Top Digital Marketing Strategies For Retailers

Digital marketing in retail is an endlessly evolving discipline.

Not only do you need to know how to reach and engage with consumers this time around, you need to know how you can do it better next time. And every time after that.

So, which strategies are you using to engage your customers and prospects in the digital medium?

Read on for a few tips on how to make your digital campaigns the best they can be.

Anything, Anytime, Anywhere

Success in retail has always been about delivering what a customer needs, where and when they need it.

In the past, businesses were constrained by a whole host of limitations; but digital has stripped these away.

Online retailers now have the opportunity to truly serve their customers on a round-the-clock basis.

Make sure that you are able to do the same and give this high prominence in your marketing strategies.

Video Social

We are already aware that video is boosting things in the world of digital marketing, with video content increasing landing page conversions by up to 80%.

But there is still room to maneuver in this department.

Think about video social platforms. YouTube is the obvious contender here. Harnessing the power and popularity of video bloggers – or vloggers – can help to generate serious momentum and authority for your products, content, and brand in general. Host videos by all means, but do not neglect the power of social platforms.

Recent additions to the world of video marketing have also boosted the scope of what businesses can achieve.

Live streaming platforms like Facebook Live and Periscope are helping marketers to create live events that your customers won’t want to miss out on.

Online buzz is the new word-of-mouth ‘water cooler moment.’ Tap into this by deploying and publicizing live broadcasts.

Urgency Is Key

This leads us very neatly on to another strategy which retailers should be utilizing within their marketing arsenal.

Basic consumer psychology informs us that customers are more likely to act when a metaphorical fire is lit beneath them. Providing motivation is everything in retail.

When publicizing offers and promotions via social media channels or within your content, put a time limit on them. This not only motivates customers on an individual level, but also increases the likelihood of the promotion going viral.

Positive Emotions

Virality can also be encouraged in other ways. A recent article published by Jim Dougherty for Cision outlined how successful content elicits “high arousal” in users.

Dougherty drew upon research from the Harvard Business Review, which showed that the positive emotions evoked by Purina Puppy Chow’s video marketing campaign allowed the campaign to gain momentum.

The study contrasted this to scaremongering or negative campaigns, which attempt to pull at the heartstrings of consumers in the hope of motivating them to make a purchase.

This, according to the research, simply does not work, and marketers should instead focus on positivity when crafting their campaigns.

Know Who You Are Speaking To

Knowledge, as ever, is power, and understanding your consumer is more important than ever before.

Invest in research in your client base and in the demographics you want to target:

• What do they need?
• How can you fulfil that need?
• Which methods can you use to better connect with them?

Never underestimate the power of the feedback loop. And aim to build and develop these whenever possible.

No one knows your consumer better than the consumers themselves, so seek their insight at every available opportunity, and grow your marketing strategies accordingly.

This post originally appeared on THINK Marketing.