Managed Hosting News 
Thursday, 23rd February 2012, 16:06:50
Social media is "fundamentally changing" e-commerce transactions
The rise in popularity of social media websites is having a significant effect on the e-commerce world, one expert has claimed.
Alex Pratt, author and entrepreneur, believes that online social interaction is changing how people buy things.
Rather than simply visiting bricks-and-mortar stores, shoppers are researching products online and listening to the opinions of web users.
"The old days of going to a store, having a look and buying a product there are long gone now.
"What people do now is go and find out what other people think on the internet and they'll search online," he said.
Mr Pratt believes that online retailers should adjust their marketing strategy accordingly.
Even though a business is trying to attract online shopping customers, they should not focus on selling a specific product.
A better strategy is to focus on "being interesting to people who have a problem".
It is imperative that a retailer places their customers' needs at the forefront of their online marketing, according to Mr Pratt.
"For instance, your website - instead of being a catalogue of your products - needs to be a place that answers the questions that people who might want to buy your products are going to have in their mind," he said.
It is also important for e-commerce sites to focus on SEO (search engine optimisation) and provide the kind of tailored, high-quality content that will lead to high search engine rankings.
Statistics show that more than three-quarters of Google users never click past the first three search results.
For that reason, Mr Pratt advises businesses to "concentrate on searches rather than selling".
He added: "You've got to really know what you sell and be able to really add value to the customer and not just be selling a product."
Retailers should also ensure that they have an active and positive presence on the web, especially on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
These provide a useful marketing platform, as well as a valuable way to interact with one's target audience.
Posted by Phil Williams
Reliable E-commerce hosting and support for your online business
Categories: | Online Marketing / Search | Ecommerce |
Related Headlines:
21-02-2012: Time is running out for e-commerce companies pursuing gTLD
17-02-2012: E-commerce shoppers have mobile security worries
16-02-2012: Businesses should establish a positive web presence
15-02-2012: E-commerce to dominate future festive parcels
13-02-2012: E-commerce can "improve quality of life"
Previous Headlines:
22-02-2012: Firms fined for 'typosquatting' domain names
22-02-2012: Domain name dispute ends in victory for Virgin boss
21-02-2012: Time is running out for e-commerce companies pursuing gTLD
21-02-2012: Time is running out for e-commerce companies pursuing gTLD
21-02-2012: Time is running out for e-commerce companies pursuing gTLD
Meet the News Team...
CALL: 0808 180 1880
or just email our Sales Team if you have any questions about any of Hostway’s services.
News Categories:
Read the latest headlines from these selected categories...
News Archives:
Previous headlines...
* All prices exclude VAT where applicable. All plans, packages and offers are subject to terms and conditions of sale available on the site.
© Hostway Corporation. All rights reserved.
A global web hosting leader, Hostway has strategic locations in the United States and Europe, including the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Romania and Germany, as well as Korea, India, and Australia.
