​​According to SmallBizTrends.com, “The first set of holiday data and analytics from Adobe reveals online spending is set to increase by 33% in 2020 over 2019.” It’s also likely that this trend will continue as we enter into 2021 and if the pandemic numbers keep increasing. People won’t stop shopping, but they may stop shopping in-person.
 
Online shopping needn’t be owned by large entities like Amazon or Etsy. Your business can excel in online commerce as well. But first, you need to be top-of-mind. One way to do that is to produce valuable content so that when potential customers are on your website, they are moved to action and purchase from you.
 
Online Necessities Before the Content
Before you create the content, work on a few things such as:

• Designing a user-friendly shopping experience and website
• Creating a design that is quick to load and mobile-friendly
• Implementing a review “machine” or protocol in which you make it easy for people to leave reviews
• Engaging your followers on social media
• Honing your voice and brand so that people know, like, and trust you

 
The last two will help with the content you produce but the content will also help engage your followers and solidify your brand.
 
Now let’s talk about the content you need to drive online sales.
 
Content That Drives Online Sales
The content we’re going to suggest creating should be posted on your website, shared on your social media platforms and through sponsored content on Facebook (and any other social media platform that you participate often on), and posted/linked to in your newsletter. Excellent content will do nothing to increase your online sales if people don’t know about it.

​The next couple of months will be telling ones. We’re not saying a lockdown is inevitable, but a lot of communities have spent the past week or so escalating their precautionary levels and this article will give you some advice for overcoming slower business times with a potential shelter in place order.

​There can be a desperation that you feel on social media. Many businesses are creating content that demands “look at me.” But while some may believe that “shouting” into social media is the way to get attention, it rarely is. Usually, all that accomplishes is someone ignoring you the way a stranger might sidestep a toddler having a tantrum in a grocery store.
 
Yes, tantrums get attention but not the kind you want in order to get customers to buy from you. Instead, you want a more subtle approach. Here are several ways you can get attention for you and your business that have nothing to do with shouting or demanding it.
 

​What do you do when you get a text notification? If you’re like the average person, you drop everything and look at it. We have been conditioned to believe that texts deserve our immediate attention. Plus, most people don’t receive as much “junk” via text as they do in their email inbox.
 
This is great news for businesses if you use texting wisely. Before we cover all the amazing ways you can interact with customers on text, you must ensure they know, and agree to, you using their number to send messages and deals. You should never simply ask customers for their phone number as part of a transaction and then spam them with your messaging.
 
If you ask for their number, be very clear you plan on sending them giveaways and flash discounts (or whatever you will be doing). Give them the option of opting out at the time they give you their number and every time you send a message. Some people will love your flash deals. Others will opt out after a few. Always give them the option.

​Most people will agree Google is a large part (dare we say owner?) of the internet, at least from a marketing perspective. That means whether we like it or not we have to try to play nicely with the giant search engine. One of the easiest ways to get on Google's good side is through ensuring Your Google My Business listing is optimized.
 
While it seems pretty obvious how you can optimize your listing there are still many businesses out there that don't do it. And yet it's so easy to make these quick changes and additions.