years ago. In other words, this is your last chance to jump in on the trends established in 2018. Wait for the new ones to emerge, and you’ll be missing a huge opportunity.

Here’s what to invest in ASAP.

Social Media Conversion

87% of customers say that social media help them decide what to buy. Though other social commerce statistics are just as staggering, you don’t really need them to confirm what you already know. You are a customer yourself, the same as you are a social media user. 2.77 billion of us are. But just in case you are a rare social media ghost (SMG), here’s another crucial fact: 90% of followers try to reach out to brands via social media. And why wouldn’t we? Social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram are already such an important part of our everyday lives. We use them as communication channels, news sources, collaboration tools, and entertainment platforms, all at the same time.

Why wouldn’t we use them for shopping too?

Convenience, real-time accessibility, and 24/7 availability are the three fundamental pillars of social commerce. They allow us, as customers, to browse products and services without tab-switching. To e-commerce brands, they offer a clean, split-second, on-the-spot conversion. It’s a no-brainer, really. If you’re not selling on social media, you’re not doing e-commerce right.

Here’s how to leverage social commerce in 2019:

Add a Shop Now Button to Your Facebook Page

The most popular social network now allows you to list products directly on your Facebook page, along with a convenient Shop Now button for instant conversion. You’ll need to connect your PayPal account as well, but all this takes minutes to complete.

Post Shoppable Content and Stories on Instagram

Because Instagram has been acquired by Facebook back in 2012, the on-site conversion options are pretty much the same on both networks. You can add a Shop Now button to the images and videos you post, as well as on your carousel ads and stories.

Use Buyable Pins to Boost Pinterest Conversions

A Shop the Look Pin on Pinterest doesn’t differ much from Facebook’s button. Only instead of Shop Now, it says Buy It. The CTA is very effective in both cases, but the payment system is not the same. On Pinterest, customers can use Apply Pay and credit cards.

Immersive Experiences

The power of social commerce lies in engaging visual content and CTAs. When taken together, these two elements offer unmatched convenience. But one thing social media cannot provide is a lifelike experience that enables you to try products and services. You know, like in brick-and-mortar stores. In fact, the inability to see, touch, smell, test, and try out products pre-purchase has long been the only disadvantage of e-commerce. Until now. With the advent and commercialization of VR and AR technology, online shopping has taken a huge leap forward. Take IKEA, for instance. The company’s Place app relies on AR technology to provide customers with a sneak peek of how IKEA products would look in like in their own homes. This fully immersive customer experience is pretty revolutionary stuff that you’ll need to compete with in 2019.

Amazon Advertising

The third e-commerce trend for this year indicates that you’ll need to include an Amazon Advertising course to your corporate training software and that you’ll need to that soon. For 68% of customers, surveys say, Amazon is the only online shopping site that matters.

Not enough to convince you? Then consider this:

80% of online shoppers scroll through Amazon reviews before they make a purchase. You can hardly succeed on Amazon if you don’t get serious about advertising on this platform first, which is why we’ve compiled a short list of three tips for implementing this marketing strategy into your overall e-commerce goals. Pay close attention:

Follow Amazon’s Best Practices

Make sure to meet Amazon’s guidelines when creating content for your brand’s product detail pages. Avoid heavy blocks of text and use attention-grabbing imagery to boost your conversion rates. Also, conduct a competitive analysis and borrow the most effective practices.

Use Multiple Amazon Ad Types

There’s AMG, AMS, AAP/DSP, and ACoS. Other Amazon ad types include sponsored ads, display ads, and video ads. Use as many of them as you can to increase your daily Amazon sales, as this will get your products ranked higher on Amazon’s product listings.

Master Amazon Search Terms

Forget everything you know about keywords and Google-based SEO because these rules don’t apply on Amazon. The platform has its own searchability system based on so-called search terms. Learning how to use them is crucial for effective advertising on Amazon.

Wrap Up