ecommerce has gotten incredibly competitive in the past decade. Brands need to be forward-thinking, adopt the latest software, and ensure that their digital strategy is rock-solid to succeed. From implementing artificial intelligence-based martech tools to embracing voice search as part of your digital strategy, it’s crucial to think about building long-term customers and increasing brand loyalty to drive the return on your advertising and marketing investment.
As you plan your digital strategy for 2022, consider incorporating some of the latest advertising trends for greater business growth and increased ROI.
Implement subscription models for greater long-term value
Subscriptions are no longer just for magazines or software! Every type of company —from meal-delivery services to wine clubs, cupcakes to cat food — can benefit from introducing subscriptions for incremental sales and long-term value to customers.
Your ecommerce software should make it easy for customers to convert their one-time purchase into a recurring monthly order — and save money in the process. Discounts for subscribers are an industry standard; think of Amazon’s “Subscribe & Save” model, where the more you buy, the greater your discount.
But subscriber perks don’t have to be limited to discounts. One beverage brand built loyalty by offering a free gift to subscribers instead. Giving away exclusive merchandise — such as T-shirts or tote bags — helps create a deeper connection with your customers and helps them promote your brand.
Use chatbots and other advertising trends to engage your audience
Forty percent of internet users say they actually prefer engaging with chatbots rather than live agents. But it takes sophisticated software to create a seamless experience for web visitors. Don’t just look at your chatbots as a way to provide reactive customer service. To drive revenue, consider implementing AI martech and conversational marketing to allow chatbots to recommend products, provide smart upsells and even give customers the chance to purchase directly from the bot.
Insider Intelligence predicts that chatbot marketing could become a $142 billion industry by 2024. That would be a tremendous 4,971% increase from 2019, so this is definitely one of the advertising trends you’ll want to stay on top of.
Optimize for voice search
Although many people would rather chat with a bot than with a live agent, consumers are still gravitating toward voice search when it comes to finding specific items or services online, creating shopping lists and searching for answers to questions.
Make sure your website is optimized for voice search and your content integrates with your shopping platform to make it easy for consumers to make a purchase through their smart speaker or virtual home assistant, like Alexa or Google Home, when they find what they want.
Experiment with SMS
ecommerce in 2022 will continue to shift away from web browsers to SMS and shopping apps. According to the Business Insider Trends for ’21 and Beyond report, mobile commerce, or m-commerce, accounted for 65% of global eCommerce sales in 2020. As people browse on their smartphones or use apps for shopping, brands can take the opportunity to reach out via SMS.
Text messages hold an immediacy and urgency that can capture a customer’s attention immediately. SMS conversions increased by 102% in 2020, according to one study. Conversational messages can help reduce cart abandonment, build brand loyalty and increase your ROI when you have limited-time offers and special deals.
Find alternatives to third party cookies
Apple’s iOS 14 update created headaches for advertisers, who can no longer use third-party cookies to track iPhone and iPad users across the web and apps without explicit permission. Experts expect a significant number of users to opt out of monitoring, which means advertisers must find new ways to predict what consumers want, where they’re shopping and how best to reach them.
A headless ecommerce solution can help you stay on the cutting edge of technology to keep user data anonymous while tracking look-alike audiences. A cookie-tracking alternative can also aid in retargeting by seeking users based on identifiers such as email address or phone number. Also, there’s something to be said for getting consumer opt-in, by offering rewards for customers who create a login so you can track their actions and conversions on your site.
Use AI martech tools for targeted growth
Artificial intelligence is helping brands deliver customized, personalized recommendations to shoppers. In fact, AI tools play a role in each of the technologies already described, and can help set your ecommerce site apart from your competitors.
From creating more accurate look-alike audiences to delivering more relevant product recommendations, AI can help give shoppers a frictionless experience, from product selection to checkout, and it will continue to be one of the top advertising trends shaping digital strategies in the foreseeable future.
Ready to future-proof your marketing efforts? Reach out to Hawke Media today for a free consultation. You can also create, configure, and scale any subscription offering with Bold’s powerful APIs.
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