5 Ways to Expand Your Online Store’s Reach

With countless online stores constantly vying for consumers’ attention, it’s becoming more and more important for up-and-coming online retailers to find ways to make themselves stand out. Assuming your online store is selling high quality, market-pleasing products, the next thing you have to do is capture the eyes of buyers.

Grabbing customers’ attention is both an art and a science. Here are our top five tips for expanding the reach of your online store:

Embrace PR. Even online stores need to market themselves. While certain websites make it look easy, acquiring Internet traffic—especially recurring traffic—takes time and concentrated effort. In this area, efficient PR efforts can be crucial. Consider sending out press releases and pitches to media outlets (blogs, websites, and maybe even magazines or dailies) that are willing to help you spread the word about your online store.

Send out a newsletter. One of the best ways to ensure recurring traffic is to get folks to sign up for a newsletter. Keep it juicy, though– no one wants newsletters that do nothing clutter up inboxes. Keep your subscribers interested with special offers, discounts, or VIP tips that only they are privy to.

Host giveaways. Everyone loves a good giveaway! Not only are they attractive to consumers, but giveaways also make your company seem more trustworthy. A company that hosts a giveaway must have something great going on!

Leverage social media. As much as we may try to resist it, it seems like the social media frenzy won’t be dying down anytime soon. And for online stores looking to market themselves, this is actually great news. Getting people to notice you on social media is probably easier to do than anyplace else. Just add the right hashtags, Tweet at the right people, and before you know it, the Internet will be buzzing with talk of your online store.

Consider advertising. For new businesses, the free options are often the best options. On the other hand, sometimes advertisements can be extremely beneficial. Smartly placed banner ads on relevant websites can help increase your web traffic exponentially and if they’re done right, they will more than pay for themselves.

For online stores in an ever-more competitive and ever-expanding pool of online retailers, it’s always a good idea to have a few tricks up your sleeve. By using these tips to expand your online store’s reach, you’ll be well on your way to creating a name for yourself and your store.