Congratulations! You just built your very own Shopify store. You made sure everything was perfect. From your product copy to your checkout page and everything in between.
Now, it's time to show your ecommerce business to the world. Well, to the online world.
But as you research digital marketing, you start to feel how overwhelming promoting can be.
There are so many people out there who need your products or services. But reaching them is tricky since you don't know where to start.
You can always use advertising platforms, but then you consider the cost.
Spoiler alert: It's expensive as heck! In 2021, digital marketing services can cost you from $2500 to $12,000 per month. That's money you could've used to optimize your ecommerce website.
Lucky for you, here's a good spoiler alert... Even if you don't have a lot of money for digital marketing, you can still get amazing results.
Here's what it all comes down to you making the right choices.
In today's blog post, I will give you some low-budget tips to help you start... And make the right choices!
Before we start, we need to clearly define...
What Is Digital Marketing?
This involved any kind of marketing that uses electronic devices. It's to relay promotional messages that can positively affect your customer's buying journey.
Digital marketing also takes on many forms, such as:
- display ads
- video production ads
- search engine marketing
- paid social ads
- social media posts such as images and infographics
You should also know that digital marketing is often compared to traditional marketing. The latter includes newspaper and magazine ads, snail mail, and billboards.
Now that we've cleared that up, let's move on to the main event...
1. Create Your Own Email Newsletter
There's a reason why email marketing is still around. It's one of the best methods you can use to generate exposure without spending a lot of money.
Did you know that global email marketing is forecast to increase to $17.9 billion by 2027?
So, add various forms to your ecommerce website. Encourage people to click on them by offering something in return. More often than not, customers will do just that. And you will get their email address.
Once you get their email, you can send them different things. You can send offers, news, and other important content.
Don't forget to direct them to your online store in each newsletter.
For example, check out Debutify's pop-up.
Doesn't that offer make you want to sign up??
Optimize your marketing efforts by...
2. Establish A Blog Page On Your Ecommerce Website
Yes, your main focus is selling your products online. But blogging can bring in lots of new leads and customers without a problem.
So how does it work?
Every blog piece you write will have its own entry in search engines. Use the right keywords and offer insightful blog posts. That way, you can rank higher on search engine results pages.
The better you rank, the more potential customers will visit your online store!
Doesn't that sound like one of the best benefits ever? This is precisely why it's one of the best and cheapest online marketing strategies out there.
Another low-budget marketing strategy you can do is...
3. Establish A Social Media Presence
If you still don't have social media accounts for your Shopify store, then you're missing out.
Newsflash: Everyone is on social media platforms. Well, 5.07 billion people use social media worldwide, to be exact.
I don't have to tell you that you need to utilize this to the fullest. And the good thing is, it's mostly free!
You don't have to use Facebook ads, Google ads, or any other ad system. Even a simple social media presence is enough. Sharing content often will bring in views and likes organically.
And people share content they like. It's easy for your content to become viral. As long as you make your content unique and eye-catching, of course.
So stay active on social media. Keep your posts timely and relevant.
Here's more: use Facebook Live. Give it a try yourself. Around 20% of Facebook videos are live. That's because live content brings in more value and interaction.
You can also talk with your audience in real-time with live videos. It will be well worth the effort in the end.
You can also stay relevant when you...
4. Always Focus On Link Building
We have established that creating good content is one of the best online marketing strategies. That means your content needs to be pivotal for your chosen industry.
You wanna know what happens when your content is great? Other websites will link to you. And that shows you are building brand authority.
That also means that you are knowledgeable about your niche. The more trustworthy you look, the more customers will be loyal to your brand.
When you're link building, you're also essentially launching a remarketing campaign. That will target your previous customers to come back to your online store.
While you're focusing on link building, you can also...
5. Perform Keyword Search
Another thing you can do to optimize your content is to do a keyword search. It's how you stay on top of search engine optimization.
There are free keyword research tools that come in handy. For example, Google has the Keyword Planner. It shows you suggested keywords you can use in your content marketing.
You might have to adapt and adjust some things here and there. But every keyword you implement to your ecommerce website, the more likely you'll be found by your target audience.
Up next, why not try to...
6. Create Instructional Videos
I am not the only one whose Google searches are mainly composed of how-to questions. Why? Because people are always trying to find helpful content online. Everyone needs a little bit of help sometimes. ?
You want to cater to your target audience. It makes a lot of sense to create and post instructional videos.
You don't have to get expensive cameras and do fancy editing. DIY video marketing is available for you to use. As long as you finish it off with a solid call to action, then you're all good.
And you can post them everywhere! On your ecommerce website, and on social media platforms such as YouTube.
Yes, a YouTube channel is free. And it will help you gain access to an entirely new audience. You can also share your videos on online forums. Reddit is an excellent forum to start. If you have a dropshipping business, here's how you can run your Reddit advertising.
To inspire you further, check out Debutify's YouTube channel. Here's a sample video I'd like you to see.
The possibilities are limitless. You just have to find the right option to suit your needs.
Get more creative with your digital marketing strategy! Go ahead and...
7. Design Your Infographics
Let me share with you a secret I just discovered: Infographics receive a lot of shares regardless of where you post them.
Why? Because they are visually enticing. It is informative and a nice way to convey information. You are also free to choose the style in which you get to do that.
Plus, there are many infographic templates you can find online for free. All you have to do is add in the info and personalize it to your style.
For instance, I personally like to use Canva from time to time.
Make sure to keep your images and texts in balance. Nobody wants a wordy infographic.
Speaking of content, you can...
8. Recycle Content
So, you already have blog posts or content on your ecommerce website that's a little dated. You can repurpose that data and content without a problem.
You can update it to keep your content relevant. Or you can turn your content into a video tutorial. Or you can create a short e-book out of it. You can share it for free or for a small amount of money.
Don't hesitate to mash things up or re-promote your old content. Your new customers may not have seen your old content. That means your old content is 100% fresh for them.
Next, one of the best digital marketing tactics is to...
9. Create A Giveaway
The idea is to establish a giveaway with a great prize. This will entice people to be a part of your email list. You see, you can easily ask for their emails with a giveaway. This will help you build a good email marketing campaign.
What's more? You can also encourage people to visit your website. Or even like your social pages.
This will give you a lot more followers on your social media platforms. It can also more likely increase your sales compared to Facebook ads or Google ads. And those are very expensive.
Tight on budget? Don't worry; you don't have to giveaway super expensive stuff. Even coupon codes or high-end mugs can bring in potential customers.
Speaking of mugs, check out Hydro Flask. They reached a milestone and ran a contest. Their prize? A 32-oz. Hydro Flask.
Utilize social media to the fullest and...
10. Start A Facebook Group (Or Join One)
Facebook groups are underrated. This is why you should take advantage of it immediately.
You can create your own audience. This will be particularly easy as a lot of people join groups that pique their interests.
There are Facebook groups with more than 100,000 users. That can be a massive audience for your ecommerce business. That being said, you shouldn't promote your business that much within the group.
Why?
These Facebook groups usually have moderators. And when you overly promote, they remove your posts, and maybe you are out of the group.
So, your goal here is to educate and help people. You can have a pinned post with your ecommerce website link. Search for relevant groups with Facebook's search bar.
It helps a lot to have a presence within Facebook communities. Similarly, you can also join industry forums. Joining will help you bring in more exposure and value.
Also, don't forget to be more engaging! Go ahead and...
11. Comment On Relevant Content/Websites
Remember how critical generating backlinks is? Well, sharing comprehensive comments on popular websites can help a lot.
Plus, it's also an excellent way of building relationships with your target audience. People scroll through the comments. And when they notice how useful yours is, they'll get curious. They'll go straight to your online store to check you out.
Impressive, huh? When bloggers see your comments, they might even ask you to guest post.
Speaking of guest posts...
12. Guest Posting
Writing guest posts builds your authority around your chosen industry. It also allows you to tap into an audience that's already built.
The idea is to create content that your target audience is interested in. You can promote a sense of value and professionalism from your side.
Plus, guest posting is great because you can use backlinks to your ecommerce website.
Et voilà! You can now start your digital marketing strategy on a low budget... or even for free!
It's time to...
Let The World Know About Your Online Store!
Here's a big idea...
Avoid any rush and clearly focus on things that work for your business. Trying any of the marketing tactics above can make a huge difference. That's why you need to try them out yourself.
It will help more than you can imagine. In the end, it all comes down to avoiding massive expenses while still reaching your audience.
As you just read, there are affordable digital marketing options out there. You just need to create the right content.
And ensure that you constantly connect with your target customers and audience for the best results!
But wait... do you know that there's something that can disconnect your audience from you?
A slow, unattractive Shopify store.
That's right... All your hard work promoting will go down the drain when your website is not up to it.
Enter Debutify Theme!
Debutify is more than a theme for Shopify.
It's also your Profit Optimization Partner. Debutify is armed with over 50+ Add-Ons. It optimizes not just your store's "looks and feels"...
It also improves your conversions, AOV, and profits!
Maximize Your ROI With Debutify — Today!
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