According to Google’s[1] own statistics, almost half (49%) of consumers in surveyed countries agree that they have done more shopping online in the past year.

It’s honestly not hard to believe. Our shopping habits have changed dramatically since COVID-19.

Today’s customers are living and shopping in an online world. But this means that there is more than one channel for research, brand awareness and purchasing. An omnichannel strategy is more important than ever.

Customers expect to be able to shop when they feel like it. Whether that’s on your site, through your app, or physically in your store. By making your products available in as many places as possible, you’re providing your customers with more convenient ways of making a purchase.

If your business is not already online, invested in a website, social media and competitive digital marketing strategy, you’re clearly not paying attention.

If you have already invested in your business’s digital capabilities, but you’re not seeing the results you wished for, it could be because you’re doing it incorrectly.

If you only focus on one or two channels, your business might be losing out on a lot of sales. In this article, we will go through some of Google’s own tips on how to increase your online sales[2].

Table of Contents

Create A Frictionless Online Shopping Experience

You need to consider your website and mobile app as the digital equivalent of your storefront. It’s important to present yourself as professional and reliable. If you were walking down the street and saw a shop that looked run-down and shabby, and you were not familiar with the owners or quality of products, would you run in eagerly?

It’s important to consider your online presence in a similar way. Customers, regardless of whether they are shopping online or in-person, want a fast, seamless and positive experience. In fact, more people than ever are turning towards mobile to fulfil their needs.

If you’re not generating the sales you would like, you need to consider multiple factors. Consider starting with your customer experience. Is it seamless? Or is it a hassle.

Finally, are you providing enough channels such as websites, mobile apps, social media etc to provide your customers with enough ways to interact and purchase from you?

How are these channels designed? Is your website professional and up-to-date? Did you consult with a User Experience expert before spending thousands on your low-quality site? You need to make sure your channels are working for your customers.

Learn more about Professional Web Development at VIMAR[3].

Each solution will be different depending on the business. You will need to conduct market research and discover how your customers are choosing to interact with your business. Using data analytic tools such as Google Analytics[4] will help you discover how the public is interacting with your business online.

Showcase Your Business Across Multiple Channels

We touched on this briefly in the previous section. The internet has multiple channels with large amounts of traffic such as search engines, social media etc.

We recommend all our clients invest in a website. Your website is your physical home on the web. You can use all channels to funnel traffic towards your website. With the current trends of mobile use, investing in an app is also a great decision. However, modern and professional websites can be optimised for mobile for much cheaper than developing an app. Most SMEs can use a website.

Google My Business (GMB)

You should use all other channels to encourage traffic to your website. Set up a Google My Business profile[5] for your business. This will help list your business on Google’s directory and will help your SEO performance.

Social Media

There are many social media platforms. The most popular being Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Twitter etc.

Your business does not need to be present on all these platforms, but it should definitely be on more than just one platform. You need to consider what type of products you’re selling, then choose the most appropriate social media platforms.

For example, if you’re selling vintage clothes, you should absolutely be using Instagram and TikTok.

If you’re selling professional services, perhaps Facebook and LinkedIn would be more appropriate.

The point is, you need to be present on more than one channel. This will increase your odds of receiving traffic and being discovered. You will need to use a different strategy, depending on the platform.

You can use multiple channels to direct traffic to your website. The more channels you create to funnel traffic to your website, the better. This is why having a professional website that is seamless and professional is important. Generating the traffic through one of your channels and moving it to your website is the first challenge. Turning this traffic into customers through conversions is the next challenge.

Build A Community/Audience

92% of marketing professionals believe that their online communities are positively impacting their businesses.

Building a community, or loyal tribe is a great investment. Not only can you increase customer retention and brand loyalty, you can cultivate brand advocates and referrals.

A common quote in marketing is “The best advertising is done by satisfied customers.”

By creating and nurturing your community, you can increase your chances of customers returning and new customers finding out about your business through referrals.

Building a community online is hard. It will take hard work, time and energy. The best way to build a community online is by providing value.

Learn more about building a community here[6].

VIMAR Digital Marketing

We are a creative digital marketing agency with true passion and experience. Our goal is to help you grow your business and brand through the power of digital marketing.

All our efforts are focused on increasing our customers’ sales and promoting their brand. We do this by improving website design and search engine visibility, generating interest on social media and implementing cutting edge marketing strategies.

VIMAR is a digital marketing agency based in Portlaoise, Co. Laois. We are a team of experienced and professional marketers.

If you would like to learn more about digital marketing and how it could help transform your business, you can book a free consultation[7] call with our team today.