Insights

Back then, businesses across all industries primarily interacted with their customers in person or through the mail. But thanks to today’s technological advancements, companies and consumers can get connected in just a few clicks, 24/7.

As the world continues to operate and incorporate more digital solutions, these business relations will require more than being available via emails, phone calls, and chats to keep going. In the competitive field of eCommerce especially, companies must find new ways to stay proactive about engaging their customers and prospects.

Studies show that 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience. As the demand for a seamless customer journey increases, you must work on your customer engagement efforts to maintain and improve customer satisfaction.

Are you interested to learn more about customer engagement? Continue reading further.

What is Customer Engagement?

Customer engagement is how you build a bond between your brand and customers. This connection ensures that you provide an excellent buying experience. Furthermore, it benefits your brand as you produce patrons that will buy, promote, and grow more loyal to your products.

For eCommerce customer engagement, the key is creating personalized interactions through varied channels to establish and strengthen meaningful ties with your online customer base.

Why Does Customer Engagement Matter to eCommerce?

While there are approximately 12 million eCommerce companies worldwide today, how they engage with their customers separates the great ones from the good. Below are some points why customer engagement can make all the difference for an eCommerce brand:

• Boosts customer retention

You’re making customers feel valued when you’re engaging with them. If they feel special after making a purchase, they’re more likely to keep coming back and recommend you to their family and friends. 

• Builds customer loyalty

Research shows that engaged customers are five times more likely to stay loyal to a brand. When you’re consistently communicating with your buyers across multiple online channels, you’re building healthier customer relationships that can positively impact your operations.

• Speeds up the sales cycle

Customer engagement involves providing information to help potential customers quickly determine if your products or services are right for them. Effective customer engagement strategies allow you to create a community that trusts and advocates for your brand.

• Helps stand out from the crowd

With the market’s rapid growth, eCommerce has become very competitive. It’s more difficult to stand out and lure audiences now that people have a 2.5- to 1.7-second online attention span. When you engage with your audience regularly, you establish a distinguishable presence that can retain existing clients and attract new ones.

6 Strategies to Boost Your eCommerce Customer Engagement

Several strategies can boost your customer engagement. If you’ve yet to come up with one today, check out these six tactics you can utilize to help your eCommerce business get started:

1. Allow and encourage customer feedback

Customers want to feel heard and appreciated. To build better relationships, allow and encourage them to leave feedback for your eCommerce business. By collecting their comments, suggestions, and recommendations, you gain insights on how to improve your operations and customer interactions.

2. Build a loyalty rewards program

A loyalty rewards program is one of the most effective ways to keep your customers returning. Offering exclusive discounts for repeat purchases or launching special deals can incentivize customers and keep them engaged, boosting brand loyalty.

3. Ramp up on content creation

Content creation is key to strong customer engagement in eCommerce. Regularly posting well-planned content builds trust, generates interest, and strengthens your online presence.

When it comes to social media, Instagram and TikTok are a few of the greatest platforms to get started with producing content.

Data suggests that 72% of users make purchase decisions based on the content they see on Instagram. Meanwhile, 73% of people on TikTok feel a deeper connection to the business they interact with on the platform than on other platforms.

With these figures in mind, make sure you utilize this platform when designing your customer engagement strategy. 

4. Connect with unsatisfied customers

When a customer has a problem with their order, they should be able to reach out to someone within your customer service team to help them solve it immediately. After all, around 71% of consumers affirm that quick customer service can boost customer experience, impacting the business’ overall revenue.

To get in touch with unhappy clients, you can employ digital tools like live chat and chatbots to ensure an open line of communication. Additionally, you can use personalized emails or phone support to determine the root of their dissatisfaction and your workaround.

5. Provide accessible information

Suppose you want to boost your chances of closing more deals. In that case, you need to ensure your eCommerce website and social media accounts are easily accessible. A user-friendly design allows people to easily find what they’re looking for in your online store. It includes drafting easy-to-comprehend and informative product or service descriptions. 

6. Know your audience’s significant days

As previously discussed, personalization toward eCommerce clients can make all the difference. To make your online customers feel special, engage with them on significant days like holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries and offer exclusive deals.

You can go above and beyond by sending emails with promotions, resources, and tools tailored to your customers’ wants and needs. This thoughtful effort can strengthen your relationship with current clients and help generate new leads through digital shares and word-of-mouth.

Grow in eCommerce Through Customer Engagement

As the eCommerce space keeps growing, the industry becomes more and more competitive. While there are multiple ways to establish your brand online, developing strategies to improve customer engagement is a great first step to helping your business stay atop the industry.

Building customer relationships is necessary for lasting impressions and connections. If you need a partner to assist you with your eCommerce customer engagement needs and other brand-building efforts, etaily has got you covered!

etaily is an eCommerce enabler that offers effective end-to-end solutions. We support your retail brand in the digital commerce space—from technology and operations to brand and data capabilities.

Learn more about how we can help you attract audiences and convert them into customers. Contact us today!