Cross-border e-commerce is becoming more attractive every day with its advantages and target audience. This leads to an increasing number of cross-border e-commerce firms and competition. Especially in recent years, exchange rates that reached high values turn into one of the greatest benefits of cross-border e-commerce; because income with foreign currency means more revenue and more profitable trade. As interest and competition in cross-border e-commerce increased, it might be necessary to apply certain strategies to survive in this ecosystem. One of the most effective strategies is digital marketing. Just like cross-border e-commerce, digital marketing is a new but highly effective technique to benefit beyond your expectations to reach potential customers, increase brand recognition and increase your sales. Well, how can you use digital marketing in cross-border e-commerce? What are digital marketing tools in cross-border e-commerce? Here are the answers…
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Place and Importance of Digital Marketing in Cross-Border E-Commerce
Today, digital marketing is not only important for cross-border e-commerce but also for all types of products sold with e-commerce and all processes that complete these sales. Rapid and significant increase in the number of buyers who shop online is also visible across individuals and institutions in cross-border e-commerce. To be highlighted in an environment with a high number of businesses and products, it is almost mandatory to benefit from digital marketing. Also, it is important to consider that this is valid for cross-border e-commerce and benefit correctly and efficiently from digital marketing tools.
Things to Do for an Effective Digital Marketing in Cross-Border E-Commerce
Since digital marketing expands to various sub-branches and a large domain, you might not be sure about how and when to combine cross-border e-commerce with this marketing method. You can evaluate and apply the following steps in digital marketing for your priorities.
- 1. You can start by building a multi-language website compliant with international standards.
One of the most fundamental steps in cross-border e-commerce is to build a suitable and practical website with a strong infrastructure that matches with your products and concept. A website where you can easily access all product, that has detailed and clear product description and images, simple and easy add to cart and purchasing process is always attractive and continuous for buyers. In addition to having an intuitive and easy-to-use e-commerce website, you need to add multi-language support if you want to be successful in cross-border e-commerce. Especially, if you are targeting any countries, you need to the languages of these countries on your website. If you do not have a specific market or if markets are constantly changing and you need to have limited language support for these reasons, you must at least add the English language option.
SEO Strategy.
- 2. You can reach your online targets with an effective SEO strategy.
An effective SEO (Search Engine Optimization) means ranking your website for any Google search related to your products higher; higher ranks for your website means attracting more potential customers. A correct and up-to-date website structure, detailed and unique product descriptions, high-quality images, recommendation of your website by different websites and many other criteria will significantly help for SEO. Since there is a limited announcement on SEO on the Google side, you can follow the trends on websites that constantly and effectively share about these topics; thus you can learn how your website will be ahead in Google search.
SEO is a complex process that needs time and effort. When you want to follow a faster and more effective path, you can publish your ads via Google AdWords and make your website visible on ad space. Although Google AdWords have details like keyword, linking, address and phone, you can see your website on the top ranks of Google in a short time and with fewer offers by paying certain fees.
- 3. You can increase your brand recognition and potential customers with digital ads
You can publish your website ads on social media platforms like Facebook Ads and LinkedIn in addition to Google AdWords. These types of ads will expand your potential customer network and one of the leading advantages is that you can choose target segments for your ad reach. Thus, based on different criteria like gender, age, education level, income level, and many others, you can show your website ads to certain groups and increase your chance to convert potential customers to actual customers.
Cross-Border E-Commerce and Social Media
- 4. You can also use social media for a successful cross-border e-commerce
By using your social media for your business, you can earn organic followers on social media just like organic results on your SEO. The most important factor here is to answer “Which social media tools do your potential customers are using?” You can create company accounts on related social media platforms; share interesting content every day or a couple of times per week and benefit from digital marketing for successful cross-border e-commerce. If you are only targeting foreign customers, you can share posts in that country’s language or you can select the English language in general.
- 5. Don’t forget e-mail ads for a complete digital marketing
Although e-mail ads are not as effective and popular as SEO, digital ads and social media tools, these types of ads can still provide significant benefits to B2B institutions. Since the majority of individual users easily block e-mail ads or don’t even check these ads, you can send these e-mails to B2B individuals or directly to the company.
When all of these digital marketing processes are considered, these might look complex or hard for your business. You might not have a team to take care of your digital marketing tasks or share them in foreign languages. In these cases, you can purchase all these marketing services separately or benefit from an agency that offers a comprehensive service for all these aspects. Thus, you can use different agencies for digital marketing services and translation or contract with one agency for digital ads, social media shares, translation, and many other services.
In short, try to learn the answers to:
- “Which countries give you a higher yield? What are the strength and weaknesses of your international competitors?” questions.
- Search for demographic structure, technological opportunities, and habits of your target country or countries.
- Learn about the tax ratio of other countries as well as commercial exemptions, incentives and supports offered by Turkey.
- Calculate your predicted cost and revenue ratio; prepare your profit – loss table.
- After these basic steps, built a website to show your products.
- Make sure that your website has a solid and secure infrastructure and correct information.
- After building your website based on these rules, make sure you include SEO, Ads and social media as well.
- Create a field where your visitors visit your website either from direct or indirect ways to express their views.
Based on this feedback, change your website structure, ads, posts or general service approach or make innovations.
