Most projects that Promodo company work on are somehow related to ecommerce. We have a deep expertise in the field and know what helps businesses grow online. Often, we discuss whether it is possible to advertise without using Google and/or Facebook, particularly their paid options. So, here are my thoughts on this matter.
Mission: Impossible (1996)
If Your Niche Is Highly Competitive, This May Not Be Even an Option
Before going for Google AdWords and paid Facebook advertising options, answer the following questions:
- • How much your website costs per month;
- • What price your competitors offer;
- • Whether your reputation on the market is strong.
In case your website maintenance is expensive and your competitors have lower price tags, sometimes it doesn’t make much sense to advertise on Google and Facebook. This is because you will hardly be able to compete with other advertisers for the user’s’ attention.
If your brand is strong, you have a good chance to engage your audience in different activities for free. Thus, it makes sense to come up with promotion ideas. For example, you can prepare a special offer and share information about it on social media (just write a post) and via email. Instagram may be the right channel for you to share a message as well.
Knowing Your Opportunities Opens Many Doors
Generally speaking, Facebook helps you get the highest exposure and good engagement. However, Twitter and LinkedIn can also help you find potentials and communicate with your current clients. The thing is that LinkedIn may be quite expensive in case you decide to opt for paid advertising. Besides, you should keep in mind where your target audience spends time.
Also, check out whether Bing, email marketing, Instagram, and Snapchat are promising channels for you. In particular, Snapchat is great if your target audience is teens. In some CIS countries, people often use Yandex search engine; thus, trying Yandex Advertising Network may be a good idea.
Facebook Still Offers Free Instruments for Companies
Yes, Facebook encourages companies to use paid advertising. But you can perform a number of actions to increase the reach of your posts and therefore, benefit from the number two, after Google, advertising platform.
For example, why not to create a well-done company page? Select the high-quality profile and cover pictures, add general information about your business, and share your story. It is also worthy to ask your customers to write reviews and post photos with your products.
All the actions I’ve mentioned above are quite easy to implement if you have a content manager and some free working hours.
Your Partners May Become Your Best Helpers in Terms of Searching for Clients
Building a network of partners and loyal customers is worth your time and dedication. In private, many business owners agree that partners often help them find the best clients. Those who generate more revenue and fall under the portrait of an ideal client.
So, take your time to come up with an interesting partnership proposal, create a separate landing page, and design a contact form to address the questions of your potential partners. Make sure to clearly describe the benefits you offer and any limitations that may apply.
Search Engine Optimization Works Well for Ecommerce Websites
SEO includes practices that aim to improve your site’s visibility in organic search results. This digital marketing instrument works for Google, as well as for Bing and Yandex. The trick part is that you should take into account the special requirements of the search engines. You will be able to
- • Drive relevant visitors to your site;
- • Improve online sales;
- • Ensure long-term growth.
Personally, for many projects, I would prefer SEO over other digital marketing instruments because of its benefits. The problem is that you can’t obtain the meaningful results fast.
Either way, this year has been quite promising in terms of SEO effectiveness:
- 1. You can identify the backlinks your competitors have and gain similar ones (but sometimes cheaper).
- 2. Well-crafted featured snippets allow you to successfully compete with other ecommerce projects.
- 3. Valuable content related to your brand attracts people’s attention and increases loyalty to your company.
- 4. Guest blogging remains effective tactics to build quality links and speak directly to your target audience.
Well…
Your ecommerce website can be promoted online without using Google and Facebook paid tools. However, these may not work out for your particular situation. To analyze what the right option for you, drop me a line anytime. Meanwhile, the fall 2017 business season is about to start, so get ready and let digital marketing instruments be with you for good!
About the Authors
Sergiy Korgut
Digital Marketer at Promodo
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