What Do Top eCommerce Agencies Do Differently?

For brands to get any real traction with audiences today, it’s time to shift away from a solely traditional-media-focused marketing campaign to an eCommerce strategy.

This not only exposes your company to a whole new target audience; it gives you the chance to expand your global footprint if so desired. But to actually enjoy the many benefits of this form of digital marketing, it’s important to work with one of the best eCommerce agencies. Here’s what you need to know as you begin your search.

What is an eCommerce agency?

The role of an eCommerce agency is marketing your brand and driving brand awareness via various online channels. These eCommerce marketing companies leverage social media, digital content, email campaigns, and search engines to attract new customers to your company.

What are eCommerce marketing strategies?

The top eCommerce marketing agencies will adopt the following strategies to give your brand exposure. These include:

• Search engine optimisation (SEO)
• Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising
• Web design and development/web optimisation
• Social media marketing and advertising
• Email marketing 
• Banner adverts and referrals on websites
• Display adverts

What traits set top eCommerce agencies apart?

When approaching potential eCommerce marketing agencies about partnering with your brand, you should ideally quiz them on these six points ahead of time. 

Industry-relevant experience

Personalised marketing is expected of the modern customer and that means partnering with an eCommerce company that actually understands your particular industry. While a larger agency might have the capacity to work across various industries, it’s not always likely that they’ll give you the customised approach you desire. That’s why you need to ask them about previous clients and their speciality. This way, you’ll enjoy a much more tailored marketing solution that incorporates your company’s unique jargon and culture. 

Communication skills

If there is a breakdown in communication, you’re not going to end up getting what you paid for and your eCommerce marketing is likely to fail. Check whether the potential eCommerce agency has a dedicated process of updating clients on regular basis. Ask what the procedure is in terms of client checks and feedback. There must be constant communication with the agency every step of the way so that there is no room for confusion. It’s likely you will get a sense of their communication skills from the initial meeting. 

Honesty and transparency

Communication skills are inextricably linked to honesty and transparency. You need to be working with an eCommerce agency that lets you know when things go wrong. They need to question anything they’re unclear on. From the first meeting, you will be able to deduce if this organisation is candid in their opinions and are honest about what will work and what won’t – regardless of your feelings! This transparency also needs to extend into contractual obligations. Make sure there aren’t any hidden costs in the fine print. 

Flexibility

The marketplace is constantly shifting. Top eCommerce agencies will have the ability to adapt to changing conditions while putting your brand first. If, for example, a campaign is not achieving its strategic objectives, your agency should be proactive in shifting the approach so that you aren’t wasting time or money. eCommerce companies that were able to keep brands going through the recent lockdown restrictions are best positioned to navigate future market challenges. 

Customer-centric

As the client, you are obviously very important to the marketing company, but the very best eCommerce agencies will prioritise your customers. This means that they take the time to get to know your existing customers. Perhaps they will ask about your potential customers so that they can customise their targeted marketing approach accordingly. This means having the ability to say ‘no’ to you when it means that something isn’t actually benefitting your customers. 

Revenue and returns

At the end of it all, you’re not simply hiring an eCommerce agency for a good fit, you’re hiring them to increase revenue and returns. That’s why every step taken, and every decision made by your agency should generate leads, sales and revenue. Beyond this, the best eCommerce agencies will also perform an audit of your current spend to see where costs can be cut and savings made. Check that the agency is clear about the actual revenue being generated rather than providing vague answers. 

How do I choose an eCommerce agency?

With an understanding of the best eCommerce agency traits, here’s a look at how you can translate these into actually choosing the best fit for your brand. 

Check the track record

When meeting with a potential marketer, ask them to provide you with a list of previous work samples. Include references to speak with, performance reviews and any case studies relevant to your industry. A good test is to research the eCommerce agency online and check how prevalent their brand is. This is a good indication of their SEO strategy. 

Check their credentials

Your eCommerce agency will undoubtedly espouse its expertise across a number of marketing platforms. However, those with actual credentials will be top of the pile. Those that are Premier Google Partners, for instance, will come with a higher number of clients and financial stability. 

Check their KPIs

Your chosen marketing agency will have a clear set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that you can track as the relationship continues. If goals aren’t being met, this will be clearly evident from the outset. As the client, you need to see tangible results. 

Communication guidelines

If the company has communication skills and practices transparently, you will be assigned a point-of-contact who will keep you abreast of all marketing activities. You should be able to access this individual, as and when you need, without excuses and delays. 

Check the platform tools

Your marketing strategy should include which online tools you will use in your campaign. Your chosen eCommerce agency should have sound experience with these platforms so they can use them to their full potential. 

To find your business’s eCommerce and PPC marketing partner, connect through ClickTrain!