3 easy ways to promote your eCommerce store

Promoting your online store to bring in new customers

Are you about to open a new online store? Got some fabulous products to sell? Once you’ve done the groundwork to start selling products online, it’s time to take your eCommerce store to the world.

Yet, when things are virtual, how do you go about bringing in new customers? If you were opening a physical store, there’d be a big opening night to create a buzz around your new store. This isn’t exactly possible online – but there are still plenty of things you can do to make some noise about your new business. 

If you’ve got an existing eCommerce business that could do with a boost, all the marketing tips below still apply. The world of online retail is competitive, so it doesn’t pay to ‘set and forget’. You’ll enjoy more success if you keep on top of the latest trends in marketing, influencers, website optimisation and more.

1. Build buzz before you launch

In the weeks and months leading up to your main launch, take the time to establish your social media presence. Think of this stage as your ‘soft launch’, which is like a preview or teaser about your products or services before you’re ready to start selling. Your goal here is to build buzz and excitement about your brand, and (ideally) start collecting customer details so you can hit the ground running with newsletters and promos once you’re live.

Here are some ideas to trial on social media, which could help generate buzz as the big launch approaches:

• Product teasers, with beautiful photography and descriptions
• Stories about the people behind the products
• Competitions and giveaways
• Influencer posts and reviews (more on influencers below)

Remember, the more active and engaging you are on social media, the better. Your goal at this stage is to build a solid following, and to do this you need to get social on the socials, and get people interested in learning more about you.

2. Get the right influencers involved

Depending on your product and your budget, you could use influencers to spread the word far and wide about your new online store. Or, at least, some of the featured products within it. Influencer marketing is highly effective, with 86% of marketers planning to invest the same or more money into this channel in 2022, according to HubSpot Blog Research.

These days, it’s easy to research and find influencers who could help spread the word about your business. There are loads of influencer marketplaces out there – it just takes a bit of googling and time spent scrolling the platforms you want to target, and you should be able to find people who are the right fit for your brand in no time.

3. Make marketing a priority

In the early days of your new business, you’ll need to invest in some marketing and advertising. Engaging professionals to help here is a good idea – not only will the professionals ensure your brand is shown to the world in the best possible light, but they lessen the burden on you, so you can focus on customer service and growth.

Some marketing strategies are simpler (and cheaper) than others. Here are common ways to get your brand out there:

• Make sure your site is optimised for search. We touched on search engine optimisation (SEO) when you’re selling online in a recent blog.
• Explore sponsored posts on Facebook and Instagram. Paid marketing can take some time (and money) to have an effect, but it can certainly be an effective way to get your products in front of more eyeballs.
• Try Google Ads, or paid results on Google search. With this marketing strategy, you basically pay for your ad, or web listing, to appear at the top of Google search. Super simple to set up, and if there’s not too much competition for your search keywords, it can be quite cost effective.
• Consider online marketplaces. Read our article on the pros and cons of different online marketplaces, and why you’d use them to sell your products online.
• Create an email newsletter. For this, you’ll need to start collecting email addresses. Running a competition on social media can be good for this.
• Form partnerships with like-minded brands. Look for products that complement your own offering, but don't compete with it, and leverage their audience by running a co-branded competition or teaming up on a social media content shoot.
• Talk a little more about yourself. Share the story behind your brand using a blog or social media posts. How did It come about? What’s unique about it? Are you passionate about sustainability or does your brand donate to a local charity or important cause? Your customers may be keen to hear about information like this.