Brand-building is critical to the long-term success of business performance. People are increasingly spending more time on digital channels; in fact, according to the Global Web Index, consumers spend 72%…
Are you curious about paid advertising tactics for your business in 2024? If you have the capital to invest in Facebook or Google ads, they are one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience at various customer journey phases.
So, where do you get started when it comes to creating the best ad campaigns online? We’re covering the steps your business should take to get the most bang for your buck. Let’s jump right in!
Facebook and Google both offer a highly targeted approach to running ad campaigns. Let’s break down the two platforms here.
With nearly 3 billion global users, it’s no surprise that many businesses invest in Facebook ads. When you create an ad campaign on Facebook, you promote your business to potential customers who use the platform. Using Facebook Ad Manager, you can tailor each ad to a specific audience based on age, gender, location, and other demographics.
Facebook differs from other platforms because it has unique user data to share with its advertising customers. This data includes various lifestyle characteristics, such as education, interests, previous purchases, income, political preferences, and more.
When you create an advertising campaign and select a segmented audience based on the information above, the ads in the campaign will be served to the demographics you specify.
This data is highly valuable to many Facebook advertisers because it allows them to pinpoint specific characteristics to target in their campaigns and, ultimately, boost campaigns’ success rate. It is what makes Facebook so powerful; user data and preferences can be incorporated into ad campaigns to make them incredibly tailored and successful.
Facebook ad types include sponsored posts, images, videos, carousels (multiple images in one post), polls, slide shows, and more.
Learn more: How to Advertise a Business on Facebook for Beginners
As the most used search engine, Google is a great place to run ad campaigns regardless of your niche or business size. With Google Ads, you only pay when a user clicks on your advertisement, which will appear in Google searches within the Google display network (a group of two million websites) and Google-related platforms like YouTube.
Google’s advertising methods involve custom targeting, involving a user’s core demographics, including age, gender, location, and income. Companies using Google Ads can also target specific audiences based on their search intent using various keywords in their campaigns.
Ad formats on Google include text-only search ads, display ads, which include an image, and shopping ads.
Here are a few terms you should know before you launch an ad campaign on Facebook or Google.
CPC: Cost per click, or the amount you pay every time someone clicks on an ad CPA: Cost per acquisition, or the total cost to acquire one customer CTR: The average click-through rate — based on how many clicks the ad received divided by how many times the ad was shown Conversion rate: The percentage of users who completed a desired action from the ad CPM: Cost per mille or the cost per thousand impressions.
Now, onto the fun stuff! Creating compelling ads requires time and effort, so let’s break down what you must do.
Below is step zero of creating ads, no matter what platform you plan to run them on:
You have a small opportunity to grab someone’s attention, so make it count! Use your branding and keep it simple but visually appealing. Try to picture your ad as a consumer browses the internet — you want something that will make them stop scrolling because they’re intrigued.
Keep it short and sweet for text-based ads or designs that require some copy. Most consumers use their smartphones to browse online, so try to use a few words on visual ads to avoid overcomplicating things and let the ad speak for itself.
Use a short CTA like "Click to Shop" or "Download Now" to make the next step simple and actionable for potential customers.
The adage "Fail to plan, plan to fail" has never been more true than it is with digital ad campaigns!
Now that you understand the basics, the next (and most important) step is crafting an advertising strategy tailored to your business, target audience, and campaign goals. Let’s get started!
You can’t create compelling ads without knowing precisely who you are targeting — it just doesn’t add up without crucial insights about their values, interests, shopping behavior, and more. So, conduct thorough research on your target audience to confidently launch campaigns they will respond to.
What do you want to gain from your ad campaigns? It may be brand exposure, email addresses for a newsletter, new website visitors, or sales. Setting clear goals from the get-go is essential to measure what you market and determine what would make a campaign successful.
Based on your goals, set a realistic budget for each ad campaign. Consider your maximum customer acquisition cost (CAC) or the maximum amount you’re willing to spend to acquire a new customer. You can research the prices of Facebook and Google ad campaigns and select the platform that offers the best results for your efforts.
Learn more: Effective Advertising: How to Calculate Ad Budget
A/B testing, or split testing, helps to determine which version of the ad connects better with your target audience and is a very effective experiment to run on your ad campaigns.
In an A/B test, you’re trying to determine which ad resonates better with your audience. It is done by changing graphics or text, color variations, messaging, and imagery to see what your audience prefers.
Learn more: A/B Testing For Beginners: Everything You Should Know To Get Started
Adjust specific components to increase ROI and cut costs as you assess campaign performance. Adjust your bidding strategies based on campaign performance to spend less per ad.
Run a few retargeting campaigns that display ads to visitors who visited your site but didn’t buy anything to keep your brand at the forefront of their minds.
If you sell online with Ecwid by Lightspeed, not only do you get a beautifully designed online store, but you also can leverage pixels in your online store. Pixel is a small code that can be placed on your website to track visitor behavior. This way, you can use retargeting to reach potential customers who have visited your site before but left without a purchase.
Here are all the pixels that you can add to your Ecwid store to optimize your ads:
Facebook pixel Snap pixel Pinterest pixel Google tag TikTok Pixel.
There are various ways to simplify advertising for a busy business owner.
For example, if you sell online with Ecwid by Lightspeed, you can connect your Ecwid catalog with Facebook’s Product Catalog. It lets you sync your product and inventory info across platforms and manage orders in Ecwid to save you time and energy.
Ecwid and Facebook integration provides you with tools that help you show the perfect content to the right audience at the right time, such as:
targeting shoppers based on their age, interests, and more launching different types of ads — dynamic, video, and carousel running retargeting ad campaigns with Facebook Pixel to bring back customers.
As for running promotional campaigns on Google, Ecwid has got you covered, too! With Ecwid’s automated Google Shopping ads, all you have to do is choose the audience and the products you want to promote, and Ecwid will take care of the rest. This way, you reach potential customers on Google’s search engine results page and Google Shopping without doing extra work.
Based on the initial performance of your ads, make data-backed decisions about the campaign’s success and what you will change for future campaigns.
For example, if text-based ads delivered fewer site visitors or sales than display ads, consider allocating more budget to display ads for future campaigns. It is just one example of how consumer behavior and data impact advertising campaigns.
Apart from built-in Facebook and Google ad campaign insights, you can use analytics tools like Google Analytics to better understand your audience’s behavior.
Ecwid by Lightspeed sellers have access to another helpful tool for determining the success of marketing campaigns. Ecwid’s integrated Reports feature includes a Marketing section providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, order sources, and the strategies employed in your store that convert visitors into customers.
Learn more: Essential Business KPIs for Online Stores & How to Track Them Like a Pro
Getting started with ad campaigns on Facebook and Google can feel daunting, but if you research and start small, you’ll quickly learn the ropes and feel more confident running larger-scale campaigns. Whether you’re working with a small or large budget, remember everything we mentioned above to create the best ads for your target audience.
Know your target audience, set clear goals and stick to your budget as you get started to ensure a strong foundation. Perform A/B testing to determine what resonates with your audience, and adjust your campaigns as necessary to increase ROI. Finally, let the data tell the story of what you’ll do differently for your next campaign.
Advertising is critical to running an ecommerce shop, especially with the steep competition in today’s market. Fortunately, Ecwid is here to support your business every step of the way. From creating an online store to robust marketing tools, Ecwid is your one-stop shop for building a successful online store.
Sign up for Ecwid and grow your business with automated Facebook and Google advertising.
The post 7 Steps to the Best Ads for Facebook and Google Campaigns first appeared on Ecwid | E-Commerce Shopping Cart.
As technology and consumer behavior evolve and shift, the cross-border ecommerce industry has experienced massive growth in the last few years.
As an ecommerce retailer, you may be interested in expanding into new markets and audiences to continue growing your business. Selling internationally guarantees increased sales, more brand visibility, and even a competitive advantage over online stores that haven’t jumped into global selling.
So, are you ready to leap into cross-border ecommerce? Let’s find out how in this post!
Constantly evolving technology and consumer behaviors are the key drivers of cross-border ecommerce trends. Rising prices due to inflation have driven many consumers overseas to find similar products at a more affordable price.
Juniper Research projects that cross-border ecommerce growth will reach never-seen-before numbers in the coming years. Transactions are expected to grow by 107% by 2028, creating robust opportunities for new businesses to expand and increase sales significantly.
According to Statista, the cross-border ecommerce market (B2C) is expected to reach $7.9 trillion by 2030. If you want a piece of the pie, there’s no better time to explore cross-border ecommerce logistics for your online store. The sooner you jump in, the greater your advantage over your competition.
Are you still wondering if your business should jump into international selling? Some data shows that over 70% of online consumers purchase from global companies, so the answer is a resounding yes!
It’s a significant undertaking to start selling across international borders, but it can be a fruitful strategy for any business. Before you dip a toe into cross-border ecommerce, here’s what you need to know.
As you research where you’ll be selling, be sure to research where locals shop online in these regions. Residents in some countries use Facebook Shop or Instagram, while others across the world use Amazon and eBay. Knowing as much as possible about each market will help you invest in the right marketplaces to target each unique audience.
Check if your ecommerce platform integrates with selling channels popular in countries you want to expand in. For example, Ecwid by Lightspeed sellers can seamlessly connect their online store to marketplaces and other platforms while managing all products and orders from one centralized hub.
Update your website with translated product descriptions that are easy to understand. Also, product listings should be updated with prices in the appropriate currency, depending on where customers are shopping, to make product and shipping prices as transparent as possible.
Localization of your website will play a significant role in gaining customers’ trust and increasing conversions. Luckily, robust ecommerce platforms like Ecwid by Lightspeed offer built-in multilingual store tools so that you can easily translate your website into multiple languages to accommodate global customers.
Make international customers feel like their data is secure by offering secure payment options on your website.
It’s best to offer payment providers with which shoppers are familiar, so look for well-known global options like PayPal or Stripe. Plus, offering local payment methods like Alipay in China or iDEAL in the Netherlands can make all the difference when trying to appeal to local shoppers.
With Ecwid, you can choose from over 80 payment options, including global and local ones, to provide a secure and convenient experience for your international customers.
Offering multiple shipping options and carriers can also help cater to different customer preferences. Some customers prefer faster delivery, while others prioritize cost-effectiveness.
Be upfront about your shipping times and provide accurate time frames for when they should expect shipment notifications.
Using Ecwid by Lightspeed, you can display real-time shipping rates in your online store, so you don’t have to pay extra for international shipping costs. Plus, you can show estimated delivery times on checkout and product pages. This way, shoppers know when to expect their order.
Read the article below for more information on how to prepare your online store for cross-border ecommerce:
Similar to any market out there, cross-border ecommerce comes with its unique set of challenges. Every business must explore several strategies and approaches to triumph in global sales. Let’s dive into those.
Partnering with a trusted logistics company is mission-critical for any brand wanting to expand to cross-border selling. Rather than handling shipping and logistics independently, an international 3PL company can manage all tasks related to order fulfillment, inventory management, returns, and more.
Before you decide where you want to sell internationally, it’s crucial to identify the regions where your brand would make the biggest splash and the shopping patterns of the residents of those areas.
Performing international market research will help you make informed decisions about what markets and areas are ideal for your business to sell.
Every country has specific tax laws and regulations you must understand before selling there. These regulations can impact shipping and the cost of any product you sell. You’ll also need to be aware of exchange rates and tariffs in each location.
Additionally, some countries require specific labeling or packaging for certain products. Researching and understanding these regulations is critical to avoid any legal issues.
Free trade agreements (FTA) reduce the hurdles and obstacles that ecommerce sellers must navigate as they import or export between international borders.
There are minimal tariffs, subsidies, or prohibitions under a FTA between two countries to stimulate both country’s economies and encourage international trade. If you’re a US seller, explore the Free Trade Agreements with various countries listed here.
Curious how the best cross-border ecommerce companies navigate this approach so successfully? Let’s explore how a few leading brands do it with finesse.
You are probably not surprised to see the ecommerce giant Amazon at the top of this list. Amazon’s dominance on a global scale is likely because of its emphasis on customer experience above all else. Amazon Prime is available in many countries, not just the United States, showcasing that the customer is the retailer’s #1 priority. 2-day shipping and free returns always set the tone for a highly positive customer experience.
Whether you’re an Amazon seller, a customer, or both, the marketplace offers a user-friendly approach nearly unmatched by any other ecommerce retailer.
Amazon continues to innovate its shipping processes, sustainability, accessibility, and operational processes across the board. The company’s various services and advantages make it a leading cross-border ecommerce example that many brands try to emulate in small but significant ways.
If you sell online with Ecwid, you can connect your online store to Amazon using apps like Channable and Koongo to capitalize on the marketplace’s international reach.
As a pioneer in the retail and ecommerce industry, eBay remains a top contender for global sales. Like Amazon, eBay’s success can undoubtedly be linked to its emphasis on customer satisfaction and experience.
Ecommerce retailers can use eBay to sell globally simply by offering international shipping on their product listings. eBay allows buyers and sellers to connect in over 190 markets across the globe, making eBay one of the largest companies in the ecommerce industry.
Ecwid sellers can also connect to eBay, as long as local and niche marketplaces like Leroy-Merlen or Decathlon. This way, merchants can expand their reach and attract new customers from different countries.
The ecommerce giant Alibaba offers sellers an easy platform to sell products internationally without investing in their infrastructure. With its robust network of suppliers and customers, Alibaba is a leading ecommerce platform for simultaneously shopping and selling.
Ecwid sellers can dropship products from Alibaba, eliminating the need for inventory management and upfront costs. It allows small businesses to compete with larger companies on a global scale.
How about expanding your online store into international waters? Ecwid has everything you need for your cross-border ecommerce business.
Empower your online store with our platform, allowing you to showcase it in multiple languages and currencies. Tailor payment methods and shipping choices to create a seamless shopping experience for customers worldwide.
With Ecwid, it’s never been easier to expand into new markets and build an international business. Sign up today to create a new online store for your business or migrate your existing one to Ecwid.
The post Mastering Cross-Border Ecommerce: Key Tips to Success first appeared on Ecwid | E-Commerce Shopping Cart.