You have built an amazing online store using Magento or another platform and your products are top of the line. What about your customer base numbers?

If you’re having a hard time growing your customer numbers and targeting properly your potential end-users, you may have to think about your online marketing strategy again. These days marketing is all about connecting with the right social communities and targeting your potential customers with relevant and rich content. The good news is that we’re far gone since marketing required hefty budgets to get things moving. The bad news is that posting a few tweets, Facebook links or simply making things pretty on your website will not get you conversions any time soon.

What will grow your website’s traffic and catch the attention of potential customers as well as retain those who already purchased from you is a strategy that relies on sharing engaging content, reaching out actively to your audience by providing them any type of added value to their shopping experience, and presenting your services and products in a unique way to stand out of the crowd.

2015 eCommerce marketing checklist

This is our straight-to-the-point marketing checklist that every online store owner should be aware of. We included the essential and best practices that really do matter to your customers, no matter the type of marketplace you operate in!

1. Multimedia rich and relevant content

Online shoppers are provided with such a varied and vast choice when it comes to products they’re interested in that it takes so little to loose to your competition. In 2015, what really is making a difference concerns mostly the type of content you share when marketing your products. Remember that anyone can describe the size, color, or application of a product but not everybody adds value to a description by posting an educational video, tips on how to use a product the best way, or a bonus gift card if the customer chooses your brand.

Moreover, creating funny, educational, engaging content (think of infographics, free tutorials, info that is usually subscription based or not available elsewhere), to share with your customers over social media and your website is a great way to catch their attention and create a lasting good impression that may just turn them into loyal brand fans.

2. Website’s microdata

Microadata is in HTML format and is a HTML standard important for search engine indexing. Look up your micro data standard and add all the information that you have on your hands about your online store. The more relevant and informative the micro data is, and the more Google will display additional info about your webstore or a product you sell in its search results.

3. Email Marketing

Email marketing campaigns are one of the online marketing classics though a lot has changed since sending plain text emails telling a potential customers he should really check out your product. These days email marketing is all about providing those who voluntarily (the so-called opt in customers) subscribed to receive news about your brand and products with discounts, coupons, special offers, free giveaways or anything that will make them feel glad they’re your subscribers.

It’s not about letting them know what you already have on display on the website; it’s about giving them access to what they can't find by Googling you or following your brand on social media.

4. Personalize your eCommerce shopping experience

Once you get a customer’s attention and he or she has finally landed on your product pages, you do want to make their buying experience special by custom-tailoring their search. Make sure to implement personalized product recommendations by adding as many product filter options as possible; inform the customers of all the benefits they will get by clicking on that add-to-cart button (for example free shipping or a discount on their next purchase); send a thank you email also featuring information on upcoming products yet to be officially launched or added to your website.

5. Use social media smartly and target the right people

Yes, social media is an amazing marketing tool if you really know how to use it for business purposes. Spamming your followers with links or copying content from your website just to post it on Facebook is not a smart way to target an audience. Social media should be employed to inspire and and build your following, show your target audience you have valuable information they do want to keep getting, share bits of info or previews of something they can’t find elsewhere. Basically, provide them with engaging snippets they will want to share with their friends or that will make them smile and feel good about.

These are just the basics to kick off a good marketing strategy; when thinking of more creative ways to engage with your audience, always put yourself in your customer's shoes and make sure to check out what your competitors do to make a difference when marketing their goods.