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Before I share some valuable tips for boosting your traffic on social media, let me start with a real-life example. I took on TaskQue – a free task management tool as a client. When I started the project with my team, the traffic on their website was around 5,000 visits per day. After 6 months, with the things-to-do mentioned in this blog, the traffic burgeoned to 30,000 visits per day. Getting traffic on social media is not rocket science. If you stay consistent, you do the impossible, like cutting through a mountain as Manjhi -The Mountain Man - did. But the shocking news is that social media is getting harder day by day. Nowadays, it requires a lot of challenging work, skill, and innovative tactics to target the right customers and bring traffic to the website. If you Google ‘how to drive traffic on social media’, you’ll get thousands of results but most of these strategies are either outdated or tried and tested again and again. What you need is something that is new & works like a charm on your customers. Time is a virtue. No one wants to listen to an idle talk. People want something practical. So, here, I’m sharing the gold pearls with you. Nuggets of wisdom that helped me drive tons of traffic on our client’s website. Oh yes, don’t worry my boss already knows that I’m sharing these valuable tips with you, so, there is no need to worry about my job.

1. Add a Flavor of Humor to Your Posts

It’s so easy to get lost in the mundane business updates. Share a picture from your recent trip. Share a fun fact about your team. And share a motivational quote. The point here is to humanize your brand in front of the customer. The goal of this post should be to spread a smile on your customer’s face. Not every post needs to sell something. Check out this amazingly good hiring post by Zomato. Although it’s just a hiring post, look at the level of creativity they’ve used. People will not just send their CVs because this post is sharable. It will be shared because it’s fun to read. Another brand that I follow vigorously to get my daily dose of inspiration is Taco Bell. Check out the following post. A simple post. Yet worth sharing with your friends & family. If you want customers to share your posts, you need to sit down with your team and come up with some creative ideas. Or if you’re unsure where to start, talk to us. Our social media marketing tips will guide you and help you stand out from the crowd.

2. Communicate with Your Followers

For startups, it’s impossible to drive traffic in the initial stages. One strategy that I’ve used with TaskQue followers is interacting with them. Listening to them. Helping them solve their problems. And once they considered me a friend, they were happy to check out the brand offering without needing a push. Here is Gary V on how to provide the best customer service: [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKghCbrR_LU[/embed] Pick and choose your followers & see what they’re interested in. If they have a problem, solve it instantly. It will only take a little time to solve the problem, but the outcome will be fascinating and lucrative for your brand. Whoever comments on your product, start a conversation with them. Thank them for taking the time to appreciate your product and reply with a pinch of humor. Interact with your customers the way you talk to your friends. Once the customer starts realizing that you’re taking care of them, they’ll love to try out your product and brag about it on social media.

3. Make Good Use of Facebook Groups

The best way to learn is to learn from others. There are business-specific groups on LinkedIn and Facebook. Go and join them. You’ll get a chance to interact with people who are more successful than you. Watch what people are posting and what hashtags they’re using. You’ll have an idea about which keywords are performing best and the trending topics. Here are some tips which can help you communicate on a deeper level in Facebook groups: Here are some ways in which you can contribute to a higher level in your groups:

• Start with Live chat: This is a way to have a real-time conversation with your potential customers. You can listen to their grievances or offer them words of appreciation. Solve their problems and answer their queries.
• Communicate with Influencers: From time to time, you’ll meet influencers on the groups. Talk to them. Mention the influencers in your comments whenever there is something useful for them.
• Add Call to Action: While in the conversation, you can add a link to your posts or add to your service. Groups will bring an immense amount of genuine traffic. Use the CTA’s wisely.

4. Enliven Customers to Review on Facebook

Imagine this. It’s Saturday afternoon. You’re feeling hungry. You walk down the block to eat something. Out of ten restaurants, eight have customers in them and two are completely empty. Will you risk your lunch on two empty restaurants or will you drop in one of the thriving eight? If you’re like most people, you’ll head straight to a restaurant that seems to be teeming with customers. This is not just a coincidence. It’s social proof in action. Customers prefer to shop from stores with good Facebook reviews. How does the above review make you feel? Surely, if customers read such reviews for your product, they’ll either try the product or refer it to their friends. After every successful order, ask the customer to share their reviews on Facebook & Google.

5. Stand Out on Instagram

With 1 billion monthly users, Instagram can help brands generate enormous traffic on the website. Getting traffic on Instagram is easy if you learn the science behind hashtags. Every Instagram photo has a story behind it. If you caption that story, it will showcase the personality of your brand. And if you find an engaging caption, it means you’re on the right track. If you know the ins and outs of photography, this is a plus point for your brand. If not, hire a photographer. Check how Buffer shared this story from a user. Notice how personal it makes the customer feel. Buffer introduced #BufferStories to give users this opportunity to share stories which can engage more users.

6. Answering Questions on Quora

With 300,000 million monthly users and above 400,000 topics, Quora is a grand canyon to bring traffic to your website. People ask questions like ‘How can I increase my blog traffic?’ and experts answer those questions. Not just simple answers; sometimes, they’ll give witty answers, and at other times, they’ll give detailed answers. As an Entrepreneur, I’ve answered tons of questions and generated 90,000+ views on a single question. You can do the same. Become an expert in your field. Give a detailed answer and embed your services in the answer. If you provide a valuable answer, people will ask you more questions and you can increase traffic to your website.

The Closing Thoughts

It’s wrong to assume that only paid marketing can bring traffic. The tips mentioned above are tried and tested by me. I’ve used them on many clients and they worked like a magic spell. Try them all and if you have applied any other method to drive traffic to your website, do let me know in the comments box below.

There is a special feeling you get when you experience something for the first time, when you become an owner of an E-commerce Store. I’m sure you don’t remember the first step you took as a toddler. The softness of the carpet, the rush of blood to your head, the raptures of glee, the peals of giggles erupting from your lips. Although you were not able to explain the feeling at that time, that memory must linger with you in some form. People don’t usually forget their first of anything. The first job. The first business. the first love. And the first sales. I remember when I received the first order for my e-commerce website, I jumped for one straight hour in excitement. However, it’s only when the initial joy and thrill run their course, does the reality of what lies ahead creep in. For instance, e-commerce store owners face a good deal of trouble when starting their e-commerce store or generating sales. The toughest part for an Entrepreneur is to take the plunge and outdistance themselves from their competitors. Here are 8 challenges that e-commerce owners face while starting their e-commerce store and how to solve them:

1. Your Loved Ones Already Know, Now What?

Don’t you have anything productive to do? Why are you wasting time & money on a useless idea? What is the point of leaving a viable job and walking on eggshells? These are not just random solicitations. These are a few questions I was bombarded with when I told my family and friends that I was launching my e-commerce website. I tried to explain from eight different angles, but everyone thought I was wasting time and my hard-earned savings on a useless idea. I took to my library, switched off my phone, and even tried to avoid all the conflicts as much as possible. If only I could peek into the future at that time and flaunt my future sales report to show them that I was not wrong. I realized that at the end of the day, it was all about what matters the most. And thanks to some good old self-help books, I learned how not to sweat over the small stuff and look at the bigger picture. Will these questions matter after 5 years? I guess not. And this is what kept me going day in and day out.

2. Piles of Products

You imported thousands of products just because you were too excited about your idea. Now, these products are lying forlornly in the recesses of your garage. The core of the issue is that when you create a website using some e-commerce platform, right in the front it shows that you just have 20 products in the store. This makes you crazy. What? I’m just selling 20 products. And you take out your credit card and order tons more products because your competitors have 500+ products in their stores. Good Entrepreneurs invest time in doing market research. Instead of ordering 200 products. Order just 25 products and make an ad on Facebook, pen down an attention-grabbing ad copy, and you’re all ready to make some sales. There is an unlimited amount of potential to market your products. Devise a marketing plan. Study the life of uber-successful Entrepreneurs and follow what is working for them.

3. Fear of Failure

Most Entrepreneurs start to develop a fear of failure after the initial tremors of criticism. The internal dialogue goes like this:

• I’ve failed at so many things. What if I fail at this too?
• What if people don’t buy my products?
• What if people don’t trust my products?

The thing with failure is that, if you don’t experience it, how will you move out of your comfort zone? If you don’t succeed the first time, there are so many other ways in which you have room to succeed. It’s all about the mindset. Instead of treating every failure as a setback, change your internal dialogue and treat it as a character-building day. Of course, you’re allowed to be sad for a night. But not more than that. Take the failure and fuel yourself for success. Instead of treating it as a failure, call it a preparation for your success. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bujIb_sQZvQ

4. Choosing the Wrong Products

You have this amazing product. You started promoting it. No sales yet. You wait for 2 days and still no sales. One week and still no sales. If there are no sales, how will you pay the bills? Maybe there is nothing wrong with the website design, the usability of the website, and the marketing that you’re doing. Maybe it’s just that you’re selling the wrong product or the right product to the wrong target audience. There are tools on the internet which will help you search for the top-grossing products. Never make the mistake of selling the right product to the wrong market and vice versa. Let’s be honest. Facebook won’t get you to skyrocket your sales if you are selling it to the wrong audience. You must experience the products with different people. Diversify your target audience until you hit the target.

5. You Freeze Up

You spend the night dreaming about your online store. And you did well at the start. Suddenly you get the impression that something is not right. You face a calamity and think that perhaps you missed out on something. In short, you’re freaking out. Brainstorming and turning your idea into reality are two different things. Mostly, Entrepreneurs freeze up because they have bitten off more than they can chew. In a limited amount of time, they must keep watch on the competitors, generate new ideas, close some big guns, and synchronize the team on a single goal. Whenever you feel like quitting, the best thing to do is to start breaking things into smaller chunks and analyze those blocks. Be it a grand project or a seasonal event that you need to handle, there is always a solution for it. You cannot do all the things yourself which is why you need to hire people who are smarter than you. Assign tasks and trust your gut feelings.

6. Where to Start?

This thought plagues most e-commerce store owners right before launching the store. So many products, so many payment gateways, and so many variables to deal with. Who to trust? And who to fire right at the start? One common trait of highly successful people is that they read a lot. Buy every book you can and attend every seminar on how to start a business? Listen, read, and apply the strategies that seem to be working for other people. Simply reading the books won’t be enough. You’ve to execute stuff fast. As Seth Godin quotes in his blog, ‘Even if the product is not ready, ship it fast and make it better later!’ If you think that some idea is not good enough. Execute it on a small scale and see the response. Overnight success is a myth. You must work hard on every aspect of your startup.

7. Don’t Get Lost in the Blackhole of Negativity

It’s easy to lose your way in the vast chasm of negativity and question everything before the launch. The sleepless nights might force you to delay your business launch. One small problem can escalate and throw you into a cycle of negativity. When you find yourself spiraling downwards, you can start asking questions to clear away the clutter. Will this matter 5 years from now? What is the best that you can do in this situation? Who is responsible and what is your responsibility in the matter?

8. Create Engaging Content

You might be the greatest marketer, but if you lack useful content writing skills, you’ll be doomed. In the start, Entrepreneurs might be apprehensive about writing stuff for the brand. If you read well, you can write better. Pick and choose writers who are doing great. Subscribe to Copy Blogger, Seth Godin, Forbes, and Fast Company blogs. Check how they are creating the content Use persuasion to create attention-grabbing content. Be it a company page or a product description, ask yourself. What will force the users to pick your product over others? Inform, Educate, and tell your customers why your product or service can solve their problem. And write that for them to read.

Conclusion

As humans, we all experience obstacles in our lives. The mental barriers that we create usually create a roadblock for us. Sometimes the easiest way to move out from negativity is to ask yourself different questions. Other times you’ll need a little practice to throw the negativity away and get back on track. Failure is not a bad thing. But making the same mistakes again and again will cost you a fortune.

Minimalist advertising focuses on simplicity and clarity, cutting through the clutter to deliver a clear, impactful message. Leonardo da Vinci once stated that Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Steve Jobs said, “Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.” The architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe also agrees with the notion that Less is more. They say people die but their work stays with us. To ponder, to reflect, and to make good use of it. Even after half a millennium, the words of Leonardo da Vinci ring true. In the modern-day, minimalist advertising is something brands are leveraging to generate leads. It’s hard to believe Steve Jobs himself said that it takes more brain power to design something simple. And when minimalist advertising is done right, it can leave an impact which can drive action from users. Seth Godin in his latest book “This is Marketing”, highlights the power of using emotions to drive action. ‘It is not necessary to make complex ads; if you want to engage customers, work on their emotions.’

What is Minimalist Advertising?

The marketers are suffering not because they are not creative enough, it’s because they fail to offer something different. Minimalist advertising is all about clearing out the mist to gain instant attention. Being out there and not generating sales is an exasperating experience. Do you know that overwhelming users with mountainous choices can leave them confused? And instead of taking any action, they end up not buying at all. Chip Heath and Dan Heath in their best-selling book “Made to Stick”, talk about the Jam experiment. In a study conducted by Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper from Columbia and Stanford University, shoppers at an upscale market were presented with 24 gourmet jam flavors and were promised a discount voucher upon sampling the spreads. On some other day, only 6 varieties of jam were on display. The psychologists concluded that while the larger display attracted more crowds, people bought way more jams from the smaller display. This, in a nutshell, is minimalist advertising. Using the power of simplicity to drive users to make one solid decision. If you go through the minimalist M of any professional digital agency, you’ll conclude that they are breaking the pattern with simple marketing. For instance, take the example below: An ad created by Richter7 is a perfect example of how to turn heads with minimalist advertising. No complex design patterns, no hidden messages. Just a simple to-do action that will compel users in the throes of marital troubles, to contact StongerMarriage company. As marketers, it falls on us to capture the attention of our consumers straightforwardly. Sometimes, minimalist advertising might seem less productive but when done right, it can help you land sales and establish a long-term bond with your customers. Let’s take a hawk-eye approach to analyze some of the most outrageously simple minimalist advertising campaigns:

A Powerhouse of Imagination: LEGO Genius

When it comes to imagination, nothing beats the fancy of a child. Time and again, LEGO came up with creative, thought-provoking ads that captured the attention of kids. In this ad, three pieces of LEGOS are put together, with their silhouette forming a tank. The consumers can easily recognize the imaginative and playful promotion of the LEGO brand. Brands can learn a lot from minimalist advertising. Regardless of your budget, you can always come up with something simple and creative to send a powerful message to your audience.

Brand Recognition Combined with New Product Launch

Brand recognition is at the heart of every brand. Organizations spend a hefty amount of money on their branding, but what if that branding can be combined with advertising and product promotion? Coca-Cola did an amazing job of promoting its new lemon flavor drink by peeling off a lemon in a C shape to resemble Coca-Cola's iconic logo. This ad sets a brilliant example of combining brand recognition by promoting a new product.

Make a Statement with Samsung’s New Speakers

The amazing thing about minimalist advertising is that there is no need for any special tools to compose an ad. You can use everyday items to create something fascinating. Look at this ad by Samsung that aims to promote knock-out power speakers. Not just promoting the product, Samsung applied the product colors to the theme to introduce familiarity with the product. Brand familiarity brings higher ROI while an unknown brand or even a product can lead to lower ROI. To make a statement, try to pick objects that are already in the minds of your consumers and figure out a way to relate them to your product.

Nothing Wrong with Orbit Remote Cars

At a glance, you might think that something is wrong with the Orbit ad. But a closer look will reveal that the ad is a brilliant attempt to convey a crystal-clear message. The remote car starters can work even from a distance. Now what makes these simple ads so promising: They stay true to the brand: All these ads have product and brand colors that give the feel of the brand itself. This is the easiest way to promote your product and remain relevant at the same time. Few words with more impact: All the ads have limited text with well-thought-out images. The ad is simply attention-grabbing and connects with the users on an emotional level. The Company Logo: All ads incorporate the company logo to remind customers of the brand. The logo itself is a reason to trust the brand and make a purchase. Each ad is crafted with care: While it seems that it only took minutes to design these ads, there is so much energy and deep thinking involved. From branding to product promotion, every aspect of the brand is meticulously crafted. Not an exact science: Creativity is not an exact science. But it takes a whole lot of energy to create minimalist advertising campaigns that resonate with customers and make them loyal to your brand. As per the words of Don Draper: “Make it simple, but significant”.

Relationships can either help you cope with stress or get you into more stress. Social media is a medium to connect with people and establish relationships. If you’re a brand that aspires to increase your social media presence, you have two options. Either to contact a sophisticated social media agency to do it for you, or to follow the tips mentioned in this blog and beat your competitors in the first knock. You might be thinking there is no rocket science in using social media to promote your brand, but what if I tell you that you can even outsmart your competitors on social media without posting on social media? Before you think I am a downright lunatic, hear me out. When I first heard about the concept, I was just as flabbergasted. After all, with 1,500 items per day vying for the top position on a Facebook user’s News Feed, won’t posting 6 times a day instead of 1 really help you break through the noise of the social networks? But once I applied these tips, things started working out too well for my brand.

Be Consistent with Your Branding

If you want to be taken seriously, be consistent. Why do you think famous brands like Coca-Cola and Nike keep re-branding their products? When their products are already undisputed leaders, what is the point of branding at all? The best way to stay in touch with your customers is with the help of social media. Brands leverage social media to connect with their customers and put their stories out there. If the story doesn’t have a solid foundation, how will it grow? A solid foundation translates into being consistent with your branding efforts. The problem with brands these days is inconsistency in their branding on social media. They use various messages across social media platforms without thinking about the consequences. It is good to change the message with respect to the demographics of the audience. But if your colors, alignment of text, and logos are not consistent, it will drive your customers crazy. Inspect all your business profiles and scrutinize whether the message is clear from the customer’s point of view. Here are a few things that you need to look for:

• The company description.
• Website URL.
• Typography and colors should align with the overall branding.
• Consistent imagery

If you want people to connect with you, you must be there for them. Some people prefer contact by email, some by social media. It is indispensable to stay consistent so that people can contact you with whatever medium they deem convenient.

Network with People from Your Profiles

When Tony Hsieh launched Zappos.com, he wanted to connect with people directly. So, instead of hiring a social media agency, he started managing the company’s Twitter handle himself. He tweeted behind-the-scenes happenings, heeded the rants of frustrated customers, and turned those customers into raving fans with his communication and persuasion skills. Unless you’re Gary V, who doesn’t need communication lessons to lead people, you need to use all your social media profiles to entice your audience. Connect with them. Hear them out. Sometimes, even the biggest problems can be resolved simply by lending an ear. Add people to your Facebook friend list, follow them on Twitter, and connect with clients on LinkedIn. With a personal profile, people will feel relaxed and share all their concerns. If you listen to people well, they will market your brand themselves. When you start interacting with people, work on your relationship. Listen to their problems, and if possible, hang out with them. And when they’re ready, pitch them your product. People feel safe communicating with a personal account rather than an anonymous account.  Start small and cultivate a network of people. And when the time comes, turn those people into clients.

One-to-One Conversation is a Blessing

Gary V realized the potential of direct messaging in the year 2012. If you want to get more leads, you need to hustle more. Don’t just spend time reading posts. Take time and send out messages to people. Start from Twitter, use Instagram, and even LinkedIn to connect with your potential clients. Here is how you can do it: Not just clients; you can use private messages (PM) to pitch your business to potential investors. Just avoid these mistakes while pitching your product. Join LinkedIn groups for Entrepreneurs and build relationships with them. Before you even pitch your product or message your contact with your business proposal, use these tips to add value first:

• Share an interesting article with them.
• Send a personal greeting on their special occasions.
• Thank them randomly for something they shared.
• When you first connect with someone, thank them for accepting the request and hold out the olive branch by offering to answer any queries pertaining to your niche.
• If you’re working on something, solicit their help. It makes them feel special and important, and automatically creates a rapport with them.

Be Proactive

Generally, the way brands connect with their customers on social media is primarily reactive. They wait for customers to break the ice. Either complain or praise the brand so they respond to it. If you want to conquer the social media realm, you need to help your clients with their problems. How about referring your friend, who is a website developer, to a client who is looking for someone to develop their website? Or helping the client find a freelancer for their business. These small gestures might sound aimless, but once you start helping your clients without any specific reason, your clients will remember to do business with you when they need your product.

Conclusion

You can either use it or abuse it, but what you cannot do is ignore social media. Everyone is on social media. Your clients. Your competitors. And even your friends. If you’re still not active on social media, it is time to make a wise decision and start using social media to generate some solid leads. It is not a short-term investment, it will develop trust, loyalty, and transparency with your customers. What methods do you use to develop a strong relationship with your clients? Do you use one medium or all of them? Can you share some tips which helped you grow your brand?

Sharing your content on Facebook is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to reach a wider audience. And it has been shown to boost brand awareness. But have you ever come across a situation where Facebook failed to display images in the right format on your WordPress site? If reminiscing has left a bad taste in your mouth, you need to use the Facebook Debugger tool to quickly fix this dilemma. If you share a lot of content on Facebook to promote your products and services, you and build brand credibility. This Facebook Debugger guide will help you a lot. Here are some easy steps to use the Facebook Debugger tool to provide a quick fix to this issue. Let’s get started.

Facebook Debugger Tool - How does it work?

The Facebook Open Graph Debugger is an amazing tool that helps you figure out issues with the Open Graph meta tags in WordPress website content. It will allow you to use it to preview how your images or text will display when shared on Facebook. All you need to do is visit the Facebook Debugger page on the Facebook developer site under Tools and Support. Now type in the URL for the particular page you want to preview and click the Debug button. The Facebook debug tool will give you a complete analysis before you share it. You can see exactly when Facebook last accessed this link and the errors that Facebook has encountered. Facebook Debugger tool also identifies the actual Open Graph meta tags red flags that need to be addressed. To fix your Open Graph tags, you need a plugin ‘Facebook Open Graph’ that will ensure that the tags are set up accurately.

Fix Your Open Graph Tags

If the Facebook Debugger tool identifies open graph tag errors and image display issues. It clearly shows that you are not using OG tags properly. One of the best ways to deal with this problem is to use a plugin that updates OG tags on your WordPress site. If your website doesn’t have updated Open Graph meta tags. You can use the plugin Open Graph for Facebook, that allows you to generate meta tags for your featured image, meta description, and other important pieces of information that you have entered. This will ensure that the image you want to display remains intact when you share your content on Facebook. Once your OG tags are fixed, Facebook will recognize them.

Clear the WordPress Cache

The next step is to make sure that Facebook uploads the updated information of your WordPress website by clearing your WordPress site’s cache. There are two layers of caching. If the old image is cached on your website, chances are that the Facebook Debugger will not be able to fix the image displaying problem, as it will simply re-fetch the cached information. If you are using a caching plugin for improved website performance. It is important to clear the cache for that page on your WordPress website. This will ensure that Facebook can upload the updated version of Open Graph meta tags. Many WordPress cache plugins will allow you to clear the cache by using the WordPress editor. However, it depends on the type of caching plugin you are using. Some WordPress cache plugins automatically clear the cache for the specific page whenever you update a post.

Use the Scrape Again Option

Now that the cache is cleared for the particular page of your WordPress site that you want to share on Facebook, and your OG tags are fixed for your content. It’s time to scrape it again to make sure that Facebook has updated the information on the page. All you need to click the Scrape Again button in the Facebook Debugger tool and Facebook’s crawler will check out your page again to update its information. If everything is working perfectly, you will get the proper preview information.

Key Takeaways

Facebook Debugger is an easy and effective way to troubleshoot and fix issues with your WordPress website content. It will help you ensure that your posts are formatted correctly so that whenever your WordPress page is shared on Facebook. It will display images and text properly. So, don’t forget to use the Facebook Debugger tool and Open Graph meta tags to make your WordPress website content appear correctly on Facebook. Remember, well-formatted posts have a higher chance of getting more engagement and shares for your digital marketing company.

Some of the best tactics that top online retailers have up their sleeves are the easiest to execute. We’ve compiled the ultimate ecommerce lessons that online retailers have taught us. And how you can copy their exact strategies without breaking a sweat. If you’re trying to automate more of your business, you need to keep reading. In 2017, an estimated 1.6 billion people purchased goods online, which resulted in a revenue of 2.3 trillion US dollars for the ecommerce industry. And the revenue growth potential for the year 2021 is estimated to be 4.48 trillion dollars. Running an ecommerce business is not at all complicated. If you have the right guidance, you can stop being run-of-the-mill and enjoy your next holiday in peace.

1. Freebies Like Sephora

What is more appealing than adding a product to your cart and getting some freebies for it? If you’ve ever shopped with Sephora, you might be astonished at the way Sephora treats its customers at the checkout. You will get birthday gifts, loyalty bonus packs, and even free samples to make you feel special. It is not just about having so much stuff. It is also about the unboxing experience of these free items. Customers don’t just adore these trial-sized items; they fall in love with the brand, and end up buying the actual product.

2. Trending Outfits by Dynamite

A research conducted by Nielsen revealed that a whopping 92% of people will trust a recommendation from a peer. While 70% are prone to trusting an endorsement from someone they don’t even know. If you struggle to match the best tie to a shirt like me, coming up with the perfect ensemble for your next big party would leave you breaking out a sweat. Thanks to Dynamite which solves this problem by displaying the trending outfits to its users. This gives all confused customers a chance to buy something trendy without feeling sorry for themselves.  And as for Dynamite, their sales per order values increase by banding together products that complement each other. So, instead of customers buying just one product, they are now purchasing a bundle of products just because they complete a chic look together and seem to be looking hip to other people. How can you do it? You can create your own gallery and sort out the products by the number of sales in that specific category. You can even offer discounts on products which are trending, as customers are already buying the product.

3. Retargeting by Hudson’s Bay

Have you ever purchased a product from Amazon but, for some reason, forgot to complete the order? Yes, I did it more than once, and in return, I got an email holding out the olive branch, offering me a discount as an incentive to make me complete my order. Surely, retargeting is something which when done right, can work wonders for you. An excellent example is from Hudson’s Bay, where the company invests a fortune in retargeting customers. Customers will be approached by a couple of ad platforms if they have abandoned their cart on Hudson’s Bay. You’ll see their ads on Facebook and Google, and even on YouTube if you have shown even a little interest in their products. The best part is that the market in a subtle way, which makes it easier for the consumer to take in information without feeling odd. If you are experiencing difficulty in retargeting, go for Shoelace – a retargeting platform for online stores. It is an automation program which gives you the ability to optimize your landing pages and render them more appealing.

4. Loyalty Programs Like 100% Pure

What if you can get reward points for every dollar you spend? 100% Pure tinkered around with this idea, and in an instant, they were able to gather hundreds of loyal customers for their website. Whenever you make a purchase, you’ll be given reward points. Based on those rewards, you’ll get perks such as free shipping, exclusive offers, discount vouchers, and more. Of course, you cannot afford to give reward points for every dollar, but you can surely create some smart rewards which can glue customers to your website.

5. No One Does Affiliate Marketing Like MVMT

Recently acquired for a whopping $100 million, the company MVMT has a very fine affiliate program to skyrocket its viral reach. This program has great perks for influencers. It’s a win-win situation if you ask me. In return for promoting the brand to their social networks, ambassadors get gift vouchers, commission, and even points which can be availed later. This helps the brand cut down on hefty marketing costs, as the influencers do an excellent job with email newsletters, paid ads, and content marketing. By working with top affiliates and influencers, the brand’s popularity skyrocketed online in no time, which likely helped them get acquired.

6. Personal Email Marketing with Drake

Normally, people hesitate to give away email addresses since they do not want their inboxes flooded with sales emails that brands send out without a clear goal in mind. But not with Drake. As soon as you enter their website, you’ll see an opt-in button at the top. This means that the brand is not forcing you to subscribe to the emails. Only after users punch in their email addresses are they asked for their birthdays and full names so that a more personalized experience can be created for them. Once you’re satisfied with the service, it is then that you subscribe to email updates. And from the moment you do that, the crew at Drake will make it necessary to create a mind-boggling experience for you. Not only does it collect your email address, but it also offers you a discount code just for opting in. So, it can also help you score some sales.

The Conclusion

Whether you take these lessons with you or not, there is one thing that you need to keep in mind while running an ecommerce store. In the end, it all comes down to making customers happy and leaving them with a smile. Being a customer-focused brand doesn’t need to be a huge time investment; it just needs some smart strategies to get your things in order.

When Jennifer Lawrence made an appearance at the 85th Academy Awards in the year 2013. It made people raise their eyebrows and stay flabbergasted in a state of awe. Not because Jennifer Lawrence steals the show with her looks. But because the dress she was wearing was worth $4 million. The decision of what to wear to the Awards is a tough nut to crack, especially when your reputation is on the line. The same theory applies to founders who are willing to raise startup funds for their company. Break out sweat and reveal your apprehension, and you will fail to get the startup funds required to get the ball rolling. Some people might not consider it fair but when it comes to raising startup funds. A CEO is a person who is accountable for the results. Therefore, it is important to plan out your startup fund before you pitch it to the investors. I served as a board member for a professional digital marketing company. And what I’ve learned is that for a machine to operate smoothly, all the parts need to be in the right place. This means that there is not a single part that is solely responsible for the operation of the machine. The company is the machine and the various departments in an organization constitute the parts of the machine, starting from PR to customer support, and sales rep to top-level executives. If all the departments are properly synced together, the company will surely raise the capital that it needs. So before you stop reading, let me cut the boring analogies and get back to the real stuff. How to protect your business from falling prey to bankruptcy and never get rejected while asking for startup funds!

1. Give Quality Time to Your Relationships

Being environmentally friendly does not have to cost you an arm and a leg, but it can reap many rewards. Building relationships before you take help from an investor is an ideal way to win venture capital without trying hard. When you are up to your neck busy running a startup, it is often difficult to pour some energy into nurturing strong bonds with people. There is so much on your plate, be it managing your team, solving day-to-day issues, and working hard to keep the operations running smoothly, that you often neglect to take out time to talk to people. Imagine this. When two companies are equally competent, what is the one factor that will lead to starting funds? Your relationship with the investor. Yes, it is often difficult for you to chat idly with your investors over a cup of Joe, but it doesn’t take much time to send a handwritten birthday card to them. Even if nothing else works, it is that bond that gets the job done.

2. Scrutinize the Habits and History of the Investor

I still remember my first investment. Before going over to the investor, I did some background checks and came to know that the investor’s son loves dogs. On my way over to the meeting, I picked up a puppy and gifted it to the investor, as a good gesture. There were 5 startups out there and who do you think got the investment? Just like everyone else, investors see the world with a diverse set of eyes. Some like to support high-tech new ventures, while others are more predisposed to gambling on small startups and expecting huge returns. In ‘The Psychology of Investing’. the author, John R. Nofsinger puts it beautifully. The point of investing in a startup has less to do with the technical aspect and more to do with the instincts and trust in the founder. It is good to understand the thinking patterns of the investors and know their past before you pitch them your company.

3. People Prefer People with Similar Nature

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to unearth information about anyone. Just Google and you’ll get all the references and personal information regarding that person. Instead of being egoistic, try to mirror the behaviors and habits of the investors. This will give them a feeling that you’re from the same tribe. Figure out your best strengths and communicate them to the investor. Investors are always looking for startups that present their ideas in the most promising ways. Once your company makes it to the shortlist, it is your job to sell yourself and your brand to the investor. The investor will categorize your idea into a handful of similar ideas. And then it is up to you to outdistance yourself from others.

4. Defy the Categorization

Everyone talks about what is unique in their brand, but people often fail to impress the investors when it comes to selling themselves. Instead, they start blurting and fail to make an impact on the investors. At some level, this is purely an emotional decision. There's no way to know for sure, so they're relying in part on their instinct. The only way you can win over the investors is by understanding and influencing their gut feelings.

5. Work on What You Can Control and Leave the Rest

There are countless things which can go wrong in the startup funds process and trust me, you’ll be hearing a lot of resounding “no’s” before you get a “yes”. You need to understand that you cannot control the decisions of people. If a potential investor has a poor relationship with one of your team members, it will reflect badly on the investment decision and you cannot do anything about it. Another investor may have recently had a bad experience with a company like yours. There's nothing you can do about that. But what you can control is to create a product which is performing well and do an excellent job in winning over the investors.

To Conclude it All

By implementing the above tips you’ll surely be able to close the deal. The next step after raising the money is to hire competent employees who truly support your idea. Now it’s time to grease those elbows and raise some money.

Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate, socialize and share. On the other hand, it has offered businesses a lucrative platform to attract more customers, extend their brand reach, build brand authority and loyalty, and convert social media fans into paying customers. All this can only happen when you track the right social media metrics and constantly focus on improving the effectiveness of your social media campaigns. This is where social media analytics and reporting come into play. Do you want to brand a social media hit? This infographic can help you unearth the gold at the end of the rainbow with seven effective tips to get the best out of your social media analytics and achieve the desired results.

Animation is not merely reserved for 3D movies and cartoons. It is popping up everywhere. In fact, motion and web animations have now become a common web design feature. From full-screen videos to background moving images, and silly gifs to small hover effects. Animation has now become a trendy and useful web design tool. In fact, animation is a big part of a seamless user experience. Animation in web design is something that we have seen for long. No matter how small or large, animations serve as an interesting visual that pulls users into the design. The key to animation is realism. With a plethora of flat and minimal design styles, today’s consumers expect more visual cues to take immediate action that saves their time. Animations can communicate status, guide users, solicit their attention, help them see the results of their actions and ultimately improve the overall website experience by delighting users. There’s nothing wrong with aspiring for a chic and visually interesting website. However, incorporating loads of moving effects can lead to visual chaos and eventually a poor user experience down the road. In some cases, it can slow down your website, which is something every marketer wants to avoid at all costs. Here are some effective ways to use animations in your website design and how they will fit into the overall user experience. Have a look and think about how you can use them in your upcoming web design projects.

1. Animate One Element at a Time

Many web designers want to incorporate an awesome hero image that includes text, illustrations, and a persuasive CTA. The worst thing you can do is to distract your users from your website and your brand by cramming too many animated elements in the hero design. When users are bombarded with a deluge of design elements, they find it difficult to decide where to go next. Prudently weigh the purpose of each animation, and how it guides the user’s eye to elements you want them to see in some particular order. Avoid animating too many elements on the same page and be sure to space out animations a few seconds apart to avoid creating a design nightmare. The swiping effect in this example animates several elements while subconsciously guiding users without making them think.

2. Guide Users to Perform An Action

To make your website more alluring, you can use simple, subtle, micro-interactions that can provide informational cues to users, as well as offer visual feedback when you interact with the element. Though there are a lot of elements you can animate on the webpage. It is advised to use micro-interactions only when you want to highlight any specific feature or piece of information. This simple animation can be used to inform users that a particular action has been completed successfully. This example keeps users in the loop about the current status of the process and how long it will take for it to complete.

3. Reveal Information

Animations are a stellar way to maximize the information you offer in the given space. By incorporating mouseover effects, you can reveal additional details that your visitors will be interested in reading about. This keeps your webpage uncluttered when visitors mouse over a specific element. They clearly understand where their attention should be focused.

4. Use as a CTA

Animations are a fun and interactive way to convince users to interact with an application or website. So, make your CTAs engaging to entice the interest of users.

5. Show the Progress of the Process

Another effective way to keep users entertained and enhance user experience is to incorporate design features that highlight a feature, show the progression of a process, or simply pop up a new notification. It will play a key role in getting your users hooked while keeping them entertained when they are waiting for a process.

6. Incorporate Storytelling in Animations

You can breathe life and fun into your dull interface by incorporating a storytelling effect with the help of animations. Break your web design into scrollable sections, and within each section, narrate a story through animations. This will surely take your content and website design to a whole new level.

Over to You

Whether you use microinteractions, clever video loops, amazing scrolling, or sliding effects of animation, The ultimate goal of using web animations should be to make your website feel more responsive, intuitive, and user-friendly. Animations can serve as a powerful tool that can help your audience complete their tasks and feel engaged with your content. Keep in mind your target audience who will interact with the animations you add to your website, Since every element you add can make or break the overall user experience. The more comfortable your audience is with your website, the longer they will stick to it. And the wider your window of opportunity to reach and convert them.

Omnichannel. Are you coming up blank with the term? Okay, let me explain what omnichannel means. Omnichannel marketing is, in essence, a multi-channel sales approach that provides an integrated and cohesive shopping experience regardless of the channel the customer is using to reach out to your brand – be it desktop, a mobile device, by telephone, or via your brick and mortar store. The more technology advances, the deeper it is being ingrained into our daily lives. Even as you are reading this article, I’d venture a guess that you are within arm’s reach of several internet-connected devices. It comes as no surprise that 98% of Americans switch between devices on the same day. Omnichannel marketing has now become a key strategy for brands to reach tech-savvy customers. Omnichannel user experience fosters a profound sense of trust and relationship with brands, which will eventually create a positive brand image and increase customer retention rates. In fact, Businesses that adopt omnichannel strategies achieve 91% greater year-over-year customer retention rates compared to businesses that don’t.

Why Use Omnichannel Marketing Approach?

It is important to understand that an omnichannel user experience is different from a multi-channel experience. Omni-channel experiences employ different platforms but keep in mind that not all multichannel experiences are omnichannel. For instance, even if you have effective mobile marketing, engaging social media campaigns, and a great user interface design, what’s the point of having all of them when they don’t work together seamlessly? It is not omnichannel at all. Omnichannel marketing also works across all those channels, but in a way that best fits the needs of each customer. Some stores such as Home Depot reveal the location of each product in the store to customers beforehand. So customers can navigate through the store using their phones, instead of having to solicit the help of a representative who might flounder for the right answer. Today, more and more businesses are striving hard to invest their efforts, energy, and resources in creating a multichannel experience. In this ever-changing digital landscape, it is not enough to offer multiple channels or create an exceptional experience in each. The key to success is to put your users at the center of your multichannel design by offering an omnichannel approach that gets potential customers to take immediate action, irrespective of the channel or device. This way, you will be able to offer an out-of-the-box experience for every user. Regardless of how they interact with your brand. In this regard, omnichannel marketing is about blending different channels together to offer a better buyer’s journey and customer experience. This can mean using the Target app to receive online coupons and then visiting the store to confirm purchases or purchase your morning cup of coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts with the help of their app while you are waiting in line. Many brands leverage websites, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and various other platforms to engage and connect with their target audience. However, most brands fail to offer an outstanding experience and consistent brand messaging across all channels. On the other hand, if we talk about offering an omnichannel experience, every platform and device a user will use to interact with your brand delivers an integrated experience. Brands that are using this unique technique can effectively align their brand messaging, goals, and design across every channel and device.

How to Implement an Omnichannel Marketing Approach in Your Brand?

If you want to make the most of this results-driven marketing technique. It is important to come up with an effective strategy. Work closely with different departments such as sales, marketing, design, and product management to create a workable strategy. Once every concerned department clearly understands the goals and objectives of your omnichannel marketing. It will be easier for you to create an effective strategy and start working on this model. If truth be told, omnichannel marketing is effective for customers who are looking for a personalized experience. In order to create a seamless and effortless high-quality user experience. It is important to place users at the core of your UX strategy.

Five Design Principles To Create An Omnichannel

To create an omnichannel UX, web designers need to focus on these five design principles that will eventually help them deal with multichannel challenges.

1. Consistency

Today, consumers expect a consistent and meaningful experience in every interaction with your brand. So, focus on uniform functionality and a homogenous tone to build your brand credibility. Here’s how Disney does it: Disney is capitalizing on omnichannel marketing by making it extremely easy for their consumers to feel a connection. Every small detail of their website is mobile-responsive and intelligently optimized for myriad devices. When visitors book their Disney World resort trip, they can use the My Disney Experience tool to plan the entire trip. They can use the app to locate attractions they want to see and view the estimated waiting time for each attraction. In addition, their Magic Band Program offers an amazing omnichannel experience. It serves as a food ordering tool, hotel room key, a photo storage device, a pass to enter Disney World, and pays for all the purchases made in the park.

2. Availability

Provide your potential customers with a myriad of choices to interact with your brand according to their personal preferences and habits. Bank of America takes its omnichannel UX strategy to a whole new level by providing a dynamic experience to its customers. Users can deposit their checks, pay their bills, schedule appointments, cancel payments, and get cash back from both their mobile and desktop apps.

3. Seamlessness

Make it easier for customers to pause any action and resume it whenever they want from any device or channel. The seamless channel transitions require a real-time view of the customers and back-end integration across all channels. Take Starbucks as an example: Starbucks has now become an omnichannel savant. The coffee brand is doing a great job of offering a seamless user experience. Starbucks rewards app is a great example of a seamless and effortless user experience. Users get a free reward card that they can use whenever they make a purchase. Starbucks has made it possible for their valued customers to check and reload their cards through their smartphones, via the website, in a physical store, or using the app. Any minor tweak to the card gets immediately rolled out across all channels, in real time.

4.  Context Optimization

Context optimization enables your brand to make the most of the omnichannel approach. Brands can enhance their user engagement by providing the best possible experience that is well-suited for the particular touchpoint. Oasis is a famous fashion brand that is integrating their ecommerce site, mobile app, and traditional stores into a seamless shopping experience. If you visit their store, you will be welcomed by their sales representatives equipped with iPads, willing to give you accurate and up-to-date product information pertaining to any item you show an inclination for. The iPads serve as a cash register, making it easier for sales representatives to get in touch with you anywhere in the store. On top of that, if the desired product is unavailable, the associates can place an online order for you. Bravo, Oasis!

5. Channel Neutrality

Keep in mind that an omnichannel UX approach must be channel-neutral. It is highly advised to provide the same information and options across all channels to make it easier for users to jump between touchpoints across different platforms without any interruption or delay. Crate and Barrel is a furniture and home accessories store that implemented an omnichannel approach to meet its target audience’s needs. The brand makes it easier for potential customers to complete the purchase process through any device. Whenever users log into their account, the app automatically saves their shopping cart and browsing history. So they can access this information across multiple devices. This amazing implementation lets users resume their shopping activity where they left off. Implementing this omnichannel UX strategy in their mobile and website enabled Crate and Barrel to increase their revenue by up to 10%.

Wrapping Things Up

Creating an outstanding omnichannel user experience across multiple channels is an arduous undertaking that takes a smart and intelligent backend platform and APIs. But trust me, it is worth the investment. It is the key to gaining qualified leads and has the potential to transform customers into brand ambassadors.