On the 20th of July, we organised our last event before the summer break. Aside from the dynamic roundtable discussions, thanks to our moderator Tim Çakir, we also enjoyed a thriving networking session with some mandatory cool beers. 

For this roundtable, we wanted to create a more enriching experience for the attendees, which is why we brought together two other marketing tech automation startups: Vidjet and Spitche, with their corresponding CEOs and co-founders Baptiste Nicolas and Kevin Markowski. Representing Frizbit, we had our CEO and co-founder Ata Gür on the stage. 

Keep on reading if you want to grasp the key takeaways from this event.

Spoiler alert: Our moderator, Tim Cakir, did not hold back in any of his questions!

Previously, we stated we wanted to provide value to our audience, which is why throughout the roundtable, we discussed the future and trends for eCommerce, the changes they had faced in the customer journey, and how the solutions of each of the speakers add value to any online store owner.

“The right time, the right place and the right audience.” quote by Tim Çakir.

If we were to highlight a key phrase to get the core of the event, this would definitely be it. Any marketer, eCommerce manager, or anyone involved with digital businesses will agree to the veracity of this quote. The tools and answers from the roundtable will help you accomplish this goal, so without further due, let’s dive into the main insights from the event.

 

Quick guide: Essential Tools for eCommerce Automation

Pexels/ Andrea Piacquadio

 

Answering the question of “how any of these tech solutions can help the industry”, the main insights were the following:

 

• If you are looking for ways to humanize and make more “tangible” your products/your brand in the online space, then a shoppable video app like Vidjet is your way to go. This tool will also help you get closer to your customers in the crucial purchasing decision moments through honest video content.
• If you are looking for ways to improve trustability and boost your engagement with social proof, this is what you need for your business. Spitche works with brand ambassadors from your own community in a win-to-win environment.
• Last but not least, if you are looking for a way to engage with registered and non-registered customers without ads and bring them back to your site, then the Frizbit automation system is the tool you require. Its hyper-personalisation, multi-device communication, cookieless operation and consumer-behaviour patterns are what make this tool so attractive for online business owners.

 

If you haven’t started to automate your business with the marketing tech available at the moment, you are losing on ways to scale and be more profitable. Each of these solutions targets a different pain point that normally an online consumer can face. By addressing and acting at the right moment, we are sure your online business will get the push to reach the next level.
At the moment, at Frizbit, we offer a demo of our retargeting solution. You can apply directly here and be eligible for a one-month free trial.

What is changing in the customer journey scenery?

 

Constant changes and a fast-paced lifestyle are the new normal. Therefore, we should expect that customers are changing their patterns and behaviours too in their purchase journey. 

During the event, this was one of the questions that Tim asked the speakers, and from it, we can take that there are changes from the pre-purchase to the post-purchase. Let’s see what this is about.

Consuming less is the new trend, and from the pre-purchase phase, users want to be sure of what they are purchasing. If we have an eCommerce, it isn’t enough to only display pictures of our products anymore. It simply might not be enough.

So, what can you do to reassure your customers? 

Try implementing dimensional strategies such as on-face preview tools and videos showcasing the different textures -if that’s the case. And why not? Integrate the usage of augmented reality to create more real-life-like experiences.

 

 

The second change we can experience in the online customer journey purchase is the announced C2C era. It stands for “Connect to Customer”, and the truth is, it couldn’t be more accurate. 

The new C2C era stands for more sustainable and long-lasting relationships, which ultimately translates into finding tools to engage with customers on deeper levels. 

What does it look like from an eCommerce perspective? 

Now more than ever, placing your products in front of the best customers is imperative. One of the ways to achieve this is by enhancing the UGC. The biggest lesson we take from the roundtable is that within your existing customers, you can find superfans hidden in your audience, and they can boost your conversion rates through values such as honesty, trustability and transparency. These are all values that the now-a-day consumer demands.

 

Lastly, one of the biggest shifts the online space is facing is undoubtedly related to the privacy of users. This is imminent, and the biggest challenge we are facing is undergoing the ‘cookieless’ era. Reaching and accessing your customers could get really tough if you are not prepared for it. 

If you are not allowed to conduct retargeting with ads any more, how will you be able to boost your sales? Using cookieless strategies such as web push notifications will not only allow you to stay in line with the new data regulations. It will also allow you to talk to your customers in real-time, even if they are not on your site. So, say hi to multi-device messaging!

 

How does the future of eCommerce look like?

Two words: harmonisation and humanisation.

Creating in-sync customer journeys is essential to any online business that wants to thrive in the digital world. Nowadays, customers have more dynamic and complex behavioural patterns. This is why, if you run an eCommerce business, being present at different touchpoints and devices along the journey is crucial. 

Automation tools can become your best ally, helping you display the right message to the right customer at the right time. We hear this constantly, but it is true, and what’s best is that you don’t need to figure it all out on your own. There are already existing tools that track behavioural data for you to connect to your customers in a timely manner.

With automation, we always face the risk of losing the spark of the human touch. This is why, for the future of eCommerce, it is now necessary to find ways that resonate with users and speak directly to them. Some of the ways we learned at the event are the usage of video messages created by people for people, hyper-personalised messages and peer-to-peer connections. 

 

 

Key takeaways:

• The future of eCommerce is changing within 3 pillars: privacy, authentic online experiences, and the appearance of the C2C era.

• Connecting to a deeper level with customers is essential. Some great tools to do it are hyper-personalised messages, human and kind video messages, and enhancing your UGC.
  
  
• If used correctly, the tech marketing tools can help you boost your eCommerce. Using marketing automation tools isn’t equivalent to delivering cold messaging to your audience.
  
  
• Harmonisation is crucial to any eCommerce that wants to adapt to the dynamic and fast-paced environment

 

Having said this, we would like to thank everyone who took part in this experience and made it possible. Special thanks to our speakers, moderator, and Áticco Working Spaces for their collaboration and continuous support.

 

If you missed the event and want to catch up with the latest digital marketing strategies and tools using first-party data, the replay of the session is available here.

 

We hope to see you at our next event ?

 

 

The term affiliate marketing has become more popular over the years. It might even seem as if it is the jackpot only a few reckon. In this article, MyLead will reveal everything to be known about this hot topic, and why you should jump into this digital marketing immediately – if you haven’t already.

 

Affiliate marketing: the passive income source you need

 

If you’ve never heard of affiliate marketing before, you need to get on this digital marketing latest trend. This market has blown up in the last couple of years, and it’s predicted to grow by 10% every upcoming year. It’s time to get involved and figure out how to monetize your website, apps, and social media accounts effectively and legally.

 

Affiliate marketing is all about promoting an offer to your audience and making money when someone uses your recommendation. You sign in to an affiliate network and choose an offer you want to promote. Then, you generate a unique affiliate link and post it online. You can then promote it and get paid every time a user takes a particular action with it.

 

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online. You don’t need any investments, and you can do your work whenever you want. All you have to do to get started is sign in to a network and learn how to monetize your content online.

Getting started

Get the info

How to get started in affiliate marketing? Like in any other job, you need to know more about the subject. Read up on articles and blogs to learn all the tricks and tips and figure out what methods will work best for you. Some affiliate networks, like MyLead, offer you 24/7 support, ebooks, and tutorials, so there’s a lot to choose from.

 

Find a niche

A great way to promote your links with success is finding a niche audience who could be interested in a particular product or service. You’re looking for a group of people who share a specific interest or feature that makes them more likely to use your recommendations. You can either find a niche and then pick partner programs that match it or the other way around.

 

Internet users have different needs and preferences. Once you choose a group with a shared feature – it gets easier to shape your affiliate marketing campaign in a way that will reach them.

 

For example, if you know a lot about sports, you could look online for communities that love a specific sport discipline. Once you find them, do your research and determine what kind of products or services could interest them.

 

 

It could be a VOD platform to watch new games, sports equipment, or a website to place bets. If you promote these kinds of offers, your chances of making a profit will grow!

 

Tip: Choose a niche topic that you are passionate about! It will be easier to stay consistent and regularly post content.

 

Choose a partner program.

While choosing a partner program, consider what you know most about. If you feel comfortable with a topic, it will be easier to make creative content about it to attract an audience. Remember that unique texts, posts, videos, and graphics you make are much more likely to appeal to Internet users than direct links posted in random places.

 

Your audience is not the only thing you need to consider while choosing the best offer. It would be best to think about a payment model, which will work for your strategy. Affiliate networks usually have a few different models to choose from.

Some of the available models include:

• CPS – your commission comes from every sale that is made with your affiliate link,
• CPA – you get paid once a user takes a specific action (usually one that requires a payment)
• CPL – money comes from every lead you make, so every time you get another client interested in a specific product, it could be filling out a form, registering on a particular platform, etc.
• PPI – commission relies on the number of people who downloaded an app.

 

Every affiliate partner program has an assigned payment model with specific details. When choosing an offer, pay attention to that element, as it predominantly affects your profits.

 

The tools you’ll need

So, you know what audience you aim your campaigns at, and you’ve chosen a partner program that could interest them and make you profit. What’s the next step? Well, you need to figure out where to post your affiliate links!

 

Building your strategy is not a one-time action. Even when you’ve selected the platforms you want to use, you have to be flexible. The goal is to find a mix of tools that work best for you and your audience. Setting up a strategy is essential, but maybe an even more critical step is evaluating it and changing what needs to be changed for your campaign to be successful.

Social Media

The first essential step is using social media accounts. No matter who you are and where you come from, you probably have at least one of them. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest – you can use all those platforms in affiliate marketing with excellent results.

 

The tools that might come in handy are mainly programs that allow you to make your own content – texts, graphics, videos, etc. There are hundreds of them available online for free. If you post your affiliate link as an additional part of your posts, not the main component, it will seem less spammy to the users. You have to build trust, as everyone is more likely to take a recommendation from someone who seems reliable and informed.

 

 

Another thing you might need is link cloakers. This tool is used to fool social media platforms’ bots and prevent them from deleting your links. Real users get redirected straight to the site of the offer without having to take any extra steps. Not only that, but many link cloakers also have other functions – they analyze your traffic, block fake entries and take geo-marketing factors into account. Even though this tool is not free, it’s worthwhile and practical if you want to make money from affiliate marketing on social media.

 

Your website

If you have your own blog or a website, there are even more possibilities for you to make money with affiliate marketing. You can use tools like content lockers, which allow you to block a premium part of your content to the user until they take a certain action. If you’ve ever read an article online and been stopped by a message that you have to pay to read more – that’s a content locker. Some affiliate networks, like MyLead, give you access to make one of your own. There are a few types available, but they all work on both mobile and desktop devices and allow you to make more money on your campaign.

 

 

You can also use paid methods, like banner ads, to promote your link online. There are templates available in affiliate networks for you to use. They can be posted on your own website, or you can pay to have them displayed on other platforms. Of course, it will take away some of your profit, but it will also increase the chances of earning more money, so make sure you plan your finances well.

An example of a banner ad that you could use!

Apps

Affiliate marketing can also help you monetize your apps. If you own a mobile game or any other type of app, you can use tools such as Mobile Rewards. It’s made exclusively for mobile devices and allows your users to complete tasks and get benefits within your app in turn. The tasks can be connected to your affiliate account and make you profit! It’s a win-win situation. You earn money on an affiliate program, and your users get extra benefits that you can design! It can be an additional feature or a different level in a game – whatever your audience will enjoy most.

 

Imagine your user ‘dies’ in your mobile game, and they’re disappointed and frustrated that they didn’t manage to complete their level. In comes Mobile Rewards – they can complete a task and get a chance to continue the game.

 

Push Notifications

Most people do not use more than half of apps they have on their phones. Push notifications are a great way to remind people about your content. They look a lot like text messages, but shorter. Of course, the user has to give their consent for you to show them push notifications, but once they do, it’s a great way to keep users updated and involved in your offers.

 

You can set up your own push notifications for both mobile devices and websites once you’ve signed up to MyLead. In case of your push notifications not working, you can always rely on the support of experts, who will help you set everything up perfectly.

 

Online retail stores are experiencing a significant growth each year all over the world. According to Statista, in 2019 retail e-commerce sales worldwide amounted to 3.53 trillion US dollars. The numbers for 2020 are not published yet, but due to the global Covid-19 pandemic it’s expected to surpass all the previous estimates for 2020. These stats are projected to keep growing, making retail e-commerce one of the most important sectors in the world. 

As is expected, the amount of competition between online stores is also exponentially growing. Digital marketers are constantly searching for innovative ways to communicate, engage and retain their customers making their brands relevant and present in users’ top of mind. 

Traditional online channels, such as email, display ads, SEM, have always played an important role in digital marketing strategies for e-commerce retailers. They offered great results for brands to communicate with their customers for quite some time.

However, with the growing competition, brands fighting to catch users’ attention and the appearance of social media, the need for a new channel that offered new possibilities was imperative. Especially for one that creates interaction, personalisation and immediacy. 

Web push notifications for online stores make the difference!

Web push notifications present an all-in-one digital marketing solution for e-commerce retail sites. Personalised, short, appealing messages that are delivered directly to users on desktop and mobile devices, even when they have left the retailer’s website. They don’t require any personal data from users allowing businesses to reach out to customers who haven’t registered.

This new channel has everything digital marketers are looking for. Web push notifications fill the gaps left by email marketing and retargeting ads, offering an interactive experience based on each individuals’ behaviour. They’re very cost-effective and yield a high ROAS. The results of web push notification marketing strategies place them on top of the list as the most efficient channel to increase retail e-commerce revenue. 

How to use web push notifications for online stores

A well-thought out web push notification strategy can enhance user experience, increase conversion rate and boost revenue. Here’s a complete guide on how to use web push notifications for your retail marketing online store:

1. Combine automated and manual web push notifications

Platforms such as Frizbit offer the possibility of creating a web push notification strategy that includes both automated and manual notifications. 

• Automated web push notifications

Automated web push notifications are highly personalised messages delivered to users based on their activities in your site. This format allows you to communicate with customers on every step of their shopping journey. Basically, you set them up in your site and they’re triggered automatically by specific actions taken by users. 

Web push notification automation offers the possibility to schedule messages to be delivered in specific time frames according to the customers behaviour and different scenarios. You can design as many automated campaigns as you wish, but we highly recommend you to implement the following as a must have.

Automated web push notifications retargeting use cases:

• Welcome notification: say “Hello!” to your new subscribers. Let them know you’re happy to have them and seize the opportunity to share a special discount for their first purchase, news or sale. You can update this notification occasionally to generate more sales.

• Category retargeting: Once a user has visited a product listing page, usually a category or a brand page, but leaves your site without further action, you can send them a message letting them know all the amazing products you have in that specific section that they would like. You can even recommend the top selling product of that category.

• Product retargeting: When a user expresses interest in a product, by visiting its page or adding it to their favorites, but exits the site without adding it to their cart, an automated web push notification with a message indicating that you’re saving it for them, can bring them back and ensure a sale!

• Cart abandonment: When a user adds a product to the cart, but doesn’t complete the purchase, you can remind them what they left behind with an abandoned cart recovery notification. Reach them out appealing to a sense of urgency, offer a special deal if you can and help finish their purchase.

Other automated web push notifications scenarios:

• Repeat order reminders: If you are a retailer selling products that need to be replenished periodically, such as diapers, pet food or groceries you can set up automated web push notifications to remind users that they’re running out of that item and it’s time to order again.
• Cross-sell: After a purchase is completed, you can suggest items that are sold together and would complement their most recent purchase.
• Up-sell: You can suggest an item preferred by other users instead of the item in their cart, to those customers that added a product to their basket, but didn’t finish their purchase.. It’s a similar strategy to cart abandonment campaigns, taken one step further. 

• Manual web push notifications

Web push notifications sent manually are time sensitive messages similar to email newsletters. This notification format is ideal to communicate special sales, offers or news that interest all customers and won’t be repeated in the future. 

Sending manual web push notifications to inform users about limited discounts or sales, increases the chances of the message actually being delivered against other channels, such as e-mail marketing. These notifications are delivered the moment the subscriber is online and directly shown on the screen of its device, meaning that you don’t have to rely on them checking their emails in order to learn about the sale. Manual push notifications are the quickest way to generate massive sessions in seconds on the website.

Manual web push notifications use cases:

• Time sensitive sales (Black Friday, Cyber Monday, New Years)
• Season based offers
• New arrivals and new collections

A mix between automated and manual web push notifications is key into a successful strategy. The objective is to optimize communication with users as much as possible, delivering the correct message at the right time.

2. Create sequences of automated push notifications

One of the many advantages of using web push notifications, is that you can create a flow of communication with your subscribers. Using automation, it’s possible to design a sequence of messages to send a user based on their behaviour on the site. 

Flows can be designed for every step of the funnel, reaching a subscriber with relevant information regarding the actions taken on the site: category retargeting, product retargeting and cart abandonment retargeting. 

These notifications can be programmed with a waiting time feature. It allows the message to be sent after a certain period of time: 1 hour after the event, 1 day after the event, 3 days after the event or the time frames you decided according to your objectives and goals. 

The web push notification sequences allow you to keep the conversation going with your subscribers during longer periods, at the same time that you offer them relevant information, reminding them about articles they can still be interested in.

If you want to make things even more interesting, you can add a special incentive to these messages. Offer the user a discount to complete their order, or maybe let them know you are running out of stock and they have to hurry!

3. Make use of  all the elements of the web push notification to increase CTRs 

Web push notifications have a very specific anatomy. They include:

• Icon
• Title or headline
• Description
• Action button
• Image
• Page URL

It’s important that you fill in all of these fields to make the best notification possible. Exploit all the opportunities offered by this channel to engage with your audience and increase your click-through and conversion rates.

• The icon you include should clearly represent your business. It’s usually the logo of the brand and it helps subscribers to quickly identify who is sending the message. Tip: You can change your icon to match the look and feel of your website based on the season. For example, you can add a Santa Claus hat to your logo during christmas season.

• The title is the first message that attempts to grab the subscriber’s attention. Make sure you type here the most important message you want to get across. For example, if you work with stocks you can say something like “Last units available!” appealing to scarcity. 
  • Tip: The length of the visible content changes based on OS, device and browser. So make sure you use the most appealing words at the beginning of the title so that they are visible to all subscribers.

• The description is the message that follows the title. Here you can be a little more vast and extend what you were saying in the title. Use a lot of action verbs to tell customers exactly what you want them to do. 
  • Tip: Try to use the dynamic parameters, such as product name, product price or category name on this section as it offers more space.

• The action button is responsible for closing the deal. A clear call to action is key into grabbing the last bit of attention and icinting subscribers to make that clic.
  • Tip: Be precise here, there is no time to get especially creative. Messages in the lines of “Book now!” and “Complete your purchase!” work the best. 
  • Insight: According to the A/B tests that conduct Frizbit customers, push notifications with action buttons have a 12% higher CTR.
• The large image: Even though not all browsers are capable of showing images of web push notifications, it’s important to always include one. Images make messages more relatable, clear and appealing to users.
  • Tip: You can use product image or category image or brand logo as a dynamic parameter so that users see the image of the product that they were interested in.
  • Insight: According to the A/B tests that conduct Frizbit customers, push notifications with images have a 20% higher CTR.
• The URL: The visible part of the push notification only shows the domain of the website that the user subscribed to. However, you can decide which page you would like to direct your users to. The more relevant the page you direct them to, the more conversions you generate.
  • Tip: Try to define the URL’s as close to the lower-end of the funnel to increase your conversions. For example in a cart abandonment campaign, define cart URL instead of product URL.

4. Hyper-personalise your messages

Both manual and automated web push notifications allow a great deal of personalisation. When designing and creating templates, make sure your brands’ personality comes across. Once the message is delivered to your subscribers, you want them to feel that this notification is relevant and specific to them. 

• Use the dynamic parameters available. Web push notifications allow you to personalise templates using dynamic parameters such as image, user name, category name, product name or even brand name. These fields will be filled with the respective information taken from the users’ behaviour, making the message extremely relevant which increases the click-through rate. 

• Engage using appealing messages. Really think about your customer’s profile, what will catch their attention and design your messages accordingly. You have little space to let them know what you want to tell them, so appeal to urgency, be specific and it won’t hurt if you add an emoji or two (it’s proven they increase CTR). 

• Avoid the use of generic sentences as introduction to what you really want to say. Most likely your customers are also subscribed to many other brand’s web push notifications channels and they won’t grant a lot of time into reading a cryptic message you wrote. Tell them what they want to know and do it clearly, ¨20% off all handbags” will surely have a higher CTR than “If you were looking for a surprise today, we have one for you, 20% off all handbags”.

• Remember to add your branding visually as well. You want users to start recognizing your notifications with just a glance. Always add your logo and an image of your products. All of these elements in combination will give your messages a special touch that’s only yours. 

• Multi-language options offer more hyper-personalisation. If you own an online store that sells in different countries, you are used to creating multi-language content to reach all your audience. You should also personalise your notifications using different languages in order to increase CTR significantly. Frizbit has the ability to pick up on the preferred language of the user based on the default language on their device, or the language they choose to use on the website. This way, you can communicate with your subscribers in a way they will understand and appreciate.

5. Proper timing

Timing can make or break your web push notifications strategy. 

Optimize based on geolocation: First of all, you have to think about the geolocation of your subscribers and what time it is where they live. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to communicate a big sale that your user might really be interested in, just because you sent a notification at 3am and they missed it. 

Analyse the best hour for your audience: Some studies have shown that the best time of day to send web push notifications is early  in the morning and some around 16.00h. However, this depends a lot on your audience. Make sure you analyse the CTR’s based on your previous data and send your message at the time most likely your customers are online and have a higher chance to interact. 

Make use of “Time-to-Live” feature not to disappoint your subscribers: A common time-related mistake when sending web push notifications, is to send messages about offers that are no longer running. Time-sensitive flash sales are to be communicated during the hours they’re available. Otherwise, users might find themselves clicking on a discount that they’re super excited about and finding nothing when redirected to the site. 

In order not to disappoint your users, you can define a time-to-live parameter so that your notification will be delivered only to the users who are online until the deadline of that campaign.

Define a “Frequency Cap” not to be abusive: It’s quite obvious that the more bulk notifications, the more traffic and sales. However, its marginal effect decreases if you send too many in a specific period of time. That’s why, it’s so important to send the right amount of messages. If you send too many, your audience can easily decide to opt-out from your channel. 

Use the frequency cap feature to limit how many web push notifications can a single user receive in one day or during a specific time period. There’s not an exact number on how many notifications messages are ideal to send per day. Automated notifications don’t have a negative, as they are highly relevant for users. However, exceeding five bulk or mass notifications campaigns a month, can affect your opt-out rates badly.  

Optimize your campaigns with A/B tests: You have to do what works best for you and your customers. With features like A/B testing you have the possibility to test different combinations of campaigns with different timings and adjust your strategy accordingly to what offers the best results. Remember, it’s all about being relevant. 

6. Bring back dormant users

Users that have already purchased an item, are more likely to repeat. Dormant customers are accountable for more than one third of a sites’ sales. That’s why it’s so important not to neglect them and nurture the relationship with them.

You can design specific templates to send them automated web push notifications after certain periods of time without them visiting your site. You can specify a waiting time for each message, 10 days and 21 days are a nice combination.

Seize this opportunity to let them know about any news, offer or discount. Lure them back to your site with a special offering that catches their attention and make it irresistible to visit again.

You can even personalise those messages with information based on their history back from when they visited your site. This will make it even more relevant and increase the possibility of them coming back. 

Final Tips

The use of web push notifications in  online retail marketing is an indispensible new strategy. This channel provides direct, live communication with customers even when they’re out of the site without requesting any type of personal information from them. 

Hyper-personalisation possibilities are endless and thanks to that, they provide value to users like no other digital marketing channel. If you have been thinking about including web push notification campaigns to your e-commerce online strategy, it’s time to take the step. 

In order to set up the best push notification strategy for your e-commerce, don’t forget to schedule a free consultation session with one of our experts on this link: https://frizbit.com/#section-demo-request

In the meantime, make sure you check out some of our blog post to help you get started:

• Web Push Notifications Done Right – 7 Mistakes To Avoid!
• Are Web Push Notifications GDPR Compliant?
• 5 Important Points to Decide Which Push Notification Solution to Use