SEO – Search Engine Optimization

Positions in search results depend on many factors – Google’s algorithm takes into account over 200 issues, related to both content and technology, as well as links directing to the domain. In a nutshell, SEO can be divided into two sections:

– On-site SEO is activities that can be performed on the website itself. They come down to, among other things, updating and usually expanding the content on the website and saturating it with relevant keywords. Technical issues are also of great importance – loading speed, responsiveness, implementation of the SSL certificate or issues related to UX (SXO).

– Off-site SEO is based on building links that lead to a given domain. In theory, the more pages hyperlinked to a given site, the higher it is in search results – Google digitally applies its version of social proof of rightness to its rankings. Of course, the mechanics are a bit more complicated in the details – for example, it is important to diversify the link profile.

PageRank – Domain Strength Index

In the past, the indicative “power” of the domain could be easily checked using Google tools. It is the PageRank index, which uses a formula to calculate the “quality” of a domain on the basis of links to it and links placed on the website. Links taken into account by PR had to be provided with the dofollow parameter (the division into dofollow and nofollow was introduced in 2005 – previously the categorization did not exist, and the algorithm necessarily analyzed all links).

PageRank information was on the google toolbar, and small page owners often placed PR morning banners on their sites as an expression of digital prestige. Over time, PageRank was removed from Google Search Console and it was not possible to officially check the PR of a given page. Today, this result still has a significant impact on the page’s position in search results, but it is only one of many factors that the algorithm takes into account.

Domain authority and other indicators

With Google hiding PageRank in 2016, finding out about domain “strength” has become more complicated. Many SEO tools have developed their own algorithms to evaluate this value. Often in discussions, the issue of domain authority is raised – it is a ranking developed by the Moz company, which is based on the analysis of several factors. The result is indicated on a scale from 0 to 100, where the higher the number indicates the greater potential of the domain.

A similar tool, although of course based on its own value calculation system, is used by the popular Ahrefs service. This is called Domain Rating and is based on comparing the profile of links leading to the analyzed domain with other domains in Ahrefs database. As in the case of a domain rating, the score is given on a scale of 0 to 100.

Note – when using Ahrefs, do not confuse Domain Rating with URL Rating (UR) – the second indicator refers to quite similar mechanics (however, it uses a logarithmic scale), but not the entire domain is analyzed, but only a specific URL.

Domain authority and the Google algorithm

However, it is worth remembering that both domain authority and domain rating (as well as other similar indicators calculated by other tools) are not official Google data. This is only an approximate estimate and should only be taken as a guide, not a reliable factor. The Google algorithm remains a secret of the Mountain View group – all commercial tools trying to recreate it based on their own data are necessarily burdened with a large dose of presumptions or even randomness. Google admits the same in the words of John Mueller, an expert who has been dealing with the google algorithm for many years – “high authority of the linking domain does not guarantee high positions in the search engine.”

Ahrefs, Moz or Senuto are so useful services that no SEO specialist can ignore them – mastering such tools is the basis of an SEO engineer’s work. However, it cannot be denied that the key is the appropriate interpretation of the data they contain. Commercial crawlers may not reach all links. What’s more, they can be blocked from the level of the website administrator (meanwhile, Google crawlers will usually reach these subpages anyway). Many SEO agencies block the bots of tools such as Moz or Ahrefs so as not to reveal their back-end competitors. At the same time, this security and know-how protection strategy does not allow these tools to realistically assess the link profile. Domain authority is therefore only an estimated guideline and not a genuine value. DR can be a sensible indicator, but the analysis of each domain must be approached individually – only then will the SEO audit and subsequent positioning activities be able to draw the maximum potential from the website.

The SEO audit is unequal to the audit

The first step in SEO is always (or at least should be) a detailed, specialized website audit. During such an audit, each experienced specialist takes into account that despite the undeniable usefulness of the above-mentioned commercial tools, many indications may be burdened with various errors resulting from generalized statistical conclusions drawn by such tools. When analyzing a website’s link profile, it is important to consider first of all the results that link building generates – i.e. page positions in SERPs.

In order to achieve good PR, marketing and sales effects in social media, we must adapt to the constantly modified environment. The functions, appearance and regulations of social networking sites and advertising services are subject to dynamic changes, and we must keep up with them. The choice of graphics or video for a post can completely change its reach and the feelings of the recipients, so – especially in the case of photos and videos – we should strictly follow the technical recommendations of Facebook and other websites.

Below, we present a clear list of graphics and movie formats that will allow every marketer to achieve good results. What dimensions should photos on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook have? And what should we decide on in Google Display Network and programmatic Display & Video 360 ads?

Facebook – graphics dimensions

Profile picture
Currently, the Facebook profile picture is displayed in the shape of a circle with the most common dimensions:
– on computers (desktop): 170 x 170 pixels,
– on smartphones and tablets (mobile): 128 x 128 pixels,
– in the light version (older phones): 36 x 36 pixels.

If we use Facebook in the browser, the dimensions will differ depending on the device – for example, in the timeline in the Safari browser on the iPhone SE 2, the avatar has a size of 80 x 80 pixels, while on a computer with a 1920 x 1080 FullD monitor, the photo is displayed in resolution 40 x 40 pixels.

The most important thing is that the profile picture has a 1: 1 (square) aspect ratio, and that the key elements are in the center – Facebook will cut the edges by displaying the picture. The photo should be much larger than its displayed dimensions – even with the aspect ratio of 1000 x 1000 – the website will properly scale it, so we can be sure that the avatar will not be “pixelated” on any device.

Background image
Most desktops display the image at a resolution of 820 x 312 pixels. On smartphones and tablets (mobile), the background photo will be cropped to 640 x 360 format, so it’s good to put the most important elements in the middle area of the photo.

Background video
The recommended background video size is 1250 x 463 pixels, the smallest: 820 x 312 pixels. On mobile devices, the video will not be played – then the role of the background photo will be taken over by one of the still frames from the movie (we can choose it), which will be cropped in the same way as the background photo. Please note that currently only certain profiles can add video as a cover photo. If you can’t, you can try changing the template – if that doesn’t help, the feature is not available for the profile.

Group background image
The recommended photo size is 1640 x 856 pixels. If our photo is larger, it will also be displayed correctly, as long as we keep the aspect ratio of width to height 1.91: 1.

Event background
Recommended size: 1200 x 628 pixels – the photo will not be centered and will look the same on different resolutions.

Photo in the post
– horizontal photo 1200 x 900 pixels
– vertical photo: 800 x 1000 pixels
– square photo: 1080 x 1080 pixels

Video post
The video in your post should have an aspect ratio of 16: 9 (horizontal video) or 9:16 (vertical video) – preferably 1920 x 1080 or 1080 x 1920 or higher. The system will allow us to load a movie up to 240 minutes long and up to 4 gigabytes in size.

Facebook Stories
The dimensions for Facebook Stories are the same as for Instagram Stories – they are full-screen with a 9:16 aspect ratio. Recommended dimensions: 1080 x 1920 pixels.

Collection – instant material
The mobile canvas format is not used very often, but many marketers appreciate its multimedia character and high level of user interaction. The collection should be in square (1: 1) or vertical (9:16) format.

Picture with a link (linkpost)
The best results will be achieved with the size of 1200 x 628 pixels (large horizontal thumbnail) or 1080 x 1080 (square format).

Carousel
From 2 to 10 photos or videos (can be stitched together). Photos and videos will be displayed in square format and should be at least 1080 x 1080 pixels.

The slideshow
The animated format gives us a lot of freedom, allowing you to choose from 3 to 10 photos. You can choose an aspect ratio of 16:9 or 1:1.

A campaign aimed at acquiring likes
In its case, the most popular format is horizontal photos with dimensions of 1200 x 444 pixels or square photos with dimensions of 1080 x 1080 pixels.

Messenger – graphics dimensions

The thumbnail will appear between the conversations in the conversation list and displayed in a 1:1 aspect ratio (preferably choose an image with a resolution of 1080 x 1080 or higher). After clicking, the user will see the full ad.

In the expanded view (i.e. after clicking), the full image will be shown – it may have an aspect ratio from 16: 9 to 1: 1, vertical images will not be accepted by the system. According to the official guidelines, the minimum dimensions are 254 x 133 pixels, but in practice Facebook rejects such small images in this advertising format – the image sent must have a resolution of at least 500 x 262 pixels.

Maximum file size: 30 MB. You must also add text to the image – up to 150 characters with spaces in the content and up to 40 characters with spaces in the header.

Messenger – Relationships
As with other relationship formats, the image should have an aspect ratio of 9:16 and a high resolution, optimally 1080 x 1920 or higher.

Instagram – image dimensions and formats

Unlike Facebook, Instagram as a portal doesn’t have that many different formats.

Standard posts:
– Square photo – still the most popular photo format on Instagram, until 2015 the only one. Recommended dimensions: minimum 1080 x 1080 pixels.
– Landscape photo – Recommended aspect ratio is 1.91: 1 with a width of 1080 pixels.
– Vertical photo – should have an aspect ratio of 4: 5 (this way it will not be cropped) with a width of 1080 pixels and a height of 1350 pixels.

InstaStories
As the vast majority of users view Instagram on their phones, the best InstaStories aspect ratio will be 9:16 with the dimensions 1080 by 1920.

Video Posts
Videos that you want to post on Instagram can range from 1.91: 1 to 4: 5.

IGTV
We will achieve the best visual effects by using a 9:16 or 4: 5 ratio.

Twitter – image dimensions and formats

Twitter is the third social networking site in terms of the number of real users. Due to its specificity, the profiles of politicians, marketers and journalists are the most visible on Twitter, but the portal offers much more. It is a great place to browse news (many news appear there faster than on news websites), comment, create a personal brand or build an expert image of the company.

To take full advantage of Twitter’s marketing potential, we must not only comply with the regulations, but also take into account the technical aspects. Posts and graphics tailored to the platform’s requirements will not only look more aesthetically pleasing, but will probably also achieve better results.

Profile picture
1: 1 format, the fields in the square angles will be cropped so that Twitter can display the circular avatar. The officially recommended size is 400 x 400 pixels, and the image can be uploaded in JPG, PNG or GIF format (maximum 2 MB).

Background photo – cover photo
File in 3: 1 format, recommended by Twitter dimensions is 1500 x 500 pixels. It will look the same on each device (except for rescaling, of course) – Twitter does not cut off fragments of photos in the background.

Photos in posts
Twitter also allows you to publish photos and animations in GIF format. The maximum file size is 5 MB when publishing from a mobile application and 15 MB when publishing via the website. The image in the timeline is displayed at a 16: 9 aspect ratio and graphics with higher height will be cropped. GIFs and videos can be square.

You can post up to 4 photos at a time in a traditional post. They will be displayed in the form of a gallery:
– 2 photos: side by side, aspect ratio 7: 8,
– 3 photos: one photo 7: 8, the other two photos 4: 7,
– 4 photos: 2 x 2 grid with images with a displayed aspect ratio of 2: 1.

Twitter feed – Twitter Fleets
The format is available worldwide only from November 2020, introduced on Twitter, similar to such portals as Instagram or Facebook. Stories are called Fleets here and they disappear 24 hours after publication. Unlike standard posts, it is not possible to share or leave a “like” – as a recipient, however, we can choose one of the 7 reactions presented using emoji icons or write a message to its author from the relationship level, if he has not previously blocked the DM (Direct Message) function.

Fleet can contain text (like a standard entry, up to 280 characters), video, animated GIF or photo.

Fleet is displayed vertically on mobile devices at 1080 x 1920 pixels. This is also the optimal size of a photo or video to be published in the Twitter feed. Currently, it is not possible to publish or read Fleet in the desktop version.

Twitter Cards
Twitter Cards is a simple Twitter link appearance modifier. After pasting the address into the content of the post, the website searches for the relevant metadata in the code of the website, so that instead of a standard text link, we can choose one of the following types.

Summary card – such links include a photo (minimum dimensions are 120 x 120 pixels, square format, maximum 1 MB), page title (up to 70 characters), short description (up to 200 characters) and a fragment of the URL address.

Summary with large image card – a format similar to the above, but with a different image size. It is larger and better exposed, which, combined with the right choice of graphics, may result in a greater number of clicks on the link. The description is truncated to 3 lines in the desktop version and is not displayed if the card is displayed on a mobile device with iOS or Android.

The image should be cropped to a 2: 1 aspect ratio (minimum dimensions: 300 x 157 pixels, maximum: 4096 x 4096 pixels). Available formats: JPG, PNG, WEBP and GIF (in the latter case the first frame of the image will be used as the thumbnail, if the GIF is animated).

Player card – Summary Card with a graphic thumbnail of the audio or video file that can be played. If you click on a link in the Player Card in the mobile application, we will be taken to a simulated Twitter browser, where we can start playback. Clicking on the desktop version will allow us to see the content directly on the timeline.

The thumbnail in the Player Card should have an aspect ratio of 1: 1 or 16: 9 and a minimum size of 640 x 360 pixels, while the playable file itself should not exceed 5 MB.

App Card – a format adapted to promote applications. Clicking on the link will take the mobile user directly to the website of the application in the Google Play Store or Apple Store, where it can be purchased or downloaded for free. A post in this format includes the title, description, and app icon, and optionally, price and average user ratings.

LinkedIn – Image dimensions and formats

LinkedIn is definitely different from Facebook or Instagram, but due to specific target groups in many industries, it is a great advertising tool.

Profile photo: 400 x 400 pixels, although it is definitely better to choose slightly larger dimensions in the 1: 1 aspect ratio.

Background photo on Linkedin
Cover photo 1584 x 396 pixels (4: 1 aspect ratio). Depending on the screen, the background image on the LinkedIn profile may be cropped by the website, so it’s better to place important elements closer to the center and test the display on different devices.

LinkedIn Stories
As with InstaStories and Facebook Stories, 1080 x 1920 pixels (9:16 aspect ratio) will be the best size.

Company websites:
– Company profile picture (logo): 300 x 300 pixels,
– Page background photo: 1128 x 191 pixels.

– “corporate culture” tab – main photo: 1128 x 376 pixels,
– “corporate culture” tab – non-standard modules: 502 x 282 pixels,
– “corporate culture” tab – company gallery: 900 x 600 pixels (recommended size, minimum 264 x 176).

Photos in posts:
– Graphics in the post: aspect ratio 1: 1, dimensions 1200 x 1200 pixels (in the form of a square it will be displayed on the desktop) and 1200 × 628 pixels (this will be displayed on mobile devices),
– Line art: 1200 x 628 pixels.

Video:
from 256 x 144 pixels to 4096 x 2304 pixels.

Advertising formats:
Single photo ad: In 1: 1 aspect ratio, the maximum image size is 7680 x 7680 pixels.

Carousel:
the maximum image size is 6012 × 6012 pixels, and the recommended size of a single image is 1080 × 1080 pixels, with a 1: 1 aspect ratio.

Video ads:
width: between 640 and 1920 pixels, height: between 360 and 1920 pixels, aspect ratio: between 1.778 and 0.5652.

Dynamic ads:
100 x 100 pixels.

Promoted content:
1200 x 627 pixels.

Business Banner image:
646 x 220 pixels.

TikTok – advertising formats and graphics dimensions

TikTok is an application that has gained immense popularity in recent years, especially in the youngest age group.

Profile picture on TikTok
Profile photo: 200 x 200 pixels, 1: 1 aspect ratio, JPG or PNG format.

In Feed ads
Video from 5 to 60 seconds that “fakes” organic content in the “for you” tab. Video with sound. Video aspect ratio: 1: 1 or preferably 9:16 – resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels. Formats: MP4 / MPEG / 3GP / AVI / MOV.

Brand Takeover Ads
Ads shown to users immediately after launching the application. Video aspect ratio: preferably 9:16 – resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels. Video length: 3-5 seconds with no sound, can be .gif or static .jpg image.

TopView Ads
Ads shown to users immediately after launching the application. Video aspect ratio: preferably 9:16 – 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution. Video length: 5-60 seconds.

TopView Lite
A format similar to TopView, but starts without sound, and the ad is displayed in much less time – up to 5 seconds. Video aspect ratio: preferably 9:16 – resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels. Video length: 3-5 seconds or JPG image displayed for 3 seconds.

In addition, there are also Branded Effects Ads / Branded Hashtag Challenge / Branded Hashtag Challenge Plus.

It is worth remembering that usually in ads on TikTok, the content itself is often slightly covered, for example by buttons on the right side, logo or description. Therefore, it is good practice to center the most important elements to make sure that they will be visible in every situation and on every device.

YouTube – image dimensions and advertising formats

Banner dimensions on YT
The recommended minimum banner size for YouTube is 2048 x 1152 pixels with an aspect ratio of 16: 9. With such dimensions, the “safe zone” in which we can place different elements and be sure that they will not be cropped on different devices is 1235 x 338 pixels. The maximum file size is 6MB.

Profile picture / channel picture
Square or round image with the recommended dimensions of 800 x 800 pixels.

Movie thumbnail
The recommended thumbnail dimensions are 1280 x 720 pixels (16: 9 aspect ratio) with a minimum width of 640 pixels – the higher the resolution, the better.

Community posts
1: 1 aspect ratio, no minimum dimensions. In such posts, apart from static images, we can also place animated images in .gif format.

Display ads
Resolution: 300 x 60 pixels or 300 x 250 pixels.

Advertising overlays
Resolution: 468 x 60 or 728 x 90 pixels.

Video ads
Aspect ratio: preferably 16: 9 or 1: 1, FullHD resolution – 1920 x 1080 pixels in the first case, 1080 x 1080 pixels in the second or higher. Format: preferably MPEG-2, MPEG-4 or .AVI.

Google Display Network and Display & Video 360 (programmatic) – graphics dimensions

Google Display Network ad uploads – dimensions
The available formats are GIF, JPG, PNG, the file size cannot exceed 150 KB. The same dimensions apply to HTML5 display ads uploaded.

Square and rectangular format
– 200 × 200 pixels Small square,
– 240 × 400 pixels Vertical rectangle,
– 250 × 250 pixels Square,
– 250 × 360 pixels Triple wide screen,
– 300 × 250 pixels In-text banner,
– 336 × 280 pixels Large rectangle,
– 580 × 400 pixels Netboard.

Skyscraper (portrait format)
– 120 × 600 pixels Skyscraper,
– 160 × 600 pixels Wide skyscraper,
– 300 × 600 pixels Half page advertisement,
– 300 × 1050 pixels Vertical.

Long banner (landscape format)
– 468 × 60 pixels Banner,
– 728 × 90 pixels Long banner,
– 930 × 180 pixels Top banner,
– 970 × 90 pixels Enlarged long banner.

– 970 × 250 pixels Billboard.
– 980 × 120 pixels Panorama.

For mobile devices
– 300 × 50 pixels Banner for mobile devices,
– 320 × 50 pixels Banner for mobile devices,
– 320 × 100 pixels Large banner for mobile devices.

Selected Rich Media formats (programmatic)

Lightbox
– Logo: at least 50 x 50 pixels (maximum: 1024 x 1050 pixels), image up to 200 kb,
– Image gallery: aspect ratio 1.9: 1,
– Video: posted on YouTube with public access.

Flipbook (kineograph)
– Logo: maximum dimensions are 170 x 65 pixels, maximum size: 20 kb, JPG or PNG file,
– Movie: aspect ratio 16: 9, length up to 1 minute, maximum size: 1 GB. Available formats: AVI, M4V, MOV, MP4, MPEG, MPG, OGV, WEBM and WMV.

Blank slate, cuecard (clue card), and panorama formats
They can be displayed in the following variants:
– 160 x 600 pixels,
– 250 x 250 pixels,
– 300 x 50 pixels,
– 300 x 250 pixels,
– 300 x 600 pixels,
– 320 x 50 pixels,
– 320 x 320 pixels,
– 320 x 480 pixels,
– 336 x 280 pixels,
– 728 x 90 pixels.

The exact dimensions and proportions of individual elements (graphics, fonts, accent images, etc.) in this type of ad are best seen on the Google support site.

At the end

Internet marketing platforms, including social networking sites, provide great opportunities. Of course, this is only one of the hundreds of aspects that a marketer must pay attention to when planning a given campaign, but a good fit of the files to the guidelines of a given website will allow – at least to some extent – to avoid wasting budgets. Have a nice design!

How to start an online store and ensure its success?

Have you been running an online store for a long time, but still collecting too few orders? Or maybe you are just planning to enter the market, but want to be sure that you will start “with a bang”? Regardless of the motivation, it is worth knowing ways to attract more customers to your online store. Good selling is not a matter of luck at all, at least usually. Those who consistently work for their success, while taking care of the consistency and thoughtful nature of their actions, are much more successful. This is all the more important as nowadays there are more and more e-shops, and therefore the competition is growing. Getting started trading online is often a matter of just a few clicks, but success is much more difficult.

Below you will find proven ideas on how to start your online store. Of course, the best results will be achieved by combining at least several promotion methods. Also, don’t forget the basics – no advertisement will help you stand out if your store page is non-functional or you are unable to offer the right level of customer service. Then you can only generate more traffic on it, but it will not translate into the number of transactions. Take care of the construction of the store itself, its appearance and clear layout. Try to display your products in the best possible way (lots of photos, extensive descriptions, etc.). Think about what makes your offer different and focus on promoting this feature.

First: SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is activities focused on website optimization in accordance with the requirements of search engines, especially Google. Thanks to them, your website is displayed higher in the search results, which means that more people find it. Optimization gives long-term results, although it takes a long time to notice them. That is why it is worth taking care of it in the first place – after all, you think about your store in long-term terms, right? Theoretically, this is a free form of advertising – all you need to do is constantly work on optimizing your website to start showing better results. In practice, however, effective actions require knowledge, time and dedication. Therefore, work on SEO usually comes down to employing a specialist in this field or using the services of an agency.

Optimizing a website according to SEO principles includes many factors. It can be divided into two groups. On-site activities are carried out directly on the website and rely on its appropriate preparation – in accordance with the requirements of the search engine algorithms. This means adapting the entire structure of the website and its content. The most important on-site activities include:
– supplementing missing content – mainly product descriptions,
– elimination of duplicate content ,
– content saturation with key phrases,
– appropriate selection of the content structure – length, headings, paragraphs, attributes,
– supplementing meta data,
 – the use of internal linking,
– adapting the website to display on different devices (responsiveness),
– code optimization and ordering.

All these factors affect the visibility of the website, although there are of course many more of them. In addition, off-site activities, consisting primarily of building a database of links leading to the website, help in positioning. When carrying out all activities related to positioning, remember to use only good practices. This is important, and the updates of the algorithms have already cut traffic on pages that were building separate areas too aggressively – e.g. link profile.

Second: Google Ads

Systematic and continuous activities within SEO will allow you to climb up in the search results systematically – as long as they are carried out correctly. However, if you operate in a competitive industry, it is very possible that you will never make it to the top. There is, however, a shortcut. Thanks to Google Ads, and specifically sponsored links in the search engine, your website can appear at the very top of the list of search results. Experience shows that such advertising can be very effective if used correctly. This is a very simple answer to the question of how to start an online store quickly and efficiently.

Google Ads is in fact a very extensive tool available for both small and large companies and used successfully by them. Payments are made only for clicking on an advertisement, which is a very favorable settlement model from the entrepreneur’s point of view. However, this requires very precise configuration of the settings. Proper selection of parameters can bring large profits at low costs. Sponsored links are unobtrusive and the average user is not associated with bothersome advertising, and the ability to precisely define criteria for who the sponsored content is to be displayed affects the effectiveness of this solution.

Google Ads is also the possibility of using the so-called image advertising. It is very effective if you don’t know how to start an online store that no one knows. It is a method that works best in increasing brand recognition and building its image. It consists in displaying your store’s banners on various websites that provide Google with advertising space. You can decide for yourself on which pages your ad will appear, which will increase its effectiveness.

Remarketing advertising looks very similar. This is a great tool for those stores that have a significant amount of so-called abandoned carts (the customer adds products to the cart but does not complete the transaction) or experience other types of conversion problems. Your store banners are then displayed to customers who have already visited it. You can decide that the displayed content should be dynamic, i.e. tailored to a specific user. Then he will see the items he has previously viewed and possibly other related articles. Such advertising can be very effective!

Third: social media

Presence in social media is nowadays a duty of every company – especially an online store. Profiles on popular websites work like constant advertising. The possibilities of their use are very wide. Through regular, interesting posts you can systematically increase your audience and influence their engagement. By also engaging in replying to comments, you help potential customers to feel and strengthen the bond with your brand. It is a unique way of two-way communication with recipients. So you can also get feedback on your actions – find out what you like and what you don’t. In this way, you can also receive a ready-made hint on how to start your online store.

In addition, the most popular social networking sites allow the use of paid ads that allow you to reach a much wider audience. This is primarily about Facebook or Instagram, which offer advertisers a wide range of opportunities and often also satisfying results. However, it is worth using the advertising potential of all platforms on which you operate.

Speaking of which – when it comes to activities in social media, it is not worth limiting yourself. Most companies run Facebook, but they don’t try to appear on other platforms. This is a big mistake because this is where your customers are often! Social media is a way to reach them directly – especially if your target is a younger clientele. Check what YouTube can offer you (you also launch YT campaigns via the Google Ads panel), TikTok or Pinterest – it is very possible that thanks to your activity in these portals you will gain more customers.

Regularity, diligence and matching content to the potential recipient are the most important rules of operation in social media. You need to know who you are “broadcasting” to, show interest and be original. Posts thrown out of duty, ill-considered and simply boring, will certainly not bring the expected results, and may even work the opposite of what you would like.

Fourth: company blog

A company blog is the most important tool for content marketing, i.e. content marketing. It is considered one of the most important and effective methods to stand out on the web. Content marketing has a lot to do with SEO – by publishing high-quality content saturated with the right keywords, you can significantly improve your site’s position on Google. At the same time, it can attract and interest the client. So it is a great method for anyone who wants to know how to start an online store.

What is it about? Content marketing is based on publishing valuable, useful, interesting and original content (the form is also important). It is true that it is not only about texts (you can also publish, for example, videos, infographics, podcasts and many others), but a company blog is one of the simplest forms of content marketing. All you need to do is think about what your customers are interested in or remember what questions they ask about your offer the most and turn this information into blog articles. It is worth ensuring that they are as substantive and comprehensive as possible. Put yourself in the role of an expert and it will help you build a positive image of the store. Write more about your products, their functions, ways of use, key features, and maybe even how and what they are made of. Thanks to this, you will arouse much more interest and trust.

A company blog can be run independently, although most companies decide to hire professionals – a content marketing agency, SEO agency or copywriter. A specialist can use the information you provide to him that will help create unique content. At the same time, however, it will ensure that the whole thing has an optimal form and style, is linguistically correct and presented in an attractive way. It will also take care of the use of keywords in accordance with SEO requirements.

Fifth: email marketing

E-mail marketing is now often relegated to the background, although not so long ago it was the main form of advertising for entrepreneurs who wondered how to start an online store. Today it is rather a supplement, but it is still not worth giving up. By building your own database of e-mail contacts, you become independent from the operation of social networking sites (e.g. in the event of a failure, hacker attack or other factors that will prevent you from using your account), and you also gain an additional channel of communication with customers. It is worth encouraging you to subscribe to the newsletter, e.g. by offering a small discount on the order. You can remind by e-mail about promotions or sales, inform about new products and any changes taking place in the store. Thanks to mailing, you do not let your customers forget about your store and motivate them to visit your website.

Importantly, the cost of email marketing is low. The preparation of the content and graphic design of the message can be commissioned to specialists or prepared by yourself. Tools for sending messages are inexpensive – there is even a lack of functional free programs on the market if the recipient base is not large.

How to run modern, effective e-mail marketing? First, don’t forget about form. Make it inviting, attractive and consistent with the image of your store. Use CTA (Call to Action) to encourage going to the site. Second, think about personalization. Let the customer choose what kind of information he wants to receive, what product groups he is interested in, etc. It greatly increases the effectiveness of the messages sent!

Sixth: discounts, promotions, loyalty program

How to start an online store in terms of the number of purchases and visits to the website? One thing is certain – nothing motivates you to buy more than a price reduction. Sometimes it’s hard to break to offer a promotion in a store that is barely spinning, but believe – it’s worth it. Promotions should be frequent and varied. It is best if they appear at least once a month and you incorporate them in some way in your business model. There are plenty of ideas for effective actions of this type!

You can, for example, every week, on a selected day of the week (or on a weekend, for example), lower the prices of products belonging to a specific department or group. The promotion will be even more effective if the discounts are tailored to the needs of users and related to current events. There are also stores where promotions are valid daily and their scope changes once a week. Example? An internet drugstore that runs weekly promotions on four selected cosmetic brands. The alternative to discounts are promotions such as “two for the price of one” or “buy the product and get the other half price” or “free delivery”. These types of treatments are very effective in encouraging shopping, and they encourage you to visit the store more often or subscribe to the newsletter.

In addition to regular or cyclical promotions, you can also use discount codes as a thank you for loyalty – e.g. a 10% discount on the next purchase for everyone who subscribes to the newsletter and makes purchases for a certain amount. Another method is cashback – e.g. 10% of the order value stored in the customer’s account, which can be used as a discount on subsequent purchases. Such discounts should have an appropriately selected expiry date so that they can be used safely.

Online stores also eagerly use other forms of loyalty programs. For example, you can promise your customers a gift with the fifth order or create a points system that can be exchanged for discounts or rewards. The well-known clothing chain H&M thus encourages you to sign up for the Customer Club. People participating in the program, after spending a certain amount, receive a discount coupon of 10%. Collecting a certain number of points during the year gives Premium status, and in it some privileges – e.g. early access to sales, limited contests and a guarantee of free deliveries and returns of each order.

I am addressing the issue of loyalty programs as if out of duty. Personally, I do not believe in their operation. They are usually used by customers who would use our services anyway. In addition, we have to invest in their promotion in anyway, the advertising budget, so the question of whether it is not better to target new customers remains open. Probably the reasonableness of a given loyalty program depends on many factors, so you have to test a given solution yourself. There are no ready answers.

Seventh: cross-selling and up-selling

If you are not offering your customers similar or complementary products related to what they are watching or selecting, you are making a serious mistake. Cross-selling and up-selling are very simple techniques that allow you to significantly increase your sales. The customer added sports shoes to the cart? Offer him socks made of breathable yarn. Are you buying a smartphone? He should see a window with the recommended accessories – e.g. a protective case, wireless headphones or a power bank. This type of play is called cross-selling.

Up-selling may also work for some online stores, although it is more often used in services. The customer chose a smartphone with 128 GB memory? Ask if he really would prefer the richer version of 256 GB, selecting for example “pay only … dollars” or, for example, “choose a higher variant and get a 10% discount”. Simple? Oh yes, but also extremely effective.

Eighth: analysis

You can implement all of the above methods and still not achieve the desired success. Therefore, try never to act blindly. Constantly analyzing your own actions, as well as watching what the competition is doing, is an extremely important component of success. You won’t correct anything if you don’t measure it first. With analytics, you can instantly see what’s working and what’s not – and then adapt your steps accordingly. Follow the above advice and you will quickly forget about difficult times and you will no longer search for information on how to start your online store!