Ecommerce: The Competitive Landscape & How Performance Marketing Can Help
As we all know, ecommerce has been on the rise in recent years, with more and more consumers turning to online shopping for their everyday needs.
This trend has only accelerated since the outbreak of Covid-19, with millions of people around the world shifting to online channels for their shopping. As a result, the ecommerce landscape has become incredibly competitive, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) finding it increasingly difficult to stand out in crowded & high budget markets.
To succeed in this environment, ecommerce SMEs need to be laser-focused on performance marketing. This approach is all about using data-driven strategies to improve conversion rates and drive revenue growth, ultimately leading to better ROI for their advertising spend. In this blog, we’ll explore how performance marketing is changing the ecommerce landscape and what SMEs can do to stay ahead of the competition.
Drive Results
Performance marketing is all about results. Instead of focusing on branding or awareness, this approach is focused on driving measurable actions, such as clicks, leads, and sales. To achieve these results, ecommerce SMEs need to work with an agency that understands their business goals and has the expertise to deliver results. This requires a deep understanding of your target audience, your industry, and your competitors, as well as a commitment to ongoing optimisation and testing.
Rising CPCs & CPAs
One of the key metrics in performance marketing is cost per click (CPC) and cost per acquisition (CPA). These metrics have increased dramatically since the outbreak of Covid-19, as more businesses have shifted their advertising spend to online channels. With more competition for ad space, the cost of clicks and conversions has gone up, making it more important than ever to optimise your campaigns for maximum ROI.
To achieve this, ecommerce SMEs need to work with a performance marketing agency that is focused on real, tangible improvements – not just vanity metrics. This means choosing a partner that has a proven track record of driving results for similar businesses, and that has the experience to optimise your campaigns across a range of channels. Whether you’re running paid search campaigns, social media ads, or display advertising, your agency should be focused on delivering the best possible ROI for your advertising spend.
Increased Search Demand for Agency Solutions
Another trend in the ecommerce landscape is the increased search demand for general services like SEO agencies and PPC agencies. For example, the search volume behind the term “seo agency” has almost doubled since 2019, and “ppc agency” has nearly tripled! As more businesses look to improve their online presence and drive more traffic to their websites, the demand for these services has increased. This is especially true for SMEs, who may not have the resources or expertise to manage their own digital marketing campaigns.
“SEO Agency” Search Interest Over Time
“PPC Agency” Search Interest Over Time
By working with a specialised agency, ecommerce SMEs can tap into this growing demand and drive more traffic and sales for their businesses. This can be achieved through a combination of search engine optimisation (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, both of which can be incredibly effective when used in tandem.
SEO
SEO is all about optimising your website and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This requires a deep understanding of how search engines work, as well as a commitment to ongoing optimisation and testing. By working with an SEO agency, ecommerce SMEs can improve their search rankings, drive more organic traffic to their websites, and ultimately generate more sales.
PPC
PPC advertising, on the other hand, is all about paying for clicks and conversions on your ads. This requires careful targeting and optimisation, as well as a deep understanding of your audience and your industry. By working with a PPC agency, ecommerce SMEs can tap into the power of paid advertising, driving more targeted traffic to their websites and ultimately generating more sales.
The Bottom Line
Performance marketing is a key driver of growth for ecommerce SMEs. By working with an agency that has the experience and expertise to deliver results, they can drive more traffic and revenue, ultimately leading to better ROI on their advertising spend. However, as CPCs and CPAs continue to rise due to increased competition, it’s essential that SMEs work with an agency that understands their business goals and is focused on driving results.
By tapping into the increasing search demand for general services like SEO agencies and PPC agencies, SMEs can leverage the power of digital marketing to reach new customers and generate more sales. In short, performance marketing offers unparalleled opportunities for ecommerce SMEs – the challenge lies in finding the right agency to help them make the most of it.
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Ecommerce: The Competitive Landscape & How Performance Marketing Can Help