Members of the Innovation Visual team (Tim, Vogue and Megan) were fortunate enough to recently visit Vilnius, Lithuania and attend EcomExpo23 - the largest international event for ecommerce professionals in the Baltic States. After returning from an insightful trip where we got the opportunity to connect with other ecommerce experts and learn from each other, we wanted to share more about the event and highlight some key takeaways that should be part of your ecommerce strategy for 2024.
Top EcomExpo23 Takeaways
We gathered a wealth of valuable insights at this year’s EcomExpo, but here are just a few standout takeaways.
The Power of Personalisation
Personalisation was a recurring theme at EcomExpo in Lithuania and the Ecom Expo in London. Businesses should harness data-driven insights to create personalised shopping experiences with some of the benefits including higher customer satisfaction, increased revenue from new customers and your existing customer base, and increased profitability.
Think about personalisation at every stage of the buyer’s journey and ensure you’re connecting with your audience and making them feel you’re the perfect solution to their problem. Finding a good Netflix show to watch - did you know each thumbnail displayed is unique to you depending on what you’ve interacted with before? Hear this, 35% of Amazon sales come for the ‘products for you’ section when people shop – you get it, personalising the shopping experience is the key to success.
Not only do you need to personalise but focusing on emotion is key – it’s another dimension of marketing. When you focus on emotion you no longer need to present the best product or price as you’re locked into how people feel about your product and brand.
At Innovation Visual we’ve seen the power of personalisation in action and the impact it can have on our clients’ engagement, conversion rate and revenue figures. Below, we’ve highlighted a few of many ways we have tailored the website user experiences to better align with individual preferences and requirements:
- Email personalisation: Personalising emails to drive engagement and conversion rate including using the recipient's first name, segmenting email lists for targeted content, and sending behaviour-triggered emails. E.g., sending personalised product recommendations to customers based on their past purchases.
- Website personalisation: Creating smart content that changes based on the visitor's location, device, referral source, and lifecycle stage. E.g., welcoming returning visitors by their first name and displaying content that's more relevant to their interests.
- Landing page personalisation: Dynamically changing the content of landing pages based on a user’s information or behaviour. E.g., displaying a different form or offer to a someone about to purchase compared to a user in the awareness stage.
- Personalisation on chatbots: Set up chatbots to ask qualifying questions, recommend content, or even schedule meetings based on the visitor's needs and behaviour.
- Dynamic CTAs (calls to action): Change CTAs based on a user’s behaviour, making them more relevant and likely to drive conversions.
AI in Ecommerce
It was very apparent that AI is a game changer in ecommerce, from search, navigation, brand ideation to content creation, improved UX, personalisation and so much more. It provides opportunities for businesses to improve customer experiences, streamline operations, and increase efficiency and profitability. As AI continues to evolve, it will likely play an even more significant role in shaping the future of ecommerce.
Genz Shaping the Future of Ecommerce
One noteworthy talk focused on Gen-Z and its influence on the ecommerce landscape. Their unique purchasing behaviours, brand loyalty, and beliefs are driving changes in how brands approach marketing and sales, particularly when targeting Gen-Z.
A representative from TikTok shared insights on Generation Z's trust in social media, their reduced brand loyalty, and their emphasis on authenticity. They seek ‘realness’ and often turn to platforms like TikTok and Instagram for reliable reviews and engage with content that deviates from traditional marketing ‘norms’.
Gen-Z have the potential to reshape brand strategies, but businesses should focus on delivering tailored recommendations, fostering active engagement, providing convenience, and ensuring fast service to appeal to them.
Be Different – Stand Out from Competitors
Adhering to the industry 'norm' no longer works in the current ecommerce landscape. Following competitors doesn't differentiate your brand; instead, it positions you as one among many.
As marketers, we need to be innovative, think outside the box and continuously test new ideas. Where AI and marketing automation can help us increase efficiencies in manual tasks and processes, so more time can be spent on the creative, strategic thinking. Standing out is essential for brands to gain visibility, meet the needs and interest of potential customers, and establish a lasting presence. Not only can you then attract and retain customers but simultaneously construct a robust and recognisable brand identity for greater sustained success.
Personal Highlights
EcomExpo was an excellent and memorable experience filled with insightful sessions and engaging speakers. A personal highlight was the opportunity to connect with and chat to like-minded professionals in the ecommerce field as we could exchange ideas which inspired us to be bold and try new strategies.
Tim also gave an excellent presentation on 'Utilising Data to Maximise Profit’ which delved into the power of data analytics and how it can be harnessed to increase ecommerce profitability. He offered practical advice on data collection, analysis, and its application to ecommerce strategies, making it an essential session for businesses looking to unlock the full potential of their data.
If you’d like to learn more about this, you can download the slides here.
More About EcomExpo23
Attending conferences like EcomExpo helps the Innovation Visual team stay at the forefront of industry trends and foster innovation (excuse the pun). These events expand our knowledge base, enabling us to try new strategies and tactics with our ecommerce clients so we can keep delivering results and beat the competition.
EcomExpo was a great opportunity to engage with the latest ecommerce best practices, tools and hear from industry experts. Here’s a little more about EcomExpo:
- It’s the largest ecommerce exhibition in the Baltic states where the biggest and most well-known ecommerce brands share their activity and services.
- 30 presentations of the most up-to-date ecommerce tendencies from market professionals, real-life stories and practical advice.
- Attended by ecommerce business owners and developers, digital marketing professionals, transportation and logistics leaders, representatives of ecommerce platforms and developers of tools and solutions.
Looking to grow your ecommerce business?
As a digital marketing performance agency Innovation Visual specialises in various key areas of marketing for ecommerce including SEO, content marketing, paid search, web development and more. We're passionate about helping our clients achieve their digital marketing goals and are excited to incorporate the latest insights from EcomExpo into our strategies.
If you’re looking for a trusted partner that can help your business grow and reach its objectives, Innovation Visual can help. Get in touch, we’d love to start the conversation.
