eCommerce Marketing Trends 2021 every brand should know

eCommerce marketing has got more important than ever due to the surge in digital buying. It’s time to take a look at the eCommerce marketing trends that dictate what marketers should do to get their brand’s story heard in the competitive eCommerce space in the year 2021.

Here’s a gist of the 2021 eCommerce marketing trends we are about to discuss

• Social platforms are a lot more than just discovery engines
• Mobile UX is ‘the’ priority now
• Make the long story short – Short-form videos
• Virtual events – The new necessity now becomes a priority
• The rising importance of user-generated content (UGC) in brand messaging

Social platforms are a lot more than just discovery engines

Social media is no more just a discovery engine for users. People perform various actions like seeking inspiration for the latest trends, interacting with friends for recommendations, etc. Also, social commerce is already enjoying the benefit of the rise in online buying influenced by the pandemic. So it makes perfect sense to provide the checkout experience within a social platform. With more people getting used to buying online, brands can test their social commerce initiatives across multiple platforms and find out which provides the best returns.

Apart from social media marketing efforts in which users are redirected to online stores, more brands will start providing the ability to checkout, making the most out of buying intent. However, creating a frictionless checkout experience determines the success rate. Offering one-click purchase options and digital wallet payment options can enable users to buy with ease.

Though people have started buying on social channels, they are more likely to keep away from making big purchases. So, to begin with, brands should focus on popular and low-cost products.

Mobile UX is ‘the’ priority now

Nearly 73% of internet users will access the internet solely via mobile devices by 2025 – CNBC. Since 2019 when Google rolled out mobile-first indexing, the mobile experience has gained prominence. Google will start ignoring your desktop website. So, emphasis on how your website performs on mobile should continue in the year 2021.

Go for Google’s mobile-friendly test and check out the mobile usability report in Google Search Console. Make sure you don’t have the disallow directive to ensure that Google can crawl your URLs. Don’t miss out on directing Google to see contents that require UI actions like clicking and swiping. Use the same meta contents used for the desktop versions of your store.

Keep your design simple and focus on personalizing content, keeping in mind your users’ intent. Ensure your mobile website is easy to navigate, intuitive to use, and valuable content and images are not hidden from users. As Google will no longer rank desktop and mobile experiences differently, it is high time to consider having a mobile-responsive website.

Make the long story short – Short-form videos

54% of consumers want to see more video content from a brand or business they support – HubSpot. And 61% of marketers plan to increase their video spending in 2021 – Postclick. There are enough statistics to back the fact that videos are one of the most powerful content forms to win consumers’ attention online.

However, as most of the brands have started creating video content over the last couple of years, it has become a necessity for brands to come up with a differentiating factor. Here’s where short-form content chips in.

Short-form videos on social platforms like Instagram and Snapchat have conditioned users to get informed and entertained in a very short span of time. Brands and marketers who can get the point across in 15-20 second short videos can win social platforms.

Focussing on adding value, educating, and entertaining users over trying to sell can help brands create short-form video content that connects. Platforms like Instagram that have rolled out new features like Reels are likely to favor brands that adopt the new algorithms early.

Virtual events – The new necessity now becomes a priority

Virtual events became a necessity during the pandemic as lockdowns due to the pandemic stopped people from attending events and socializing. This effect resulted in a quick increase in participation in live events, conferences, and workshops.

Facebook witnessed a 50% spike in live viewings during the lockdown, while Instagram registered a 70% increase. Though lockdown measures are more relaxed now, live events are likely to continue the successful run mainly because of the benefits brands have witnessed.

Brands have found that virtual events have showcased them to thousands of new audiences by eliminating dependencies like travel and visa approvals. The convenience, ease of access through multiple devices, and increased participation have made virtual events a low-cost option for brands to improve ROI.

However, the key is to be creative, rope in great speakers and industry leaders who your target audiences love listening to. Influencers can play a crucial role in showcasing your brand to more potential customers. Adding shoppable moments to live streams can enable consumers to interact and purchase within the platform. Amazon Live became a massive success as influencers promoted their favorite products through shoppable live streams.

Though there are technical challenges involved in live events, brands will continue to take the route in 2021 as they have already witnessed the benefits of virtual events.

The rising importance of User-generated content (UGC) in brand messaging

Customers trust consumer reviews the most. According to a study by HubSpot, 63% of social media users feel consumer ratings are priority and 70% of consumers believe customer opinions are their second priority.

Establishing trust with users will be an uphill task for eCommerce brands in 2021 as concerns in data privacy and fake news are on the rise. User-generated content like ratings, reviews, and testimonials can help you overcome the challenges.

63% of social media users consider consumer ratings their primary information source – Smart Insights. No matter how hard you try, prospective customers are more intended towards listening to existing customers who answer questions like how they are using your products and how they have benefited. Such reviews convince prospects more quickly than a brand’s creative ad.

Create hashtags under which customers can post their content. Such UGC can be re-shared on your business profile pages to create a hyper-focused buzz over your products. By focusing on relationships with loyal customers, influencers, and employees, brands can bundle their messages with authentic voices that potential customers value the most.

Final words

The eCommerce marketing space is getting all the more competitive. The 2021 eCommerce marketing trends discussed above are a clear indication of it. As consumer expectations are changing faster, embracing new trends is critical for brands to stay on top of the game. If you feel adding some external marketing expertise can help you prepare your marketing roadmap, write to us. We’ll get the right experts to put things together.