Marketing funnel and the awareness stage
I will assume that since you found this article you already know what a digital marketing funnel is and that most commonly it’s first stage is Awareness.
In this four-part series of posts, I will focus on actionable strategies you can implement on your e-commerce website, to increase the success rate of each stage of the funnel.
In the Awareness stage, the focus is on making a wide audience familiar and, well, aware of your brand. First impression is most important in everything we do, and so is the case with marketing your brand.
SEO Optimization for e-commerce
First order of business when setting up your e-commerce website for awareness success is mastering the SEO.
Regardless if you are competing with a lot of other brands or not, SEO is going to be crucial for users to discover your website. It is the most likely way people will get their first interaction with your brand.
From meticulously researching keywords that resonate with your target audience, to crafting product descriptions that both entice and inform, SEO is a game-changer. You can either do all the work yourself as an e-commerce professional or hire an SEO agency or expert, but it’s a must part of this stage of the funnel.
Content Marketing for Awareness
To start this with a cliche “Content is King”, but I want to jump to what I think is more important, consistency.
Once you have setup your standard set of landing pages, the good ole About Us, Services, Products, etc… you will need to focus on regularly updating content such as news, blog, product description, user generated content, etc.
Consistency in e-commerce and presentational websites is what will keep you fresh in search results. It is a must if you want the search engine crawlers to keep coming back to your website as often as possible and include you in correct search results.
Brand Storytelling
Humans love stories. They are what inspire, educate and excite us. Having a brand voice that reflects with your target audience is the best way to keep the awareness at a high level.
If your brand represents values that your potential customers agree with, your chances of successfully moving audience through the rest of the funnel multiply.
It becomes more than just selling a product; it’s about sharing the journey, values, and what makes your brand unique. By weaving your story into every aspect of our website, you’ve created an emotional connection with your visitors.
Read my post on Brand Story telling: Rare Words, Rich Stories: E-Commerce’s Untapped Vein
User Experience and Interface
The user interface is the medium between your brand message and potential customers.
Once you successfully get visitors to your website using the above techniques, and other off-site strategies, user interface will either succeed in relaying your brand message or fail miserably.
Professional design and carefully crafted user experience will leave a long lasting image in your audience mind.
I’ve always prioritized a website that’s not just aesthetically pleasing but also intuitively navigable. Fast loading times, responsive designs, and clear, easy-to-follow navigation structures are non-negotiables.
It’s about creating an online environment where visitors feel comfortable and engaged, ready to explore what you offer.
Data Analytics and Customer Insights – the bridge to the next funnel stage
Everything worked as expected, audience has learned about your brand and had a great impression of your website, but how do you move them to the next stage of the funnel. Well, collect and analyze the date collected.
You should always collect data, don’t spare your storage space. Analyze the data to learn about audience demographics, interests and pain point. You will use this data to define on-site strategies for the consideration stage and improving the awareness stage. You are practicing agile with your website management, right?
It’s about turning data into actionable intelligence, ensuring that every decision you make is informed and impactful.
