Internet connectivity has penetrated the world, making it easy for people to shop online. The global digital shoppers stand at 2.6 billion in 2023, which is 33.3% of the world’s population. This means you have a huge target audience to reach for global expansion.
However, expanding your business globally requires strategic consideration and careful thought. Having an ecommerce site means every digital shopper can access your store.
We understand there’re several strategies you can leverage for going global, but we’ve filtered the best in the market. Here are carefully thought-out tips to accelerate your ecommerce for a wider market audience.
Understand the International Market
Gaining a foothold internationally can be fulfilling, but it doesn’t come easily. Market research is a crucial aspect of propelling your business to greater heights. Even if your products or services sell locally, reaching a different audience can be unnerving.
Customers love familiarity, so they might hesitate to shop from your online store. You must bring a unique value that locally established businesses don’t offer. Establish if your products are in demand in your target area. Remember that different climates, cultures, and beliefs can affect your business. In some regions, you may experience excess demand; in others, you might not get sales.
For instance, CBD products have been legalized in the U.S. but cannot sale in regions like Syria. When the site receives a lot of traffic from a given area, people in that region are interested in your services or products.
If you get frequent questions like “Do you have a store in the U.S.” Or “Do you ship to the U.S.? That could be the first impression of your global expansion.
Create a Multi-Lingual Website
The language barrier is a huge obstacle when it comes to international marketing. Customers may be willing to buy your products, but unclear descriptions can halt transactions. Therefore, provide accurate descriptions and translations in languages well-understood by your audience.
Approximately 59% of web content is in English, but you wouldn’t want to miss 41%, which might propel your business globally. A website with multiple languages opens your brand to new customer segments.
Besides, 72% of online shoppers spend most of their time on sites where they can understand the language. In these precarious economic times, you need to offer something that puts your ecommerce business at a competitive edge.
A multi-lingual website offers a customer-centric approach. If visitors can read information and make purchases without the language barrier, they’ll feel appreciative, which increases commercial success.
The ecommerce success is much dependent on SEO to rank on SERPs. This includes having URLs with language-specific translations. A professional WooCommerce SEO expert can structure your multi-lingual website for easy scalability and higher ranking.
Focus on Customer Satisfaction and Product Quality
Customer experience is all about how the brand communicates and the transactional process. As the ecommerce industry keeps expanding, online stores need new strategies to ensure customers are satisfied. A delighted web visitor can boost conversion rates and customer retention rates.
You can email reward your customers after purchasing your products. Sending out a “thank you” email can also boost their morale. Go the extra mile and implement a referral program that benefits you and the customers.
Digital shoppers appreciate surprises. So you can introduce a surprise during the transactional process to boost user experience. It can offer free shipping or give discounts on bought items. Ensure you mention the offer during checkout to encourage shoppers to purchase more. The goal is to make customers happy and satisfied without losing your revenue.
Product quality is the determining factor for your brand’s profitability and success. Each consumer wants a reliable and high-quality product that serves their purpose. Ensure you describe the product exactly, be it the color, material used, ease of use, and other qualities.
It would be disappointing for someone to order a massage chair made of pure leather only to receive a chair made of faux leather. Build trust with the consumers by ensuring the quality is unquestionable.
When you serve consumers with the products of their choice, they’ll recommend your business to friends and family. This is a form of advertising that will fuel your global reach.
Leverage Local Tools for New Consumers
Social media platforms have made the world a global village. However, some platforms are banned in certain regions to which you may want to stretch your business. Platforms like YouTube and Facebook are primarily used in the U.S., but Facebook is prohibited in China. Some other countries have strict regulations concerning the use of social media platforms.
The Digital Marketing Institute outlines popular platforms used in various countries across the globe. This helps you leverage a local media tool to reach the target audience in a specific geographical area.
Embrace Different Payment Methods
Sometimes, online payment was made using debit or credit cards only. However, the creation of digital wallets has provided ecommerce brands with myriad options to offer consumers globally. Integrating these payment methods ensures customers don’t abandon their carts.
If you want your ecommerce to have a global outreach, offering several payment methods makes purchasing seamless. The payment methods:
- Enhance brand reception in a new region
- Maximize conversions
- Easy checkout
- Minimized abandoned carts
Collaborate with Local Influencers
The rise of influencer marketing is making it easy for ecommerce businesses to reach global heights. Penetrating a new market is difficult, especially in a new region. But you can leverage local influencers for brand exposure.
Identify relevant influencers with substantial followers. Consider their niche, engagement rates, reach and content style. Influencers have a robust online presence on social media platforms. After identifying the platforms used in a geographical area, contact influencers with a huge following on those platforms and strike a business deal.
In Conclusion
As you fuel your ecommerce brand for global success, you need to know that each market has unique characteristics. Therefore, tailor your approach and strategies to suit your needs while delivering stellar consumer services and products. Building an ecommerce brand for the global market takes effort and time, but the proper approach enhances your chances of success.
