Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to set up an online business, thanks to advancements in the eCommerce industry. In addition, as customer buying habits change, more people look to online shopping to find everything they want or need. As such, companies need to consider their online marketing as well as their brick-and-mortar store.
Luckily, the eCommerce industry has allowed smaller companies to thrive in the marketplace. However, that also means there is more competition for the customer’s attention. Marketing automation is one-way companies are reaching customers and let people know about their latest products and deals.
Marketing Automation Trends in eCommerce For 2022
- Chatbots
- personalized ads
- Multi-channel marketing
- Visual Automation Workflow Builders
- Reconnect with Customers
- Consider an Alternative to Forms
Today, we’ll be looking at some of the top automation trends that are shaping the eCommerce marketing landscape in substantial ways. Read on for more information.
1- Chatbots
Chatbots are a computer program that mimics real-life conversations, usually through online messages. This form of artificial intelligence assists customers with queries, placing orders, and learning more about your eCommerce business.
Many companies are already using chatbots to provide instant gratification for customers. If site visitors have an issue, they want it sorted promptly. Chatbots mean you do not have to rely on human customer service representatives to solve issues, making your customer service process much more efficient.
There are numerous chatbots available that can be integrated into your eCommerce store and social media pages. For example, MobileMonkey is a free option that operates via Facebook Messenger, while Zendesk is entirely customizable and perfect for any eCommerce business.
2- Personalized Ads
As marketing automation improves, more companies use software and integrations to personalize their eCommerce services to the customer. There are very few generic advertising campaigns nowadays. Think about Amazon; when you buy something, you start to see similar products whenever you visit the website or in advertisements on other sites.
eCommerce stores use your search or purchase history data to make intuitive recommendations and garner repeat customs. This may also extend to messaging, such as sending messages or emails if you abandon your cart. This level of personalization builds trust with users who want positive interactions with businesses, even if they do not make a purchase straight away.
If you want to leverage customer data in an actionable way, consider Convertedin. This AI-powered customer ad platform is designed for eCommerce sites of all sizes, helping you organize customer insights and create personalized ads that boost sales across all channels. Covertedin unifies customer data, so you can analyze customer interactions properly and segment your client base.
Discover: How automated ads can increase sales and revenue for your eCommerce store
3- Multi-Channel Marketing
As technology improves, content marketing changes too. Marketers now use multi-channel marketing to maximize conversions and retain customers. As well as traditional mailing lists, companies now deploy push notifications, in-app messages, and text messages to spread the word about their products and deals.
Automated messaging campaigns make the marketer’s job less time-consuming; they no longer need to create new campaigns. Instead, they can develop introductory campaigns (which can run for days or weeks) for new mailing list members to build trust in the company. The likes of Smooch and Parserr leverage customer data to ensure high open rates across multiple channels.
4- Visual Automation Workflow Builders
Visualized workflow builders are becoming popular in eCommerce in a noticeable way.
Automated builders move beyond sending emails; they also optimize reminders when eCommerce companies need to follow up with clients, make phone calls, or create new events to drive sales.
Thanks to automated workflow builders, companies are less likely to forget leads and can optimize A/B testing, ensuring marketing campaigns are more effective and less time-consuming.
5- Reconnect with Customers
Customers may opt against making a purchase for numerous reasons. For example, they may be put off by the price or are simply distracted before completing the order. However, automated reconnection campaigns can help get those customers back.
These campaigns will remind customers if they have an abandoned cart and offer special discounts to increase the sale’s likelihood. These campaigns are often used when customers don’t complete a purchase but come close to adding their payment information or if a customer hasn’t engaged with your store for a while. The likes of Rejoiner are helping companies and businesses of various sizes reclaim revenue via well-timed emails and customer interactions.
6- Interactive Emails
Unfortunately, increased screen time is shortening our attention spans. How often do you read an email from top to bottom? Not often, probably.
Luckily, eCommerce stores can use interactive emails as part of their marketing strategy. This can include videos, quizzes, add-to-cart buttons, or even games to capture the customer’s attention. It could also include gifs or animated banners. According to research, 347 billion emails are expected to be sent every day in 2023; companies need to make their marketing efforts stand out from the crowd. Interactive content is an excellent option to grab attention and put eyes on your product.
7- Consider an Alternative to Forms
Email opt-in forms are traditional ways to get people to sign up for your mailing list, but they are becoming less effective as technology changes. When people access your site via mobile devices, they are less likely to fill in forms as the interface is more difficult to navigate. The aforementioned chatbots are a good way to connect with customers and get them to sign-up for memberships and mailing lists, as the interaction goes through familiar apps like Facebook Messenger.
eCommerce sites can also integrate with social media to reach customers organically. Social media profiles already have up-to-date customer information. So if a person can sign up for your service with their Facebook or Google account, you save them the hassle of navigating forms and can still reach them with your marketing campaigns.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are numerous ways you can utilize marketing automation to improve your customer base, reach new clients, and grow your eCommerce store to greater heights. If you are looking to convert views into sales and retain customers, these trends are an excellent place to start.
