How to promote an online shop? Step by step guide

One of the signs of a successful online store is the position in the search list. Even if you opened your online store not long ago, it is possible to move it to the leading positions. Here, we will try to explain what is necessary to promote your online store.

Website optimization

The first thing in e-commerce is to open an online store. At the same time, there are lots of other things need to be done to make it work properly.

1. Using the right domain.

It is evident that an online store can’t exist without a personal domain. The main problem here is to choose the right name. Besides, it should reveal the idea of the company. It must be connected with the sphere you are engaged in. It leads to higher rates in the search lists. If you face problems with choosing the right domain name, you can use various types of generators. These automatic instruments can generate hundreds of names in the basis of keywords and LSI words.

2. Adding analytics. 

It is an important instrument that helps you follow the development of the website. There are different variants of analytics that can be implemented into the online store. It can be a simple or an extended version. You can just observe the main transactions or use the total analysis of clients’ behavior on the website.

3. Managing the search engine. 

It requires some steps to make your online store become profitable and high-rated. The first thing to do is to send the map of the website to the search engine. Check your website for errors. If there are any, you can face problems with visitors. The website can’t be shown in the search list. And the last point is the domain confirmation. It needs to prove that you are a real owner of the website. 

4. Payment. 

If you are really interested in developing your online store, you need to pay for it. You can start it as a trial version. Don’t forget that it can vanish after sometime, as the free period is over.

The content of the site

All the pages on the website must be carefully checked. Don’t forget that you will probably have lots of competitors and your website must look not worse. So, use the following tips to put everything in order:

1. The first thing is the analysis of the keywords. You need to analyze them to match to the type of the content. Using this kind of research can help you understand what pages are need to be created in your online store.
2. Use the right number of tags. If you want to have the right structure, you must have only one tag H1. The main mistakes people make is to add one more tag manually. It is not necessary as in the most shops it is created automatically on the page. 
3. Use the right number of letters in headings. You don’t need so long headings, and quite short are useless. The normal length of them is between 50-60 letters.

Important! Try to use the keywords in headings.

4. Optimize meta-descriptions. If you want them to work, try to make them not more than 155 letters.
5. Give the right headings. The main requirement here is to make headings readable. Your headings must be clickable. Besides, you need to write them in the way they show the idea of the shop. It is necessary to include keywords in them. 
6. Add keywords in URL address. It must not be long, as the clients can’t remember it several days later. A good idea is to combine a keyword and a URL address. 
7. Give the right names to the images. This element is also important as it will be shown in the search. Some users dwell on images only.

Content-marketing strategy

Every smart businessman needs to work out a content-market strategy. The main thing that can frighten somebody here is the period of implementation. Sometimes it can take months to work it out. It doesn’t mean that you need to give up this idea at all. You can start with simple steps that can help you move this idea:

1. Client’s questions. Try to predict what question can be popular among the clients who will visit your online store. The next step is to think over right answers.
2. Much use. It must be a correlation between what you are selling and practical use of it. For instance, food stores usually provide recipes. It is a cool trick. If the client sees how to cook this or that thing, he or she can buy it to taste.
3. Don’t overload pages. The content must be short and provide all the necessary information. Approximately 500 words are necessary to cover the main idea of the content.
4. Use unique content. If you want a successful and non-problem website, you’d better use unique content. All the descriptions and pages must be created especially for the store you are running. 
5. Reviews. Before buying anything, many people look for the reviews. It is clear that some of them are not true. Nevertheless, when people see reviews, they pay attention to them. Based on other peoples’ experience, they can decide whether to buy it or not. So, adding the chance to leave reviews is a good idea.
6. Use various platforms. Nowadays, many online shops are running using several platforms. It is a classical online store and social networks. So, if you want to develop the business, you need to focus on different ways of providing the service.

Develop your domain

When any other website links to your online store, it speaks of the fact that the website is trustworthy. It is important for showing your website in the search list. One of the best ways to build the right strategy of links is to use a partnership. For example, if you know any blogger who is interested in the things you are selling, it will be a reasonable idea to make a collaboration with him. Mentioning your online store in various resources will be helpful for promotion.

Use the media resources for mentioning your store. There can be even resources that are not connected with the things you are providing.

User-friendly website

One of the most important points nowadays is the adaptation of the website for mobile devices and tablets. Many people prefer surfing via mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. It will be a disappointing experience if the online store will be inaccessible from mobile devices or if there are some bugs. 

If you are not sure that the system is working properly, you can use online testing to check the store. Besides, speed also influences the statistics. The pages must download fast, not to make clients angry. No one wants to wait for a long time.

Using redirection is another important thing. If you edit your online store, you can change something. If you want the clients to be aware of it, use redirection links. When the client opens a section and understands that it is not working anymore, he can easily go to another section. One doesn’t need to wander around the website to find the right section.

Many businessmen on their websites also use the strategy of inner links. The idea is that there are links on the website to different sections of it. For example, if you buy something, some related offers can be provided. It can be combined by keywords.

Using the well-structured navigation menu is also a key to success. There can be different types of navigation links:

• Single-bar;
• Double-bar;
• Dropdown.

The first type provides all the necessary links in one bar. The next includes the main and the minor links. They are placed one under another. The last point provides all the links in one dropdown list.

If you want to get even more promotion, pay attention to the URL address. A good URL is short and can be easily memorized. The key principles of forming a good URL are:

• Readability;
• Using hyphens;
• Using keywords. 

The main aim here is to make a URL address simple. 

Working with the same content

Sometimes, it can happen that duplicate content can appear on the website. There is even a situation when several websites can have the same content. It proves the idea that any page must be unique. It helps to range the website in the search system. Duplicated content can appear on the pages of related products. It is better to avoid such positions. If you have them, it is better to be fixed.

Looking for the clients

You need to advertise your online store for the clients in your region. It will be quite useless, at the very beginning, to open an online store and focus on the whole world. First of all, you need to drag the attention of local clients. 

There are some free instruments for such aims. You need to complete some forms to optimize the page orientated for local clients. 

Don’t forget about contact information. Provide as much information as possible. A good way is to place the button «Contact us». If the potential clients know the contact information, it will be easier for them to communicate with you. So, the potential number of them is increasing. 

Target pages can also be created for a certain location. If you have shops for different locations, it will be reasonable to create a separate page for any of it. It can be connected with many factors. You don’t need a separate website, just add a target page for a certain area. It is better to create a page depending on the location.

Conclusion

When you create an online store, you should remember that it must be focused on people. The clients want to get what they are looking for with a pair of the clicks. You need to find the right balance between the clients’ demand and optimization. 

If you want a good online store, it should work fast on any device. Use only good and thematic images. Don’t forget about the keywords. The content must also be unique and creative. Don’t write too many words, as it can make people feel bored.