We are witnessing the massive popularity of e-commerce as a way to do business in this internet-oriented world where looking up products online has become the usual process of buying something. Modern buyers are researchers first. They want to know more, they want to watch and read the reviews, and they want to find the best value for the money. If you are starting an e-commerce business, these are all the aspects to have in mind. The course opens with this analysis of the digital buyers and continues with an explanation of what e-commerce is.
Before it is time to make your products officially available, you will need to focus on a series of tasks to ensure you really manage to reach and convert the online visitors. Creating a business plan and choosing an e-commerce platform are the first steps. You will also need to understand what having an e-commerce website really means and everything you need to make this website operational. Furthermore, you need to understand the legal aspects of having an e-commerce website. This requires creating several documents which will help you regulate the relationship between you as a business and your customers.
Once your business is live, management is the primary task you will handle. However, your job must not end there. Instead, you need to look beyond and explore options for promoting your business to the online audience. This section shows you how to leverage the power of social networks, video as a content format, how to get on Google, how to use and build your mailing list, etc. Paid advertising options are also mentioned as ways to promote your business. All of these strategies help you build your influence, increase the reach and eventually increase sales.
Besides using different online marketing strategies, the analysis of abandoned cart is also a recommended practice for defining new ideas on how to increase sales. Then, you need to focus on SEO. Search engine optimization is going to help you get organic reach, and this is very important in the process of acquiring new customers and spreading the news about your brand. Three main sections you will learn about in this course include e-commerce SEO with recommended SEO practices, common issues with tips on how to deal with them, and mobile SEO with crucial aspects that affect mobile-friendliness.
The next section includes details about online marketplaces and how this strategy could be used to accompany your e-commerce website. Both advantages and disadvantages of using online marketplaces are covered in this chapter. The final focus of the course will be understanding the customers and the buying process.
Advantages and disadvantages of having an e-commerce website are the topic of the conclusion, as well as how consistency and dedication are required for a successful online business. Ultimately, understanding that e-commerce is a part of the unified system together with other segments of online marketing will help you go further with your study of this topic and find new ways to optimize and improve your e-commerce website.