Monday, February 5, 2018

4 Ways To Boost Ecommerce Lead Generation Using Content


Lead generation, nurturing, conversion and retention are key to business survival and growth. Hence, how to get more leads is a leading concern facing 63% of marketers today.
This is understandable as no business can survive without customers and sales. Therefore, learning how to generate more qualified leads should be one of your biggest priorities.
Savvy eCommerce marketers who can spot buy signals ten miles away know whether and when to make the move, and how to move prospects into (repeat) paying customers.
In this article we break this process down into 4 actionable tips you can apply right away to grow your eCommerce lead generation in 2018 using content. But before that,

WHAT IS LEAD GENERATION?

Lead generation refers to all the marketing/sales activities that help to generate leads or collect relevant customer information.
THE 2C’s OF LEAD GENERATION

First there has to be a connection (with your business or offer) before collection can occur.
The more information you’re able to collect the more you’re able to connect and customize your products, services or solutions to prospect’s needs,
WHAT IS A LEAD?
According to Lindsay Kolowich, essentially a sale lead is generated through information collection.
When eCommerce website visitors for instance sign up or supply their email addresses or other contact details, they become leads because they have shown interest. These leads sign up or subscribe for various reasons, some to buy, some to spy or window shop.
TYPES OF SALES LEADS
Depending on interest and intent, there are three main types of leads viz:
  1. Hot: Budget, Authority, Need and Timing are all on point
  2. Warm: One or two of Budget, Authority, Need and Timing do not align
  3. Cold: Two or more of Budget, Authority, Need and Timing are out of sync.
The most qualified leads are those who have the means, might and mind to pay.
Once leads are identified and properly qualified, they’re either dropped, kept in view or further placed into sales pipeline.
LEAD GENERATORS
Depending on your ecommerce business model, there are many ways to generate leads some of which include:
  • Advertisement
  • Subscriptions
  • Email Marketing
  • Direct Mailing
  • Trade Shows
  • Word of Mouth
  • Networking
  • Product reviews
  • Social Media
  • Search Engine
  • Competitors
  • Opt-in forms
  • Surveys, Polls, Questionnaires
  • 3rd Party Vendors, etc.
Now we take a look at how to become better lead generators.

4 WAYS TO BOOST ECOMMERCE LEAD GENERATION USING CONTENT

1. CONTENT MARKETING

Most ecommerce businesses are yet to tap into content marketing as a lead generation strategy.
The 5 W’s of Content Marketing below will help you improve your content marketing efforts via blogging.

Before creating any piece of content answer the following questions:

WHO: is your ideal lead?

WHY: are you blogging, for lead generation or nurturing?

WHEN: will you be posting, daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly?

WHERE: and where will you be promoting your articles?

WHAT: results are your lead generation, nurturing efforts via
blogging bringing in?
According to Content Marketing Institute, 88% of B2B companies use content marketing. Similarly, in 2016, 85% of B2B marketers said lead generation was their main content marketing goal while 79% of B2B c-suite finds their content through blogs.
A good content mix should contain text, infographics, video, GIFs.
LEAD GENERATION POTENTIAL:
Marketers who blog consistently will receive 126% more leads.

2. SEARCH ENGINE

One of the biggest SEO benefits of consistent blogging is showing up in SERP like Google’s.
PinPoint Market Research and Anderson Jones found that 93% of B2B buying processes begin with an internet search. Similarly, number of daily Google searches stands at 3.5billion or 40, 000 per second. Without consistent blogging you’ll be missing out on organic lead generation for your e-business.
Interestingly, serpIQ.com found that average number of words for content in Google’s number 1 spot was 2, 416 as seen below:

Longform content ranks higher in search results from 1st to 10th positions.
Consistent, relevant, helpful, well promoted blog posts/content increase your chances of showing up on SERPs.
LEAD GENERATION POTENTIAL:
70% of US B2B Marketers use organic search as lead generation strategy.

3. SOCIAL MEDIA

Reports indicate there are currently 2.46 billion social media users worldwide, projected to hit 3.02 billion by 2021.

This is a goldmine for savvy marketers even as more and more users are beginning to buy into social commerce in a bid to up their social commerce marketing game.
Relevant content is one major way to engage social media users. Amazingly serpIQ.com also found that longform content is beginning to click with users.
Below is a chart showing number of shares vs article length on Facebook and Twitter.

From search to social there is no doubt that content is key to lead generation.
In fact 64% of B2B marketers reportedly generated leads via LinkedIn, 49% via Facebook and 36% via Twitter.
LEAD GENERATION POTENTIAL (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter):
149% viz LinkedIn 64%, Facebook 49%, Twitter 36%.

4. EMAIL

Email as a marketing tool and lead generator has held its own year on year. In 2015, 38% of UK respondents admitted to checking emails several times a day.
59% of B2B Marketers say email is the most effective channel for generating revenue with ROI as high as $44 per dollar spent.
As expected, US e-mail marketing spending is expected to reach over three billion by 2019 according to Statista with 48% of US companies set to increase email marketing spending, 48% maintaining status quo and only 2% set to decrease e-mail marketing spend in 2017.

As with blogging, search and social, email is content driven; can drive engagement, lead nurturing and conversion.
Email personalization is a great way to connect with prospects and leads alike, they reward the extra effort put into personalization.
LEAD GENERATION POTENTIAL:
73% of US B2B marketers across different industries say email is their most preferred means of lead generation as seen in chart above.

CONCLUSION

Strategically implementing each or any of these methods can help grow lead gen for your eCommerce or even other businesses.


 
Posted by Website Design Chennai at 2:23 PM

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