Google offers many tips on how to optimize a successful retail business online. At a recent webinar hosted by Google and some marketing partners from the home furnishings industry, they stressed the importance of a digital first philosophy for retailers. Using targeted ads, following the consumer on their journey, optimizing conversion rates, being ready for the holidays, and getting customers to come back are just a few actions Google recommends for online retail businesses stay competitive.
Using AI to Target
Google’s AI software analyze tens of millions of consumers and serve up ads that are hyper targeted to their desired audience. Using video on YouTube and running in some of their billions of hours of content per week is becoming more affordable and is important in creating good content that is valuable to their audiences.
What Happens After Clickthrough?
Once a consumer clicks on your ad, make sure that your landing page is available to them for information that they need to find. Having a live chat or chat bot is important in satisfying the user’s needs, and what they expect after clicking on an ad.
Measure Conversion Rates
After directing ad traffic to the areas of the site that users take action, it’s important for retailers to measure which ads lead to the most conversions. Kristen Fox, Google Customer Solutions Strategic Partner and Manager says online shopping is up 188% since the start of the [COVID] pandemic and conversion rates for Memorial Day weekend had a year-over-year increase of 47%. Tracking and measuring conversion rates allow the retailer to optimize their ads and improve the customer journey.
Be A Holiday Heavyweight
With a majority of consumers doing all of their holiday shopping online, retailers must find a way to be flexible and ready. The holiday shopping season is no longer just Black Friday, it now begins November 1st and runs through the end of the year. Google’s Fox suggests retailers run heavy digital promotions through shopping and search ads as well as their video content.
Keep Them Coming Back for More
With current customers the quest for user information has already been fought. Google makes it easy to upload the customer information lists and retarget them or find a similar audience with help from Google. Using the free Google My Business service makes sure these lists are accurate and up to date. The Google My business app also allows retailers to txt message interested customers. This helps maintain the connection with current customers and creates two way communication. Consumers can ask questions in real time and get and instant answer.
This webinar revealed important information for online retailers. By taking advantage of Google’s services you can target the right customer, follow them on their buyers journey through conversion, then optimize those conversion rates. Being ready for the holiday season and getting current customers to come back are also winning strategies. These tips given directly from Google can help an online retail business stay successful in this digital marketplace.
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