Being a creator means wearing many hats -- planning and creating content, engaging community members, navigating technical obstacles, managing income streams, and more. Now more than ever, as macroeconomic conditions shift and platforms change their policies, creators want more control over their destiny.
Taking the leap into ecommerce, a fancy word for anything that involves selling a product or service online, can feel a bit intimidating at first, but we've got your back. Selling products online, especially merchandise or apparel, is a great way to make money as a creator. To do this, you’ll need to have a strong marketing strategy in place. Whether it’s content marketing or email marketing, you’ll need some way to increase brand awareness and customer loyalty.
From merch to memberships, here are our top 10 strategies for creators looking to build a marketing plan for their ecommerce businesses:
Social media and email marketing are both goldmines for reaching your supporters and advertising your business. Create a content calendar that lays out what you'll post and when, focusing on marketing channels and platforms where your supporters hang out the most. Use pictures, videos, Instagram stories, and even consider livestreams to connect on a personal level and showcase your products in real-time.
Everyone loves a hype moment. Maintaining momentum is critical in the first few days after a drop, so offer limited-time promo codes to celebrate your launch and incentivize purchases. This can also be a good strategy to help drive new energy around existing items in your shop (drop a “last chance” promo code to let people grab items before they’re removed, for example). Giveaways are another way to get eyes on your products while involving your community in the fun – try inviting followers to RT and comment on your content for a chance to win a free item and use a randomizer to pick the lucky winner.
Sending samples of your products to fellow creators and loyal supporters is a great way to build hype around your drop, collect early feedback from people you trust, and get some help promoting your store across a wider range of communities. Ask friends to post photos of your samples before your launch as a sneak peek, or after you launch as a way to show love. Once you launch your ecommerce website, request reviews and photo proof from happy supporters.
Building and nurturing your community is essential to long-term success as a content creator. Platforms like Twitch and Youtube offer first-party tools for engaging and rewarding your most loyal supporters, but revenue splits are high and you don’t have much control over the experience. Fourthwall Memberships lets creators offer rewards and exclusive content to community members, all in a centralized home base that’s integrated with your shop and website and is 100% branded to you.
In the digital age, your ecommerce website is your storefront, and ease of use can make or break a sale. Focus on a clean design, minimal products, and intuitive navigation to keep your supporters happily clicking 'Add to Cart.' Visible promo codes and discounts can also encourage those on-the-fence visitors to complete their purchase. The more user-friendly your website, the better your sales will be. Platforms like Fourthwall make all of this easy for you, whether or not you have experience building websites.
Understanding your target audience is the cornerstone of any effective marketing strategy. Identify the demographics, preferences, and online behaviors of your supporters to tailor your marketing tactics appropriately.
Setting measurable and attainable goals is crucial for tracking the success of your marketing initiatives. Whether you aim to increase website traffic by a certain percentage or achieve a specific conversion rate, having clear objectives will guide your efforts. Set clear, measurable goals like "Increase website traffic by 20% in 2 months" or "Achieve a 5% conversion rate by the end of Q4." These goals give you something concrete to aim for and will guide your marketing decisions.
Once you know your audience and goals, select the most effective marketing channels to reach your supporters. Choices might include social media platforms like Instagram for product showcases or Twitter for announcements, as well as email marketing and retargeting for more personal approaches.
Focus on creating content that promotes your business while also being consistent with your other content. Use product highlights or tutorials, customer testimonials, and other engaging content to drive interest and guide supporters towards making a purchase. Keep it aligned with your business goals for maximum impact.
After implementing your strategy, it's vital to monitor key performance indicators like conversion rates and sales. You can typically find this in your analytics for any social media or email marketing platform you’re using. Use this data to refine your approach, making necessary adjustments to optimize for better outcomes.
Fourthwall provides tools that make it easy to build your brand on your terms, which means you can turn your passion into a sustainable living and keep your focus on your community, all without compromising on quality. Whether you’re a creator, influencer, or business owner, you can join Fourthwall today to jumpstart your ecommerce business.