The embrace of digital retail is certifiable within the District of Columbia. According to Nielson Local, “eleven percent of its residents spent $2,500 or more online during the past year, versus seven percent of total adults in America.” Equifax reports that D.C. is amongst the top 5 metro areas with increased credit card spending, which rose more than a billion dollars since 2014. The numbers indicate that marketers must ensure campaigns are primed to capture digital retail traffic.
In the past, capturing and converting models have worked for short term sales goals. The hyper-connected and competitive online market requires unforgettable buying experiences or streamlined digital shopping environments. The e-commerce experience is becoming a make-or-break moment for businesses. With organizations focusing so much on marketing to attract consumers, other components of the digital retail environment are often overlooked. According to The Whir, “it’s been reported that 40 percent of consumers abandon webpages that take more than three seconds to load. What does that do to revenue? Well, for e-commerce sites making $100,000 per day, a mere one second delay can result in losses of $2.5 million a year.” Also, the design and visuals can deter consumers from committing to buy. Shopify.com recently announced the e-commerce design awards for 2016, and the best overall award went to OPUS GROWS. The site was praised on its ability to be an extension of the in-store shopping experience.
Image: shopify.com
Re-strategizing the customer journey for multichannel funnels creates a competitive advantage. In 2017, organizations will need to capitalize from what Google refers to as “micro-moments.” Think with Google defines micro-moments as “chances for brands to meet their customers at their moments of intent, when decisions are being made or preferences are being shaped.” Within this concept there are four vital moments: I-want-to-know, I-want-to-go, I-want-to-do, and I-want-to-buy. The following explains ways for marketers to maximize the micro-moment.
– Identify your consumers’ I-want-to-buy moments. These moments spotlight consumer behavior. Talk to the customers — in stores, through surveys, in focus groups and forums — to figure out when and how they’re researching and making purchase decisions.
– Deliver relevant messaging. Simply being there in these moments isn’t enough. Look at how people are searching—the questions they ask, the terms they use — and create ads and content that provide helpful answers.
– Make it easy for them to make a purchase. The step from research to purchase should be a simple and seamless one. Give the consumer multiple ways to buy — whether that means driving them to your e-commerce site from a YouTube video or from a local inventory ad to a nearby store.
– Measure every moment that matters. It’s no longer enough to simply measure the online conversion. With mobile, the path to purchase is now fragmented. As a result, advertisers need to measure results online, across devices, in apps, and even in stores. (source: Google)
Check out part 2 of this post, on connecting with DC consumers. It will illustrate ways marketers can capitalize on where and how Washingtonians spend their time.
Chris Poindexter is a digital marketing consultant fusing text and design to generate growth. Connect with him on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter.
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