What is an e-commerce platform?

If you run a brick-and-mortar store, you’ll agree that managing the purchasing process, products, prices, and inventory is quite complicated. In the case of virtual trading, you need software that can handle all these operations. Its task is also to ensure data security, which is extremely important. The system should also support marketing and SEO activities – thanks to this, acquiring customers will be easier. It is a kind of backbone that significantly simplifies many issues related to running an e-shop and in many cases means that advanced technical knowledge is not needed for this.

There are plenty of e-commerce platforms. Each of them has different advantages, offers a different set of functions and method of operation. Systems dedicated to both small businesses and the largest online stores are available. This variety means that everyone can choose a tool tailored to their needs. At the same time, however, it may make this decision difficult.

Open Source or SaaS?

Platforms for online stores can be divided into two basic types: Open Source and SaaS (Software as a Service). Does that tell you nothing? Does not matter. We’ll briefly outline the pros and cons of both types of systems, making it easier for you to make a decision.

Open Source Platforms
Open Source platforms are designed to be installed on your own server. This provides much more freedom and independence. The open source concept means that they can be developed by multiple developers and offer a variety of plugins or add-ons to extend their functionality. Their other advantages are:
– adaptation to the needs of both small and large stores (scalability),
– the possibility of selling any assortment,
– the ability to change the appearance of the store,
– the ability to edit the source code,
– access to marketing tools,
– wide range of SEO activities,
– access to technical support.

However, it should be remembered that Open Source systems require self-installation and implementation, which requires at least basic technical knowledge or professional help. More freedom also means more responsibility – incl. for creating regulations or privacy policy, as well as data security. In addition, when using such a platform, you also have to take into account the costs of maintaining your own domain and hosting.

SaaS platforms
SaaS platforms are also called subscription platforms. They allow you to create a store without the need to invest in your own hosting, installation or backup. They usually offer a complete set of tools necessary to sell online. You can use them on a monthly subscription basis. The advantages of such a solution certainly include:
– ease of setting up a store and its operation,
– quick configuration,
– no need to purchase hosting
– less investment at the beginning,
– access to all necessary functions without the need to install plugins,
– access to technical support,
– no need to adapt the store to legal standards – the service provider takes care of it.

The specificity of SaaS platforms, however, means that by using them, you are only a tenant of the virtual space in which you run your store, and not its owner. The condition for its operation is to pay the subscription. Moreover, it should be remembered that such systems can create many limitations and are therefore usually not suitable for demanding users.

Open Source platforms – popular solutions

Let us remind you – Open Source platforms have definitely fewer restrictions, but also greater challenges. These types of engines are recommended primarily to at least intermediate users who know the basics of e-commerce, have technological knowledge or want and can use external help in this area. It is also a solution for those who want to freely develop their business. What is worth choosing in such a situation? We cover several popular platforms.

PrestaShop
PrestaShop is currently one of the most popular e-commerce platforms operating all over the world. It gains recognition mainly due to the lack of fees. However, this completely free platform is also appreciated for its combination of simplicity with high functionality. Installing the engine on the server is very simple, as is setting up the store. So it is a good solution even for beginners with basic technical knowledge.

PrestaShop provides various templates that allow you to change the appearance of the store, as well as many plugins that allow you to increase its functionality. Unfortunately, they are largely paid. However, the platform creates very large opportunities, also in terms of individual store customization. Developers often create solutions based on the engine that respond to the needs of specific users.

The most important features of PrestaShop:
– a free Open Source platform,
– access to many plugins (mainly paid) that allow you to expand the store’s functions,
– the ability to customize the appearance of the store using templates,
– simple operation from the administration panel,
– performance,
– universality,
– frequent updates to take care of security, but you have to install them yourself.

The PrestaShop store can be suitable for beginners (the platform is free, which allows you to limit the initial cost) and for larger stores.

Magento
Magento is a very universal system dedicated primarily to larger stores. It facilitates the management of large quantities of products and can be expanded with various additional functions. It is available in two versions: free (Community Edition) and paid (Enterprise Edition), which gives you more options.

The most important features of Magento are:
– availability of a free script (Community Edition) with quite extensive functions,
– many possibilities of expanding and extending the store’s functions with plugins (free),
– the ability to run several stores from one place,
– the ability to operate a mobile store,
– complicated installation and modification,
– quite complicated service through the administration panel,
– quite high requirements as to the server capabilities – usually requires the use of a dedicated server.

The store created with the use of Magento is very functional, although the implementation and operation of the system are quite complicated. This solution is primarily for those who manage several e-commerce platforms and many different products, and at the same time have efficient hosting and a generally larger operating budget.

WooCommerce + WordPress
WordPress is a free CMS that allows you to create many different websites. It is used by both small private sites and large sites of well-known companies. Thanks to the WooCommerce add-on, it also allows you to create stores. This is a good solution for those who already use WordPress. However, the platform is very intuitive, so it is also suitable for beginners. Its great advantage is that it is free.

The most important features of solutions based on WooCommerce and WordPress:
– a free Open Source platform,
– suitable for beginners and advanced,
– ease of use,
– expandable with the necessary functions,
– high level of security and frequent updates,
– wide possibilities of personalizing the appearance of the store thanks to templates,
– very good integration with SEO,
– possibility of integration with various forms of shipping and payment,
– easy integration of the store with the company’s blog.

WooCommerce integration with WordPress allows you to create a professional-looking, functional and truly free store (excluding the cost of your own domain and hosting, of course). This is a very versatile solution, but recommended especially for small and medium-sized trading platforms.

SaaS platforms – popular solutions

SaaS (subscription) platforms are great to get you started. All it takes is a small investment and literally a few minutes to set up the store to start working. Their disadvantage may be the lack of independence and certain limitations, e.g. related to the positioning of the online store or customization, but this does not change the fact that many people praise this type of solution very much. What do you have to choose?

Shoplo
Shoplo is an international service offering numerous features, including multi-channel sales (Shoplo Multichannel). It offers various subscriptions aimed primarily at small and medium-sized stores. It provides many useful functions, however, available mainly in more expensive packages.

The most important features of Shoplo are:
– subscription system – various subscription thresholds from several dozen dollars per month,
– limited functions and quantity of products in basic packages,
– 15-day free trial period,
– the ability to customize the appearance of stores using templates or configurator,
– subscription sale and virtual products,
– the function of recovering abandoned carts,
– possibility of integration with courier companies, accounting and warehouse management systems,
– the ability to create an integrated Facebook store,
– customer communication panel – messages from various platforms in one place,
– access to marketing tools.

Shoplo provides relatively simple configuration and operation, and many interesting functions. It works well with small and medium-sized stores, including those selling virtual products or subscriptions!

Shopify
Shopify is an international e-commerce platform that is hugely popular around the world. Shops created on the basis of Shopify are adapted to UX requirements, but templates that allow you to change the look are paid. It is a universal system that allows you to sell different types of products through a store that can be launched in a few moments.

Shopify’s key features include:
– subscription system – various subscription thresholds, from $ 29 per month,
– commission on the sale,
– an international platform, recommended for sale abroad,
– compatibility with social networks – the possibility of selling via Facebook,
– limited personalization options,
– responsive themes,
– no possibility of advanced product management.

Shopify can be the perfect solution for those looking to sell overseas. The service is simple to use, and the various subscriptions make it easy to scale up your business.

Which online store to choose?

So how do you choose a platform to run a store?

– Start by defining and writing down your expectations in detail. Compare them with the possibilities (e.g. financial or technical), and you will probably easily decide whether an Open Source or SaaS platform will be better for you.
– Then you can independently analyze the offers of available systems in terms of the necessary functions and features. An even easier solution, however, is to send a query to specific platforms with a request to select a package to meet specific requirements.
– On this basis, you will probably choose a maximum of 2 or 3 interesting websites.
– Before you make your final decision, take advantage of trial periods wherever possible.
– If you are still hesitating, compare not only the prices, but also the other benefits offered by the platforms – often these are various discounts that can be useful when running a store.

Remember that when choosing a platform, your needs and feelings are the most important! Therefore, it is not always worth following reviews and opinions that are usually biased.

What is User Generated Content?

This is content created voluntarily by users, not by brands. They can take various forms: from various types of texts, through photos, to video materials. According to the definition, they must be at least partially creative. And… that’s about it when it comes to the concept of User Generated Content (UGC). So as you can see, it’s a very broad definition.

What forms can the UGC take?

User-generated content can take many forms. The most typical ones include:
– posts in social media – e.g. comments under brand entries on their fan pages, reviews or creative responses to marketing communication,
– entries on internet forums,
– reviews on review websites,
– vlogs,
– blog entries on topics related to a given brand.

Thus, they can be all kinds of forms of Internet users’ expression, which are somehow related to brand communication.

Why is User Generated Content profitable?

Take a moment to think: how do you make purchasing decisions? What works more for you: an ad that promises you that product X is the best in the world? Or maybe a user’s comment on the brand’s fanpage or on the portal with opinions, reliably indicating the advantages and disadvantages of a given solution? What is more reliable for you? What content are you looking for? This is why UGC is so important. Below we present the most important advantages of this type of content.

Credibility
As research shows, 92% of people are inclined to believe the opinion they hear from a person they know, and as many as 70% consider the opinions on the Internet to be credible. What does it mean? A genuine message from a “normal user”, not a marketer, is much more credible than an advertisement.

Naturalness
Who else believes that the ads present a true picture of reality? The traditional ones are widely recognized as sweet and exaggerating the benefits of the products. No wonder – it is part of their “poetics”. But how with authenticity? This one is much bigger in reviews and other product content that users create. Hence the popularity of photo sets in the style of “expectations vs. reality”, where the photographs from promotional materials are compared with those made after the purchase of the product (e.g. a hamburger in a chain store or online clothes). Hence, more and more ranges are building blogs with reviews and channels of this type on YouTube.

Huge influence on customer purchasing decisions
User-generated content can be the proverbial last straw – the element that will push the customer towards the checkout process. This is highly likely, especially if it belongs to the target of the brand and is initially interested in a given product. This is also confirmed by research – as many as 80% of respondents agree that the UGC has a significant influence on decisions regarding the purchase of specific products.

Support for image-building activities
UGC can fulfill all functions related to building a brand image – it informs about its existence, arouses interest in products, creates positive associations and builds a strong bond between the consumer and the company. These relationships are not purely “business” – especially since a lot of user-generated content is generated by emotions (both positive and negative!). So they build long-term commitment.

The foundation of inbound marketing
… and therefore “inbound marketing” – a model in which customers come to the company themselves and create hype around it. It is a much more effective form of acquiring a permanent group of recipients – those who are faithful and come back again and again, attracting new customers.

Relatively low cost
In the case of UCG, it is difficult to clearly estimate the expenses that must be incurred to generate interest in the products and the willingness to share related content. Other expenses were incurred by, for example, Coca-Cola, creating beverage packages with personalized labels that very quickly became online and offline stars, and another company that created a simple Instagram contest. One thing is certain: skillfully (and honestly!), A casted rod will produce a response and will bring profits in the short or long term.

Strengthening SEO activities
In the world of positioning “content is the king”. However, not the first better content, but one that has real value for users. Google’s algorithms no longer focus solely on the number of repeating keywords in the content. Yes, it is still important, but not the most important. Currently, naturalness, user-friendliness and usefulness of the content count. Therefore, if, for example, users post links to a brand’s products on their profiles in social media or blogs, the chances of a higher position on the ranking list increase significantly.

A great source of feedback
The goal of each company is to create products that will be willingly bought by customers from a specific segment. And it’s not you, but your recipients know what they expect. Yes, you can try to create their needs and point to available solutions. But you also need to listen to the feedback received, and not only to your praise, but most of all to your criticism. The UGC is a good source of such information. Often, it is in the comments and reviews that you can find valuable suggestions that allow you to change your operating strategy for a better one for customers and for the company.

This shortened list of benefits that can be drawn from User Generated Content shows that it is worth taking care of its creation.

How to build User Generated Content?

At first glance, this question – in the context of the definition of UGC – may seem bizarre to you. After all, it’s about content that is created by the users themselves, isn’t it? Yes, but… not really. You need to create an atmosphere that will be an impulse to share impressions / experiences and thoughts.

Think for a moment: what products would you be willing to tell your friends about? What do you recommend them? In what situations do you want to take the time to prepare a review of the hotel where you happened to be? There must be specific emotions associated with these experiences.

Also remember that people who will be willing to create a UGC are a very diverse group. It will include both those who will share only negative feelings – in order to complain, and those who want to present their assessment to the “whole world”. There will also be those who will simply offer advice, e.g. in a Facebook group or on a thematic forum. Some of them can be encouraged to create a UGC, some will motivate themselves.

But how can you influence the frequency of UGC generation?

Contests in social media
It’s a simple way to add hype to your brand. Prepare a competition for users in which you will offer them valuable prizes, e.g. for preparing a short post related to your products. You can also reward them for writing the most interesting review, creating a photo related to the imposed topic, short story, poem … The more creativity you unleash, the better the entertainment. Sometimes the opportunity to read and see the products of others becomes a greater reward than the material ones!

Encourage to leave a review
Until some time ago, it was mainly a solution recommended for online stores – here customer opinions have long been more important than the lowest prices. Today, however, e.g. due to the way the opinion system on Google works, Internet users are looking for reviews of almost everything. Starting from restaurants and bars, through entertainment points, offices, shops, to tourist places. That is why it is worth encouraging your customers to leave a review. How? You can simply ask them for it – for example, by handing out a leaflet encouraging them to rate them or by sending an email with a suggestion. You can also offer an additional incentive, for example in the form of a discount on subsequent purchases.

Warning! Don’t just reward those who leave the maximum rating and delighted reviews! Let us say it again: honesty and authenticity are the secret of the power of User Generated Content.

An offensive post on social media
If you have a large enough social media followers base, asking an interesting, offensive question will be a straightforward way to get a huge amount of user-generated content.

Sometimes a simple question about how their day is going is enough. In other situations – a serious question for an opinion on a matter related to the brand’s activity. But be careful! Such discussions can get hot! Therefore, moderation is needed. Don’t forget: “moderation” does not mean deleting unfavorable comments, but e.g. reacting to hate messages and answering questions that will be asked of you!

Interacting on social media channels
On your social media profiles, comments may appear regarding the experience of working with the brand or a specific situation that caused emotions in the user. You cannot leave them unanswered – just like those relating directly to the post.

What are the answers that generate the UGC? They contain open-ended questions – ask and encourage recipients to “open up”. It is also worth choosing a looser style of communication – especially in response to negative comments. If you approach them with a grain of salt – your answers will become the subject of discussion by themselves. And that’s the point!

What to avoid when creating a UGC?

There are many ways you can inspire your audience to create content related to your brand. Remember! You have to do it in a thoughtful way. Avoid:
– over-encouraging commenting and sharing – if it appears too often and too intrusively, it will discourage more than encourage creativity and interaction,
– artificial “crowd-making” – yes, you can think about subtle moderation of the discussion, but it is not worth doing it incognito. It is definitely better to communicate openly and honestly on behalf of the brand (or through its ambassadors) than to pretend to be ordinary users. False notes will be quickly detected, and the action will lead to defeat, not victory,
– publishing UGC without the consent of the creator – for example, if you receive an e-mail with a positive opinion about the company, before making it public, ask if you can do it. The same applies to creative works sent to competitions and other corporate events. Ask for permission to publish, preferably in writing, and only then brag about what you got,
– creating campaigns aimed at building User Generated Content among people outside your target group and in a style that does not match your brand – after all, the ultimate goal of such communication is to build a specific image among specific recipients.

What is a 301 redirect?

A 301 redirect (Moved permanently) is a mechanism that indicates that a given page has been moved to another address. It works automatically – that is, it does not display information about the “move”, but immediately directs to the correct page under the new URL path. Thanks to this, e.g. search engine robots and Internet users do not have to wander in search of specific content.

There are several types of redirects, but 301 is the most popular of them. It means a permanent move, i.e. a permanent change of the website address. This solution is very convenient from the user’s point of view, and at the same time extremely important for SEO. Thanks to the redirection, the website does not lose its position or power and can continue to work on it.

When is a 301 redirect used? The most popular types

A 301 redirect might be necessary for a variety of reasons. It is (usually) done in a .htacces file – just use the appropriate code. There are several most popular types of such an activity. Examples and the codes needed to make them can be found below.

301 redirects from the address from “www” to “without www”
Page addresses can be with or without “www” at the beginning. If this issue is not sorted out, it can create chaos and the traffic will be broken down into two separate addresses, which is extremely bad for SEO.

Therefore, in such cases, the 301 redirect is most often used, which allows you to choose the preferred form of saving the website address. This makes the user go to the target page, regardless of whether he types in the browser bar, for example, “www.yoursite.com” or “yoursite.com”. This solution has a positive effect on optimization and determines the user’s comfort.

Sample code:
RewriteCond% {HTTP_HOST} ^ www.yoursite.com $
RewriteRule (. *) $ Http://yoursite.com/$1 [R = 301, L]

Domain change
Changing the domain name is a relatively common procedure. In this case, you should take care of redirection so that users can easily find the new address, and Google robots do not consider the transferred content duplicate content, which is highly inadvisable in terms of SEO.

It is extremely important to ensure that the 301 redirect concerns not only the home page, but also other tabs. The best solution is to use them to set direct paths to new addresses for each subpage. It is worth trying, for example, so as not to discourage users by meeting the wall, i.e. entering a website that no longer exists. It is also the only way to move your site without losing traffic.

It’s best to implement a 301 redirect before migrating data to a new address. This allows crawlers to correctly read your actions: as moving your site rather than creating a completely new one with duplicate content.

Sample code:
RewriteCond% {HTTP_HOST} ^ yoursite.com $
RewriteRule (. *) $ Http://yoursite.com/$1 [R = 301, L]

Change from HTTP to HTTPS
Using the SSL protocol involves changing the address from HTTP to HTTPS. Then you should also redirect.

Sample code:
RewriteCond% {HTTPS}! = On
RewriteRule (. *) Https: //% {HTTP_HOST} / $ 1 [R = 301, L]

A slash (“/”) at the end of the address
The same address that differs only by the slash at the end (for example, “www.yoursite.com” and “www.yoursite.com/”) are two separate pages for Google. Failure to redirect in this respect is a very common mistake, which causes the algorithm to read your content as duplicate content, and thus getting a high position in the search results is basically impossible.

Sample code:
RewriteCond% {REQUEST_FILENAME}! -D
RewriteRule ^ (. *) / $ / $ 1 [L, R = 301]

Wildcard redirection
The wildcard feature helps you easily create new subdomains. However, in practice it also means that entering any string of characters before the address of your website will display its content, creating a copy of it. Sometimes Google robots index such pages, creating incredible chaos. Then, the search results may show several (or even several dozen!) Versions of the same address, e.g. for example www.yoursite.com also www.tyoursite.com, ww.yoursite.com or e.g. yoursite.yoursite.com . It is very dangerous and may result in penalties from Google. Solution? A 301 redirect that will take users and Google bots from each subdomain to the home page.

RewriteCond% {HTTP_HOST} ^ (. +). Yoursite.com $
RewriteRule (. *) $ Http://tyoursite.com/$1 [R = 301, L]

Other types of redirects

Let us remind you that the 301 redirect is used only in the case of a permanent change of the website address. However, there are also many other possibilities of transferring Internet users to another address and sending an appropriate message to the search engine robots. Other types of redirects available are:

– 302 (Found) – temporary, allowing the content to be moved to another address and then returned to the original source;
– 303 (See Other) – used with forms sending data using the HTTP POST method, enabling redirection to a specific address in response to this form;
– 304 (Not Modified) – informs the browser that the data in its memory is up-to-date, has not changed, so it does not have to be downloaded from the source;
– 305 (Use Proxy) – allows you to use a given resource only when using a specific Proxy server, displays a message with the server address;
– 307 (Temporary Redirect) – temporary redirection, does not allow to change the request method from POST to GET.

What to remember when using 301 and other redirects?

It is worth remembering that redirects are not only beneficial for users, but also facilitate the work of Google robots and help ensure proper indexing of the page. So they have a positive effect on both UX and SEO. Using them skillfully, you can “painlessly” move pages to new addresses, and also allows you to carry out many other activities without compromising the position of the site.

However, be careful when using redirects of different types. Using too many commands may result in the formation of a loop, and the resulting error 310 – Too many redirects, which prevents you from hitting a specific page.

It is difficult to define the essence of marketing because there are many ways to define it. It is often understood as a way of operating a company consisting in profitably satisfying the needs of customers. In a broader context, it should also be understood as a complex process that includes identifying and shaping the needs of recipients, creating appropriate products and acting to meet the needs of consumers.

The main division of marketing

When talking about types of marketing, marketing should be mentioned depending on the application. So it stands out:
– producer marketing,
– B2B marketing,
– B2C marketing,
– marketing of services,
– commercial marketing,
– international marketing.

What does marketing do?

Marketing is a very broad concept, which translates into its different faces. It covers many areas, including depending on the resources and media used or the way it targets customers.

Product marketing
This term is used to describe a set of activities that are aimed at product development, including in terms of its recognition and increase in sales. The steps taken include, for example, rebranding, promotion marketing, trade marketing.

Analytical Marketing
Its purpose is to use customer information, which is expected to increase sales. Among the activities carried out in this area, one can mention, among others geomarketing, neuromarketing, behavioral marketing, benchmarking, loyalty programs.

Event marketing
Its essence is to promote a company or product through organization / participation in events. Activities include sponsorship, own stand at the fair, organization of concerts / picnics for clients, lecture at an industry conference. If you are looking to up your game you can also try out attendee engagement solutions by hub live for your events. 

Inbound marketing
This term is understood as activities aimed at increasing the chance for a customer to find an offer and encouraging him to contact. In this case, e.g. content marketing is used, which may be manifested by content potentially of interest to the consumer – guides, entries, lookbooks and the like.

Outbound marketing
These are activities addressed to people who do not always expect contact from the company. Techniques and tools are used, such as direct marketing, field marketing, and e-mail marketing campaigns.

Mobile marketing
The notion of mobile marketing is not only “advertising on wheels”, but also activities using portable devices (smartphones, laptops). Tools such as communication via SMS / MMS, QR codes, dedicated display ads are used.

Internet marketing
This is one of the most common marketing varieties today. Includes activities that are carried out via the Internet. These include not only Google Ads positioning or advertising, but also other elements. These include, for example, email marketing, social media marketing, buzz marketing, and affiliate marketing.

It is worth noting that most companies are not limited to only one area. In practice, various types of marketing activities are used – to achieve the set business goals in the most effective way possible.

Factors affecting the effectiveness of marketing activities

It depends on the effectiveness of marketing activities whether and how quickly the company will be able to achieve its business goals. An important role in this aspect is played, among others, by factors such as:
– the strategy developed and its implementation,
– tools and techniques used,
– creation,
– matching activities to the target group.

The choice of channels through which the message will reach potential customers is also of great importance.

It is worth noting that effective marketing activities cannot be carried out based on intuition. Although it may be useful in many cases, numbers play the most important role – marketing is a measurable area. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the range of activities, reactions of potential customers, impact time, etc. Based on the data, an analysis should be carried out – in order to eliminate “weak links” of implemented activities.

Although marketing is associated mainly with sales, you cannot limit yourself to it. The implemented actions should include, among others areas such as communication, analysis of activities, preparation and implementation of developed strategies. I hope you already understand what marketing does. The widest possible definition would simply be that it is any external manifestation of a company’s sales goal.