Maximize Ecommerce Sales: 2024 Marketing Funnel Techniques

Cooking up new strategies is a big part of an Ecommerce marketer’s job and with so much competition, this seems to be a tougher task every year. In this article, we’re sharing tips on mastering the Ecommerce marketing funnel as well as looking at some proven strategies for success in 2024.

What is the Ecommerce marketing funnel ?

In essence, this term refers to the series of steps that a customer will navigate when interacting with an ecommerce website. 

Imagine this as a traditional funnel – i.e. a cone-shaped object which is wide at the top, narrowing as it goes down. The top of the funnel is where you’ll find customers who are maybe just browsing or looking for information on a certain type of product. This is where your marketing begins as your objective is to use a marketing strategy in order to move the customer further down the funnel – preferably right to the bottom where you seal the deal and make the sale. 

Proven Ecommerce marketing strategies for 2024

Keeping your funnel image in mind, it’s time to talk strategy. Marketing for Ecommerce presents some unique challenges in that you don’t have the benefit of a real bricks and mortar store which your prospective customers might walk past and, so, in this section, we’re sharing some proven Ecommerce marketing funnel strategies for 2024. 

Content is still king

Like it or not, content marketing is still one of the most effective ways of engaging customers old and new. 

Creating engaging, thought provoking content allows you to connect with your customers and potential customers in an authentic way as well as gently directing them to your website or landing page. To succeed with content marketing however, you need to make sure that all of your content is unique, well written and relevant.

Specifically, if you’re targeting a seasonal audience, like those interested in Halloween costumes, you can create targeted content around witch hats and other spooky accessories.

This will help you capture their interest and drive them down your marketing funnel.

If writing isn’t your thing, the good news is that you can hire a copywriter at really reasonable rates on sites like People Per Hour.

This is absolutely an investment as badly written content with lots of spelling and grammatical errors not only puts people off but can actually flag your content as a scam. 

Getting social

A significant part of your Ecommerce marketing funnel is (you won’t be surprised to hear) social media. In 2024, a staggering 5.07 billion people use social media on a regular basis (that’s about 62.6% of the entire world’s population) – many of them all day every day. There are a few ways in which you can harness the power of social media and these are as follows: 

• Posting – Posting regularly with compelling and engaging content helps to keep your brand in people’s minds and encourages them to connect with you. Successful social media marketers invest the time and effort into putting together proper posting schedules – and sticking to them.
• Ads – Pay Per Click advertising is an effective and relatively inexpensive way of showcasing the best of your brand and getting your message in front of a large number of people. 
• People power – By getting your audience to engage with you and to share your content you can supersize your impact significantly. 

Coming in to land

If you’re using PPC ads, a landing page can be a really effective tool. These are, essentially, mini websites which allow you to focus the customer’s attention on one product or service rather than being sent to your actual website where they’re likely to be overwhelmed with a number of options. To use landing pages to great effect, keep it simple and don’t be tempted to cram lots of different products or services onto the page. 

“To create high-conversion landing pages, it’s crucial to align the design with specific marketing goals, whether that’s generating leads or driving sales. Effective landing pages, whether transactional or reference, should be streamlined to optimize user experience and conversion rates,” explains Piotr Gorecki, Head of Marketing at Gorrion.io. “By focusing on one clear objective and minimizing distractions, you can significantly enhance the impact of your PPC campaigns.”

Referral marketing

Marketing can be pretty hard work – so why not get your audience to do it for you ? Referral marketing is the art of encouraging your customers to spread the word about your brand by offering them incentives. For example, you might offer a discount or free gift for every five referrals made. This one really is a win win as it costs you next to nothing but can have a fantastic impact on your sales and visibility. 

To get started with referral marketing, you can use a referral software like ReferralCandy.

Damian Grabarczyk, a seasoned e-commerce entrepreneur and the co-founder of PetLab Co., says, “Our ‘Change A Dog’s Life’ program, which offers a $10 discount to both the referrer and their friend on purchases of $28 or more, has created a ripple effect of trust and advocacy. This approach has not only turned satisfied customers into passionate advocates but also boosted our customer acquisition rate by 13% and contributed to a 17% rise in revenue last quarter. The key to a successful referral program is creating meaningful incentives that resonate with your audience and ensuring the process is straightforward and rewarding. For any e-commerce business looking to grow, referral marketing is a powerful strategy to strengthen customer relationships and drive revenue growth.”

On brand and on message

While it may sometimes seem complex, the art of marketing really boils down to the act of telling as many people about your brand as possible – without spending a fortune. As we’ve shown in this article, there are a number of strategies that you can try in order to get your business noticed – and don’t be afraid to get creative as marketing is all about finding the sweet spot that works for you. 

The Power of Email Marketing Automations

Email marketing automation is a must-have tool for Ecommerce marketers. It allows businesses to send personalized emails to customers based on their interactions with the website. By using these automations, you can engage customers at the right time, providing them with relevant content that guides them through the ecommerce funnel.

Benefits of Email Marketing Automations

Automating email marketing offers several benefits. It saves time by handling repetitive tasks, letting you focus on other important work. It also improves the customer experience by delivering tailored content based on each person’s behavior. Automated emails often see higher open and conversion rates because they arrive when customers are most likely to engage.

Types of Email Marketing Automations

There are different types of ecommerce email marketing automations that can benefit business. A welcome series introduces new subscribers to your brand and products. Cart abandonment emails remind customers of items left in their cart, encouraging them to complete their purchase. Re-engagement campaigns reach out to inactive subscribers with special offers or updates to bring them back to your site.

Ecommerce Email Examples

Ecommerce email examples like personalized product recommendations use past purchases to enhance cross-selling and upselling opportunities, making each customer feel specially attended to. Flash sale announcements inject urgency, prompting quick responses and driving substantial site traffic. Post-purchase follow-up emails thank customers and suggest complementary products, encouraging repeat business. These ecommerce email examples highlight how flexible and effective email marketing automations can be in nurturing customer loyalty and increasing revenue. A well-timed email in ecommerce can make all the difference.

For example, if you sell aromatic essential oils, you could create a blog post about the different ways to use essential oils for relaxation or a guide to choosing the right essential oil for your needs. You could also use email marketing to send targeted offers to customers who have previously purchased essential oils from your store.

Integration with the Marketing Funnel

Email marketing automations play a key role at every stage of the Ecommerce marketing funnel. At the top, welcome emails introduce your brand to new visitors. In the middle, educational content and product recommendations nurture leads. At the bottom, cart abandonment emails and special offers help convert prospects into customers. Post-purchase emails can even encourage repeat purchases, boosting customer lifetime value.