And taking the pulse of the younger generation of buyers has inspired Inspire – an Amazon quasi-social media app designed to mimic the popular TikTok. Not surprisingly, it’s an early hit.
Amazon Inspire began a rollout phase in early 2023, offering a downloadable app that in fact resembles the TikTok platform. TikTok is a video-centered app popular across a range of demographics, though it is mostly used by those under 40. That’s where the dollars are, say experts in ecommerce. And that’s where the Amazon future is headed.

This intriguing and nuanced app offers so much more than just a small photo on their main website. Amazon shoppers can log in to Inspire directly through their phone-based Amazon app by launching a light bulb icon. It promises personalized content (made possible by a collection of prior shopping choices and probably a bit of data collection from social media use).

Users may choose from more than 20 areas of interest such as gaming, beauty products, clothing, pet care, recreational pursuits, and beyond. Browsing the returns that pop up after you’ve chosen a sector, shoppers scroll through buttons to further customize a collection they may find interesting. The experience is similar to TikTok feeds, with engagement buttons and swiping actions that lead to promoted or favored items.

This customization feature is perhaps the key selling point of both selling and buying on Inspire. It doesn’t require typing text into a search window. Product categories appear in launchable buttons, and they are diverse. Amazon hopes they will lead you to what you’re shopping for.

What Amazon has not disclosed is how the app generates recommendations, except to say that it requires at least two recommendations before it appears as a promoted product.

Content creators may enroll in the program to upload media, including video and photos connecting to  thumbnail photos of Amazon listings they fancy. These contributors may earn commissions, depending on volume. Customer reviews, always a key element in online sales, are welcomed.

Amazon Inspire is now available for use by all US consumers, and the jury is out on how this new, creative approach to a hybrid influencer/advertising function will play out. For now, it appears to be an ingenious method of following the lead in cultural and consumer trends as they develop on the internet.
​
Interested in buying or selling on Inspire? Get more info here.

That softens the blow of what we’re about to discuss. As long as you’re dealing with digits, start examining the core of your business by figuring out who buys what, and how often. In the trade, it’s referred to as “customer segmentation,” and it is a critical way to make your store thrive.

Customer segmentation works best when you pin down stats and demographic data from the top 20 percent of sales. Not of customers, of sales. If you have repeat customers, that’s great, but if their volume of purchases is not especially high, it’s not a helpful measure for future performance and growing a consumer base. We all know about customer conversion, or turning lookers into buyers. The conversion rate among all ecommerce sectors in 2022 was 3.65 percent.

Studying the shared attributes of those buying across your site will guide you toward marketing more prospective customers. And unlike other strategies for growth, it can happen quickly.

Targeted marketing in the 2020 decade is about as easy as it gets. Social media platforms are practically designed for this. Facebook (Meta), for example, provides an easy breakdown of the basics – age, location, ideology – but increasingly it allows businesses to gather data about their interests based on company sites and pages they have visited. With this knowledge in hand, your task is to match your product mix with those most likely to be intrigued.

Facebook Ad Analytics Guide is one tool to help you dive into the art and science of zeroing in on potential customers. Its data reach is admirable: available are customer-reported statistics such as income, buying habits, buying likelihood, and other measures useful in figuring out who may be receptive to outreach.

Kick off your segmentation efforts with these basics:
​

• Age. It’s probably the easiest gauge of product interest.
• Gender. Though it’s obviously becoming more fluid, it’s still an excellent measure.
• Cart abandonment. This tells you how close you came to making a sale. Don’t ignore it.
• First-time shoppers. These future buyers could be an easy catch.
  
  

Grow your business in a hyper-competitive environment by determining who is most likely to buy from you. It sounds simple, but perhaps is something you’ve put off. Until now.

The first reality to absorb is this: if you sell merchandise over the Internet and you have a physical presence in a “nexus,” or state, you are required to follow that jurisdiction’s sales tax laws – but only from customers who are subject to sales tax because of their residence in that state. Sounds pretty simple until you understand that there are 50 states to keep track of. Add to that the wonky official rule that if customers do not remit sales tax payments to sellers, they are technically required to pay them directly to their state. Don’t ask how that enforcement mechanism would work; truly, it’s anyone’s guess. Mostly only very high-end purchases would come to the attention of each state’s tax collector.

We’ll make it easy for you. Only five U.S. states do not impose a sales tax. They are Alaska, Oregon, Montana, Delaware, and New Hampshire. Now you know.

But what is your obligation in terms of making sure your customers pay up? That’s more confusing.
​
If you’re committed to avoiding future problems and doing the right thing at the outset, here are steps to take that will keep you in the clear:

• Acquire a sales tax permit. Registering for a permit in the state where you are based is only necessary if that state collects sales taxes. The Department of Revenue is typically the governing agency, so locate yours and find out the process, the filing frequency requirements, and any related obligations. *Note that in many states it is illegal to collect sales tax without a permit, so don’t freelance on this one.
  
  
• Set up a sales tax collection mechanism. Perhaps your service provider has a built-in function making it easy. Some offer precise tax-collection features pertinent to each state. If you don’t have this option, find a way to get it.
  
  
• Learn the difference between destination and origin. If you ship to a customer in a state that does collect sales taxes, charge that state’s rate on each purchase. If your state requires collection based on where you are located – the “origin-based” designation – you will be charged by your state and required to pay up. Again, consult your state’s revenue agency for clarification.
  
  
• Now file taxes. No one likes that phrase, but if you buy online sales tax software, you can cut through the red tape with little effort. These programs will even nitpick down to the varying counties and jurisdictions with add-on taxes. They make filing a breeze.
  
  

If you start out of the gate with a solid tax-collection strategy and are clear with your customers, you’ve saved a lot of time and trouble. Try including an estimated tax figure in shopping carts so prospective buyers are aware of it in advance. They will appreciate the heads-up.

One reason newbies might let items sit in your virtual cart? Reluctance to sign up for an account. We all know building an identified account roster is a win-win for both sellers and consumers, with easy options for a quick checkout, and the ability to target promotions. But not everyone is eager to divulge tracked info including email address, phone number, or even a name, to a vendor that they don’t know well. The answer is to provide a seamless guest checkout system. Offer clear opt-in choices to be “remembered” by your site even in the absence of a formal sign-up. A subtle trick like that can work wonders for skeptical buyers.
​
Here are other ways to turn abandoned shopping carts into sales:

• Get the dough. Try to offer as many quality payment options as you can. There are a number of them, both established and relatively new. Each has options that may edge your buyer toward making the sale.
  
  
• Simplify the checkout process with a smooth flow of steps requiring only the necessary information needed to execute an order. Asking for tangential information may be an intriguing way to tap an algorithm you’ve set up, but from the buyer’s perspective, it’s probably too intrusive.
  
  
• Make it worthwhile. Offering promo codes and deals to even new buyers who don’t set up accounts adds value to their purchase and may well lock in a regular customer. Better yet, offer free shipping. The psychological effect of saving on delivery costs is demonstrably potent.
  
  
• Tell the truth. Are you aware of existing or potential shipping delays? Fulfillment is a critical component of your success as an ecommerce merchant; it can make or break return business. Buyers count on close or exact estimated dates of delivery. The trick, if you don’t really know how soon an order will arrive, is to spell it out in those terms, and possibly pointing buyers to alternative selections that might work.
  
  
• Return to Sender: Be blatantly honest. State very clearly your return/exchange/refund policy on as many site pages as possible. Confidence in a merchant’s willingness to accommodate changes of mind (at best) and correcting product deficiencies (at worst) might be the difference between not just repeat customers, but a dreaded reputation hit as shoppers tend to share their experiences with friends, family, and the internet overall.
  
  
• Keep up the pace. Customers are famous for making a solid commitment to choosing a vendor based on the ease of web site navigation. This shouldn’t be a surprise in an era where the need for speed reigns supreme. Invest in infrastructure to minimize slowdowns, or your next customer may time out and hop to a competitor.
  
  

Consult Constructor for more up-to-date tips on how to turn languishing carts into sales.

So, what should ecommerce vendors (and their service providers) be looking at with respect to security? Much of it is out of your hands, but if you entrust a third party to handle payment transactions, you have the right and the obligation to observe best practices. Look at it this way: they are aware of their high burden, and your constant inquiries will keep them on their toes.

Smaller online merchants should build a rigid threshold of in-house and exterior policies and procedures, say cybersecurity experts. Irrespective of compromised customer or internal data, the more down time a small vendor experiences, the greater the hit they take.

So what exactly are the secrets to protecting your data to the best of your ability? How about tighter access control and data security software? Both will vest more confidence and safety in your business. Business News writer Jeremy Bender reminds merchants that the big kids such as top-tier credit reporting agencies have fallen victim to mass data breaches, but they aren’t alone. The idea is to limit who may have a path to reaching your data using UTM (Unified Threat Management). Here’s a useful read on steps to take to protect your treasured business.
​
Whether you go all in with a deep dive, or just take cursory steps to ensure your security, your first priority is to be prepared for a cyberattack, however unlikely that is. Ransomware – the pernicious method of a nefarious party blackmailing your very access to your own data in exchange for a payoff – is not common among small sellers, but never say never. Develop an incident response plan to be ready for whatever comes. That means keep whatever backup data you can on a separate server. Your customers will love you for this, and your business may experience less costly down time.
 
It's a New, Scary World.

• Easy to think your slight presence in the ecommerce field will work against being targeted, but all they need is a domain and a back door. Make sure your firewall is robust. It’s your first line of protection. If you are one of thousands who use a third-party sales platform, investigate and press them to supply specific detail of their firewall stability. If you’re working on your own, shore up your firewall. Check out entities such as Cloudflare, a highly rated platform with a tight network and advanced preparation to combat hacks.
  
  
• It sounds simple, but it’s often overlooked. Make sure you know who has physical access to your business computers, creating separate, trackable user accounts for each employee and especially each service contractor.
  
  
• Wi-Fi networks are a vast part of the cybersecurity equation. They trip up home users often and that makes them a big target for bad guys. Contact your provider and conduct an up-to-date security check.
  
  
• Make sure the banks used in processing your payments are as up to speed on cyber issues as you need them to be.
  
  
• Finally, consult a useful litany of great info from the government itself, which is as vulnerable to attacks as anyone and typically at the forefront of aggressive efforts. The Federal Communications Commission is a good place to start as you navigate the unfortunate reality of making sure your hard work is not sabotaged by criminals.

Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash
​

Your E-Commerce biz can use all the tech tools it can get when it comes to expanding ease and access for your customers. If you’ve visited a website for a store or even a service and been greeted in a separate window by a “chatbot,” you’ll know what we mean. These personal assistants give the perception of a real time pal, and that is impressive. The degree to which each is truly staffed by a human who is able to assist at every level varies by proprietor, and you may find yourself at the low end of that spectrum. But even offering extra information that doesn’t appear on your home page or landing pages will be an exceptional benefit to shoppers.

While major utilities and mega corporations are most likely to avail actual staffers for receiving chatbot requests, don’t immediately dismiss their ability to offer specialized help. A database of inventory can easily translate to a searchable body with which the chatbot suddenly becomes a personal shopper by responding to search criteria. If your customer asks whether you sell faux leather covered ottomans, your search string is fashioned for you, and programming follow-up questions (including style, color, etc.) refines the process.

Analysts estimate that the global chatbot market may reflect almost $4 billion in just over six years, so maybe it’s time to at least familiarize yourself. An engaged response policy may cement a sale in real time, but at very least, highlighting information in a setting that feels comfortable and customized to a shopper is a win-win. Intercom is a perfect place to start with respect to learning more about AI, and finding an appropriate service level in chatbot functionality. Zendesk is an AI provider already to help you explore the technology with a free trial.

The key to an effective chatbot system is to let potential buyers in on its limitations in advance. Make sure they know they may not be interacting with a real person as they type into that window. Tell them the bot is their second-tier personal shopper who can ease the search process.
​
But if you’re able to tap the real thing, there are also expectations among consumers that you should meet. Long timeouts, inaccurate information, and a failure to reconcile the shopper’s purpose for visiting will probably ensure no further usage. Like a lot of aspects of technology, it’s as good as its feasibility. But play it right and it could be a valuable addition to your team.

When it comes to creating content and driving consumers to your site, the SEO strategy and keywords you choose are important. But where does one even start?
 
In this guide, we start with the simplest of SEO keywords and work our way to the more advanced keyword types. 

Keyword Length

Keywords can be short and generic or long and detailed. A short-tail keyword is often two search keywords that cover a broad topic or product, such as “platform bed.”
 
However, a short-tail keyword is often not enough to help customers find the precise type of product or item. If you want to include an even longer description, a mid-tail keyword (3-4 words) such as “upholstered platform beds” hones in on the style.
 
But let’s say you really want customers to find the exact color or style of upholstered platform bed you are selling. Then you can create a long-tail keyword (5-8 words) using more descriptions such as “contemporary” and “black velvet.” Long-tail keywords can also be phrases or questions, such as “how to style a contemporary black platform bed” and so on.
 
As you might suspect, longer keywords are less competitive because they are a more narrowed down version of a broader, all-encompassing generic keyword or short-tail keyword. This means that your item or content will rank easier, allowing a greater domain authority and for customers to more readily find your products.
​
Keywords by Role

Let’s talk about keyword roles.
 
First, you have focus keywords that are essentially the primary keyword or phrase you wish to rank for. Extending on this primary focus keyword are secondary keywords, also known as supporting keywords. Think of secondary keywords like a subtopic related to the focus keyword, creating a phrase related to the main topic.
 
For example, if your focus keyword is “how to style a bedroom” your secondary keywords might be “how to style a guest bedroom.” Styling a guestroom is a more specific description than just any bedroom. Furthermore, you can create an article focused on styling a bedroom, with additional tips on styling a guest bedroom with an H2 or H3 heading and a paragraph or two.
 
Semantic keywords play another role in SEO. Like synonyms, semantic keywords can be two focus keywords that mean the same thing, if not at least closely related.
 
“How to Style a Master Bedroom” and “How to Style a Main Bedroom” are, basically, one in the same. Just different keystrokes for different folks. Some of us use different language to convey a search, so having semantic keywords in place is a good SEO strategy.

Search Intent Keywords

From informational keywords to transactional keywords, search intent plays a huge role in your SEO strategy. Let’s look at several types of search intent-related keywords.
 
Informational keywords are essentially what someone types in when searching for educational articles and content. Furniture and decor brands will find it fruitful to create articles with educational tips and tricks that build a certain level of trust with their consumer base. And tucked neatly away in these education-based articles are certain informational keywords with long-tail keywords, and so on, that create brand awareness. Think “how to” articles and “what is” searches.
 
Commercial intent keywords are an important piece of the puzzle too. Commercial intent keywords focus on brand and product reviews, with specific information to help steep consumers into a final purchasing decision. For example, keywords that compare two or more items feature a “vs” and/or “or” search. They might also search keywords like “reviews” and “best.” 
 
Transactional keywords are in place for buyers who already know what they want. They’ve got their wallet out and are ready to hit that purchase button. Transactional keywords can come in the form of “buy” or “shop” and, if looking for a deal, “coupon” or “sale.” A branded keyword is necessary too (more on that below).

Other Targeted KeywordsThere are many more different types of SEO keywords you can target. Here are a few more you should be aware of when you create a content strategy or aim to attract certain buyers and customers.  
 
Market-specific Keywords – These keywords are highly focused on a specific industry or niche. Instead of “bedroom furniture”, your brand might sell specific “Mid-Century Modern bedroom furniture.” Or, in place of “interior lighting” you can hone in on “energy-efficient lighting.”
 
Branded Keywords – A branded keyword is pretty much what you imagine. It’s the keyword plus the brand. For example, an “Uttermost floor lamp” is more direct and will pull more specific results that buyers are searching for.
 
Product-related Keywords – These keywords are closely related to branded keywords. They might be the name of a certain style of lamp, such as “torchiere floor lamp.” Yet, they can also be product or collection name specific like “Huxford floor lamp.”
 
Customer-defining Keywords – This defines who might use the product. For example, “lighting for eco-friendly homes” or “rugs for baby nurseries.” It focuses on the type of customer’s age, gender, job, and other important demographics the item is typically made for.
 
Location-specific Keywords – As implied, these keywords simply focus on the city, state, country or region. For example, “lighting retailers in Northern California” or “eco-friendly furniture brands in the USA”. Note: Location-specific keywords are not to be confused with navigational keywords, which are simply a website’s navigation and pages (think “Login” or “Contact”).

How to Find All These Different Types of SEO Keywords

Ready to get started on your keyword research?
 
If you’re interested in basic short-tail and long-tail keywords, simply begin typing in a few words into Google and see what it suggests as it autocompletes your search. You can also use the People Ask and Related searches section to find more topic ideas.
 
However, that’s a pretty basic method. It helps to also use a keyword research tool like SEMrush and KFinder that will offer more filter options such to help you discover long-tail keywords, low-competition keywords, and keywords based on search intent. 

​Here are some of the ecommerce marketing mistakes your brand could be making (without even knowing it):

#1 An Inefficient Website With Bad Mobile Optimization
It’s more important than ever to ensure your website functions seamlessly. Otherwise, customers get distracted or frustrated and move on to the next thing. Having a beautifully designed, professional website that attracts and keeps customers is one of the best ecommerce marketing plans you can have.
 
When it comes to mobile shopping, this sentiment goes double! Be sure your website has proper mobile optimization.
 
The user experience of desktop and mobile shopping needs to be attractive, but also a well-oiled machine. From good SEO and product descriptions to excellent customer service, many of the ecommerce marketing mistakes listed below can help you achieve that. However, it starts with hiring the right website builders and integrating the right CMS platform for your business.

#2 Forgetting Lead Capturing
Potential customers might not always make an immediate purchase. That’s why it’s imperative to create a good lead capturing system. A pop-up for email signups (with a tempting discount) is one great way to turn those potential customers into first time buyers. You can also capture leads through chatbots and social media channels.
 
Leadpages, ActiveCampaign and Getsitecontrol are just some of the powerful lead capturing and lead generation tools you have to work with.

#3 Poor SEO and Product Descriptions
It’s important to have an attractive website. This much is true. However, it’s also critical to have good SEO that draws customers to the website in the first place. An SEO plan using targeted keywords, accurate product descriptions, and well-written copy will help customers find your items with a simple search and give them the unique details of the item. 
 
You can hire someone internally to do so, but it’s more fruitful to hire an agency like Cennos that is already familiar with the proper use of long-tail keywords and in tune with more up-to-date trends and styles so your product descriptions are both search engine optimized, accurate, and appealing.

#4 Ignoring Reviews and Testimonials
With online shopping, having reviews and testimonials is more important than ever. Customers can’t touch and feel in person, so hearing or reading what previous buyers thought of the product is crucial. When building a website, be sure to make room for reviews and testimonials. Customers are more confident to purchase a product if they can read the social proof and what other customers think of it. It offers a level of transparency and boosts conversion rates.
 
Having social proof on your website is just the first step. It can come in other ways too. Influencers can post their reviews across social media. Remember: It’s about more than a single product review. It’s also about your brand image.

#5 Skipping on a Social Media Strategy
Speaking of using influencers for social proof, let’s discuss the importance of a social media strategy. Promoting items and your brand online is a must in today’s age. If you aren’t taking advantage of social media platforms to engage with customers, you’re really missing a huge piece of the puzzle.
 
However, it’s wise to come up with a social media strategy. For starters, it helps to know what social apps your target audience prefers. Then, you can create social media ads that show up in their algorithms. Again, this is where hiring a professional can help. Skilled social media strategists can ensure your ads are targeted correctly with the proper keywords, all while following each social platform's strict ad rules and regulations.
​
#6 Not Focusing on Your Target Audience
Another ecommerce marketing mistake that could be costing you? Not understanding your target audience. Or – and let’s say you do – simply not focusing on them. Driving traffic to your website through SEO and reviews helps, but it is also essential to hone in on your target audience directly. Sadly, many businesses cast a wider net with the intention of attracting a wider audience. But it pays to be as specific as possible!
 
Research your target audience by creating a buyer persona so you can better understand what they are searching for in a product or service.

Keep in mind that beyond your proprietary site, selling goods on third-party platforms involves unique demands. If you’d like to use Amazon or eBay, for example, you will need to carefully ingest their specific image requirements. This is where the science of photography sneaks in, blending concepts of pixel count, scalability, and (most important) avoiding copyright infringement.
​
Making things more confusing are the product-specific difficulties in capturing clean images of goods like jewelry, clothing, and extra-large items. Consulting an online expert is your best bet.
Some basics to get you started:

• Good news! You don’t need a high-end camera. In fact, a decent SmartPhone camera function is not only suitable, but excellent for quick editing. Invest in add-ons for editing with more specific settings.
  
  
• Remember that highly saturated, high-resolution images are slower to load on many devices, which can make a prospective customer bail quickly.
  
  
• Use a white backdrop in almost every case. This highlights specific detailing, colors, and even scale and size ratios. White backgrounds reconcile white balance temps and reflect a level of lighting that our brains recognize as a staring point.
  
  
• A “photography sweep” works best, meaning a backdrop that offers a clean transition from a vertical to a horizontal surface. Make the “sweep” larger than the product, creating perfect balance.
  
  
• Shooting tables are ideal for smaller products, offering flexibility in placement. Purchase one on a well-known online platform, or be handy and make your own using scrap wood pieces nailed to the back of a small table, clamping the sweep into place. Reflective qualities in white wrapping paper adds a bonus.
  
  
• Always employ sufficient lighting levels. Your detail, palette, and color balance will improve immeasurably. The temperature of a light source can diffuse the impact and clarity of most goods.
  
  
• Displaying images in different angles is an exceptional substitute for video presentation – although if you have the bandwidth, you can also consider those.
  
  
• It’s critical to understand that every monitor or phone display is not equal, and what you see on your end may not reflect what others will experience. Try viewing your images on another household computer, or a friend’s device.
  
  

Speaking of expert tips, check out this piece from Shopify. It offers image optimization ideas for ecommerce sites. Or this one, exploring more customized enhancements. Other options include buying a tripod (they even make these for SmartPhones) and achieve top-rate image stabilization. Experiment with filters and diffusers, but check that they don’t grossly distort a product’s likeness. Your first objective as a trusted seller is to deliver what customers think they see.

​The intersection of advertising and social media evolved quickly, as major platforms found a need to monetize. Ad revenues are the preferred avenue to user subscription models, which are notoriously unreliable. Though a creeping presence of commercial advertisements on Facebook once was an issue, Zuckerberg’s company managed to ward off a mass exodus several times; now his users are now accustomed to ads appearing in their feeds. 

​But not so for San Francisco-based Twitter, Facebook’s closest rival, which is now in everyone’s crosshairs.

A recent change of ownership has elevated the Twitter platform to a revenue-generating situation that may mirror what occurred when daily print newspapers went the way of the dinosaur, and it’s raising questions about the fitness of advertising there. And it’s driven mostly by politics.

Unlike the simple fiscal elements that led to a decline in print media readership, Twitter is suffering from an ideological free-fall, leading top industry leaders who advise corporations to say stay away for the time being. IPG, one of the biggest worldwide ad companies, issued an official recommendation to pause ad buys with Twitter in light of new owner Elon Musk and the uncertainty surrounding not just moderation policies, but a brewing fiscal crisis after his purchase left him owing a great deal of money to lenders. Musk dropped fully one-half of his workforce, leaving grave concerns about its ability to stay abreast of technology and to expand as needed.
 
Will it work?
Musk attempts to rein in fears by assuring advertisers they will be “safe” on his platform, but that appears to be insufficient. Twitter’s moderation policies have long been a source of contention – and with a change in ownership, they appear headed toward a veritable reversal, leading to an anticipated spike in hate speech from both high-profile users and everyday users. Corporate giants are loathe to associate with a toxic environment, which is why many either bolt or slowly sneak away from sponsorships and ad placements. General Mills and Audi are among the latest to jump ship. They are just the tip of the iceberg. High-profile celebrities and athletes are following en masse.

Given the inherent fiscal struggles Musk will face, compounded by fleeing advertisers and an uncertain central corporate model, it may be best to shift gears until the quagmire sorts out. Online guru space G2 has a list of other ways to advertise on platforms besides Twitter, with a generous reach.
​
Keep in mind that small e-commerce merchants may not have the luxury of picking and choosing ad destinations based on whether or not they are en vogue or conflict-free. If the price is right, and your product appeals to users, you should feel free to try your luck on any social media platform. But it’s always useful to understand the general trend of where the internet and ideology cross paths, and commit yourself to following these patterns closely.