1. Omnichannel
Consumers have become more reliant on retail businesses making their shopping experience seamless and unified from start to finish. Being an omnichannel retailer isn’t just having a brick-and-mortar and ecommerce platform—it’s effectively marrying your content and brand to your digital and traditional advertising campaigns to ensure the consumer has the instant information they need to convert and become a loyal shopper.
Omnichannel isn’t a new marketing buzzword in the retail community, but the impact of COVID-19 has made this aspect of retail strategies more important than ever. As retail continues to evolve, so does omnichannel and what it means for a retailer to fully integrate their channels into what is essentially one shopping experience for the consumer.
2. Mobile Ecommerce
Less in-store foot traffic in 2020 has led retailers to rely heavily on ecommerce platforms for sales. By the end of 2021, almost 73% of total ecommerce sales are expected to be made on mobile devices. Shoppers expect to have a trustworthy and smooth experience to convert and make purchases on mobile, so optimizing your mobile user experience should be an integral part of your 2021 retail strategy.
3. Social Media Advertising
Approximately 247 million Americans spend two hours per day on social media. While this seems like a lot, the chances of them seeing organic content are not in a brand’s favor. Investing in paid social advertising is becoming more and more critical for your brand to be seen. By the end of 2020, paid social spending is expected to be up by almost 25% year over year, and 2021 predictions are that this number will continue to rise as we shift further into the digital space.
It’s important to make sure your brand is using the right social platforms and strategically targeting the right audience to maximize your budget.
4. Google Shopping (PLA) and Paid Search Ads
Over 3.5 billion Google searches happen daily. Researching products. Comparing prices. Finding retailers nearby. There’s no doubt that consumers are utilizing Google to shop and will continue to do so in 2021 as the combination of COVID-19 and colder temperatures drives consumers to spend even more time inside their homes. Google Shopping (PLA) and Paid Search ads allow retailers to capitalize on an audience who is actively seeking products related to your brand. Serving ads when people are in the process of shopping can help get your product into the consideration set and drive online sales.
Interested in talking about your brand’s 2021 goals and aspirations? Contact Trone to talk retail marketing.