Did you know that by having a blog on your store, you can boost your eCommerce and get 55% more website traffic?
Running a blog can increase your traffic and sales… But if you don’t have one right now, don’t fret! In this article, I’m going to walk you through the steps on how to create a well-known, profitable blog that your audience will love.
Ready to make some magic? Let’s go!
The Benefits of Blogging For Online Store Owners
If a small audience is holding you back from unleashing your inner blogging power… you’re harming your site. In fact, sometimes the only way to grow your eCommerce store is by blogging! You see, your product pages can only rank for so many keywords. Beyond that, the only way to increase your organic traffic is through blog content.
But why increasing organic traffic?
Well for one, organic traffic converts better than social traffic. People aren’t on Facebook looking to buy, but when they search for “best running shoes”, they absolutely want new shoes.
Plus, having a blog increases your visitors and customers trust in your brand. When they learn from you, they’re more likely to trust that you know what you’re talking about, and thus are more likely to buy.
Finally, having a blog is the easiest and fastest way to acquire backlinks to your online store. And backlinks are one of the most important search engine ranking factors.
So how do you start a blog? Here are 5 tips to get you started:
5 eCommerce Blogging Tips to boost your eCommerce
When it comes to blogging, you can’t just write something up about any old topic and hit publish. You need to keep keyword research and your customer’s needs in mind.
But we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive in!
1. Figure out what your audience wants/needs from you
Because the end goal for your blog is to retain your audience and lift your eCommerce, it’s important to make sure your content speaks to them.
However, there are two different target audiences you’ll have…
- Potential customers
- Existing customers
Potential customers can end up on your blog from a Google search, social media platforms, or from existing customer referrals. While these customers may enjoy your content, they may not feel compelled enough to become new customers and boost your eCommerce. Which is fine, you’re not going to get everyone!
If you’re looking to write content to bring on more customers, however, ask yourself these two questions:
“What could I be offering that other eCommerce bloggers don’t?”
“Does my content solve problems that potential customers may have?”
If potential customers see that you care about their problems (and offer tools/services other eCommerce blogs do not) you might just reel them in. Existing customers are customers who’ve previously made purchases on your site. More often than not, your existing customers already like the content you’re creating (hence why they keep coming back for more).
A great way to keep your existing customers happy is to write blog posts about the items that pair well with what you’re selling. For example, let’s say you’re selling shoes. What pairs well with shoes? Shoelaces and socks!
2. Make sure you’re using keyword research
Keyword research is the foundation of eCommerce blogging. You can write hundreds of blog posts and not rank for a single thing if you don’t start with keywords in mind. It is the key to boost your eCommerce.
You can use free tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to do some basic research, but if you’re serious about using your blog for SEO, I highly recommend a tool like Ahrefs. All you have to do is plug in your topic idea into the keywords explorer tool. Then, look for the most related keyword with the highest search volume.
For example, when I search “shoe pairings” (our example from the first tip), I see it doesn’t get any traffic. But the parent topic – “shoe and sock” – gets 250 searches per month. So I might call the article “Best Shoe And Sock Pairings to Look Fly AF” and optimize the page for shoe and sock.. Or, I could dive a bit deeper into the keyword ideas using the menu in the left-hand corner.
Having a stronger focus keyword like this can mean the difference between zero organic traffic and hundreds or even thousands of extra visitors per month, which is how you boost your eCommerce!
3. Interact with your audience
Blogging is a two-way street. Sure, you’re the one posting your content, broadcasting your posts, and sharing tips with your audience… but they’re the ones who need to be interested in your content. Without an audience, your blog will be a flop (and, if you’re reading this, I know you don’t want your blog to be a flop).
Your blog isn’t about your success. At least, not really. Take Mark Schaffer, for example. He’s a best-selling author and has worked as a social media consultant for companies like Cisco, IBM, and Johnson & Johnson. When he finally published his 1,000th blog post, he did something totally different. Indeed, he didn’t write about himself, his success, or give a speech about how “You can do it, too!” post.
Instead, he wrote a post honoring the first 10 readers of his blog and how he’s been inspired by them!
If you can learn anything from Mark about how to interact with your audience, it’s this:
Look towards your readers for inspiration when you’re feeling dry. Find out how they’re doing and what they’re currently struggling with.
4. Tell stories about your products to boost your eCommerce
Close your eyes and think back to a time when your parents told you stories about magic realms, valiant heroes, and wild forest creatures.
My guess? Your imagination went wild as you thought up new creatures, villains, and magical spells to cast. Storytelling is a best practice for every part of eCommerce, from product descriptions to blog content to your about page. Stories allow people to convey their message in a way that draws even the non-believers in. As an eCommerce store owner, you’re able to wield the magic of stories and tie it in with what you’re selling.
This doesn’t mean you have to create elaborate stories for everything you’re selling, of course. But, a little bit of insight into your products would be nice. Take the company Mouth for example:
While their story doesn’t have anything to do with the coffee they’re promoting, they were able to tie it in perfectly! How?
On average, 51% of people wake up and drink coffee first thing in the morning. When talking about daylight savings time, the first thought you might have is “Oh, great! I lose an hour of sleep… at least I have coffee to get me through this transition!” Stories are fascinating. To learn a bit more about brand storytelling in order to boost your eCommerce, check out this awesome article written by Sujan Patel.
5. Add a personal touch to your blog posts
Let’s face it: Shopping online often feels impersonal. Putting items into a virtual cart doesn’t really scream “rich experience”. Sure, if your prices are right, your customers will always come back. But, if you want to grow with your customers, I recommend adding your own personal touch to lift your eCommerce website.
How do you do this? The easiest answer is to add chatbots to your store. Though, that’s still a bit impersonal (if you ask me). If I were you, I’d want to include myself and my audience into my posts (with their permission, of course).
You probably see this all the time (without realizing it)…
By asking your customers to share their experience with your products, you’re not only promoting yourself, you’re showing potential customers the success that existing customers had. This adds a personal touch to your website (and looks awesome).
How to boost your eCommerce? What Did We Learn?
Adding a blog to your store can increase your traffic exponentially. A blog also builds trust with your audience, helps grow your brand as an authority in your industry, and increases conversions. If you focus on keyword research, try to be personable and helpful, interact with your audience, and tell stories within your content, you’ll have thousands of extra visitors in no time!
Are you going to start a blog? Have tips for other bloggers on how to lift your eCommerce? Let me know in the comments below!