5 ways to drive traffic to your ecommerce store
Driving traffic to your ecommerce site is a key factor in its success - having a beautiful website won’t matter if potential customers can’t find it in the first place! In this blog we will dive into 5 methods you can use to increase traffic to your ecommerce store.
Before we get started, let’s get familiar with the different types of traffic - we can divide them into:
Organic (search) traffic - when a site pops up in search engine results such as on Google or Bing.
Paid traffic - when traffic is generated from paid digital ads, for example Facebook, Instagram, or Google ads.
Direct traffic - when a URL is directly entered.
Referral traffic - when traffic comes from a 3rd party website, such as from a blog that references the site.
Social traffic - traffic directed from organic social media.
While there are many effective ways to generate traffic to your ecommerce site, here are some of our recommendations, tried and tested by our customers:
1. Keyword research
Start by making your web content understandable and easily accessible. Include in-depth, rich product descriptions and include keywords relevant to your industry to improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization). This includes how you name the images featured on your site! Without text, Google has no way to rank you and drive organic search traffic. In Google Analytics you’re able to view what terms website visitors have used to find your site in the past, so you can utilize those keywords to help you optimize your content. It can also be instructive to take a look at the terms your competition uses on their websites, in social media, or in emails. One tip - keep it human! Be sure that your language feels natural when you incorporate keywords.
2. Cross-selling on Etsy
Etsy is an online marketplace for ecommerce sellers, where individuals buy and sell unique items. As a marketplace, Etsy generates its own traffic - because of this, many ecommerce stores sell on Etsy in addition to Shopify or other storefronts. Listing products on Etsy is a great way to increase your exposure to potential buyers looking for products within your niche, as they will be able to browse using key search words. Once they are familiar with your brand, potential customers will be more likely to visit your ecommerce site directly. Check out Etsy’s Seller Handbook for inspiration and advice on how to successfully run an Etsy shop.
3. Organic social media
Social media is a huge driver of website traffic today and is a free way to easily connect with current and future customers. Typical accounts for new businesses include Facebook and Instagram, but do some research to find what competitors in your industry are using. Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube are all great tools to spread the word about your business and generate awareness. To increase the likelihood of generating traffic through social media make sure to post consistently, follow trends, and keep on-brand!
4. Newsletters
It’s easier to sell to your existing customers than new ones. Remember to send newsletters or promotional content to remind customers that you provide beautiful gifts at key times of the year such as the winter holidays and Mother’s Day. Also consider how your product connects to their lives. For example, if you sell products typically sold for a wedding, think about what happens on and after the wedding - you may want to cross-sell photo books with their wedding images, or to follow up a year later with an idea for an anniversary gift. For gifts associated with babies, such as birth posters, think about cross-selling mugs (for tired new parents), baby clothes, first birthday memories, and more. It’s all about how your brand can help your customer in as many moments of their life as possible. For your customer, finding a brand they love that can provide more than just one item helps save them time and gives a trusted experience.
5. Digital marketing
Digital ads are an effective way to market your brand to a specific audience, and a great way to drive traffic to your website, whether it is to a specific product or a landing page optimized for the ad content. The great thing about running ads on sites such as Facebook and Instagram is that you can target specific audiences based on demographics or interests, which can help connect your product with someone who is looking for it. As the messaging you want to include in ads will depend on your products and the audience you are targeting, we recommend doing some research into what works best for your industry and intended audience. There are plenty of free resources available online which can help, from walking you through setting up your first ad campaign to optimizing your messaging if you’re an ads expert. Some of our recommendations include Hubspot Academy, Udemy, and Hootsuite Academy.
Driving traffic to your store is key in driving your business's growth and success - we hope you can utilize these tips to help improve traffic. Explore our blog for more tips and guidance on your ecommerce growth journey.