Growing Your Online Shop in 2023: My Predictions, Tips & Strategies

As the world keeps trending toward a digital-first marketplace, there has never been more opportunity for e-commerce shops than there is now. Good news for all of us makers, creators, and shop owners, huh!? Even better news — that trend is expected to keep trending, with about 25% of all e-commerce sales projected to take place online by 2025.

So, the question for us today is — how do we keep marketing our businesses well as we follow that growing trend? What are the coming marketing trends for e-commerce shops and businesses we should keep an eye on this year and going forward?

In today’s podcast episode I’m sharing my marketing predictions for 2023, as well as tips and strategies you can implement to stay ahead of the curve. But first, it’s important to remember that these predictions aren’t just trends. Trends come and go, but marketing happens in layers, ever building on itself. These are the new waves of innovation I’m seeing, not things we can wait to pass by and fade away.

Prediction #1: More Personalization

In marketing, personalization is the practice of tailoring your message and user experience to individual customers based on their unique characteristics, behaviors, and preferences. It involves leveraging data and technology to deliver highly targeted and relevant content, products, and services to consumers — all with the goal of improving engagement, customer satisfaction, and conversion rates.

As marketers, we can infuse personalization in a lot of different ways, like personalizing email campaigns or product recommendations based on past purchases or browsing history, creating targeted social media ads, and customizing landing pages. When we give our customers the content and offers that speak directly to their unique needs and interests, we create a custom and personalized experience that helps build a deeper relationship with our brand (hello, brand loyalty!).

A simple way you can begin personalizing your customer experience is by segmenting your email list. When you segment your list, you can send targeted campaigns and content to people who are more likely to engage and respond while allowing those who aren’t interested to bow out without unsubscribing.

Prediction #2: More Diversification & Repurposing!

You might be thinking, now what in the world does that mean? By diversification I mean diversifying the foundations of your marketing strategy. No more should we be putting all of our eggs in the Instagram basket. We need to be stabilizing sales off social media by marketing on other platforms and avenues.

Prediction #3: Video Marketing

Video is growing, and it’s going to keep on growing and growing! What are some ways you can get creative and use video in your marketing? A few ideas are utilizing product videos on landing pages, sharing videos from others using your products (talk about great user generated content!), video client and product testimonials, and Instagram reels!

Prediction #4: Values-based Marketing

Values-based marketing emphasizes a brand’s commitment to uphold certain values and principles — and by doing so, attracting consumers who share those values. Values-based marketing typically involves identifying core values that align with the company's mission and using them as a foundation for marketing efforts. Everything you say, do, and don’t say or do stems from your values and beliefs. This can include promoting sustainability, social responsibility, transparency, fairness, and diversity, among others.

It can also be a way for us to create a more meaningful connection with our communities and customers by showing that we share similar values and priorities. However, it's important for us to make sure our values-based marketing efforts are authentic and consistent with our actions and practices (hey-o, being genuine!).

Customers spend their dollars where they feel personally called and connected. Being real and authentic will be more important than ever.

Prediction #5: Ethical Marketing

Ethical marketing is creating and promoting brand messaging that is honest, transparent, genuine, and fair to all “stakeholders” — meaning, people who have a reason to care about what you’re saying. Some examples of ethical marketing practices include:

Honesty and transparency

Be honest and transparent when you talk about your brand and product. Don’t make false, exaggerated or misleading claims, and always provide accurate information about products and services. Don’t inflate claims or numbers to make things look flashier.

Social responsibility

Always take into account the impact your products and services have on society and the environment. Being an ethical marketer also means to strive to minimize negative impacts and create positive social and environmental change.

Consumer privacy and data protection

Simply put, respect the privacy of your website users and customers, and protect personal data and information.

Diversity and inclusion

Respect diversity and promote inclusivity in your advertising and marketing efforts, strategies and messaging.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you identify your values:

What are the most important things in my life?
What motivates me to do the things I do?
What brings me a sense of fulfillment or purpose?
What makes me feel proud or accomplished?
What makes me feel angry or frustrated?
What are some causes or issues that I feel strongly about?
What are some qualities that I admire in others?
What are some qualities that I aspire to embody myself?
What are some situations or experiences that make me feel uncomfortable or conflicted?
What are some values that I prioritize in my relationships, work, or other areas of my life?

Reflecting on these questions can help you identify the values that are most important to you, and guide you in making decisions and taking actions that align with those values.

At the end of the day, being an ethical marketer means you try to be as transparent and realistic as possible, talking about your products and deliverables without over-hyping them. This is why reels and TikTok are so effective, because they allow us as consumers to really see another side of small businesses.

Prediction #6: User Experience Optimization

User experience optimization, or UX optimization, is all about improving the way people experience your website by enhancing the site’s usability, functionality, content, and overall effectiveness. The end goal is ultimately to make your website more enjoyable and easier to navigate. A great user experience leads to increased engagement, conversions, and customer satisfaction and loyalty!

We can prioritize a better user experience by speaking directly to customers on our website instead of being so polished and fluffy with our copywriting. We can also remove buyer friction by offering several payment options, reducing the number of clicks it takes to make a purchase, and allowing auto-fill addresses

Other great and easy ways to improve your user experience are to optimize your header and footer, utilize conversion-focused design, and prioritize hyper-helpful and supportive customer support.

Marketing is evolving, but don’t be intimidated - it’s only another layer atop the foundations you already know and utilize. You have what it takes to market your business in the future!