Profit from the Power of E-Commerce: User-Friendly E-Commerce Sites and Social Media Advertising Drive Business Success

The world of business is undergoing a significant transformation in recent years, with the proliferation of e-commerce going mainstream and the increasing importance of an online presence for businesses of all sizes. Today, having a user-friendly website and a strong social media presence is no longer optional, but essential for entrepreneurs looking to succeed in a competitive marketplace. In this article, we will draw insights from Harvard Business Review and Neil Patel to examine the advantages of user-friendly websites, and social media advertising, and provide real-world actionable insights you can do today to boost your sales! Let’s dive in…

User-Friendly Websites:

A user-friendly website is critical to succeed in today’s digital age. Customers expect a landing page that is easy to navigate, loads quickly, and provides relevant information in a clear and concise manner with calls to action to conclude their transaction swiftly. According to a study published by Adobe, 38% of users will stop engaging with a website if the layout is unattractive, and 39% of users will stop engaging if the content is too long or uninteresting.

One example of a user-friendly website is Amazon. With over 200 million monthly visitors, Amazon is one of the most popular e-commerce websites in the world. The website’s design captivates customers, it’s intuitive, with clear navigation and personalized recommendations based on the user’s search history and browsing behavior. The overall user experience has contributed to Amazon’s success and customer retention.

Another example of a user-friendly website is Airbnb. The website has a two-tone color scheme, (white and red) with a highlighted third color to be pleasant on the eyes, with clear and concise information about listings and pricing. The website design and user experience have helped to establish trust between hosts and guests, leading to increased bookings and revenue. A study published in the Harvard Business Review found that Airbnb’s website design and user experience contributed to the company’s success in building a loyal customer base.

In contrast, a poorly designed website can have a significant negative impact on a business. Customers may become frustrated and disengaged, leading to lost sales and a damaged brand. Therefore, investing in a user-friendly website, like creating one on MyDev.com is essential for entrepreneurs looking to succeed in today’s digital landscape.

The Benefits of Social Media Advertising:

In addition to a user-friendly website, social media advertising is an effective way for businesses to reach new audiences and build brand awareness. According to a study published by HubSpot, 80% of marketers have reported an increase in website traffic from social media.

One example of successful social media advertising is Taco Bell. In a case study published by the Harvard Business Review, Taco Bell’s social media marketing efforts were credited with helping to increase sales by 6% in one year. The fast-food chain used social media to advertise new products and promotions, as well as to engage with customers through channels such as Twitter and Instagram.

Another example is Airbnb’s #OneLessStranger campaign. The social media campaign encouraged users to perform small acts of kindness and share them on social media. The campaign generated over 15 million impressions on social media and helped to increase brand awareness for Airbnb.

Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign is another classic example of social media marketing. The humorous videos featuring a shirtless man promoting Old Spice products were shared widely on social media and helped to increase sales by 107%.

The effectiveness of social media advertising is due to its ability to reach a wide audience, engage with customers in real time, and provide personalized recommendations based on user’s browsing behavior. By leveraging social media, businesses can build a strong brand presence, establish trust with customers, and drive sales.

Zappos, the online shoe retailer, used social media analytics to gain a better understanding of their customers which improved their marketing efforts. According to the Zappos website, “By analyzing social media data, we were able to identify trends and preferences among our customers, which allowed us to create more targeted marketing campaigns.” By leveraging social media data, Zappos was able to improve its marketing strategies and build a stronger brand.

How The Game Is Changing With Social Media Marketing

Grabbing someone’s attention is getting incredibly difficult. We have already passed the time of writing daily important blogs. Google favors long-form content in both vlogs and blogs (the algorithm prefers 3,000 words), but the fact is, the consumer has a very short attention span. How short? An unspecified study conducted by Microsoft in 2015 found that humans had an attention span of 12 seconds in the year 2000, that number got reduced to just 8 seconds in 2015 vs a goldfish at 9 seconds… Years have passed since the study was conducted, and TikTok has come onto the scene, certainly, consumer attention spans are even lower than 8 seconds now…

In 2021, Microsoft followed up on its 2015 study by re-stating “You have eight seconds. Differentiate your business through the art of storytelling.”

Neil Patel, a digital marketing enthusiast couldn’t agree more with a recent 2023 short clip of himself saying “I look at personal branding and SEO, SEO is great, but if you really want to build a personal brand it’s social media 1st, and it’s video content specifically. You need video content on Linkedin, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, just take the same video content and publish it everywhere, even on Snap, you could be like, barely any of my audience is on Snapchat, someone may see it’s better than nothing, you’ve already created the content it doesn’t cost you much more to publish it again on another social channel” Neil continues with “and it doesn’t have to be high-quality production, just bust out your phone, hit the record button, put it up.”

Speaking of short-form videos, even Google themselves are going to begin adding short clips in page 1 search results of customer queries. Your product or service should be among them!

Beneficial Actions:

Create Engaging Content: Social media is all about engagement, and the key to captivating your audience is creating high-quality, visually appealing content. Whether it’s photos, videos, or written content, make sure it’s engaging, informative, and relevant to your target audience.

Consistency is Key: One of the most important things you can do to build a strong social media presence is to be consistent. Consistency not only helps you build a loyal following, but it also helps establish your brand as a reliable source of information in your industry.

Use Social Media Analytics: As we discussed earlier, social media analytics can provide valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences. By regularly analyzing your social media data, you can identify trends, adjust your marketing strategies, and improve your overall social media presence.

Engage with Your Followers: Social media is a two-way conversation, and it’s important to engage with your followers on a regular basis. Respond to comments, answer questions, and thank your followers for their support. By engaging with your followers, you can build a stronger connection and establish yourself as a trusted authority in your industry.

Collaborate with Influencers: Influencer marketing has become an increasingly popular way for businesses to reach a wider audience and build their brand on social media. By collaborating with influencers in your industry, you can tap into their audience and gain exposure to new potential customers.

Leverage Paid Advertising: While organic social media can be a powerful tool, paid advertising can help take your social media presence to the next level. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer a range of advertising options, including sponsored posts and targeted ads, that can help you reach a wider audience and drive more sales.

Mistake to avoid

Confusing landing page

Even if you have the best short clip content, attracting loads of potential customers to your website, if you’re landing page isn’t user-friendly, you’re not going to get the conversions. Make sure your website loads fast and has a left-side bias (people read left to right), with calls to action to prompt the prospective buyer to complete their purchase in under a minute.

Using the same keywords

Use popular keywords in your content, remove keywords that aren’t producing any results, and use tools like Zuitte to figure out which keywords are trending, it’s important to stay up-to-date so your content is populating in consumer searches. Be sure to use #hashtags in addition to keywords.

Marketing at the wrong time

Pay attention to the time in which your customers are buying. If your customer is mostly female and mostly makes purchases on Saturdays or Sundays, why are you paying to show ads on weekdays? You’re just wasting good content and funds at the wrong time which will produce no results.

Failing to Inform Google of your target audience

If your existing customers are female, and you know their age thanks to tracking their landing page activity with Urless and cookies on your website. You need to know what your customer’s needs, interests, and pain points. Then you can better inform Google who your prime customers are. Once you have a clear understanding of your target audience, you can create content that speaks directly to them and build a stronger connection with your followers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a well-designed website with a strong social media presence can help businesses differentiate themselves from competitors, reach a wider audience, and build a loyal customer base. Entrepreneurs looking to take their sales to the next level need a strong social media presence. Just make sure you have an easy and engaging website (engage with live chat via Convosio) and start short clip vlogging today.