For many years, the phrase ‘content is king!’ has been used in marketing, B2B and B2C. But is it still a true statement in 2024?

Content is something that most business owners, marketing managers and other industry professionals will most likely be familiar with. It’s an effective way of communicating with target audiences, whether this be through blogs, videos, web pages or case studies.

But it’s not about creating content for the sake of it. The most important thing is to write content that is relevant, engaging and answers the questions that your customers are asking.

Having a content marketing strategy in place can have many benefits, including driving traffic, building brand authority, and nurturing customer relationships.

Here are some of the reasons content remains an important part of any marketing strategy.

Increases brand visibility and traffic

Content marketing, which covers a range of material like blogs, videos, infographics, and social media posts, is key in helping ecommerce businesses attract potential customers to their website.

By creating valuable and interesting content which is optimised for search engines like Google, companies can improve their visibility in search results, driving organic traffic to their website.

Gain authority and trust

High quality content positions ecommerce businesses as authorities in their industry. When they regularly write valuable and informative content that addresses the needs of their target audience, they establish trust and credibility. This then encourages them to choose their brand over competitors.

Educating customers and driving sales

Content marketing allows ecommerce businesses to educate their audience about their products or services, industry trends, and useful guides.

By providing valuable information, they can address any blockers that are preventing the customer from buying and take steps to resolve the issue, which will lead to increased sales.

Customer engagement and loyalty

Did you know that repeat customers spend 67% more than new customers? (BIA Advisory Services)

This is another reason that content is important, because it has the power to create a community of loyal customers that support you and continue to return to buy again and again.

But it’s not just the repeat sales that have value, loyal customers are also likely to leave positive reviews, interact with your business and share you with family and friends.

Supporting SEO

Content marketing is an essential part of search engine optimisation, which is also known as SEO. Publishing well-written, relevant content regularly can improve a website’s search engine rankings, making it more visible to potential customers searching for related products or information.

Cost-effectiveness

Compared to traditional advertising methods, content marketing can be more cost-effective, especially for ecommerce businesses with limited marketing budgets. The long term benefits, such as increased brand awareness and customer loyalty, outweigh the initial cost.

If you are struggling for time and resources, consider outsourcing the work to experts like CSP Commerce, as this ensures you get professional content without having to hire internally (which would cost much more!)

Measurable results

With various analytics tools available, ecommerce businesses can track the performance of their content marketing efforts and make changes to their strategy based on the data driven results.

Metrics that can be used for analysis and improvement include website traffic, engagement, conversion rates, and customer feedback.

Email marketing

And content marketing doesn’t stop at web pages and blogs. Email marketing also plays a huge role in ecommerce success, with “41% of marketers saying it is their most effective marketing tool.” [https://www.litmus.com/state-of-email-reports]

Through carefully planned and executed automations, we are now able to communicate with the customer at exactly the right time in their purchasing journey.

One-off campaigns are also a great way to interact with customers and nurture the relationship, while also using the opportunity to announce new products, give business updates and offer insightful information like guides and how-tos.

Success Stories

Content marketing has proved as a success for many ecommerce businesses, with many well-known brands and large scale enterprises incorporating it into their marketing strategy.

Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka

One marketing strategy we need to mention is one form Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka, as they are the perfect example of how to use a popular influencer to raise brand awareness.

Known for his successful comedy career, Ricky Gervais joined Ellers Farm Distillery as the new co-owner back in November 2023. Since then, they have allowed him to take reigns of the marketing and really put his own stamp on it using his own following and network to get the name out there.

Let’s take a look at some examples of the star’s social media posts.

If you are a fan of his comedy, this is just the sort of advertising you expect from Ricky Gervais. The silly, laid back humour is a strategy that you don’t often see in the world of marketing – with many brands choosing to present themselves in a corporate, professional way (which not many people can actually relate to.) By striking a funny pose, taking a photo in the bath and quite obviously making fun of himself, Ricky automatically turns it into one that people can engage with, relate to and of course, laugh at.

What we love about this particular social media content is that in it, he isn’t taking himself too seriously and, like his own personality and characters he plays, comes across as fun, silly and  a bit daft. These things make the posts stand out and encourage people to share the laughs with

With 115k likes on the original post, it has definitely succeeding in capturing the audience’s attention and much like Ricky’s 2020 Golden Globes opening speech, it is clear that they won’t be sticking to the traditional marketing norms.

And, who doesn’t love animals?

Ricky knows just how to grab our attention (and hearts!) with a carefully orchestrated photo of his adorable cat and which happens to feature his product too. Based on the caption, Gervais knows exactly what he’s doing and even jokes that he is ‘exploiting’ his pet. A lot of people would prefer to be advertised to in an honest way – and will opt for a brand like this, who are openly admitting they’re using emotional tactics to get the sales.

Have you ever heard a company promote their marketing campaign as the ‘worst ad ever?’ In most cases, this would be seen as a big no-no, but for Gervais’ brand it’s a big yes!

The 40 second clip shows Ricky asking a doctor if he “is a real doctor” to which he replies “No, no I am an actor.” Breaking the third wall, the audience knows that the actors know it’s not real, and they know it’s not real too.

In the next scene, Gervais says “Like George Clooney in E.R. So Doctor, can you tell us some of the dangers of alcohol?”

There is huge irony in asking about the medical effects of alcohol in an advert… About alcohol! The answer from the doctor shouldn’t encourage us to go and buy Dutch Barn Vodka, but because of the quick with and blunt humour, it encourages us to buy it.

Time to talk?

Do you think your content needs a refresh? Or maybe you know it’s not working as well as it should?

Our content team can create a content strategy and calendar before creating marketing activities like blogs, emails, social media posts and pages on your website. We can also audit existing content and highlight any areas for improvement.

Get in touch to find out more.

The post The Impact of Content Marketing in Ecommerce appeared first on CSP Commerce.

Photography for ecommerce: Mastering the Basics

With a majority of shopping transactions migrating online, a brand’s visual narrative becomes its primary method of engaging and enticing customers. Ecommerce photography is an absolute essential for success. According to Adobe, 63% of shoppers said that “high-quality product photos” are “very important when deciding whether or not to buy a product online, whilst it’s thought that 22% of returns occur “because the Product Looks Different in Person”.

Ultimately, whether you’re a Manchester based apparel wholesaler, or an electronics omnichannel retailer, a compelling photograph isn’t simply a two-dimensional representation; it’s a catalyst for emotion, interaction, and action.

So, how best can your ecommerce business get the most out of photography? How can we elevate your brand, products and social media through this important medium?

Let’s find out:

Ecommerce Photography: Constructing Identity

At its core, brand photography is about narrative. It’s the backdrop against which every product is set, the ethos that permeates every transaction, and the essence that lingers after every interaction. While product photos speak about what is being offered, brand photography communicates why.

A sustainable clothing brand, for instance, won’t just showcase well-draped apparel. Through their imagery, they might transport viewers to cotton fields, introduce them to artisans, or capture the tranquillity of nature – driving home the brand’s commitment to sustainability and ethical production.

Emotion is the currency of brand photography. It’s about evoking feelings—be it the warmth of nostalgia, the thrill of adventure, or the comfort of community. And often, these feelings are summoned not through posed shots, but candid captures. It could be a spontaneous laugh shared between colleagues, a designer lost in thought, or the sun setting over a workshop. It’s these ‘in-between’ moments that often tell the most authentic brand stories.

Elevating your brand through photography, CSP’s top tips:

1. Understand Your Brand’s Core Values

Before you snap a single photo, it’s essential to define your brand’s values. Are you about luxury, sustainability, innovation, or simplicity? Your photographs should consistently echo these values.

2. Use Consistent Lighting and Backdrops

Choose lighting and backgrounds that align with your brand’s tone. A luxury brand might opt for dramatic lighting and darker backgrounds, while a sustainable brand could lean towards natural light and earthy backdrops.

3. Prioritise Authenticity

Avoid overly staged shots. Candid moments, whether of your team, your process, or your customers, can provide a more genuine glimpse into your brand’s world.

Product Photography: Elevating Offerings

Where brand photography evokes ethos, product photography emphasises detail. It’s a close-up on craftsmanship, a spotlight on design, and a guide to utility. And while clarity is paramount, creativity is not to be overlooked.

Dynamic angles can offer fresh perspectives. A wristwatch might be photographed not just on a wrist, but also placed next to an antique compass, emphasising heritage and timelessness. A gourmet tea brand might not only showcase packed tea leaves but also capture the swirl of tea being poured, steam rising, invoking sensory experiences.

Backgrounds, too, play a role. While many opt for neutral backgrounds to highlight products, strategic placements can accentuate value propositions. A camping gear product might be set against misty mountains, reinforcing its durability in extreme conditions.

Textures deserve attention as well. The sheen of satin, the ruggedness of handcrafted leather, or the gloss of a ceramic vase—all beckon tactile interactions, making the viewer yearn to reach out and touch.

Quick wins for your product photography:

1. Prioritise Clarity:

The aim is to show the product as it is. Ensure you have a sharp focus, high resolution, and accurate colour representation.

2. Multiple Angles:

Capture every facet of your product. From the top, side, back, and even a 360-degree view if possible. This gives customers a comprehensive look at what they’re purchasing.

3. Context is Key:

How is your product used? Showing it in a real-world scenario can help potential buyers visualise its use in their own lives.

4. Close-ups and Details:

Showcase the intricate details of your products. Whether it’s the stitching on handmade clothing or the texture of a handcrafted piece of jewellery, these details can differentiate and elevate your products.

Engaging Audiences on Social Media

While a brand’s website is its online sanctuary, social media channels are its interactive playgrounds. Here, photography is not merely about showcasing; it’s about connecting and conversing.

Less formal, candid imagery tends to resonate on platforms like Instagram. A photo capturing the creative chaos of a design brainstorming session, or a snapshot of a team member’s pet lounging amidst inventory, introduces a brand’s human side, making it more than just a logo or a product.

Yet, when spotlighting a specific item, it’s essential to traverse beyond the product itself and delve into the emotions it invokes. If promoting an organic skincare range, aim to capture the texture of the cream: droplets of water on fresh green leaves, and the serene expression of an individual, emphasising the holistic experience of skincare, not just the act.

Equally, there’s no need to sacrifice consistency in the quest for variety. A cohesive visual theme, perhaps in terms of colour palettes or framing, can bolster brand recognition without making content monotonous.

In Closing: The Symphony of Imagery in Ecommerce

Ecommerce thrives on connections. Every photograph becomes a conversation, a whisper of a brand’s story, a showcase of its offerings, and an invitation to be part of its journey. As brands sculpt their online narratives, it’s crucial to let brand and product photography dance in tandem, each enhancing the other, crafting stories that linger in the heart long after the browser window is closed.

CSP Commerce | Manchester Ecommerce Agency

From brand through to demand, we support and manage ecommerce growth at each stage of the commerce journey.  Our extensive knowledge and experience in ecommerce have established us as industry leaders for our capabilities in performance marketing, marketplace management, social commerce, and Shopify, Shopify Plus and WooCommerce web development.

We’re a Manchester ecommerce agency that works with retailers as committed to growth as we are. We tailor our performance and platform-first approach to the ambitious brands and online retailers we partner with. As part of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, we are uniquely positioned to support businesses to scale nationally to globally.

We’ll hand-select a team of specialists to work with clients and operate as an extension of their ecommerce department. We are accountable for delivering measurable results that grow reach and revenue. Together, we will work to scale and sell your products across online channels.

If you’re serious about growth then start your journey with us. Let’s succeed and scale together.

Why not visit us in person?

WPP Manchester Campus,

1 New Quay Street,

Manchester,

Greater Manchester,

M3 4BN.

#shopifyagency #shopifyplus #manchester #ecommerceagency #ecommercegrowth #marketplacemanagement #performancemarketing #googleads #socialcommerce #manchesterecommerceagency #amazon #ebay

The post Shutter Success: The Art of Authenticity in Ecommerce Photography appeared first on CSP Commerce.

When it comes to ecommerce, having standout products isn’t the sole ticket to success anymore. To truly shine, your brand needs to understand and master technical SEO.

Whether it’s Manchester City Football Club, or a medium-sized clothing retailer at the other end of the country, Technical SEO forms the infrastructure of most online ecommerce platforms, such as Shopify Plus or WooCommerce.

Its role? Ensuring search engines effortlessly crawl, interpret, and index website data.

Given the sprawling nature of ecommerce sites, where ecommerce product listings can range from a mere handful to thousands, maintaining a site that search engines can easily digest is imperative.

This means that your site structure, product categories, and the intrinsic value of each product should be discernible to search algorithms.

Comprehensive Keyword Research: Laying the Groundwork

At the heart of any effective ecommerce SEO strategy lies comprehensive keyword research. This isn’t merely about pinpointing popular search terms, but about understanding the language of your potential customers—especially when they’re poised to make a purchase.

Focusing on long-tail keywords with clear purchase intent is vital. While they might attract fewer searches, their conversion potential is significantly higher. As market trends and consumer behaviours shift, it’s essential to revisit and refine your keyword strategies.

Optimising Your Content for SEO

SEO-optimised content within ecommerce isn’t just about driving traffic—it’s about driving relevant traffic. Relevant traffic translates to visitors who are genuinely interested in the products you’re offering and are more likely to convert into customers.

In the ecommerce sector, the content isn’t just confined to blog articles or generic product descriptions. It encompasses reviews, Q&A sections, how-to guides related to the products, and even user-generated content. Every piece of content is a chance to showcase not just a product, but the value and experience that come with it.

Once you’ve determined your keywords, the next step is seamlessly integrating them into your product titles, descriptions, meta descriptions, and even image alt-text. But it’s not enough to merely sprinkle keywords. Your content must provide genuine value. For example, a product description should paint a vivid picture, addressing potential questions a buyer might have, and emphasising the unique benefits of the product. It should be engaging enough to hold attention, yet detailed enough to inform.

Moreover, with the rise of voice search through smart devices, adopting a conversational tone and including natural language or questions within content is becoming increasingly vital. Think about how someone might ask Siri or Alexa about a product and tailor some content to fit these verbal searches.

Importantly, while content optimisation is about using the right keywords, it’s equally about avoiding over-optimisation. Search engines today are sophisticated enough to recognise and penalise keyword stuffing, which harms rather than enhances visibility.

Engaging content goes beyond text. Incorporating high-quality images and videos that are relevant to the product can significantly enhance the user experience. It’s not just about showcasing the product, but about narrating its story, its relevance, and its place in the customer’s life.

The Skyscraper Technique and Diversifying Strategies

The skyscraper technique, an innovative approach to content marketing, is grounded in the principle of building upon what already stands tall in the digital arena.

Originated by Brian Dean of Backlinko, this technique primarily focuses on improving existing popular content and then reaching out for link-building opportunities.

The first step involves identifying content within your niche that has gained significant traction or backlinks.

Numerous tools, like Ahrefs or BuzzSumo, can assist in pinpointing such content. Once identified, the next step is to ask: How can this be bettered? Perhaps the information could be updated with the latest research, or maybe there’s room to make the content more comprehensive or visually engaging. In ecommerce, this might be writing up product comparison, seasonal style guides or in-depth product reviews. Both Shopify and WooCommerce have in built blog features that can make posting these articles a simple process.

After crafting a piece that’s superior to the existing top-performing content – in essence, constructing your ‘skyscraper’ – the process transitions into outreach.

By connecting with those who’ve linked to or shown interest in the previous top content, you present them with something more updated and valuable, encouraging them to link to your content instead.

The brilliance of the skyscraper technique lies in its simplicity. Instead of starting from scratch, it leverages existing demand and builds upon it. However, it’s crucial to emphasise that the success of this strategy hinges not just on the content’s quality, but also on effective outreach. The ultimate goal isn’t just to produce superior content, but to ensure it gets the recognition and backlinks it deserves. In the bustling market of online content, the skyscraper technique emerges as a strategic beacon, guiding businesses on how to stand tall amidst competition.

On-Page Product SEO: A Close-up Look

In the vast digital marketplace, products must shine, not just through quality, but also through visibility. It’s here that on-page product SEO becomes the beacon, guiding customers right to your digital doorstep.

Product Titles Matter: These aren’t mere labels. Think of them as a digital handshake. Infusing titles with specific keywords, like “Waterproof Men’s Trail Running Shoes by [Brand Name],” ensures your products appear prominently in search results.

Narrate Through Descriptions: Product descriptions are an opportunity. They should craft a story that not only informs but entices, integrating keywords organically, addressing customer pain points, and highlighting unique product features.

Meta Descriptions as Click Magnets: They might not directly affect rankings, but a well-crafted meta description can significantly boost click-through rates. It’s your brief pitch to potential visitors, so make it compelling!

Crafting URLs with Precision

If your website was a book, the URL would be its title. URLs are pivotal in signalling both users and search engines about the page’s content.

A readable and concise URL can be the difference between a potential customer trusting your site or skipping past it. For instance, consider a webpage that showcases men’s running shoes. A URL like www.shoestore.com/mens-running-shoes immediately communicates its content.

This not only aids user experience but can be a boon for search engine rankings. Incorporating primary keywords and keeping the structure clean helps search engines understand and rank pages more effectively.

Harnessing the Power of Structured Data

Structured data, also known as schema markup, plays a crucial role in SEO. It’s essentially a standardised format to provide information about a page and categorise its content.

Rich Snippets: By using structured data, you enable search engines to display more detailed results, known as rich snippets. These could be product ratings, prices, or even stock availability.

Enhanced CTR: Rich snippets can dramatically increase click-through rates. When users see additional information upfront, they’re more inclined to click on a result, believing it to be more relevant to their query.

Voice Search Optimisation: Structured data aids voice search devices, such as Google Assistant or Alexa, in understanding the context of your content, thereby making it more likely for your site to be a reference point during voice-activated searches.

Staying on Top, Always

Strategising is one part of the equation; executing efficiently is another.

Tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, and Semrush can identify errors, streamline keyword research, monitor backlinks, and track overall performance.

Using these tools judiciously not only saves time, but can also offer invaluable insights into your site’s health.

SEO isn’t static. Think of it as a living, breathing entity that thrives on constant nurturing. As search algorithms become more sophisticated and consumer behaviours change, so must your SEO tactics. Regular site audits, content updates, and strategy recalibrations are par for the course.

CSP Commerce | Manchester Ecommerce Agency

From brand through to demand, we support and manage ecommerce growth at each stage of the commerce journey.  Our extensive knowledge and experience in ecommerce have established us as industry leaders for our capabilities in performance marketing, marketplace management, social commerce, and Shopify, Shopify Plus and WooCommerce web development.

We’re a Manchester ecommerce agency that works with retailers as committed to growth as we are. Our performance and platform-first approach is tailored to the ambitious brands and online retailers we partner with. As part of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, we are uniquely positioned to support businesses to scale nationally to globally.

We’ll hand-select a team of specialists to work with clients and operate as an extension of their ecommerce department. We are accountable for delivering measurable results that grow reach and revenue. Together, we will work to scale and sell your products across online channels.

If you’re serious about growth then start your journey with us. Let’s succeed and scale together.

Why not visit us in person?

WPP Manchester Campus,

1 New Quay Street,

Manchester,

Greater Manchester,

M3 4BN.

#shopifyagency #shopifyplus #manchester #ecommerceagency #ecommercegrowth #marketplacemanagement #performancemarketing #googleads #socialcommerce #manchesterecommerceagency #amazon #ebay

The post Technical SEO for Shopify and WooCommerce: Essential Tips for Ecommerce appeared first on CSP Commerce.

Shopify is a great ecommerce platform that many businesses thrive on but it is also a blogging platform that is designed to help you sell products and services. Despite this, a huge number of people do not use this powerful marketing resource to its full potential. This article will go through exactly how you can create a blog on your Shopify store, and tell you the reasons why you should if you want your business to scale and grow.

So you have set up an ecommerce business on Shopify and it is doing relatively well. You are selling a fair number of products or services and you are happy with the progress you have made. Happy days. But the problem is you know you can do more. You know you can sell more products and you know that your business can grow and scale, but you aren’t sure how. You are doing well, but you want to sell more and do great. You want your store to do as well as some of the biggest online Shopify brands out there. Right?

Maybe you have tried paid advertising in the past, and although that did well once, you know that people are tired of constantly being bombarded with ads and on average it is 15 – 20% less effective than just a couple of years ago. Perhaps you have heard that content marketing is becoming increasingly essential for any online business, that you need content to increase SEO and adapt to new Google algorithm changes that evaluate a website’s usefulness to consumers. You may have even dipped your toe into content marketing by using social media to try and push your products and services or tried email marketing, the type of content that has one of the highest conversion rates for shopify stores. All of this is great, but if you are like a significant number of small to medium sized businesses you are completely ignoring one of the most powerful and cost effective marketing tools simply by not having a blog on your website.

What is a blog?

A blog is quite simply a website or a section of an online store that consists purely of content in the form of blog posts or articles. These articles are often less formal than resource or information pages and can cover a wide variety of topics that reach out to large audiences very quickly

Why is a blog important for ecommerce sites?

Apart from the fact that the biggest and most successful Shopify websites such as Gymshark or Pepsi all have blogs, which should tell you everything, there are plenty of reasons why blogging for businesses is essential.

• A blog allows you to build a large, engaged audience.
  It reaches out to a wider audience than any other marketing method.
• A blog is essential for SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), boosting Domain Authority and website search rankings.
• A blog turns your ecommerce website into a valuable resource for consumers, improving user experience and trust.
• A blog helps establish your brand and build authority in your industry.
• Blogs are one of the easiest ways to highlight and promote specific products or disseminate brand news and announcements to a captive audience.
• Blog posts are vital for reaching a wide audience at every point of the customer journey and converting them into qualified leads.
• Blog posts will continue to work for you from the day they are published, the more you publish the more you grow exponentially without any further spend.
• Blogs are the most cost effective form of marketing there is.

A blog on your Shopify website gives your brand a professional, expert level of authority and builds that important relationship with your customers. It shows them you are serious about your business, that they can trust you, and that you are prepared to invest time and effort into being helpful and interesting for them before they even buy anything. That perception among potential customers is invaluable.

Building a blog is not always easy, they take time, effort and resources to maintain, but if you put that effort in, the benefits they bring are countless. A blog is a genuine long term investment in your business.

How to build a blog on your shopify store

Shopify makes it really easy to add a blog section to your website because the function is already built into the platform. All you have to do is simply go into your admin section and select the options that will lead to your blog section. Depending on your theme this may be labelled as news, and you can keep this label if it fits your brand better or change it to something that suits you, but it is essentially the same thing. Once you are ready to launch your blog, it is literally a case of publishing your first blog post.

So from a practical point of view launching your blog is easy, but there is so much more that goes into it if you want to ensure your blog is successful.

Knowing your audience

Knowing who your target audience is when writing your blog is absolutely essential. There is no point in writing some great content that might interest you, but will never be read by any of the people you want to sell your products or services to. You have to do research into who your audience is and build up different profiles of the exact type of customer you want to reach. This will help you understand them, understand their specific needs and understand what they want from your blog. When you understand this, you can tailor your content to fit their needs and interests.

Understanding your competitors

As well as understanding your customers, you also need to understand your competitors too. Performing a GAP analysis, or a competitor analysis on your direct competition allows you to assess their strategies, see what they are getting right, what they are getting wrong, if there are any gaps in the market you can exploit and what strategies you can improve on. If a direct competitor selling the exact same product as you is having great success with a specific audience, you may need to aim for that audience too. If they have cornered the market with a particular type of content, then you may need to find a way to use that type of content to reach your own customers, and vice versa, if your competitors have content that isn’t even ranking, find a way to beat them to the punch.

Getting ready for SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential for any website to be successful, and that includes ecommerce stores. SEO is essentially the markers you put onto your website to tell the search engines where to rank it, and having a blog section is one of the easiest and best ways to do that, but first you need to make sure you have everything ready to be optimised and that your pages will be visible to search engines in the first place. Shopify does make this a little easier for you by having an ‘edit website SEO’ option for each page. This will prompt you to optimise the titles of each post, the meta description and the URL of each post. These are the basic starting blocks of on page SEO so it is important you get them right.

Make sure you have a great title for your post that takes into account keywords and phrases without keyword stuffing (you will need to do a lot of keyword research beforehand), one that captures the audience imagination, answers a direct question or solves a problem for the audience who will be searching Google for that topic, and finally a title that conveys a solid value proposition, and all of that within seven or eight words.

The meta description is the online equivalent of a book blurb, that little paragraph on the back that tells the reader what the book is about. The meta description should be short – the Google crawler ideal is around 130 characters long – and concise, have a great call to action or tell the reader what the exact value proposition of reading the post will be, and have just enough keywords in to tell search engines this post is what they should be putting in front of audiences for a variety of queries.

Simple, right?

Building and optimising SEO

To go in depth into building and optimising SEO for blog posts would truly take a lot more than one blog post to explain, but the very truncated version is that for every post you need to be putting in a lot of different signals that appease the search engines as well as making the user experience on your site better, offering true value to your readers and being a genuinely useful resource.

Put very simply the more useful the post is for its purpose the better, the length should match that purpose (are you trying to generate discussion, highlight a product, offer advice or answer a common question for example), the post should have a variety of internal links to build your UXP (user experience) and both outbound and inbound links that tell search engines that others find your site useful, and most f all be helpful, useful and well written. The rise of AI posts and hastily written content farms has meant that there is an ocean of bad content out there. You want your website to be an island of professional, well written prose in comparison.

How to organise your blog posts

User experience is key, and once you have them on your site you don’t want to put them off by making it difficult for them to find the content they are looking for. This is where a good blog menu, sub categories and a strong linking game is essential.

Choosing a blog type and length

Having a variety of blog post types and styles is really important too. A blog post – contrary to popular belief – is so much more than a simple short opinion piece that can be on any topic. Each post has to have intent, it has to have a clear purpose and it has to serve your audience needs, and there are a lot of ways to do that.

Writing a short post with around 300 words has for a long time been considered bad for SEO, but that isn’t true at all. SEO is about far more than the search engines, it is about the user experience too, and short blog posts like opinion pieces are fantastic for generating a lot of user engagement, or listicles for example are perfect for those short entertaining pieces your customers may read when scrolling through their phone on the morning commute.

But if your post needs to convey a lot of technical information or advice, a short 500 word post just isn’t going to cut that. You will need a bare minimum of a few thousand words to get that in depth information across and establish a serious level of authority in your industry. This length of post is far better suited to generating new search traffic too. At the same time it is impossible to maintain this level of post multiple times a week unless you have a dedicated in house team of writers and creators.

In the middle of those extremes there are average industry news posts, product showcases and articles that answer specific questions for example that can be anywhere between 500 and 1500 words long, which is the industry standard for magazine or newspaper type articles.

The truth is your blog should have a mixture of all of these different article types to capture as wide an audience as possible on different points of the customer journey, and they should all link into each other and pull people through the sales funnel.

Writing a blog post

Now it is time to start thinking about actually writing the posts that will go up on your site, and the first thing you should consider is who exactly will write it. Will you do it yourself? Do you have an in house team? Will you outsource it to freelance specialists or go for a cheap content farm?

The truth is writing is a skill, blog posts take time, effort and resources to produce and it is a false economy to put work out that is badly written or unprofessional. It is worth taking the time to get it right from the start or your brand – and your marketing efforts – will suffer as a result.

Consider the type of post

Once you have your expert team of writers and content creators in place, it is time to look at the type of content you want to produce. The topics themselves will need to be relevant to your brand, they will need to be tailored to your specific audience and you will need to shape them around your specific products and services.

The good news is beyond that there is a lot of flexibility in the type of content you create as well as the types of audience you can aim for.

You can make broadly appealing posts that are designed to appeal to a general audience, articles that really pinpoint very specific audiences and speak to them alone, or articles that may reach out to target demographics that you may not have ever marketed to before.

Your content obviously has to be on brand, but it can be formal in nature or it can be more lighthearted depending on the purpose of the post.

There are quite a few things to consider when planning your posts, which is why a content map and a marketing strategy is essential.

Consider your tone and branding

The tone of your blog should reflect your brand voice, and it is important that you get a consistent voice throughout every aspect of your website.

In very general terms blogs can often get away with being less formal than most other aspects of your website. They are not vehicles to hard sell products to customers, they are a place where you can communicate and engage with them, so do not be afraid to let some of your brand’s personality shine through. Of course you can still have a wide variety of posts where some may be slightly more formal than others, or some may be more lighthearted and friendly, it depends of course on the type of article, but the overall tone should always reflect your brand.

A funeral parlour’s website for example should exemplify sombre professionalism and empathy, it would be inappropriate to suddenly publish a joke filled post on the ten best ways to have fun at a funeral.

Consistency is important too, which is why it is important to have strong brand guidelines and a good editorial oversight if you are using a wide variety of creators to write your content for you. Websites that have a huge conveyor belt of rotating writers without this can be extremely jarring, as each post has an entirely different personality and your customers won’t know who or what your brand is.

How often should you publish blog posts?

Consistency isn’t just about the tone of your posts, it is also how often you should publish them.

The truth is there is no magic number here, and a lot depends on the industry you are in, the resources you have and the brand you want. In very general terms the more content you put out the better, but consistency and quality are far more important. If putting out too many articles a week means you are sacrificing on quality, don’t do that. It is far better to publish less and make sure each post is well written, well researched and well planned. The most important thing is consistency, it really doesn’t matter whether you produce 10 posts a week or just one, but it does matter that you publish every single week. Consistently. Search engines love websites that are producing new, fresh and regular content every week, they will crawl your site a lot more often and push you up the rankings more, your organic traffic will grow and your customers will keep coming back as they know exactly when you will have new content for them to read.

Remember, blogging is a long term strategy. You are in this for the long haul, so pace yourself.

The importance of a content strategy

Writing a few blog posts is only half of the solution, now you have to make sure you have a long term strategy in place. A content strategy is far more than just a simple calendar of when to publish blog posts, it is an expert plan that takes into account multi platform cross promotion, keyword research and SEO best practices, seasonal promotions, growing brand awareness, reaching specific audiences, reaching specific KPIs and even allowing for crisis management and other emergencies, just for starters.

The importance of a strategic plan for your blog over the long term cannot be stated strongly enough, and this is why you need to devote serious time and resources into it.

Watch your brand scale and grow

Now that your blog is set up and running you can build and scale your brand as your sales grow.

CSP Commerce | Manchester Ecommerce and Shopify Agency

From brand through to demand, we support and manage ecommerce growth at each stage of the commerce journey.  Our extensive knowledge and experience in ecommerce have established us as industry leaders for our capabilities in performance marketing, marketplace management, social commerce, and Shopify, Shopify Plus and WooCommerce web development.

We’re a Manchester ecommerce agency that works with retailers as committed to growth as we are. Our performance and platform-first approach is tailored to the ambitious brands and online retailers we partner with. As part of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, we are uniquely positioned to support businesses to scale nationally to globally.

We’ll hand-select a team of specialists to work with clients and operate as an extension of their ecommerce department. We are accountable for delivering measurable results that grow reach and revenue. Together, we will work to scale and sell your products across online channels.

If you’re serious about growth then start your journey with us. Let’s succeed and scale together.

Why not visit us in person?

WPP Manchester Campus,

1 New Quay Street,

Manchester,

Greater Manchester,

M3 4BN.

#shopifyagency #shopifyplus #manchester #ecommerceagency #ecommercegrowth #marketplacemanagement #performancemarketing #googleads #socialcommerce #manchestershopifyagency #amazon #ebay

The post Shopify’s blog setup and why it’s so critical to ecommerce success appeared first on CSP Commerce.

Blogging is a staple of content marketing strategies for good reason. It works, and it works extremely well. Despite this, so many businesses are not taking advantage of this powerful marketing tool. If you have a brand, business or eCommerce site, this article is here to tell you exactly why blogging isn’t just important to grow and scale your business any more, it is essential.

Changing consumer behaviour over the last decade has meant that blogging has moved from a niche hobby into a crucial part of every business and brand. That change has not come easy to the majority of business owners who feel more comfortable with more traditional marketing efforts such as paid ads and want to concentrate on the more practical day to day aspects of running their businesses. That is entirely understandable. Content marketing as a whole and blogging in particular takes a lot of skill, time and resources, which is why much of it is often outsourced, and frankly most business owners just want to sell their products, but blogging is not something that can be ignored in today’s marketplace if you want your business to thrive.

A blog section has become so fundamental to any eCommerce or branded business website that you would now be hard pressed to find a successful business without one with 86% of B2C websites  on average taking advantage of them. One piece of research, by Demand Metric identified that content marketing generates over 3x as many leads as outbound marketing and costs 62% less. According to Hubspot’s State of Inbound Marketing Trends 2022, with the exception of the numerous social media platforms as a whole, blogging is the most consistent, cost effective and popular marketing efforts for brands to put resources into.

Now to be fair, doing something just because everyone else is doing it is usually not the best advice, but potentially being left behind in a competitive marketplace is certainly reason enough to take that advice on board. f your website, business or eCommerce site does not have a blog section you will hurt your chances of being seen a in search engine results, and your competitors – who will almost certainly have a blog – will be found by your potential customers instead. If consumers do find you they will see your site as simply a catalogue with no value beyond the basic transaction and will have no reason to stay on your sales funnel or trust you as a seller.

To put it simply, your business needs a blog. Still not convinced? Let us take a look at just a few more statistics.

Studies show that at least 77% of all internet users will regularly read blogs. In fact many blogs are so good and so quintessential to online topography now that many consumers won’t even realise they are reading a blog post at all. To many it will be just an informative, useful article they found at the top of Google search after asking a question. Most website traffic, 27% to be specific, comes through organic search, or to put it another way that is your potential customer finding your website through blog articles and posts at the top of search engine rankings. That means your site – and by extension your products or services – are more likely to be found randomly by someone simply searching for an answer to a question or looking for some entertainment than someone specifically looking for you. Small businesses with blogs increase their lead growth by 126% over those that don’t, with 69% of companies who ran a blog campaign attributing that to a specific spike in lead generation.

Can your business afford not to take advantage of this?

But as impressive as those statistics are, they don’t always give you the whole picture. Like content marketing in general, the benefits of blogging are primarily qualitative over quantitative. The human factor cannot be understated, and it is here that you have to look to see the true benefits to your eCommerce business or brand.

Online behaviour has changed drastically over the last decade or so. People don’t want to be constantly bombarded with paid ads, they are savvy enough to simply dismiss a hard sell and want a relationship with the brands they buy from. Consumers want to know who you are, what your brand stands for, why they should trust you enough to part with their hard earned cash and just as importantly, why you deserve it.

Your business needs to stand out from the crowd now. It needs to be much more than a simple online shop, it needs to provide a full online shopping experience. It needs to be an asset for your customers and somewhere they can turn to for information, advice and entertainment. If you still aren’t convinced just look at the most successful brands and businesses out there. They all have a blog. They all provide this relationship at every stage of the customer journey. If you want to be as successful as the biggest brands and eCommerce sites out there, then copy what the most successful ones do. Get a blog!

By writing blog posts and articles that answer a specific consumer question, solves a problem for your potential customers or is somehow useful to them in a wide variety of other ways, a blog will instantly turn your eCommerce site from a simple catalogue into a valuable resource. Some of the biggest and best brands in the world don’t just sell products to people, they give them information on why they need them, on how to use them or take care of them, they help them with any potential problems and show readers exactly how their products can help solve their issues. This builds a relationship with your customers before they even look at your products and garners a lot of trust, which is a priceless commodity for any business.

Blogs have the opportunity to build your brand, increase your industry authority and create an online presence that covers every single point of the whole customer journey. The content that is created on a blog can reach a wider range of diverse audiences far easier and far more cost effectively than any other medium, speaking to them in a niche specific and personal way, entertaining them and providing value at the same time. Even audiences that your product or service may not be traditionally marketed to can find you through articles that appeal to them on a personal level.

Having a good blog on your website is akin to having the footfall of a huge, centrally located shop in a busy city centre as opposed to footfall down some hidden side street in a sleepy town, and having someone show every single person who turns up exactly how and why your products and services will help them.

Blogging is quite simply one of the easiest, most cost effective and powerful marketing tools you have at your disposal, the question is now no longer whether you should have one or not, it is why haven’t you got one already?

Blogs do take time, skill, strategy and resources to manage, and if you don’t have your own in house team to do that for you, Cloud Seller Pro’s team of industry experts are here to help provide you with all the content you need.

CSP Commerce | Manchester Ecommerce and Shopify Agency

From brand through to demand, we support and manage ecommerce growth at each stage of the commerce journey.  Our extensive knowledge and experience in ecommerce have established us as industry leaders for our capabilities in performance marketing, marketplace management, social commerce, and Shopify, Shopify Plus and WooCommerce web development.

We’re a Manchester ecommerce agency that works with retailers as committed to growth as we are. Our performance and platform-first approach is tailored to the ambitious brands and online retailers we partner with. As part of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, we are uniquely positioned to support businesses to scale nationally to globally.

We’ll hand-select a team of specialists to work with clients and operate as an extension of their ecommerce department. We are accountable for delivering measurable results that grow reach and revenue. Together, we will work to scale and sell your products across online channels.

If you’re serious about growth then start your journey with us. Let’s succeed and scale together.

Why not visit us in person?

WPP Manchester Campus,

1 New Quay Street,

Manchester,

Greater Manchester,

M3 4BN.

#shopifyagency #shopifyplus #manchester #ecommerceagency #ecommercegrowth #marketplacemanagement #performancemarketing #googleads #socialcommerce #manchestershopifyagency #amazon #ebay

The post Future Proof Your Ecommerce Brand: Why do you need a blog for Ecommerce? appeared first on CSP Commerce.

Content marketing is a powerhouse marketing tool that has become essential for any online business to grow and succeed in today’s competitive marketplace. This list of Frequently Asked Questions should help you navigate through all your concerns or queries about content and show you exactly why a strong content marketing strategy is vital for your eCommerce site.

If you are reading this then you should have at least an idea that your brand, business or eCommerce site needs content to scale and grow, but like most people you perhaps have a few questions. Maybe you don’t know how it works exactly, or maybe don’t know how to utilise content to its best advantage, or what exactly the return on investment is. You aren’t alone. Content is quite frankly one of the most powerful marketing approaches you can take for your business, but it is far outside the traditional marketing comfort zone for many people and it can be quite confusing at first. We are experts in content marketing, so let us take you through some of the most commonly asked questions.

In a rush? Skip to the question you need to answer:
What is content marketing?
Why is content marketing important?
What are the benefits of content marketing?
Is content marketing cost effective? What budget do I need to set for content?
What is the ROI (Return On Investment) for content marketing?
Does content marketing work for eCommerce sites?
What type of content do I need for my business?
What is content marketing?

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is quite simply using a range of content, articles, video, podcasts, social media and so much more, to reach your target audience and help convert them to paying customers. The Content Marketing Institute defines it as such:
“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience – and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

Why is content marketing important?

To be perfectly blunt you cannot have an online business in today’s marketplace without content. You need it. Content is king, and content marketing is important for the simple reason that it provides the consumer with exactly what they are looking for in a competitive marketplace in a way that traditional marketing methods can never do. Content tells your brand story to potential customers and builds trust and engagement. It provides consumers with a service above and beyond simply selling them something and builds your brand authority in your industry. Content is the difference between being seen on the platforms your potential customers are looking on or not being seen by them at all.. Content marketing is so important that in the State of Marketing Report 2022 by Hubspot, 70% of marketers are investing in content marketing and it is now a 400 billion dollar industry with no sign of slowing down.

What are the benefits of content marketing?

• Content marketing has a wide variety of benefits no matter what type of business or website you have, and can bring huge returns even on a relatively small budget
• Content builds your website into a professional, branded resource for consumers. Turns your brand into a credible authority in your industry.
• It increases brand awareness and visibility.
• Improves SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and search engine rankings while driving traffic to your website.
• Increases natural organic traffic over time as opposed to pay per click advertising.
• Reaches a wider audience base than targeted traditional marketing and increases conversions.
• Improves customer experience, trust, engagement and relationships.
• Provides new value added content that can be repurposed across other platforms.
• Can be gated to collect important consumer information.
• Keeps your website looking fresh.

Why should I invest in content marketing?

Quite simply because if you don’t, your competitors will, and they will dominate the search engines and take all your customers. If you have a business and know that marketing in general is important, content marketing is the most relevant, most powerful and most cost-effective way to reach and market to your customers.

Is content marketing cost effective? What budget do I need to set for content?

Let’s be very clear, high quality, professional content is not cheap and you will absolutely need to set a budget for it. That has always been true for all marketing and there is no way around that. However, studies show that content marketing is on average 62% less costly than traditional marketing, but is at least three times more effective, and the most successful brands allocate at least 40% of their entire marketing budget to content alone according to the Content Marketing Institute. So yes, you will have to spend money, but your return on investment will be significantly higher.

The good news is that whilst it is true that you get what you pay for and quality does cost money, there is almost always something you can produce at any budget. Maybe you can’t afford to budget for a huge influencer marketing campaign, but you can start a blog on your site. Maybe you can’t allocate resources for multiple long-form posts every week, but you can start with one a week, focus on quality over quantity and build from there. No matter what the size of your business, content marketing is vital and you have to ask yourself can you afford not to put resources into it?

What is the ROI (Return On Investment) for content marketing?

Content marketing differs from traditional marketing in that it is a long term investment in your business, and the ROI is largely qualitative, not quantitative. One of the biggest mistakes most business owners, and even marketers themselves make, is assuming that they can put some budget into marketing and see a direct quantitative result a month later in terms of instant traffic or direct sales. It does not work like that.

There is of course some quantitative data that you can gain from content marketing within the first few months in terms of page visits, search engine results, product views and so on, and this is good to create a long term data tracking system, but this should be done over months and years with results coming over time, not immediately.

The good news is that ROI comes in the form of valuable assets that you cannot get from any other type of marketing and it is self-perpetuating. Unlike traditional marketing such as paid advertising where the results stop as soon as your spend does, content marketing can continue to give you returns years after you have spent that initial budget. Google rankings may take a little time to establish, but they will grow over time. The more content you produce and the more value you provide the higher you will climb. Your brand authority and trust will continue to grow, and as a result, your conversion rates will increase exponentially as they do, and the more content you put out there, the wider the net you will cast for potential customers who can be converted.

Don’t make the mistake so many businesses do and try and compare content marketing to traditional marketing, expecting specific results immediately after allocating your budget. Think of content marketing as a long term investment in your business that will help grow and scale it for many years to come.

Does content marketing work for ecommerce sites?

Yes. It works for any type of business. Each business is of course unique and will require a bespoke approach to content but all websites need content. It is just a question of how content can best be used to serve your needs.

How do I incorporate content into my business marketing strategy?

Content marketing is a dedicated skill that takes time, investment and resources, so if you have an internal marketing team already, make sure you hire enough people with the right skills and qualifications to devote to it. It is not something you should palm off on a team who are already focused on other aspects of marketing, no one can do everything, and you need someone who is an expert in content strategy, planning, creation and execution.

If you don’t have the team or the resources to do this, then consider outsourcing the role to an outside team. Content management services already have the benefit of a skilled, experienced team in place who will know how to create a bespoke strategy unique to your business and the time and resources to create rich, unique content. This is an extremely cost effective way to take advantage of that experience and take a lot of the weight and work off your shoulders, allowing you to concentrate on other aspects of your business.

What type of content do I need for my business?

There is an ever growing list of content types and platforms out there, and which one is right for you depends entirely on your unique circumstances. The big question to ask yourself is what will serve your customers the best. Are your customers younger and primarily on Tik Tok? Do they like long informational articles or will they more likely look at how to videos? What content works well for your competitors? This is why a strong content marketing strategy is absolutely essential.

Hopefully this list of frequently asked questions has been helpful to you and you have found it informative. Content marketing is daunting at first but as long as you keep your customer in mind and create content that will help, entertain and solve problems for them, they will thank you for it, and so will your bottom line.

As part of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, we are a world leading Marketing Ecommerce Agency offering Content, Shopify Development, Paid Advertising and Multichannel Commerce services.
Our Google and Amazon Partner status recognises our dedication to delivering outstanding marketing strategies and our team are highly respected experts in Shopify, WooCommerce and WordPress for Ecommerce.

If you have any further questions on how content marketing or another one of our marketing services can help your ecommerce business grow, then our expert Manchester based team are here to help.

CSP Commerce | Manchester Ecommerce and Shopify Agency

From brand through to demand, we support and manage ecommerce growth at each stage of the commerce journey.  Our extensive knowledge and experience in ecommerce have established us as industry leaders for our capabilities in performance marketing, marketplace management, social commerce, and Shopify, Shopify Plus and WooCommerce web development.

We’re a Manchester ecommerce agency that works with retailers as committed to growth as we are. Our performance and platform-first approach is tailored to the ambitious brands and online retailers we partner with. As part of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, we are uniquely positioned to support businesses to scale nationally to globally.

We’ll hand-select a team of specialists to work with clients and operate as an extension of their ecommerce department. We are accountable for delivering measurable results that grow reach and revenue. Together, we will work to scale and sell your products across online channels.

If you’re serious about growth then start your journey with us. Let’s succeed and scale together.

Why not visit us in person?

WPP Manchester Campus,

1 New Quay Street,

Manchester,

Greater Manchester,

M3 4BN.

#shopifyagency #shopifyplus #manchester #ecommerceagency #ecommercegrowth #marketplacemanagement #performancemarketing #googleads #socialcommerce #manchestershopifyagency #amazon #ebay

The post Future Proof Your Ecommerce Brand: What is Content Marketing? appeared first on CSP Commerce.

5 Reasons to Outsource your Ecommerce Marketing

Small business owners often wear several hats: HR, Recruitment, Marketing, Sales and so on. But you know the old saying about being a ‘Jack of all Trades and Master of None’ … There’s some truth to it!

What are the high value activities you should be focusing on and what could you be outsourcing?

Outsourcing some of your business operations is not without its risks or financial implications, but usually, when you hire an expert, you get access to skills and experience that are expensive to hire in-house. Here are five reasons you should consider hiring an expert and outsource Digital Marketing.

1. Specialist knowledge

Digital Marketing is a complicated business! Technology is constantly evolving. Remember the Nokia 6310 that was the bee’s knees when you got it? Well it wasn’t long before it was replaced with a newer, swankier model and your hot new technology suddenly became a thing of the past. It’s the same with Digital Marketing and keeping up with the latest advances across the many platforms takes a bit of work.

Marketing agencies know a thing or two about their industry. They live and breathe Marketing and their knowledge is unrivalled. Sometimes you just have to leave it to the experts!

2. Time savings

Is managing your company’s Marketing really the best use of your valuable time? Business owners often spend much of their day focusing on the operational and financial aspects of their business. After all, you might have great Marketing but if you don’t get the products out the door or ensure that revenue is collected, then what’s the point?

Getting bogged down by the intricacies of managing your Google, Amazon or other online ads can be distracting and take your attention away from more urgent matters. Ultimately this approach can end up costing your business more than an agency’s fees!

3. Ecommerce agencies succeed when you succeed

Marketing agencies offer varying pricing structures, from retainers to project-specific fees, to commission-based arrangements. Some agencies operate on a commission basis and only receive payment if your business does well. So, their success is entirely dependent on yours.

A set percentage commission structure is the simplest way to ensure that you only pay for successful outcomes. This ‘shared success’ style arrangement gives you the peace of mind that the agency has your business’ best interests at heart, not just their own.

Because performance based pricing models such as these do not incur a fixed cost, campaigns can grow or shrink according to the business requirements. While you may wonder why anyone would want to reduce or pause a campaign that is working well, consider how some businesses have grown significantly over the covid pandemic, forcing them to temporarily reduce sales while stock is replenished or backlogs of orders are cleared. A flexible model allows you to reduce or increase spend, and consequently, demand for your products, at times when the market peaks or dips, giving you full control over your costs and allowing you to control the demand for your products.

4. Ecommerce agencies have extensive experience

Any agency worth its salt has a team with years of experience under its belt. Can you honestly say the same for yourself? Rather than floundering around with systems which you aren’t familiar with, or muddling through because you think you’re saving yourself a few quid, remember that there are experts with substantial experience who can do all of that, and more, in a fraction of the time it will take you to do it yourself. Not only does it save you time, but it will be better quality and more cost-effective for your business.

5. Ecommerce agencies have other benefits

Ecommerce Agencies have access to all manner of skills, technologies and software which the average businesses could never justify purchasing themselves. While these programmes might not be cost-effective for an individual business to use, as an agency customer you can benefit from them without the associated subscription fees!

From specialist analytical software to copywriting talent, to industry insights and competitor research tools, agencies offer so much more than just ‘Marketing Management’. And you won’t get any of these benefits from the DIY approach.

So, if you’re struggling with your online Marketing, you’re using an agency that isn’t quite cutting the mustard, or you haven’t even started yet, why not have a call with one of our experts to discuss how Cloud Seller Pro’s service could benefit your business.

CSP Commerce | Manchester Ecommerce and Shopify Agency

From brand through to demand, we support and manage ecommerce growth at each stage of the commerce journey.  Our extensive knowledge and experience in ecommerce have established us as industry leaders for our capabilities in performance marketing, marketplace management, social commerce, and Shopify, Shopify Plus and WooCommerce web development.

We’re a Manchester ecommerce agency that works with retailers as committed to growth as we are. Our performance and platform-first approach is tailored to the ambitious brands and online retailers we partner with. As part of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, we are uniquely positioned to support businesses to scale nationally to globally.

We’ll hand-select a team of specialists to work with clients and operate as an extension of their ecommerce department. We are accountable for delivering measurable results that grow reach and revenue. Together, we will work to scale and sell your products across online channels.

If you’re serious about growth then start your journey with us. Let’s succeed and scale together.

Why not visit us in person?

WPP Manchester Campus,

1 New Quay Street,

Manchester,

Greater Manchester,

M3 4BN.

#shopifyagency #shopifyplus #manchester #ecommerceagency #ecommercegrowth #marketplacemanagement #performancemarketing #googleads #socialcommerce #manchestershopifyagency #amazon #ebay

The post Partner your way to success! appeared first on CSP Commerce.

Small business owners often wear several hats: HR, Recruitment, Marketing, Sales and so on. But you know the old saying about being a Jack of all trades and master of none? Sometimes it’s true!

Outsourcing some of your business operations is not without its risks or financial implications, but usually, when you hire an expert, you get a top notch service. Here are five reasons you should consider hiring an expert for your digital advertising.

1. Specialist Knowledge

Digital advertising is a complicated business! Technology is constantly evolving. Remember the Nokia 6310 that was the bee’s knees when you got it? Well it wasn’t long before it was replaced with a newer, swankier model and your hot new technology suddenly became a thing of the past. It’s the same with digital advertising and keeping up with the latest advances across the many platforms takes a bit of work.

Advertising agencies know a thing or two about their industry. They live and breathe advertising and their knowledge is unrivaled. Sometimes you just have to leave it to the experts!

2. Time Savings

Is managing your company’s advertising really the best use of your valuable time? Business owners often spend much of their day focusing on the operational and financial aspects of their business. After all, you might have great advertising but if you don’t get the products out the door or ensure that revenue is collected, then what’s the point?

Getting bogged down by the intricacies of managing your Google, Amazon or other online ads can be distracting and take your attention away from more urgent matters. Ultimately this approach can end up costing your business more than an agency’s fees!

3. Ecommerce Agencies succeed when you succeed

Advertising agencies offer varying pricing structures, from retainers to project-specific fees to commission-based arrangements. Agencies operate on a commission basis and only receive payment if your business does well. So, their success is entirely dependent on yours.

A set percentage commission structure is the simplest way to ensure that you only pay for successful outcomes. This ‘no win no fee’ style arrangement gives you the peace of mind that the agency has your business’ best interests at heart, not their own.

Because performanced based pricing models such as these do not incur a fixed cost, campaigns can grow or shrink according to the business requirements. While you may wonder why anyone would want to reduce or pause a campaign that is working well, consider how some businesses have grown significantly over the covid pandemic, forcing them to temporarily reduce sales while stock is replenished or backlogs of orders are cleared. A flexible model allows you to reduce or increase spend, and consequently, demand for your products, at times when the market peaks or dips, giving you full control over your costs and allowing you to control the demand for your products.

4. Agencies have extensive experience

Any agency worth its salt has a team with years of experience under its belt. Can you honestly say the same for yourself? Rather than floundering around with systems which you aren’t familiar with, or muddling through because you think you’re saving yourself a few quid, remember that there are experts with substantial experience who can do all of that, and more, in a fraction of the time it will take you to do it yourself. Not only does it save you time, but it will be better quality advertising and more cost-effective for your business.

5. Digital Ecommerce Agencies have other benefits

Agencies have access to all manner of skills, technologies and software which the average businesses could never justify purchasing themselves. While these programmes might not be cost-effective for an individual business to use, as an agency customer you can benefit from them without the associated subscription fees!

From specialist analytical software to copywriting talent, to industry insights and competitor research tools, agencies offer so much more than just ‘advertising management’. And you won’t get any of these benefits from the DIY approach.

So, if you’re struggling with your online advertising, you’re using an agency that isn’t quite cutting the mustard, or you haven’t even started yet, why not have a call with one of our experts to discuss how Cloud Seller Pro’s payment by results service could benefit your business.

With Cloud Seller Pro, there is no contract, no set-up fee, no minimum spend and your ads could be live in just 7 days!

Call 01524 230 251 or get in touch via our website.

CSP Commerce | Manchester Ecommerce and Shopify Agency

From brand through to demand, we support and manage ecommerce growth at each stage of the commerce journey.  Our extensive knowledge and experience in ecommerce have established us as industry leaders for our capabilities in performance marketing, marketplace management, social commerce, and Shopify, Shopify Plus and WooCommerce web development.

We’re a Manchester ecommerce agency that works with retailers as committed to growth as we are. Our performance and platform-first approach is tailored to the ambitious brands and online retailers we partner with. As part of Wunderman Thompson Commerce, we are uniquely positioned to support businesses to scale nationally to globally.

We’ll hand-select a team of specialists to work with clients and operate as an extension of their ecommerce department. We are accountable for delivering measurable results that grow reach and revenue. Together, we will work to scale and sell your products across online channels.

If you’re serious about growth then start your journey with us. Let’s succeed and scale together.

Why not visit us in person?

WPP Manchester Campus,

1 New Quay Street,

Manchester,

Greater Manchester,

M3 4BN.

#shopifyagency #shopifyplus #manchester #ecommerceagency #ecommercegrowth #marketplacemanagement #performancemarketing #googleads #socialcommerce #manchestershopifyagency #amazon #ebay

The post 5 Reasons to outsource your Digital Advertising appeared first on CSP Commerce.