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Between the introduction of chatbots, the arrival of virtual reality on the market and the development of the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, 2017 was undoubtedly a very interesting year for digital marketing and for companies that decided to use these channels for their advertising campaigns. In fact, there are more and more possibilities for brands to involve their followers through increasingly original and engaging communication methods.
This is, therefore, the best time to look to the next few months and try to understand what will be the areas and the E-commerce trends of 2018 to be taken into consideration:
1. E-commerce 2018: Vocal Searches -> conversational approach
Have you ever asked Siri for help while you were traveling to an unknown city? For example: ‘Nearest restaurant’. Every smartphone user almost tries it and it always works. Today, for example, 40% of millennials used a voice assistant before making a purchase. You will wonder: what kind of research are they? They mostly have a local intent and are oriented to find answers to simple questions. For example, the nearest restaurant or distributor. By 2020 it is estimated that these voice searches will reach 50%.
You will immediately understand how this trend can be capitalized by e-commerce. As? In two ways. One: ensuring you are properly positioned in the SERPs of search engines for the strategic keywords for your business. Two: increasingly directing the production of content towards users’ questions.
Providing answers and adopting a conversation approach will be essential to enhance the productive effort and increase the chances of being found in the research – vowels and not.
2. E-commerce 2018: SEO, an indispensable ally
Closely related to the previous point, the binomial e-commerce + SEO will continue to be strategic. Because customers interact with your brand and consume content related to your industry, it is critical to produce and distribute quality. You must appear to them as a reliable resource.
If it is true that 85% of users do research before buying online, the good connection in SERPs of search engines is a decisive factor to increase sales potential.
3. E-commerce 2018: personalization of the product and experience
Your clients are Maria, Falcon, Sofia, Lorenzo etc. They are not numbers and they do not have to be if you want to keep your e-commerce going, or if you want to start off on the right foot. People like to feel special because it is from them that the continuity of your business depends!
Given the increased technological potential, if you have not already done so, in 2018 try to consider the possibility of introducing personalization elements of your product. However, it also considers forms of personalization of experience.
Online fashion stores provide personalized features to help their customers choose the right product. For example, many jewellery apps give you the flexibility to select the ring by allowing the user to take the picture of their hand and see how it looks in virtual reality.
4. E-commerce 2018: chatbot and email to buy
We have seen in our previous contribution as one of the main uses of chatbot is commercial. Do you remember? I almost bought a Burberry bag thanks to an interaction with the smooth and clunky virtual assistant!
If we consider how the conversion rate in assisted purchasing processes via chatbot may be at least 5 times higher than the ‘standard’ one, it is easy to understand how artificial intelligence will continue in 2018 to be used in retail.
The use of chatbots as a personal shopper, however, can be supported by other solutions always aimed at ensuring the user a personal and direct purchase experience.
Forbes, for example, believes that brands will be increasingly oriented in the future in sending emails from which the user can directly make purchases simply and safely. In the future, email could become something different from what it is today. Increasingly powerful, with a direct commercial vocation.
5. E-commerce 2018: omni-channel retail strategy
According to Google, ‘about 85% of online shoppers start a purchase on one device and end up on another ‘.
In order to reach these multichannel buyers, it is, therefore, necessary to provide homogeneous visual and user interface experiences from one platform to another, so that the user feels that he is interacting with a single entity.
This means that your e-commerce strategy must have a design, a branding activity, a navigation, a payment gateway, social and advertising content coherent with the other channels.
6. E-commerce 2018: engagement, resource to decrease customer acquisition cost
In 2018 the rate of involvement of its target will increasingly be the key to success.
In fact, those who fail to arouse interest and curiosity in their target audience beyond the physical point of sale will have to bear a figure too big to attract new customers or to interest the old ones again.
A high rate of user involvement will always guarantee lower acquisition costs!
Conclusions
In conclusion, 2018 promises to be an unprecedented year for e-commerce and the adoption of these trends will help you succeed. For more information on the topic or to start your next project feel free to hire ecommerce developer or visit our website and write us!
