Running an eCommerce business calls for a diverse set of skills to make it successful. It is important that eCommerce business owners either develop these skills or hire the right talent with the required expertise.

1. Content Marketing

The content you put out serves as your face to prospective customers. It is critical because your prospects don’t know you, and unlike with a brick and mortar store, they don’t have an opportunity to interact with you face to face. Useful content is what draws traffic and in turn enables lead generation. Content is not limited to just blogs, it includes your product descriptions, website nomenclature, ‘About us’ page, video scripts, newsletters, and any other communication related to your business. Client testimonials also fall under content and sharing this will form the basis on which potential customer will make buying decisions.

Always ensure that your content is clear and delivers valuable information.

Also read: Power of content: How to generate traffic to your eStore using content

2. Design

Customers stay on and continue to browse websites depending on the design and user experience. If you want to lead customers to a desired action, like making a purchase, you need to optimise and simplify your user experience. If visitors get confused, they will leave. Site navigation should therefore always be easy and intuitive.

Good design enhances user experience on an eCommerce site. For instance, if a customer is viewing your product on mobile and your website is not mobile responsive, it can cause your customer to switch to a competitors’ site.

According to statistics, 59% of digital consumers globally would rather engage with content that’s beautifully designed as opposed to simply designed, even when short on time (Source: Adobe). 38% of visitors will stop engaging if the website content and layout is unattractive. (Source: Go Globe).

Also read: Design and market your way through customers' minds with these resources

3. Data analytics

There is a wealth of user data available to eCommerce retailers like you today. Data analysis is the ability to use large sets of data to extract relevant insights and forecast trends. You need to use data to better understand your customers and the most effective ways to capture their attention in an increasingly crowded and competitive digital marketplace. Data analytics helps to optimise supply chains and improve operations. It is also useful in ensuring successful marketing campaigns. You must use data and examine the facts closely before making any judgments and taking any business decisions.

Also read: How to enable Google Analytics for your eCommerce store

4. SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving your site to increase its visibility for relevant searches on search engines such as Google. Getting the most eyeballs on search engine results is the goal of all eCommerce players and is tough to achieve.

Websites that focus on SEO rank higher in search results. To conduct effective SEO, skills in copywriting, data analytics, and A/B testing come into play. It is also important to have an in-depth understanding of keywords and content marketing.

SEO takes time, effort and consistency. It has to be planned for the long-term and executed in a timely manner.

5. E-mail marketing

One of the most effective eCommerce marketing channels is e-mail. With e-mail marketing, you can directly reach your target audience and induce buying.

It is highly recommended to send your customers regular e-mail updates regarding new products, latest discount offers, and sales.

To ensure that your e-mails are opened, read and interacted with, it is essential to have relevant and catchy subject lines, interesting content, and call to action buttons to prompt prospective buyers to make purchases or browse your website.

6. Advertising

eCommerce advertising material must be carefully planned, created, executed, and measured.  Advertising should be done on various platforms such as Social Media, Google Ads, e-mail and can be done through different channels such as video marketing, e-mail marketing, content marketing, Pay Per Click (PPC), social media marketing etc. Being savvy with social media is a huge plus when it comes to boosting sales. Several eCommerce retailers have found a lot of success with social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, to advertise their products.

Understanding how to manage eCommerce advertising is definitely worth the effort because online advertising drives sales and profits.

Also read: 8 tips to promote your e-Commerce site that are easy and proven to be effective

7. Networking

A supremely important skill for you as an eCommerce entrepreneur is to actively network with people. Regularly touching base and building relationships with clients, prospects, partners, suppliers, marketers, and well-wishers is invaluable in growing your business. It helps build a network around your business to not only prompt purchases, but also build a larger customer base through word-of-mouth. Aside from that, interacting with peers in your sector or with other eCommerce vendors helps you learn about new technologies, develop new skills, meet new suppliers and forge meaningful partnerships.

The digital space is constantly evolving. New practices and technologies make it essential for eCommerce businesses to stay updated and ahead of the curve. You need to be constantly learning new things to adapt to new environments. Continued education is strongly linked to business success, which is why to sustain a successful eCommerce business, you should look to ongoing learning and development.

Share with us the skills that you believe eCommerce retailers need to survive and stay ahead.

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