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E-commerce: adding bytes to bricks

Fay Roe

Everyone is affected by the COVID pain on some level, but it could be said it is the small business owners and independent retailers who are feeling it the most. For many people it is not business as normal and it is not likely to be for a good while yet. The solution? Taking your business online and setting up an e-commerce store.

Should I start selling online?

Yes! Becoming an e-commerce store, either exclusively or alongside your physical bricks and mortar shop, is natural evolution for any sized business – and this was true before the pandemic.

More than half of Kiwis research features, prices and compare products online before making a purchase. When your website lacks e-commerce capabilities you are missing valuable opportunities to sell products.

It’s time to take the bull by the horns and exploit the web to build a more resilient business; to make money from new consumers and service pre-existing customers (and all while social distancing).

If you have previously resisted the pressure to take your business online or currently have a limited website giving only basic information, you need to kick-start your digital presence.

How can I move my business online?

The first step you need to take is to either update your current site or create a new one that is fit for purpose.

Website design for e-commerce

Website design for online stores is more complex than choosing a website host and a theme. There needs to be a continuation of the brand’s recognisable features – the logo, brand colours – and be intuitive for consumers to navigate around to browse and buy. Consumers value convenience – they want to find out about products and buy them using the least number of clicks.

Create quality website content

Invest time in writing quality detailed and informative product descriptions, ‘how to’ guides and blog posts to compel consumers to buy from you and as part of your organic e-commerce SEO strategy. The content you publish online is key to encourage the search engines to refer your website to the people actively looking for your products.

TIP : give clear details about delivery costs, return and exchange policy, and any other information you are repeatedly asked so customers don’t need to contact you directly.

Push, push, push

Quality content and onsite SEO is a long term in-bound marketing strategy, but time is of the essence – the sooner you get your business online, the quicker you will be able to make money.

If you are selling products that can be picked up rather than delivered, local SEO puts your business in front of customers within a specific and targeted geographical location. It’s immensely powerful and is only going to get more relevant to searchers post-lockdown. Remember, consumers value convenience!

Google Ads are the best way to achieve high impact sales quickly – they push targeted quality leads and enquiries to your website. These are uncertain times, but a Google Ads campaign is monitored 24/7 so the campaign is reactive, efficient and effective.

The good news is you don’t need to be the best web developer in Christchurch, you don’t need to be a web designer at all; in fact, you don’t need any technical knowledge to get up and running online. We do it all for you.

At Digital Presence, our mission is to help businesses achieve their full potential through web design, SEO services, Google Ads and digital marketing. Our priority is to help your business weather the storm and thrive. We’re a jargon-free web design Christchurch based company who specialises in Google Ads and SEO NZ wide. Call us today for a free no-obligation chat on 0274 278 047 .