<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg" alt="Digital Skills - People in Japan Tokya, in a hall with digital decorations." class="wp-image-5601" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Highlighted-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Highlighted-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Highlighted.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The job market is changing with the influx of new technologies. Automation and artificial intelligence are already making it possible for tasks to be done by fewer people, in less time.&nbsp; As a result, traditional jobs are slowly disappearing.&nbsp;Blue-collar jobs were being replaced by automation for quite a while, especially in manufacturing. <a href="https://www.workandmoney.com/s/dying-professions-83f89af396e34d92" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">But white-collar, office jobs are also threatened</a>. Especially those that perform repetitive tasks. The good news is that there are certain jobs and skills that will not be replaced by automation for a while. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/the-future-of-work-after-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Especially jobs that require improvisation, creativity and constant optimization are quite safe</a>, like digital skills.



Sadly, most traditional schools and colleges do not teach these skills. These industries are constantly changing, and they are relatively new skills, to begin with. So traditional education did not have the time to adapt.



So to future proof your career, and acquire a skill that will be profitable for a long time, you need to educate yourself. To make this process even easier, we have prepared a list of 5 digital skills that are in demand right now!



<h2 id="h-what-are-digital-skills">What Are Digital Skills?</h2>



<a href="https://en.unesco.org/news/digital-skills-critical-jobs-and-social-inclusion" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Unesco defines digital skills as</a> “a range of abilities to use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information. These skills enable people to create and distribute digital content, communicate and collaborate, and solve problems for effective and creative self-fulfilment in life, learning, work and social activities”.



In short digital skills include using digital platforms and technologies to create content, share, communicate and manage information. In the business world, these skills help companies to market their products better while communicating effectively with their customers on digital platforms.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="A woman learning digital skills with a laptop." class="wp-image-5604" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



These skills can include anything from analyzing the behaviours of digital users to creating better content for social media channels. Businesses will always require people with these specific skills to manage their digital presence.



Those who learn these skills will both be employable immediately, as well as acquire future proof skills that can constantly be updated by continuously learning.&nbsp;



You can also use these skills to start your own online business. By mastering digital skills, you will be able to market any product or service you want. And with so many options available, the only thing you will need is a robust, <a href="https://ikas.com/">easy-to-use ecommerce platform.</a>



<h2 id="h-1-paid-search-advertising">1. Paid Search Advertising</h2>



Paid search advertising is the process of creating paid ads to be displayed on the search results. This process usually includes selecting certain keywords and search queries to target. When a user searches for the keywords you are currently targeting, your ad will have a chance to appear on top of the organic search results.&nbsp;



Of course, paid search is a very, very complicated digital skill. There are thousands of businesses competing on different keywords. And considering that you will be paying money for every single click, optimizing your search ads to get the people who are most likely to convert to click is essential.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="Google Analytics screen on a laptop." class="wp-image-5607" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Companies are ready to pay top dollar for people who can produce positive results in paid search marketing. Those who can correctly optimize and manage these campaigns are in high demand.



Becoming a paid search expert is a long process that will require dedication and determination. But you can start learning for free! Google has some <a href="https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">great courses</a> just waiting for you!



<h2 id="h-2-search-engine-optimization-seo">2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)</h2>



Paid search advertising will help you place ads on top of search results. But as we have stated before, those are ads and not organic results. People will be fully aware of the fact that they are seeing an ad, and you will be required to pay for every single click.



So, businesses also need a way to rank higher on organic search results. These results will probably not be as targeted as paid search, but they will be drawing organic traffic that will not require you to pay for every single click. The question is, how do you rank higher on organic results?



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="A person making a search on Google." class="wp-image-5610" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The answer is <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/seo-best-practices" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">search engine optimization</a> (SEO).



SEO is the process of optimizing your website, and implementing strategies that will help your business rank higher in search results. These strategies can be technical improvements, backlink building, and content marketing.



To learn more about SEO, feel free to visit <a href="https://learningseo.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">LearningSEO.io</a> and take a look at their roadmap!



<h2 id="h-3-content-marketing">3. Content Marketing</h2>



Content marketing and SEO go hand in hand.



In short, content marketing is the process of creating engaging and targeted content to draw more traffic to your business. The most apparent application of content marketing is creating blog content with targeted keywords to rank higher on organic search results.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-4-1024x538.jpg" alt="A study desk with laptop, glasses, notebooks, a phone and other decorative items on it." class="wp-image-5613" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-4-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-4-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-4-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-4.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



A well-kept blog is one of the best investments a business can make. The blog itself could draw organic traffic, and specific blog posts could rank first in search results. It can also increase the overall domain authority of the business website, and propel even non-blog pages to higher search rankings.



Content marketing can also include creating content for social media websites, creating ebooks, and creating printed content.&nbsp;



If you want to learn more, HubSpot has a <a href="https://academy.hubspot.com/courses/content-marketing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">great certificate course</a> for content marketing!



<h2 id="h-4-video-editing-production">4. Video Editing / Production</h2>



According to <a href="https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Wyzowl</a>, 80% of marketers state that video has increased traffic to their website. And according to <a href="https://influencermarketinghub.com/video-marketing-statistics/">HubSpot</a>, 54% of consumers want marketers to produce more <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-video-marketing">video content.</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-5-1024x538.jpg" alt="A video editing tool open on a laptop." class="wp-image-5616" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-5-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-5-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-5-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Digital-Skills-Ekstra-5.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



In short, video content is very popular, and it is only going to get even more popular. Businesses will always need specialists to create, edit and manage quality video content. And they will be willing to pay for highly skilled individuals.&nbsp;



If you want to learn video editing, <a href="https://www.udemy.com/course/video-editing-101-learn-the-basics-of-video-editing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Udemy</a> has some great courses!



<h2 id="h-5-social-media-marketing">5. Social Media Marketing</h2>



<a href="https://ikas.com/blog/social-media-marketing-tips" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Social media marketing</a> involves promoting a business on social media platforms through paid and unpaid means. These can involve placing social media ads, creating and sharing great content, organizing social media events etc.



A good social media presence can create great advertising value for businesses. It can increase customer retention, form a brand community, and generate leads.&nbsp;



You can focus on several different aspects of social media marketing. Businesses need people who can produce social media content, manage social media accounts, analyze user behaviour on social media, and marketing strategies.&nbsp;



If you want to learn social media marketing, <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/social-media-marketing-resources" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">HubSpot</a> has a great blog post for you!



<h2 id="h-final-remarks">Final Remarks</h2>



You can use these digital skills to find new employment opportunities, start a freelancing career, or even create your own business!&nbsp;



If you consider starting your own online e-commerce business, <a href="https://ikas.com/contact">ikas</a> is always here to help you!



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/digital-marketing-channels">Digital Marketing Channels</a>

Top 5 Digital Skills You Should Learn In 2023

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg" alt="a social media marketing tips board made out of cardboard." class="wp-image-3969" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Highlighted-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Highlighted-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Highlighted.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Social media marketing is one of the best marketing channels available for small businesses. It can create a long-lasting, high activity customer base and brand community. 



Of course, most businesses are aware how strong social media marketing can be. There are thousands of accounts posting fresh content to get the attention of the audiences. And all the businesses are competing for a few seconds of attention.&nbsp;



Your business needs every help it can get to increase its social media presence. To help you get the competitive edge you need we compiled a list of 6 social media marketing tips for small businesses.



<h2 id="h-what-is-social-media-marketing">What is Social Media Marketing?</h2>



Social media marketing is a marketing method which uses different social media platforms to promote a business, brand and/or product to wider audiences.



Mainly, social media marketing uses the existing traffic in social media channels to draw attention to the promoted brand.



There are two types of social media marketing, paid social and organic social.



<h3 id="h-paid-social-media-marketing">Paid Social Media Marketing</h3>



Most social media platforms allow businesses to display advertisements to the platform&#8217;s users. Generally, the advertisers are allowed to pick what types of users their ads will be showcased to and they might have options to customize it further.



Social media ads generally take the form of images, carousels, text, video or a combination of one or both formats. Each social media platform can allow advertisers to create ads with the native post formats of the platform.



For example, if you are using Instagram, you can create carousel, single image or Instagram Reels ads. 



Advertisers generally pay an advertising fee per click or per impression their ad gets.



The most popular social media platforms with paid advertising features are:



<ul>
<li>Facebook</li>



<li>Instagram</li>



<li>YouTube</li>



<li>Twitter</li>



<li>TikTok</li>



<li>Pinterest</li>
</ul>



<h3 id="h-organic-social-media-marketing">Organic Social Media Marketing</h3>



It is also possible to promote your business on social media platforms without advertising. This practice is called organic social media marketing.



In organic social media marketing, businesses do not pay to get their posts and brand displayed to their target audience.



Instead, they create social media posts with the intention of capturing the attention of their target audience and allow them to spread organically.



If the posts truly resonate with the platform&#8217;s users, then they will get more views, the brand&#8217;s account will get more followers and more people will be aware of the brand.



So, the brand&#8217;s social media account will grow organically.



Generally, organic social media marketing is more useful for creating a brand community and increasing brand awareness. While paid social media marketing is better for getting qualified leads in a relatively short amount of time.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/digital-marketing-channels">Digital Marketing Channels</a>



<h2 id="h-what-are-the-benefits-of-social-media-marketing">What are the Benefits of Social Media Marketing?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/social-media-marketing-tips-1024x538.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-14051" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/social-media-marketing-tips-1024x538.webp 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/social-media-marketing-tips-300x158.webp 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/social-media-marketing-tips-768x403.webp 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/social-media-marketing-tips.webp 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Businesses all around the world use social media marketing to promote their businesses. The reason is simple, social media marketing is just too good to pass up! 



Here are some benefits you can get from marketing your business on social media:



<h3 id="h-increased-brand-awareness">Increased Brand Awareness</h3>



Over <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/#:~:text=Social%20media%20usage%20is%20one,almost%20six%20billion%20in%202027.">4.59 billion</a> people used social media platforms in 2021. And in 2022, this number is expected to reach almost 6 billion.



Simply put, billions of people use social media every day. As a result, using social media marketing strategies can help you reach this gigantic audience.



Reaching more people means more people will be aware of your brand and this will result in an increase in your overall brand awareness.



<h3 id="h-better-lead-generation">Better Lead Generation</h3>



<a href="https://startupbonsai.com/lead-generation-statistics/">66%</a> of marketers claim that spending just 6 hours on social media per week helped them generate more leads for their business.



So, if you want more qualified leads for your business, social media marketing is the way to go! 



Paid social media marketing can help you generate leads in a short amount of time. While organic social media might be better as a long-term investment.



<h3 id="h-improved-customer-relations">Improved Customer Relations</h3>



Customers love brands that provide them with valuable content. 



And one of the best ways to provide that content is via sharing posts on social media platforms.



A good social media strategy involves creating valuable content and sharing them on suitable channels. So by using social media marketing, you will not only be marketing business, but you will also be creating strong relationships with your customers.



<h3 id="h-relatively-cheap">Relatively Cheap</h3>



Social media marketing is cheaper than most marketing methods. Especially when compared to traditional marketing channels.



Creating and airing a TV ad can cost hundreds of thousands. And the people you are advertising to will be every single person who watches that channel. So there will be a lot of people who will not be interested in your services.



While in paid social media marketing, you can create a substantial marketing campaign with a relatively small budget. And the people you are targeting will have the exact demographics that you want.



Organic social media marketing is even better. It is virtually free! You won&#8217;t need to pay anything to publish and spread your content.



<h2 id="h-why-is-social-media-marketing-so-important">Why is Social Media Marketing So Important?</h2>



Billions of people all around the world use social media daily. So even from the get-go, social media platforms provide you with a large audience. And this audience can be local, national or international.



You can target people that are closest to you, or you can share your content with people in another part of the world.



Paid social marketing allows you to target whomever you want, whenever you want. Giving you unmatched control.



On the other end, organic social media marketing gives you a method to build a community around your brand that can become brand evangelists.



Simply put, thousands of businesses use social media to make money. And it is too good to pass up.



<h2 id="h-top-6-social-media-marketing-tips-to-grow-your-business">Top 6 Social Media Marketing Tips to Grow Your Business</h2>



Each day, thousands of new brands are joining the social media bandwagon to grow their business. So, you need an edge to get ahead of the game. 



Here are 6 social media marketing tips you can use to crush your competition and grow your business!



<ol>
<li>Choose the right platforms</li>



<li>Have a clear, metrics-driven goal</li>



<li>Create unique, engaging content</li>



<li>Consider using third-party tools</li>



<li>Engage with your community</li>



<li>Partner with influencers</li>
</ol>



<h3 id="h-1-choose-the-right-platforms">1. Choose the right platforms</h3>



As a small business, your resources are much more limited. You can’t focus on all the possible marketing channels as large businesses can. So you need to focus on what matters the most.



This is also true for social media platforms. Drawing plans, creating content, and analyzing and adapting to every social media platform are very resource-intensive. Focusing on every social media platform out there at once could produce abysmal results.



To get significant results, you need to know which platforms to focus on. Of course, being present on most platforms is always a good idea. But choosing a few to prioritize will make everything easier in the future.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="A smartphone with the with the social media folder open. Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and one other app is on the screen." class="wp-image-3982" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



To know the platforms you should choose, consider the following:



<ul>
<li>Determine your target audience.</li>



<li>Search your audience on social media platforms.</li>



<li>Determine which platforms they are most active on.</li>



<li>Consider the type of content you can create.</li>



<li>Consider the format of your content.</li>



<li>Decide which social media platforms that content can fit into.</li>
</ul>



<h3 id="h-2-have-a-clear-metrics-driven-goal">2. Have a clear, metrics-driven goal</h3>



The first step of marketing is to determine goals. Social media marketing is no different.&nbsp;



Having clear, measurable goals will help you understand what you need to focus on. Also, all of your analysis will be based on these goals. Likewise, it will be even easier to understand how successful your current plan is.



You need your goals to be realistic and measurable. The following examples are the ones you should avoid:



<ul>
<li>Gain 2 million followers in a single month (unrealistic).</li>



<li>Gain more YouTube subscribers (non-measurable).</li>



<li>Increase engagement (unclear).</li>
</ul>



Instead, try to come up with goals like this:



<ul>
<li>Grow the number of followers by 7% per month during the first quarter of 2022.</li>



<li>Gain 1000 new YouTube subscribers until the end of March 2022.</li>



<li>Increase the average post engagement on Facebook by 10% until 12 December 2022.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-4-1024x538.jpg" alt="post it notes with hand-drawn graphs are on a board." class="wp-image-3985" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-4-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-4-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-4-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-4.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Getting your goals in order is one of the best social media marketing tips we can provide you.



<h3 id="h-3-create-unique-engaging-content">3. Create unique, engaging content</h3>



You can’t have a presence on social media without posting any content. People follow you based on the content you create, and how much value that content provides them. If you only post company advertisements and simple marketing messages, people will get bored of you very quickly, and you will most likely not get much engagement.



The type of valuable content you post can include the following:



<ul>
<li>How-to guides.</li>



<li>Informative texts, graphics, videos.</li>



<li>Funny, entertaining content.</li>



<li>Company news, product news, updates.</li>



<li>Sale/discount announcements.</li>



<li>Customer testimonials, success stories.</li>
</ul>



As Bill Gates mentioned in his essay, “content is king.” Focus on creating valuable, engaging, unique content. This will be the backbone of your social media accounts. The rest of the strategy will be all about distributing that content more effectively.



<h3 id="h-4-consider-using-third-party-tools">4. Consider using third-party tools</h3>



Social media platforms came a long way since their first inception. The constant development cycle that they experience makes sure that they are both easy to use, and easy to manage.&nbsp;



Still, social media platforms do have certain limitations regarding their usage. Sure, in-app tools can help you get a lot of things done, but at certain points, using third-party apps to help you manage your social media marketing strategy can help you be more precise while spending less time.



Third-party social media tools range from management apps to content creation software. Here are some of them:



<ul>
<li>You can use <a href="https://biteable.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Biteable</a> to create video content for social media.&nbsp;</li>



<li><a href="https://buffer.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Buffer</a> can help you manage and analyze multiple social media platforms at once.</li>



<li>With <a href="https://mention.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Mention</a>, you can get more insights into the social media presence of your brand.</li>
</ul>



<h3 id="h-5-engage-with-your-community">5. Engage with your community</h3>



Engagement on social media is a powerful thing. With more engagement, your posts will be much more likely to get recognized as trending posts. Also the users you engage with will most likely feel seen and heard by your brand, and this will improve their experience.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-5-1024x538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3988" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-5-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-5-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-5-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-5.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



To make sure that you are engaging with your followers, always monitor your direct messages and comments. Try to answer most of them, and be open to receiving content created by your followers.&nbsp;



Of course, there are certain comments and messages you shouldn’t answer, as well as conversations you shouldn’t be having on social media. Try to be as civil, and constructive as you can while answering comments. Don’t get into arguments, and politely direct those who have complaints to your customer service.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-6-partner-with-influencers">6. Partner with influencers</h3>



Influencers are named “influencers” because of a simple reason: they influence people!



The idea of partnering with influencers can seem like a costly ordeal, especially for a small business. The good news is that you don’t have to sponsor a world-famous influencer to reap the benefits. You can partner with a local influencer or a micro-influencer in your niche for very affordable prices. And the effects will still be significant.



We hope that you enjoyed our list of social media marketing tips for small businesses! If you want to learn more ways to improve your business, feel free to read our list of <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/top-9-e-commerce-tips-for-small-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">e-commerce tips for small businesses.</a>



Related Articles:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-guide">What is Affiliate Marketing?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/email-marketing-guide">What Is Email Marketing?</a></li>
</ul>

Social Media Marketing Tips (Top 6 Tips)

Being new to the e-commerce industry is hard. There are new terms, technologies, and platforms popping up everywhere. And you need all the information you can get.



To make the process easier for you, we have prepared a list of 9 e-commerce tips for small businesses. You can use these tips to empower your new e-commerce store, or you can implement them in your already existing business to <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/8-ways-to-increase-online-sales">increase your online sales.</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Adsiz-tasarim-4-1024x538.jpg" alt="Top e-commerce tips, laptop with gift boxes." class="wp-image-2562" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Adsiz-tasarim-4-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Adsiz-tasarim-4-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Adsiz-tasarim-4-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Adsiz-tasarim-4.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-highlights">Highlights</h2>



<ul>
<li>Build relationships with influencers early on to create brand advocates.</li>



<li>Try to think like a customer to understand what you can improve.</li>



<li>Be agile and experiment. Small changes that you can try with A/B testing can have impressive results.</li>



<li>Social media presence is vital if you want your business to be successful.</li>



<li>Engage and connect with your customers, make them feel like a community.</li>



<li>Upselling and cross selling are time tested sales techniques. Use them wisely.</li>



<li>Reclaim your leads with retargeting ads.</li>



<li>Prepare an FAQs page to reduce the burden on your customer service.</li>



<li>Create free marketing with customized packages.</li>
</ul>



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/community-management">Community Management For Small Businesses</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="an influencer in front of the camera, e-commerce tips." class="wp-image-2565" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-9-e-commerce-tips-for-small-businesses">9 E-Commerce Tips For Small Businesses</h2>



<h3 id="h-1-build-relationships-with-influencers">1. Build Relationships With Influencers</h3>



Influencer marketing is a very profitable venture to invest in. <a href="https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-report-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">According to The State Of Influencer Marketing 2020</a>, the average expected return for influencer marketing is $5.78 for every single dollar spent. When you consider that Pay For Click (PPC) campaigns only return 2$ for every 1$ spent, we can conclude that influencer marketing is still a very profitable marketing channel.



To truly reap all the benefits of this marketing channel, you should consider establishing relationships with relevant influencers in your industry.



Spending some time to create lasting relationships with influencers can be one of the best e-commerce tips you can implement.



When building relationships with influencers, do not forget that they are people too! They will appreciate respectful and friendly communication.



Also, they will be well versed and interested in your industry.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-guide">What is Affiliate Marketing?</a>



<h3 id="h-2-think-like-a-customer">2. Think Like A Customer</h3>



You are the owner of your business. But from the perspective of other businesses, you are still a customer. Think about it, the local deli you regularly visit sees you as their customer, so does your dentist and hairdresser. Basically, you already know how to think like a customer!&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="e-commerce tips, happy customers." class="wp-image-2568" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Criticize your business from the perspective of a customer. Does your website look trustworthy? Would you enjoy your customer service if you were in need of help? Would you use your products the way you expect your customers to do?&nbsp;



Answer these questions, and adjust your practices accordingly.



<h3 id="h-3-experiment">3. Experiment</h3>



E-commerce businesses are more flexible than brick-and-mortar stores. You can switch to a <a href="https://ikas.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new generation e-commerce platform</a>, try out different online marketplaces, or change your entire website design! 



So do not hesitate to try something different!&nbsp;



Try out different designs, marketing strategies, sales channels. You can even experiment on how to categorize your products. Try to find what your audience loves. Experimenting can be stressful, but finding the right combination is worth it.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-4-focus-on-social-media">4. Focus On Social Media</h3>



Yeah, you have probably heard this one before, but it is still very important to emphasize! This is definitely one of the e-commerce tips you should be implementing.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-5-1024x538.jpg" alt="e-commerce tips for social media." class="wp-image-2571" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-5-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-5-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-5-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-5.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Having well-maintained social media accounts makes your business more presentable. 



Customers research products and businesses on different channels. So a customer who has found you through a Google search might want to check your Instagram to get more information about your business. 



Finding an empty page might be discouraging for them while finding a vibrant page full of customer testimonials and engaging content might drive them to make a purchase.&nbsp;



Social media presence also goes a long way in marketing. Social media marketing is a cheap way to create organic traffic for your business. If you can create engaging content with a robust social media strategy, your potential customers will find you.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/social-media-marketing-tips">What is Social Media Marketing?</a>



<h3 id="h-5-connect-with-your-customers">5. Connect With Your Customers</h3>



Customers no longer only want a product, they also want the experience a brand can provide. A part of that experience is the connection between the brand and the customer.



If you are only going to implement one of our e-commerce tips, then this should be the one to consider.



You can create a robust connection with your customers by implementing the following techniques:



<ul>
<li>Inform your customers about product updates and company news with a newsletter.</li>



<li>Check-in with your customers after their purchases.</li>



<li>Engage with your customers via social media and direct messages.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-6-1024x538.jpg" alt="connect with your customers, online business retail." class="wp-image-2574" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-6-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-6-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-6-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-6.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 id="h-6-leverage-up-sell-and-cross-sell">6. Leverage Up-sell And Cross-sell</h3>



Upsell and cross-sell are time-tested sales techniques that can revitalize your business. These two techniques can increase your profits, make your customers more loyal to your brand, and reduce customer churn rates.



<h3 id="h-7-use-retargeting-ads">7. Use Retargeting Ads</h3>



Here is an e-commerce tip for digital marketers:



Retargeting ads reach the customers who have interacted with your business before. You can see them as little reminders to shoppers who have considered purchasing from you but didn’t go through with it for some reason.&nbsp;



Around <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-92-percent-of-consumers-visiting-a-retailers-website-for-the-first-time-arent-there-to-buy-300390086.html" rel="nofollow">92%</a> of customers are not ready to make a purchase when they first visit your website. So it is in your best interest to remind them that you exist from time to time. 



Retargeting ads are great for this purpose. You can retarget people who have previously interacted with your ads, visited your website, or abandoned their carts. Seeing your ad a second time might be enough to make them complete their purchase.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-8-prepare-an-faqs-page">8. Prepare an FAQs Page</h3>



If you are looking for e-commerce tips related to your website content, then this is one of the entries you should definitely read!



Customers will have questions about your business, and creating an FAQs page to preemptively answer them could increase your chances of making a sale. It will also reduce the burden on your customer service team.



When preparing an FAQs page try to focus on the immediate questions your customers might ask. The best feedback you can get for your FAQs page is again, your customers! 



Compile a list of questions you receive, and add the most often asked questions to your FAQs page.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/business-ideas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Business Ideas</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-customized-packaging-1024x538.jpg" alt="e-commerce tips custom package." class="wp-image-2577" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-customized-packaging-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-customized-packaging-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-customized-packaging-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/e-commerce-tips-customized-packaging.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 id="h-9-customize-your-packaging">9. Customize Your Packaging</h3>



Producing customized packaging can be a great opportunity to create marketing opportunities! Especially if your packages are reusable in some way!



Your customers can use those packages to carry something else outside or use them as a box in their homes. Having your logo on display will probably draw some eyes.



Customized packaging can also increase customer loyalty. Shoppers always appreciate a cute box or a well-designed package.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/product-bundling">What is Product Bundling?</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://accounts.ikas.com/register?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog_en_cta&amp;utm_campaign=top-9-e-commerce-tips-for-small-businesses"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-1024x538.png" alt="" class="wp-image-26167" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-1024x538.png 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-300x158.png 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-768x403.png 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-24x13.png 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-36x19.png 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-48x25.png 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<h2 id="h-conclusion">Conclusion</h2>



If this is your first time managing an online store, then the e-commerce tips we have provided above can be great for you!



Don&#8217;t forget to implement the ones you like in your business!



And if you want more tips and tricks, be sure to check out our blog.



Related Articles:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-headless-commerce" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Is Headless Commerce?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/how-to-encourage-customers-to-write-reviews" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How To Encourage Customers To Write Reviews?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-an-sku-number">What is an SKU Number?</a></li>
</ul>

Top 9 E-Commerce Tips For Small Businesses

The e-commerce world is expanding faster than ever. New trends take the stage while old ones are left in the dust. Every <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-entrepreneurship">entrepreneur</a> needs to be on the lookout for new e-commerce trends to be able to stay ahead of the game.



If you are wondering about what new e-commerce trends will rule the industry in 2023, then you have stumbled into the right article!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/mark-konig-Tl8mDaue_II-unsplash-1024x576.jpg" alt="e-commerce trends of 2022" class="wp-image-1250" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/mark-konig-Tl8mDaue_II-unsplash-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/mark-konig-Tl8mDaue_II-unsplash-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/mark-konig-Tl8mDaue_II-unsplash-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/mark-konig-Tl8mDaue_II-unsplash-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/mark-konig-Tl8mDaue_II-unsplash-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-7-e-commerce-trends-every-entrepreneur-should-know-about">7 E-Commerce Trends Every Entrepreneur Should Know About:</h2>



<ol>
<li>Social Commerce&nbsp;</li>



<li>Livestream Shopping&nbsp;</li>



<li>Blockchain In E-Commerce</li>



<li>Direct To Consumer&nbsp;</li>



<li> Sustainability&nbsp;</li>



<li>Customized Packaging&nbsp;</li>



<li>Omnichannel Sales</li>
</ol>



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-ecommerce">What is E-Commerce?</a>



<h2 id="h-1-social-commerce">1. Social Commerce</h2>



<a href="https://ikas.com/blog/social-commerce">Social commerce</a> allows users to shop directly from a social networking website such as Facebook and Instagram. There are already lots of options for entrepreneurs who wish to adopt social commerce, such as Instagram Shopping and Checkout on Instagram. In 2023, we expect social commerce options to increase, while shoppers adopt them even more.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="575" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/dole777-EQSPI11rf68-unsplash-1024x575.jpg" alt="e-commerce trends, social commerce." class="wp-image-1256" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/dole777-EQSPI11rf68-unsplash-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/dole777-EQSPI11rf68-unsplash-300x168.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/dole777-EQSPI11rf68-unsplash-768x431.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/dole777-EQSPI11rf68-unsplash-1536x862.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/dole777-EQSPI11rf68-unsplash-2048x1150.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Right now, social commerce sales make up only a fraction of total e-commerce sales as it is only in the early adoption stage. But all the predictions point to its eventual rise in the future. In early 2020, <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/11/05/2328515/0/en/Global-Social-Commerce-Market-to-Reach-US-2-9-Trillion-by-the-Year-2026.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">the global market for Social Commerce was estimated at $559.7 billion</a> and is expected to reach the size of US $2.9 trillion by 2026.



Social commerce will definitely be one of the top e-commerce trends in 2023.



<h2 id="h-2-livestream-shopping">2. Livestream Shopping</h2>



<a href="https://ikas.com/blog/livestream-shopping">Livestream shopping</a>, also known as live shopping and live commerce, is a marketing and e-commerce method wherein a streamer, who is usually an influencer or a celebrity, advertises a product or service through a livestream. Shoppers can ask questions, leave comments, and interact with the host. In some events, they can also directly shop from the livestream. In a sense, it is an evolved version of home shopping TV shows.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/jean-beller-6j56djYQgJs-unsplash-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="e-commerce trends, livestream shopping." class="wp-image-1259" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/jean-beller-6j56djYQgJs-unsplash-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/jean-beller-6j56djYQgJs-unsplash-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/jean-beller-6j56djYQgJs-unsplash-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/jean-beller-6j56djYQgJs-unsplash-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/jean-beller-6j56djYQgJs-unsplash-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The livestream market is <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinlarson/2021/03/27/retailers-embrace-livestreaming-market-expected-to-reach-11-billion-in-2021/?sh=7c4841162fde" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">expected to surpass $25 billion by 2023</a>, and livestream shopping will most likely follow suit. Amazon and Facebook are already looking to get a piece of the pie with their livestream shopping events.&nbsp;The combined interest in this industry will make it one of the most important e-commerce trends in 2023.



Livestream shopping is also huge in China. <a href="https://www.ebshk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">According to Everbright Securities</a>, China’s live commerce market reached an estimated value of US $171 billion in 2020. The Chinese Livestream shopping market is expected to reach $423 billion by 2022. Western markets will most likely follow suit, and we will see a huge uptick in livestream shopping sales.



<h2 id="h-3-blockchain-in-e-commerce">3. Blockchain In E-Commerce</h2>



Blockchain is taking the world by storm, and it is only in its nascent stage. The e-commerce market will no doubt be affected by the adoption of blockchain technology and we have already seen different proof of concept blockchain features in the e-commerce ecosystem.



One example we can give for blockchain-based e-commerce platforms is OpenBazaar. OpenBazaar operates on a peer to peer basis, wherewith each transaction a blockchain token is created to represent it. This way, buyers and sellers can make transactions without needing a middleman or a third-party mediator.&nbsp;



We will no doubt see more blockchain-based e-commerce marketplaces or platforms in the coming years.&nbsp;As the global interest in this technology grows, it will take its place as one of the e-commerce trends of 2023.



<h2 id="h-4-direct-to-consumer-d2c">4. Direct To Consumer (D2C)</h2>



<a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-d2c-business-model">Direct to consumer</a> is a business model where a manufacturer sells their products directly to the final consumer without any middleman or mediator. This usually leads to lower prices, better prices, and a better relationship between the brand and the customer.&nbsp;We believe with the constant growth of this market, D2C will become one of the top e-commerce trends of 2023.



Direct to consumer is not a new concept, but it is getting much easier thanks to the increasing accessibility of e-commerce. Now, manufacturers can reach final consumers without much need for a middleman thanks to a multitude of online sales channels available.



<a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/8838/d2c-e-commerce/#:~:text=The%20total%20addressable%20D2C%20market,reaching%20100%20billion%20by%202025." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Between 2019 and 2020 the D2C market grew by 45.5%</a>, significantly increasing its trend over the e-commerce market. According to eMarketer, D2C e-commerce sales is expected to reach $151 billion in 2022.&nbsp;



The increase in the market share of D2C, and its rapid growth makes it one of the top e-commerce trends of 2023.



<h2 id="h-5-sustainability">5. Sustainability</h2>



Sustainability in e-commerce can refer to the eco-friendliness of the product, the business model or the particular brand itself. In the grand scheme of things, most consumers look at the issue of sustainability regarding how businesses or brands affect the ecosystem by their packaging, manufacturing and distribution choices.&nbsp;



Sustainability was already a trending topic, and now with the pandemic and recent developments in the past years, consumers are becoming even more concerned with sustainability. In the polls, 8 in 10 American citizens agree that climate change is fuelled by human activity, and <a href="https://www.luxuriousmagazine.com/garnier-going-green-to-save-the-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">according to a report by Garnier, 73% of consumers in the UK</a> want to be more sustainable in the future.&nbsp;



Businesses and entrepreneurs can expect the pressure for sustainability to rise in the future. Sustainable products and business models will most likely see an upward trend in 2023, making it one of the top e-commerce trends.



<h2 id="h-6-customized-packaging">6. Customized Packaging</h2>



Custom packaging allows business owners to create brand experiences for their customers by shipping their products in packaging that is specifically designed for the brand, product or the customer.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="684" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bench-accounting-MGaFENpDCsw-unsplash-1024x684.jpg" alt="customized packaging, e-commerce trends." class="wp-image-1262" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bench-accounting-MGaFENpDCsw-unsplash-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bench-accounting-MGaFENpDCsw-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bench-accounting-MGaFENpDCsw-unsplash-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bench-accounting-MGaFENpDCsw-unsplash-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/bench-accounting-MGaFENpDCsw-unsplash-2048x1368.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



You can create free marketing by sending your products in reusable and durable packaging that also includes your logo. This way, your customers will feel more inclined to use your packaging for their own needs, and with your logo on the front, more people will have a chance to see it on display.



More and more businesses are adopting personalized packaging in their strategy. And with the world rapidly shifting towards e-commerce, it will also take its place as one of the e-commerce trends of 2023.



<h2 id="h-7-omnichannel-commerce">7. Omnichannel Commerce</h2>



Omnichannel commerce or omnichannel retail can be defined as the practice of taking a multichannel approach to sales and focusing on providing a flawless customer experience whether the customers are shopping online on any device, or shopping in a traditional retail store. Omnichannel will definitely become one of the top e-commerce trends of 2023.



According to <a href="https://visit.bloomreach.com/state-of-commerce-experience?_ga=2.217424086.1508371057.1639052649-1032516732.1639052649" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">The State of Commerce Experience 2021</a>, 44% of B2C buyers and 58% of B2B buyers state that they always or often research a product online before going to a brick and mortar store. They also continue their online search even while they are physically in the store.&nbsp;



It is becoming increasingly important for business owners to offer a seamless omnichannel shopping experience to their customers. If you also want to get into the world of omnichannel commerce, you can use the omnichannel sales and management features of <a href="https://ikas.com/">ikas</a> to get ahead of the curve.



If you like our pick of top e-commerce trends of 2023, then you should definitely visit our blog to read more!



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/top-9-social-listening-tools-for-online-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 9 Social Listening Tools For Online Businesses</a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://accounts.ikas.com/register?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog_en_cta&amp;utm_campaign=e-commerce-trends"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-1024x538.png" alt="" class="wp-image-26167" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-1024x538.png 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-300x158.png 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-768x403.png 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-24x13.png 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-36x19.png 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1-48x25.png 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-1.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>

Top 7 E-Commerce Trends For 2023

High Profit Business Ideas for 2023 (14 Ideas)

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-Highlight-1024x538.jpg" alt="A women pointing towards the marketing writing on the wall. There are several marketing channels written in post-it notes." class="wp-image-4247" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-Highlight-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-Highlight-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-Highlight-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-Highlight.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Choosing the correct digital marketing channels is essential for <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/top-9-e-commerce-tips-for-small-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">small e-commerce businesses</a>. The marketing budget is always tight, and there are a lot of available channels. Investing in the correct opportunities at the beginning could make all the difference.



Digital marketing has evolved a lot since the first banner ad was published in 1994.&nbsp;



Display ads, static banners, and simple links were once the norm. Now it is possible to deliver personalized, targeted ads depending on the preferences of individuals.&nbsp;



Beyond ads, there are other options to market your brand. Such as <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/seo-best-practices">SEO</a> and social media marketing.



Of course, not all digital marketing methods are created equally. Some are better for short-term goals, while others require a long-term investment to work.&nbsp;



We wrote this article to make choosing a channel easier for you. Below, you can find a list of different marketing channels and their descriptions. If you would like to learn more, read on!



<h2 id="h-what-is-a-digital-marketing-channel">What is a Digital Marketing Channel?</h2>



Digital marketing channels are any communication means that allows you to reach your audience to provide information about your product or services or anything you are trying to convey.



Businesses use digital marketing channels to reach their target audience, prospective clients, and existing customers. They use these platforms to inform their target audience about the recent news about their products or services to engage the customer with their brand. It is possible to use these platforms to create an effective communication channel between your brand and your target audience.



Digital marketing channels allow you to respond to many questions people might have in mind. This way, these individuals will more likely be left with fewer questions.



Of course, not all these channels are the perfect fit for your business goals. Some of them are more functional for particular audiences.



Different digital marketing channels have diverse capabilities. Therefore, you should find and understand which channels you should be utilizing to accomplish your specific objectives.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/how-to-encourage-customers-to-write-reviews">How To Encourage Customers To Write Reviews?</a>



<h2 id="h-why-are-digital-marketing-channels-so-important">Why Are Digital Marketing Channels So Important?</h2>



Digital marketing channels deliver the function that lets you engage with your audience. A notable advantage of digital marketing channels is how easy it is to track your results and engagements.



These channels will support and provide you with the necessary information, tools, and leads to conduct accurate analysis, helping you grow your business.



Digital marketing channels are important because they help us bring traffic to our website and create engagements that will extend sales.



<h2 id="h-how-do-you-select-the-most-effective-marketing-channels">How Do You Select The Most Effective Marketing Channels?</h2>



What is it that you want to achieve with your marketing strategy? Perhaps you&#8217;d like to drive more traffic, more people purchasing your products or services, or brand awareness. Defining your objectives and being clear lays the groundwork for your marketing plan.



Not every digital marketing channel will be suitable for your company.



You might think that a particular digital marketing channel is thriving and is trendy, although it might not be the right one for your target audience. Therefore, not wasting time on that specific channel would save you time and money. You should conduct a proper analysis and not waste your funds.



So how can you develop a marketing plan with a high return on investment, make the best use of the channels and achieve the most profitable results for your company?&nbsp;



A strategy is a foundation for everything to succeed.



Any marketing strategy demands a well-thought-out plan to keep you on the right path. In business, it&#8217;s never a great idea to approach anything with a rush, and marketing is no exception.



Consider the following seven channels when you create your strategy and choose the suitable channels for your company.



<h2 id="h-1-email-marketing">1. Email Marketing</h2>



Email marketing is a great marketing channel for businesses of every size or industry. Any ecommerce website could make use of this method to increase its revenue immediately.&nbsp;



Email marketing returns <a href="https://www.litmus.com/blog/infographic-the-roi-of-email-marketing/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">$36 for every single dollar spent</a>. That is a great return on investment! This method is valuable no matter the size of your business!&nbsp;



Of course, this marketing method is not a stand-alone solution. Email marketing shines when it is complementing, or supporting other marketing methods. You can use this method for the following:



<ul>
<li>Reclaiming abandoned carts by sending automated emails.</li>



<li>Informing your email list about discounts and sales.</li>



<li>Reactivating old customers.</li>



<li>Improving customer relations by newsletters.</li>



<li>Retargeting previous visitors.</li>



<li>Announcing new products or services.</li>



<li>Converting new customers.</li>
</ul>



These are only some of the ways you can use email marketing.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="A computer desktop made out of cardboard, with a mail service screen open." class="wp-image-4258" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



To start email marketing, you will need:



<ul>
<li>An email service provider (ESP)</li>



<li>A way to build your email list</li>



<li>Email templates and copies</li>



<li>An email marketing strategy</li>



<li>Visuals and creatives to support your emails</li>
</ul>



To learn more about email marketing, you can read our <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/email-marketing-guide">email marketing guide</a>.



<h2 id="h-2-social-media-marketing">2. Social Media Marketing</h2>



<a href="https://ikas.com/blog/social-media-marketing-tips" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Social media marketing</a> is one of the greatest methods to increase your brand awareness. Using social media is a must for nearly every brand. 



Social media can help you reach new customers. Even if you are not using it actively, people will look up your social media to learn more about your business. 



There are mainly two types of social media marketing:



<h3>Paid Social Media Advertising: </h3>



These are the paid advertisement methods social media platforms provide for businesses. You choose the creatives and texts you want to display, landings, and the audiences you want to target. You will be charged for each impression or click.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="A phone with social media folder open. There are different social media apps on display." class="wp-image-3982" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Media-Tips-For-Small-Businesses-Extra-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3>Unpaid Social Media Marketing: </h3>



This is a marketing method where you create brand awareness through social media activities. These activities mainly take the form of regular content uploads, community management, and engagement.



Paid social media ads could be a great way to draw in customers. But if you are not careful the money you spend might hurt your profits. So a certain level of expertise is required with paid ads.



On the other hand, unpaid social media marketing strategies can take longer to pay off. But with a consistent strategy, you can create a great digital marketing channel that will boost your brand for years.



Unpaid social media is one of the inbound marketing channels.



<h2 id="h-3-referrals">3. Referrals</h2>



Referrals are a great way to create converting customers. But it is also a hard marketing method to control.&nbsp;



Referrals can take the form of word-of-mouth marketing, comments, linking you on social media or a website, or a good old referral system. In either case, customer satisfaction plays an important role. Unsatisfied customers will not refer you to their friends, it is as simple as that.



There are also other ways to increase your referrals. You could create referral incentives for customers. So they would feel more inclined to mention you to their friends. These incentives can take the form of discounts, gift cards, or in-app currencies.



<h2 id="h-4-paid-search">4. Paid Search</h2>



Paid search marketing, also known as pay-per-click(PPC) and search engine marketing(SEM) is an advertising method where you pay search engines to display your brand in search results.



Mainly, businesses pay to appear on different keywords. When a user searches that keyword, a bid is automatically placed by each business depending on the budget they allocated. Then, businesses are ranked on the SERPs depending on several variables.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="A digital marketing channels analysis screen on Google Analytics." class="wp-image-4264" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



These are:



<ul>
<li>Ad quality</li>



<li>Bid amount.</li>



<li>Format and extensions.</li>



<li>Expected CTR.</li>



<li>Relevance.</li>



<li>Quality of your landing page.</li>
</ul>



Just appearing on the search results ususıally costs nothing. Businesses only pay when a potential shopper clicks on their link.&nbsp;



If you are looking for direct response marketing channels, this is a great option.



<h2 id="h-5-organic-search-seo">5. Organic Search (SEO)</h2>



Search engine optimization(SEO) is the process of implementing certain strategies and techniques to increase the organic search exposure of a website.&nbsp;



Most customers start their search online. They use Google to find the products they want or get information. Appearing on top of the organic results ensures that most of this traffic comes your way.



There are a lot of SEO practices available for marketers. Technical SEO can help you rank higher. You can build backlinks to increase your authority. Optimizing your pages around high-quality keywords is also important.



But you can’t mention SEO without mentioning:



<h2 id="h-6-content-marketing">6. Content Marketing</h2>



Content marketing is the method of creating quality content to:



<ul>
<li>Turn them into leads.</li>



<li>Guide them to your products and services.</li>



<li>Increase your brand awareness.</li>



<li>Improve customer loyalty.</li>



<li>Get more traffic to your website.</li>



<li>Nurture leads.</li>
</ul>



There are different types of content marketing. 



For example, blogging and SEO writing is probably the most well-known method. It can improve your search rankings, while also providing the benefits listed above.



SEO writing is the method of analysing the searches made on search engines and producing content (mainly blog posts) depending on the queries made online.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-seo-content-writing">SEO Content Writing:</h3>



Let’s assume a business selling loose leaf tea wants to get more leads from search engines. The SEO content creation process will look like this:



<ul>
<li>A general analysis to pinpoint relevant keywords.</li>



<li>The analysis finds out that the term “Which type of green tea is better?&#8221; has a high search volume. </li>



<li>The content marketer also finds out that the terms “green tea” and “best type of green tea” are searched online.</li>



<li>To draw this traffic, the content marketer writes a blog post titled “Which type of green tea is better?” Where they also use the terms “green tea” and “best type of green tea”.</li>



<li>If it is done right, the blog post will start appearing on SERPs.</li>



<li>Searchers will click on the article. While reading, some will realize that the website also sells tea. As these users are already interested in tea, some will decide to check out the products.</li>



<li>Some will leave and never return, some will leave but become converting customers later, and others will convert immediately.&nbsp;</li>



<li>If the article is successful, people will spend more time on the page, they will share it with their friends and link it on other domains. These actions will increase the domain authority of the ecommerce store, and the other pages will also appear higher.</li>
</ul>



There are also other content marketing methods. Such as <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-video-marketing">video marketing</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="A women writing a blog post." class="wp-image-4274" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Marketing-Channels-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Even creating content for social media posts or emails can be a part of this marketing method.



Content can be considered the cornerstone of inbound marketing channels.



<h2 id="h-7-affiliate-marketing">7. Affiliate Marketing</h2>



Affiliate marketing is the process of rewarding outside institutions or individuals for each lead or sale they bring to your business by their marketing and sales efforts. These rewards usually take the form of commissions or fixed payments.&nbsp;



The level and size of an affiliate marketing strategy can change a lot depending on the amount of effort or budget you want to spend on it. You can start an <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-guide">affiliate marketing</a> program where everyone can participate, or you can contact institutions that specialize in this digital marketing channel.



<h2 id="h-final-remarks">Final Remarks</h2>



Instead of trying to keep every marketing channel active, focusing on a select few of them will be a better choice at the start.&nbsp;



Social media presence is something you want to establish immediately. Getting the results you want may take some time, so starting earlier is a great choice.



Content marketing is another channel that requires a certain amount of time before it begins providing traffic for your website. So if you are looking for an instant solution, it might not be the best choice.&nbsp;



Paid marketing methods are great if you want to start getting sales right away. But start with a low budget if you are inexperienced, optimizing the perfect paid campaign can take some time.



SEO is crucial, and you need it. Finding an expert for the job or learning it yourself would go a long way!



We hope that our article helped you understand the digital marketing channels that will help you on your journey to success.&nbsp;



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/digital-skills">Digital Skills</a>

Top 7 Digital Marketing Channels For 2023

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg" alt="A board with different SEO best practices and marketing strategies written on it." class="wp-image-5153" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-Highlighted-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-Highlighted-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-Highlighted.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



You have probably heard how SEO can improve your business. People go on and on about how SEO can create boundless organic traffic for your business, and <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/8-ways-to-increase-online-sales" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increase your online sales.</a>  Well, all of this is actually true! A solid SEO strategy can get more traffic to your website. It is also an invaluable <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/digital-marketing-channels" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">digital marketing channel</a> for your business! Of course, there are certain practices you should know to improve your SEO. These are called SEO best practices.



<h2 id="h-what-are-seo-best-practices">What Are SEO Best Practices?</h2>



SEO is a boundless topic. There are different techniques you can use to increase your search engine rankings. SEO best practices are the most essential of these techniques. Basically, they are processes that make crawling, indexing, and understanding your content easier for search engines.



The practices we describe below are mainly for on-page SEO. Which involves the content on your website. Employing these practices will have a positive impact on your page rankings.



<h2 id="h-7-seo-best-practices-for-e-commerce-businesses">7 SEO Best Practices For E-Commerce Businesses</h2>



<h3>1. Target a keyword with high search traffic potential</h3>



The first step of any SEO strategy is to determine keywords. You will spend your time trying to optimize content to rank for keywords. So it is essential to choose keywords with actual potential.



Not all keywords are created equally. Some keywords just don’t have enough traffic to provide you with any exposure. Some keywords on the other hand are just too competitive. They might have great search volume. But it is nearly impossible to rank because of how over-saturated they are.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="Back view of a person working on a laptop with the text SEO PERFORMANCE on display." class="wp-image-5160" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



While looking for keywords you should focus on two metrics:&nbsp;



Average Search Volume: Average search volume is the number of searches a keyword generates per month on average. The ideal search volume will depend on the topic, so there is no rule here. Compare keywords to others in the same niche to understand the expected volume.



SEO Difficulty / Ranking Difficulty: SD(SEO Difficulty) is a score between 1-100 given to a certain keyword to signify how difficult it is to rank on it. The higher the number, the harder it is to rank. As a rule of thumb, a lower number is better as long as there is enough average search volume to justify focusing on it.



<h3>2. Structure your meta title tags</h3>



A meta title tag is a title that is displayed in a Google search. This is the first thing about your content or web page a user will see.



When preparing your title tag you will need to focus on two different aspects.&nbsp;



The user: When a user makes a Google Search they will only see the meta title tag and meta description of each entry. They will most likely ignore the description if your title tag doesn’t pique their interest. Your title tag should be clear and concise. It should state what the user will find inside, and how it can help them. You need to give a reason for users to click on the title!



The algorithm: The algorithm is what brings your web page in front of the user. If you can’t convince the algorithm to display your content, no one will see it, and your web page will be buried. As a rule of thumb, include your primary keyword in your title tag.&nbsp;



<h3>3. Consider the search intent</h3>



Google searches have different intents behind them. Some people want to navigate to a page, while others just want information.



Your web pages should be aiming for certain search intent, and everything from the content within to the title tag should reflect it.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="A cardboard cutout of a search engine homepage" class="wp-image-5163" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



There are mainly 4 types of search intent:



<h4>1. Informational intent</h4>



A user with the informational intent is searching for specific information. For example, they are looking to learn &#8220;how to cook an egg.&#8221;



<h4>2. Navigation intent</h4>



Users with navigational intent want to go to a specific part of the web. Think of writing the name of a website on search engines to navigate to it. 



<h4>3. Transactional intent</h4>



Transactional intent involves wanting to make a purchase or transaction. These users mostly know what they want to buy. They just want to get to the product page.



<h4>4. The commercial investigation</h4>



People with commercial investigation intent are there to mainly compare their options. For example, they could be looking for &#8220;The cheapest lawnmower to buy.&#8221; Or &#8220;the best network streaming devices.&#8221;



<h3>4. Meta descriptions</h3>



The meta description is the piece of text that appears right under the title tag on the search ranking page. Users will see it right after the title tag. So this piece is important to convince users that the content inside is significant.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="Close-up of a woman working on a business tablet." class="wp-image-5166" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



It is also important to consider the length of a meta description. Google usually cuts snippets longer than 155-160 characters. Still, your meta descriptions should be long enough to be descriptive. So aiming for a length of 60-150 characters is a good idea.



You should generally focus on 4 aspects when crafting your meta descriptions.



<ul><li>Accuracy</li><li>Character limit</li><li>Originality</li><li>Call to action</li></ul>



<h3>5. Use a short and clear URL</h3>



URLs are only a minor ranking factor, but they should not be disregarded!&nbsp;



When structuring your URLs you need to focus on two aspects.



<ul><li>First of all, we have the search algorithm. Your URLs should include your main keyword, and they should be concise.</li><li>The second aspect you need to consider is the user. Your URLs should be readable by people, so they will know what to expect if they ever encounter your naked URL. They should be short and reflect the content of the page.</li></ul>



<h3>6. Optimize your images</h3>



The images on your page affect the overall SEO performance. They should be optimized both for the users, and the search engines.&nbsp;



You need to consider several different subjects when optimizing images for SEO.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-video-marketing">What is Video Marketing?</a>



<h4>1. Image format</h4>



There are a lot of image formats you can choose from, but the most common formats for the web are PNG and JPEG. PNG usually produces better quality images but comes with a larger file size. On the other hand, JPEG could reduce the quality, but you can find a good balance between quality and file size.



<h4>2. Compress your images</h4>



Images can slow down your website, that is why you should compress them to increase your page loading speed.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-4-1024x538.jpg" alt="Close-up of a graphic designer working on optimizing images for SEO." class="wp-image-5172" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-4-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-4-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-4-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SEO-Best-Practices-extra-4.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h4>3. Customize the file name</h4>



Search engines consider the file name of your images to classify them, so your file names should include your primary, or secondary keywords depending on the specific image. Try to be descriptive while keeping it short.



<h4>4. Write alt texts</h4>



Alternatives texts appear in place of the images when a page is unable to load them. You need to optimize the alt text to make sure it includes relevant keywords. Also, the alt text should describe what the picture is to help people understand it even when they can’t load the image.



<h3>7. Make your content easier to read:</h3>



Look, nobody likes a big block of text. It is hard to read, it hurts your eyes, and makes reading the whole content seem like an impossible task. So do both yourself and your readers a favour, and structure your content!



Having well-structured content with several headers, bullet points and lists will make it easier for search algorithms to understand what your text is all about. The better an algorithm understands your page, the better it will be able to index it.&nbsp;



While structuring your content, try to divide the subject into subtopics. Create headers with the “[H2]” tag and consider adding a table of contents to make it easier for users to jump to specific sections.



Also, don’t keep your paragraphs too long! Usually, 4-5 lines per paragraph are plenty. Having shorter paragraphs will increase the readability of your content.



<h2 id="h-final-remarks">Final Remarks</h2>



Improving the SEO of your website requires patience and dedication, but in the long haul, it can increase your organic traffic. It can even make other marketing methods seem redundant(they are not). We hope that this article will help you improve your SEO. Thank you for reading!



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-growth-hacking">What is Growth Hacking?</a>

SEO Best Practices for E-Commerce Stores

Being able to reclaim an abandoned cart is what makes or breaks an ecommerce store.&nbsp;There are several techniques you can use to reclaim abandoned carts. And we believe that the best method to reclaim abandoned carts is to write an abandoned cart recovery email!



Customers abandon carts for a variety of reasons. They might want to see the combined prices of all the items they want. Or they might be waiting for their paycheck to finalize their purchase. Maybe they decided that the price is too steep at the last minute. Hell, some people can get distracted mid-purchase and forget they were shopping at all.



No matter what the reason is, reclaiming abandoned carts is nothing new. Most e-commerce businesses expect first-time customers to abandon their carts. Therefore, they develop tactics to counter this event.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-write-abandoned-cart-emails-1024x538.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-25737" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-write-abandoned-cart-emails-1024x538.webp 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-write-abandoned-cart-emails-300x158.webp 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-write-abandoned-cart-emails-768x403.webp 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-write-abandoned-cart-emails-24x13.webp 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-write-abandoned-cart-emails-36x19.webp 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-write-abandoned-cart-emails-48x25.webp 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-to-write-abandoned-cart-emails.webp 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-what-are-abandoned-cart-emails">What are Abandoned Cart Emails?</h2>



Abandonment cart emails work as reminders for shoppers. When you leave your purchase behind, you might get an email reminding you about your abandoned cart. These emails usually try to remind customers about their potential purchases. These emails not only remind shoppers about the items they left in their cart, but they also contain an incentive sometimes, such as discount codes or free shipping.



This email will be sent to your customers after they abandon their carts! The main intention is to make sure they return and complete their purchase.



If you also want to write an abandoned cart email, follow the 6 steps below!



<h2 id="h-1-write-a-great-subject-line">1. Write A Great Subject Line</h2>



The subject line is where the customer decides if they will read your email or not. That is why it is essential to write a great email subject line.



You can follow the steps below to write a great subject line:



<ul>
<li>Keep it short, a typical inbox will only reveal the first 60 characters of a subject line. While a mobile phone shows only the first 25-30 characters.</li>



<li>Place the most important parts first. If you are offering a discount, make sure it is visible on the subject line.</li>



<li>Be clear and specific. Make sure your customers know what to expect even before opening the email.</li>



<li>Use keywords your customers may use to filter or search their inbox.</li>



<li>Never put words in ALL CAPS. It will get their attention, but also annoy them.</li>



<li>Reread and revise. Test if you can.</li>
</ul>



After you have the subject line ready to go, we can finally move on to the body!



<h2 id="h-2-develop-an-on-brand-copy">2. Develop An On Brand Copy</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg" alt="A man writing an abandoned cart email" class="wp-image-6269" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-Highlighted-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-Highlighted-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-Highlighted.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



For customers who have opened the email, your copy needs to be convincing to make them reclaim their cart.



Keep the following in mind:



<ul>
<li>Personalize the email, start by greeting the recipient.</li>



<li>If you are making an offer, or giving a discount, mention it at the beginning.</li>



<li>Keep it short, explain what the customer had in their cart, and why they should reclaim it.</li>



<li>Keep your copy on-brand, make sure it follows your other copies.</li>



<li>End with a call to action.</li>
</ul>



Having a good copy and a subject line are the musts of an email. But they will not be enough to get your customers&#8217; attention. Now, let’s move on to the visual elements!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-ekstra-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="A woman checking abandoned cart emails." class="wp-image-6272" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-ekstra-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-ekstra-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-ekstra-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Abandoned-Cart-Email-ekstra-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-3-include-visuals">3. Include Visuals</h2>



Nowadays, including visuals in your brand emails is a must. Most customers do not have time to read every email they receive, so you might need visuals to get their attention. Here are the steps you can follow to improve your visuals:



<ul>
<li>Summarize the message in the visual. If you are offering a discount, reflect it on the visual.</li>



<li>Include some product pictures. This way your customers will remember what they were purchasing, and why they wanted it.&nbsp;</li>



<li>Adding small motion designs could be a great way to make your emails stand out.</li>
</ul>



<h2 id="h-4-add-ctas">4. Add CTAs</h2>



A call to action (CTA) is a necessary component of any retargeting strategy. And you should include call to action buttons on your abandoned cart emails.



Your CTA’s should directly lead the customer towards the checkout page. Which helps them to easily continue where they left off seamlessly. If you are offering a discount, make sure you reflect that on the CTA, and if you can, apply the discount to the checkout page opened by the CTA button.



<h2 id="h-5-offer-a-discount">5. Offer A Discount</h2>



The best way to make sure that your abandoned cart email closes the sale is to offer a discount to the recipient. It could be the final push a customer needs to make a purchase.



If you are adding a discount, make sure you mention it at the beginning of the email. Mentioning it in the subject line and also referring to it early during the body of the email is always a good idea.



Don’t forget to mention it on the visuals. Just add the discount percentage, along the lines of “30% OFF!” to the visual, or creating a dedicated visual for the discount could be a great way to get the attention of the customer.



<h2 id="h-6-test-and-adapt">6. Test And Adapt</h2>



Testing is always the most important step in marketing.



Create multiple emails and send them out. See which one of them works better and which does not perform well. Always be on the lookout for ways to improve your email. Whether it be a copy, subject line or visuals.



You can try creating different subject lines for the same email and see which one of them gets opened the most. Then, you can try the same subject line with different contents to see which one converts more.



<h2 id="h-final-remarks">Final Remarks</h2>



Sending automated emails is one of the best ways to reclaim abandoned carts. Now you have an idea of how to write an abandoned cart email?



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/email-marketing-guide">What is Email Marketing?</a>

How to Write an Abandoned Cart Email? (6 Steps)

Since the dawn of commerce, merchants have always looked for ways to <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/8-ways-to-increase-online-sales" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increase their sales</a>. Discounts, upselling and cross-selling techniques, psychological tricks, and many other techniques have been invented to achieve that goal.&nbsp;Product bundling is one such technique you can use to increase your sales.



This article will explain the method of product bundling and will discuss the benefits it can create for your business. We will also provide some tips regarding product choice when creating your bundling strategy.



First, let’s start with a definition.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-highlight-1024x538.jpg" alt="an example of product bundling - multiple products bundled together." class="wp-image-3720" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-highlight-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-highlight-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-highlight-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-highlight.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-what-is-product-bundling">What Is Product Bundling?</h2>



Product bundling is a technique where several individual goods or services are sold together as a combined package. The price of the combined package or “bundle” is lower than the total price of each individual good. The main goal is to increase the number of items sold in one purchase while providing customers with a good discount.



Common examples of product bundles are shaving kits, value meals at restaurants, skin-care sets, or make-up sets. Companies mainly sell products that are complementary to each other, or products that are usually bought together.



<h2 id="h-which-products-can-you-bundle">Which Products Can You Bundle?</h2>



The best approach you can take in order to create product bundles is to put goods that complement each other or can be used together in the same deal. Your product bundles should make sense. Putting together unrelated products, like car accessories and hair conditioners will not be a good strategy. As the person who will be interested in one product might be uninterested in the other.



Start with what your customer might need to use with a certain product you are selling. For example, putting a toothbrush and a toothpaste in the same bundle makes sense, as someone who will use one will need the other. Same with a smartphone and a power bank, or a desktop computer and a keyboard.



You can also learn what products you should bundle directly from your customers. With help of customer data and sales analytics, you can find out what each customer buys. Then, you can track which products are usually bought together, or bought by the same individual in close intervals. If there is a certain pattern, you can create a bundle for it! For example, if shoppers are buying a certain shampoo with a certain conditioner, you can bundle them together.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="Multiple clothing items on store shelves." class="wp-image-3723" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-advantages-of-product-bundling">Advantages Of Product Bundling</h2>



Product bundling is a great pricing strategy, as well as an excellent way to upsell and cross-sell a wide range of products.



Creating specialized product bundles will <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/top-9-e-commerce-tips-for-small-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">increase the sale volume of each individual purchase</a>, as well as improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. If customers find out that they can come back to your store, and reliable find bundles they are interested in, they will definitely take notice.



The three main benefits you will reap from a good product bundling strategy are increased sales volume, improved customer experience, and savings on marketing and shipping. We will explain each entry in detail below.



<h3 id="h-increases-sales-volume">Increases sales volume</h3>



Each shopper has a specific price they are willing to spend on a product, we call the difference between that price and what they will actually pay consumer surplus. The main benefit of product bundling is getting the maximum amount of customer surplus. This way, customers will feel like they are getting everything much cheaper, much easier.



Now, when customers feel like they are getting everything for a steal, they are more likely to spend more money. A product bundle is offered at a discounted price, but it will still make your customers buy more. The profit you get from each individual product might be lower, but as the customers are buying more, your sales volume will increase.



One other metric we need to discuss is the average order value.&nbsp;



This metric is a significant variable for the growth and success of any e-commerce business. It signifies the average amount customers spend on each individual order. Bundling strategies will increase your total revenue by improving your AOV.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="A sale sign on a store shelves." class="wp-image-3726" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 id="h-improves-customer-experience">Improves customer experience</h3>



Product bundling increases customer loyalty by providing them with a simpler, more streamlined customer experience. With a good strategy, your customers will have the option to choose products or services that are grouped together with their needs and wants in mind. They will definitely appreciate the ease of being able to buy complementary products at a discounted price.



Product bundling will also remove the need for customers to spend their time <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/find-a-product-to-sell-online" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deciding which product to buy</a>. Options are great, but having too many of them will create what we call analysis paralysis, where a person is unable to take action because they are overwhelmed by all the options available.&nbsp;



By having already grouped together bundles, your customers can buy multiple products they need or might need in the future at the same time. This way the time they need to spend on analyzing their options will be less.



<h3 id="h-save-on-marketing-and-shipping">Save on marketing and shipping</h3>



Product bundling will most likely save you a great amount of money on marketing and shipping since the key aspect of bundling is to sell more items in a single order. When a single person buys several goods in the same transaction, you will be able to ship multiple products together, which will definitely be cheaper than distributing them individually.



When a large purchase is made by a single individual on your site, the pressure to market your business will also decrease. Selling multiple products in the same transaction means that the customer is most probably buying a product that has not been marketed to them by you. So you will be selling some items without marketing costs.



You will also have the option of bundling deadstock items with <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/trending-products-to-sell-online" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">popular items</a>. So instead of creating a discount campaign or marketing strategy just to get rid of your underperforming products, you can use product bundling to get your investment back.



<h2 id="h-6-strategies-for-product-bundling-to-increase-conversion-rate">6 Strategies for Product Bundling to Increase Conversion Rate</h2>



Bundling provides the possibility to increase your revenues significantly. It requires some knowledge and experience to execute it correctly. Here are six suggestions to help you achieve a successful product bundling strategy.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="Someone packaging a product." class="wp-image-3729" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-bundling-extra-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h3 id="h-1-promote-additional-products-with-your-bundles">1. Promote Additional Products With Your Bundles</h3>



Creating product bundles to advertise new products is a fantastic method. Offering discounts for new products with your popular products on the side will attract your customers to buy bundles.



With this strategy, you can easily tell your customers about your latest products and convince them for more purchases if you provide a good discount rate. Bundling will allow you to grow sales without spending extra money on marketing.



<h3 id="h-2-allow-your-customers-to-create-bundles">2. Allow Your Customers to Create Bundles</h3>



You can give the ability to your customers to create their bundles by letting them choose products they would like to purchase by creating a specific catalog.



Letting your customers create bundles themselves is a great way to promote and grow sales. By doing this, you will encourage your customers to buy more. They will add more products to their basket by trying to chase a bigger discount. It will also increase the satisfaction level of your customers.



<h3 id="h-3-offer-a-variety-of-bundles-and-complementary-goods">3. Offer A Variety of Bundles and Complementary Goods</h3>



Offering a variety of bundles will improve your chances of attracting more customers. Try to be clever when you are pairing your products. Avoid randomly pairing products that are not related.



Bundling complementary goods will always be a plus. Complementary goods are products or services that provide value to another product or service. An instance of complementary goods would be a torch and a battery. A torch utilized by batteries is only helpful if we use the battery in it, and thus both products exist with the support of each other and are not worth it without the other. Selling complementary goods will naturally make you sell the other.



<h3 id="h-4-make-sure-that-your-customer-knows-how-much-they-can-save">4. Make Sure That Your Customer Knows How Much They Can Save</h3>



A bundle&#8217;s main selling point is the amount of money a consumer can save. Make sure that your customers know how much more they would save by getting a bundle instead of ordering items separately.



Customers who feel like they had a great deal will be pleased and more likely to revisit your store in the future.



<h3 id="h-5-apply-it-as-a-closing-strategy">5. Apply it As A Closing Strategy</h3>



A buyer may sometimes hesitate to complete a transaction. Offering incredible bundles on your <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-ecommerce">e-commerce</a> site might push the customer&nbsp; to pull the final trigger and decide to buy.



<h3 id="h-6-review-your-data">6. Review Your Data</h3>



Make sure to experiment with your bundles to provide the best possible deals. By comprehending which bundles are selling the most and gathering detailed customer data, you&#8217;ll be able to make better judgments on bundling in the future to maximize your profits.



<h2 id="h-final-remarks">Final Remarks</h2>



Including product bundling in your sales strategy is one of the best things you can do for your business. Anything from food to digital services can be sold in a bundle.



It is also possible to experiment with this strategy. You can allow your shoppers to create their custom bundles, or you can use an algorithm to create custom bundles depending on shopper behavior.



When done properly, you will boost your sales and increase customer satisfaction at the same time.



Related Articles:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/best-photo-editing-software">Best Photo Editing Software</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-print-on-demand">What is Print on Demand?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/dropshipping-guide">What is Dropshipping?</a></li>
</ul>

What is Product Bundling? (6 Tips To Boost Your Business)

As we near the end of 2022, there are certain things to look out for; rising trends in e-commerce, what products are losing popularity, the effects of the pandemic and how long they might last.



Analyzing all of these will help you decide the path you want to take for your online business. We have compiled a list of products that are expected to become trends in 2023 or at least keep their current popularity.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg" alt="A merchant selling trending products to a customer inside his shop." class="wp-image-3180" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-Highlighted-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-Highlighted-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-Highlighted-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-Highlighted.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-best-trending-products-to-sell-in-2023">Best Trending Products To Sell In 2023</h2>



Below, you will find a list of products that we expect to be popular in 2023.



But if you want to learn how to find trending products yourself, you can also take a look at our related article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/find-a-product-to-sell-online">6 Strategies To Find A Product To Sell Online</a>.



<h3 id="h-1-toys">1 &#8211; Toys</h3>



You may think to yourself: “Haven’t toys lost their popularity a long time ago?” While that may make sense on paper, but turns out reality is quite different.



The toys are still one of the trending products of 2023!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="A small girl is looking up toys in the trending products section." class="wp-image-3183" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



In the U.S. alone <a href="https://www.npd.com/news/press-releases/2021/the-npd-group-u-s-toy-industry-sales-experience-11-increase-in-the-third-quarter-of-2021/" rel="nofollow">toy sales increased by 17%</a>, approximately $2.3 billion, in January-September 2021. It is important to note that toys also include many sub-categories like action figures, arts and crafts, and building sets.&nbsp;



While the main reason for their popularity may have been the pandemic, it is expected that the majority of the customers continue their buying habits even after life returns to normal. Toys are not just to play with anymore; they are to collect, showcase, and never open.



<h3 id="h-2-pens-pencils">2 &#8211; Pens &amp; Pencils</h3>



The last few years saw the rise of journaling with people either personalizing regular notebooks via drawings and stickers or buying special notebooks that already include such elements but one factor remains pens and pencils.&nbsp;



This category is especially prevalent today as schools start to reopen and people return to their classes with vigour after spending so long cooped up in their houses. Either way, it seems that screens and keyboards won’t be replacing pen and paper any time soon.



Especially personalized and unusual pens &amp; pencils are some of the trending products of 2023.



<h3 id="h-3-athleisure-wear">3 &#8211; Athleisure Wear</h3>



The pandemic caused many epiphanies, one of which was; sweatpants are really, really comfortable. But, as we go back to normal life, we can’t exactly wear our 10-year-old sweats with holes in the crotch.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-2-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="Athleisure wear on a wooden floor, with a yoga mat, a water bottle, and headphones." class="wp-image-3186" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-2-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-2-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-2-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-2-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Another effect of the pandemic is people are tired of looking dishevelled, so they are willing to spend money on clothes to make up for the lost time, but they also want to be comfortable. This is where athleisure comes in.&nbsp;



We can describe athleisure as sweatpants-but-make-it-chic, or as chic as sweatpants can be. That means tops, pants, jackets, bralettes, sweatshirts, caps, and shoes. This trend doesn’t appear to be leaving anytime soon.



<h3 id="h-4-home-decor">4 &#8211; Home Decor</h3>



We’re talking about the pandemic again, but a historical event like that influences many areas of life, home decor is undoubtedly one of them. Due to lockdowns, people have spent a lot of time indoors.&nbsp;



This coupled with the amount of free time we all had to watch home makeover shows and to browse Pinterest, created the perfect storm.&nbsp;



Carpets, pillows, fairy lights, candles, blankets, and most of all, plants have been wildly popular, and even if the pandemic ends, people’s desire to make their habitats more expressive of who they are, as well as a place they want to spend time in doesn’t seem like it will change. Selling succulents in cute pots has never been more profitable.



<h3 id="h-5-eco-friendly-products">5 &#8211; Eco-Friendly Products</h3>



As more and more companies and organizations announce their new eco-friendly methods and solutions, individual awareness is also on the rise. You can find almost anything in an eco-friendly format; phone cases, forks, spoons, bags, yoga mats, even clothes.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="a group of eco-friendly trending products on display." class="wp-image-3189" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



This trend can only grow as climate change and pollution continue to affect our daily lives. Biodegradable, compostable and eco-friendly alternatives of daily goods are some of the best trending products to sell.



<h3 id="h-6-beauty-products">6 &#8211; Beauty Products</h3>



The popularity of makeup brushes, false nails, hair extensions, wigs, and false lashes will most likely persist for years to come.&nbsp;



The beauty industry may inspire images of colourful eyeshadow palettes and bullets upon bullets of lipstick but there is more to it than just makeup products.&nbsp;



Beauty may never go out of fashion as we may never stop trying to attain it, so why not give the people what they want in 2023?



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://accounts.ikas.com/register?utm_source=organic&amp;utm_medium=blog_en_cta&amp;utm_campaign=trending-products-to-sell-online"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-2-1024x538.png" alt="Build Your Ecommerce Site With ikas" class="wp-image-28170" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-2-1024x538.png 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-2-300x158.png 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-2-768x403.png 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-2-24x13.png 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-2-36x19.png 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-2-48x25.png 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/build-your-ecommerce-site-with-ikas-2.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



<h3 id="h-7-tech-accessories">7 &#8211; Tech Accessories</h3>



Tech accessories were in demand and will be in demand with or without the pandemic. This category includes phone cases, car phone holders, wireless chargers, and smartwatches.&nbsp;



These little gadgets may seem unimportant but they have the potential to make life so much easier and what they all have in common is everyone can make use of them, all they need is a phone. Tech accessories will most likely keep their popularity in 2023.



Tech accessories allow users to personalize their gadgets, and we expect them to be trending products for a long time.



<h3 id="h-8-jewellery-fashion-accessories">8 &#8211; Jewellery &amp; Fashion Accessories</h3>



Earrings, necklaces, rings, brooches, whatever you’re thinking, people are selling. Jewellery and fashion accessories, especially more budget options that are also durable like silver and steel jewellery are in high demand.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-4-1024x538.jpg" alt="a lot of different accessories and jewellery on a wooden surface." class="wp-image-3192" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-4-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-4-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-4-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Trending-products-to-sell-online-ekstra-4.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Alongside these, hair accessories like pins, clips, and headscarves will continue to be trending products to sell online in 2023. We can all thank Instagram and Pinterest for that.



<h3 id="h-9-sport-accessories">9 &#8211; Sport Accessories</h3>



We already talked about eco-friendly yoga mats and smartwatches, but the interest in sports doesn’t begin or end there. 2021 may have seen many attempts at pilates in front of laptop screens, but not all of those attempts have failed.



Adding to that is people’s need to be active after spending the majority of the past two years stationary, and we have ourselves the perfect time to get into sports or sell sports accessories. This category includes bikes, rackets, jumping rope, running shoes, and even water bottles.



<h3 id="h-10-digital-artwork">10 &#8211; Digital Artwork</h3>



Perhaps the most creative of possible products to sell online in 2023 is digital artwork. This category especially appeals to people looking to make money on the side.



We even included selling digital artworks in <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/business-ideas">our list of low-cost business ideas!</a>



You can create your original pieces or interpretations of other media, and you will most likely find an audience for it. As streaming platforms make tv shows and movies from the past and present available to us at all times, possibilities for inspired work are endless.



<a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-ecommerce">E-commerce</a> may be a challenging path but we tried to present you with a guide regarding what products are expected to be popular to sell online in 2023. We hope you can find inspiration and information about what you might want to do on this list and if you find it helpful, don’t forget to share it with your friends!



Related Articles:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/dropshipping-guide">What is Dropshipping?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/best-photo-editing-software">Best Photo Editing Software</a></li>
</ul>

Top 10 Trending Products To Sell Online In 2023

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-highlighted-1024x538.jpg" alt="A woman trying to find a product to sell online" class="wp-image-3124" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-highlighted-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-highlighted-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-highlighted-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-highlighted.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



If you want to find a product to sell online you might realize that it is a hard prospect. There are just so many products to choose from! You can sell handmade goods, digital products, arts, manufactured goods and even foodstuffs!



But sadly, not all products are created equally. Some are just better than others.



Of course, making a list of all the products you can sell would be an impossible task. There are thousands, maybe even millions of different products that are being circulated. But we can do something even better, we can teach you different strategies to find a product to sell online!



After you have found a product and found a <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/business-ideas">business idea </a>you are happy with, you can easily <a href="https://ikas.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">start your online business with ikas</a>!



Below, you can find different strategies that will enable you to find a product to sell online.



<h2 id="h-1-solve-a-problem">1. Solve a problem</h2>



There are certain products that customers want, and there are certain products that customers need. It is always tricky to find out the want, but finding the need is much easier!



What you need to do first is to find a problem. This can be anything. Try to think about what a certain target audience experiences, what their problems are, and what they might need to solve them.



For example, think of what hikers might need. Do they need better, or cheaper shoes? Can you sell them hiking equipment for winter? Maybe some hiking boots with great insulation are what they need!&nbsp; With this process, you can find a product to sell online in no time.



All great innovations come from the needs of consumers. Windows solved the need for more accessible, personal computers. While Apple created a new era of smartphones which were again, easier to use and more streamlined than the alternatives.



Consider the needs of those around you, find their problem, and find a product to solve that specific problem. You can go local, or global.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="a man trying to solve a problem." class="wp-image-3127" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/How-to-find-a-product-to-sell-online-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-2-think-about-your-hobbies">2. Think about your hobbies</h2>



Do you have a specific hobby? Or something that you just really love doing? Then you might be able to find a product to sell online easily!



We have previously talked about solving the problems of others. But maybe the problem you need to solve is the problem you and the people around you have. And your passion or hobbies could be the great starting point you have been looking for!



If there is anything you are happy to do, you can easily start with the problems you have during the process of performing that activity. Maybe there is nowhere around that sells the equipment you need. Or they might be too expensive. There could even be a lack of customizable equipment. List what you would have liked to have, or what could make your hobby even more convenient. Then, think about how you could provide it to yourself, and others that need the same thing.&nbsp;



Selling something you are passionate about is also great to increase your motivation for your job. You might not be performing your passion for money, but at least you are doing something related to it! And the people you will be working with will also be passionate about it, so your community will also have a common interest with you.



<h2 id="h-3-consider-your-experience">3. Consider your experience</h2>



Sometimes the best products to sell are the ones you are experienced with. Consider your work history, your education, or your hobbies, and list the products that you know very well. Having some experience with the field or the product itself could provide you with the competitive edge you need.&nbsp;



Being knowledgeable about the products you sell is a great boon. First of all, it increases the trust your customers have with you. Everybody likes to shop from the people who are experienced with the products.&nbsp;



Leveraging your experience could be great for professional goods. For example, if you have worked as a chef for years, you would be better at choosing professional kitchen equipment. So you would know what to sell, and what not to sell. Your customers will also feel better shopping from someone who knows their equipment.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="find a product to sell online , two people talking near a board." class="wp-image-3130" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-4-search-keywords">4. Search keywords</h2>



Searching for keywords with different keyword tools is one of the best ways to see what people are looking for!



When shopping for a certain product, most people will start their search on the web. The majority of shoppers will compare the prices of goods online even while in a brick-and-mortar store. So the volume certain searches have will indicate the demand for that product.



You can use Google Keyword Planner or similar tools to determine the search traffic of certain keywords. Start by the name of the product in your mind, and then narrow it down by adding the specific features.



<h2 id="h-5-find-hobbyists">5. Find hobbyists</h2>



There are tons of hobbies out there, and a lot of them require specialized equipment. Better yet, most hobbyists enjoy spending the money on the items they want!! Aiming for niche hobbies could even open up a very low competition market to you.



Consider the niche hobbies you or those around you are interested in. Then, determine the ones that require some extra equipment or products to be performed. The best way to learn what hobbyists need is to find their specific forums, message boards, Facebook pages, and Reddit boards. Then, you can just read the posts to see what they want to buy!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="how to find a product to sell online, two hobbyists." class="wp-image-3133" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/product-to-sell-online-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-6-try-out-your-talents">6. Try out your talents</h2>



Do you have any talents or skills that will enable you to create something by yourself? This can be anything from handmade accessories to digital art! If so, why not use your talent to make your products to sell!



The list of goods you can make is huge! You can create handcrafted products from scratch, or you can take a manufactured product and customize it! Or you can make artworks, even digital ones!&nbsp;



Creating your products will give you a lot of control over what you sell. But they are also harder to scale, as each specific product will need you to spend time on it.



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<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/trending-products-to-sell-online">Trending Products To Sell Online</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-entrepreneurship">What is Entrepreneurship?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-ecommerce">What is E-Commerce?</a></li>



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6 Strategies To Find A Product To Sell Online

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/soft-skills-for-entrepreneurs-1024x538.jpg" alt="soft skills for entrepreneurs" class="wp-image-4191" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/soft-skills-for-entrepreneurs-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/soft-skills-for-entrepreneurs-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/soft-skills-for-entrepreneurs-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/soft-skills-for-entrepreneurs.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



We all know how important hard, technical skills are. Those who have enough technical skills to create software are in high demand, so do people who can draw up financial plans for entire businesses. These skills can land you jobs, or help you start your own business! But there are also soft skills that can help you climb the ladder of success. Especially if you want to become an entrepreneur. These soft skills are what separates most people from entrepreneurs.



To help you understand which soft skills you should focus on, we have compiled a list of 5 soft skills every entrepreneur should have to succeed in their business endeavours.



<h2 id="h-1-growth-mindset">1. Growth Mindset</h2>



Probably the most important aspect of a successful entrepreneur is their mindset. You can have all the charm and technical skills you want, but without the correct mindset, your full potential will never be unleashed. That is why the first soft skill that an entrepreneur should have is a growth mindset.



The growth mindset is a term coined by Stanford professor Carol Dweck. According to her, this mindset is defined as the belief that with enough determination, effort and self-drive, people can improve themselves beyond their natural capabilities.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="Entrepreneurs talking amongst themselves." class="wp-image-4195" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Simply put, those without the growth mindset will believe that their abilities are near-static. If they are unsuccessful at a certain subject, they will stay unsuccessful at that. While people with the growth mindset will understand that failing is only the process of learning.



This also extends beyond the self and affects how we see other people.



Those who have the growth mindset will know that people can improve themselves given the right tools and the right mindset. So when selecting partners and employees, they will focus on the ability to grow, instead of their current situation.



<h2 id="h-2-teamwork">2. Teamwork</h2>



We mostly picture entrepreneurs as successful loners, those who go without a pack, simply lone wolves. Modern media and almost cult entrepreneur personalities make it seem like they are a one-person company, where they do everything that needs to be done by themselves.



But most entrepreneurs who are in the early stages of success will tell you one simple thing: teamwork is dreamwork.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="People working together." class="wp-image-4199" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



One person cannot master all the elements of a business, and can’t micromanage everything as the company grows. In a scalable, growing business, the entrepreneur should know how to function in a team.



This can show itself as being able to delegate responsibilities without micromanaging, judging each point of view fairly without asserting that theirs is the most important, and being able to help those in the team who need guidance.



<h2 id="h-3-persuasion">3. Persuasion</h2>



Being able to convince and persuade is a skill everyone needs in the business world. If you can’t convince your customers to buy your product, or a potential employee to work with you, you won’t be able to go far.



The best entrepreneurs are usually those who manage to persuade those around them. This can be persuading their partners and employees to believe in them, or convincing investors to invest in them.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-5-1024x538.jpg" alt="Two women talking." class="wp-image-4208" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-5-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-5-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-5-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-5.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



You may think that persuasion is a static ability, but as we have mentioned in the first entry, believing that you can improve yourself is the first step.



There are many videos, blog posts, books and courses that teach people how to be more persuasive. So if you find yourself lacking in persuasion, start searching on YouTube for training videos!



<h2 id="h-4-ability-to-adapt">4. Ability to Adapt</h2>



Starting, growing or stabilizing a new business is not an easy task. And it will be full of unforeseen circumstances.



Employees will quit, new global situations may affect your business, partners may decide to follow other pursuits etc. A lot can change, and a lot can affect a business. Being able to adapt, and take action during turbulent times is an important ability for every entrepreneur.



Instead of stressing over the new circumstances, accept them fully, and immediately start thinking of ways to make the situation better. Note what created this problem, and how you can prevent it in the future.



<h2 id="h-5-critical-thinking">5. Critical Thinking</h2>



Critical thinking is the ability to actively analyse, synthesise and evaluate received information. It is simply the ability to correctly process all the information received, without letting your emotions cloud your judgement.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-6-1024x538.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4212" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-6-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-6-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-6-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Entrepreneurs-6.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



As an entrepreneur, you will receive a lot of information from a variety of different sources, and you will be expected to make decisions based on it.



These decisions can be anything from determining the path your business will take, deciding on how to spend your budget, choosing who to hire, and deciding if you should pivot your entire company or not.



To make these decisions wisely, you will need to develop your critical thinking abilities.



Related Articles:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/brand-awareness-101-how-to-measure-it">How to Measure Brand Awareness?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-ecommerce">What is E-Commerce?</a></li>
</ul>

5 Soft Skills Every Entrepreneur Should Have

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Highlighted.-1024x538.jpg" alt="What is Metaverse?" class="wp-image-1497" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Highlighted.-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Highlighted.-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Highlighted.-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Highlighted..jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The term metaverse has become the favourite buzzword of 2022.&nbsp;And this is making people ask the same question: What is metaverse?



Since Mark Zuckerberg announced that they will be <a href="https://www.theverge.com/22588022/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-ceo-metaverse-interview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">a metaverse first company</a>, and changed the name of the company from Facebook to Metaverse Platforms, the internet has been teeming with questions and articles related to the platform.



But the truth is, it is hard to find a solid answer about what metaverse is. There are a lot of speculations and news about the potential of the platform, but no real information.



In this article, we will try to give you a quick rundown on what is metaverse, and its current situation.



<h2 id="h-highlights">Highlights:</h2>



<ul><li>Metaverse is a term that was first used by Neal Stephenson’s 1992 sci-fi novel Snow Crash.</li><li>Metaverse refers to technologies and platforms that enable people to experience and socialize in a virtual space from the first-person perspective.</li><li>Right now, certain technologies or platforms can be considered a primitive version of the metaverse, but something we can truly consider a metaverse is not out yet.&nbsp;</li><li>Metaverse can create its economy, and we will most likely see a metaverse based real-estate industry.</li><li>Blockchain and NFT technologies will most likely be present in the metaverse.</li><li>Metaverse has the potential to change the way we experience ecommerce.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-1-what-is-metaverse">1. What Is Metaverse?</h2>



If you have been wondering about what is metaverse, then sadly there is no quick answer. But we can start explaining from the beginning:



The term metaverse was first coined by Neal Stephenson’s 1992 sci-fi novel Snow Crash. In his world, the Metaverse was a virtual reality that people could experience as programmable avatars.&nbsp;



Stephenson’s metaverse was an urban environment developed along a 100-meter wide road named the Street. The world itself was a large, spherical, featureless planet.&nbsp;



In the real world metaverse is a complicated name. Right now, we don’t know what it will exactly refer to, as the real technologies that will be the building blocks of the future metaverse are still not clear, and we don’t know the shape it will take. It could refer to social media platforms that can be experienced in first-person, or as Mark Zuckerberg claims it, it can be an <a href="https://www.theverge.com/22588022/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-ceo-metaverse-interview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">embodied internet</a>.&nbsp;



In short, there is no clear metaverse yet. It is a term used to describe a&nbsp; potential virtual space that can be a social media platform or a new version of the internet.&nbsp;And the answer to the question &#8220;What is metaverse?&#8221; might change in the future.



<h2 id="h-2-how-will-the-metaverse-affect-us">2. How Will The Metaverse Affect Us?</h2>



Metaverse can change our lives in a variety of ways. Or it can be a term that will be forgotten in the future. It all depends on how the platform itself will be developed, and how well it will be adopted by the people.



When talking about future technology, we can only make assumptions. So there are a lot of possible outcomes.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra.-1024x538.jpg" alt="what is metaverse?" class="wp-image-1503" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra.-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra.-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra.-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra..jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Here are a few of them:



<ul><li>Metaverse can become a new version of the internet. A virtual space where people can socialize, learn, research, or even work. &nbsp;</li><li>Metaverse can be a supplementary technology to the internet. Where people can log in to simulate face-to-face connections.</li><li>Metaverse can turn out to be a social media platform we can experience in first-person.&nbsp;</li><li>Or it can turn into a buzz that never gets fully adopted by the general public.&nbsp;</li></ul>



Metaverse doesn’t necessarily need to become a new replacement to the internet or social media platforms to be considered a successful technology. It can just be a tool we use to stimulate face-to-face interactions or meetings. There are various future applications, and the definition of metaverse will possibly change in the future depending on how the general public adopts it.



<h2 id="h-3-when-will-metaverse-arrive">3. When Will Metaverse Arrive?</h2>



As we have stated above, the metaverse is not ready yet. Some VR experiences can be seen as primitive metaverse technologies, or some digital platforms/games that can be seen as non-VR, metaverse-like simulations (games like Second Life). But none of them is at a level where they can replace social media platforms or the internet.



Right now there are several platforms in development that are seen as possible metaverses.



Facebook announced that they will be focusing on <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/29/technology/meta-facebook-zuckerberg.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">developing a metaverse</a> and the first commercially available version is expected to be released in 2022. Horizon Worlds developed by Meta Platforms can be seen as a prototype for future metaverses, but many of the virtual reality features announced <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/facebook-meta-name-new-metaverse-b1947245.html">remain to be developed</a>.



Microsoft acquired AltspaceVR in 2017 and has since implemented several features that we might expect from a metaverse. Such as adding virtual reality meetings into Microsoft Teams.



<h2 id="h-4-metaverse-and-e-commerce">4. Metaverse And E-Commerce</h2>



Metaverse can be a revolutionary tool that changes human interaction forever, or it could just be a new cool technology to supplement our existing digital infrastructure.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-2.-1024x538.jpg" alt="What is metaverse? Extra 2." class="wp-image-1506" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-2.-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-2.-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-2.-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-2..jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



But no matter which shape it takes, there will always be a commercial aspect to this technology. Companies are investing large sums of money to develop a working metaverse, and they wouldn’t be doing it if there was no potential monetary gain.



Ecommerce can take a variety of forms in the metaverse. There could be <a href="https://ikas.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ecommerce stores</a> where you could visit and experience as you would a physical store. You might be able to buy different products for your metaverse avatar, decorative items for your virtual property, as well as normal, non-virtual products.



<h2 id="h-5-virtual-property">5. Virtual Property</h2>



Virtual property is also an aspect we will need to consider. If the metaverse turns out to be a virtual reality with finite space, then there will be a market for digital real estate. People could buy, sell and rent space in this reality.&nbsp;



There is a real possibility of the metaverse becoming an almost second reality. A space where people run businesses, showcase digital or advertise their businesses could easily create a virtual real estate market.



Who knows, maybe we will see the days where “virtual real estate agent” becomes a trending career.



<h2 id="h-6-blockchain-and-metaverse">6. Blockchain And Metaverse</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-3.-1024x538.jpg" alt="What is Metaverse?" class="wp-image-1509" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-3.-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-3.-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-3.-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/What-Is-Metaverse-Extra-3..jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



There are a lot of ways blockchain technology can be implemented into the metaverse. Any comment we make on this issue again will be a speculation, but we can expect:



<ul><li>A blockchain-based cryptocurrency to become the currency of virtual reality.</li><li>All artworks in the metaverse to be NFTs.</li><li>Transactions and property to be authenticated with blockchain technology.</li></ul>



<h2 id="h-final-remarks">Final Remarks</h2>



Metaverse is not here yet, but when it comes, it might change how we perceive the digital world fundamentally. Or it could just be a buzz that comes and doesn’t change anything.



In any case, we will see virtual reality-based technologies more in the near future. Ecommerce stores have already started to offer virtual experiences to shoppers, and VR games are gaining traction.&nbsp;



A VR internet or social media which could connect all these elements could be the true metaverse.



If you were asking &#8220;what is metaverse?&#8221;, we hope that our article managed to answer that question!



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/digital-marketing-channels">Digital Marketing Channels</a>

What Is Metaverse? (Simple and Detailed Guide)

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/eng-1024x512.jpg" alt="we have raised $3.5M in seed funding!" class="wp-image-6486" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/eng-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/eng-300x150.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/eng-768x384.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/eng.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



We have excellent news for you today!



ikas has raised $3,5M in seed funding with the participation of <a href="https://500.co/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">500 Global</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://revo.vc/">Revo Capital</a>, <a href="https://www.oyakyatirim.com.tr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Oyak Yatırım</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://finberg.com.tr/#/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Finberg</a> and other significant global investors. Existing investors <a href="https://www.qnbeyondventures.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">QNBEYOND VENTURES</a>&nbsp;and the CEO of United Payment&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/isozdinler/">İlker Sözdinler </a>also participated.



We are incredibly proud to be supported by such amazing investors, customers, partners and followers. Thank you, for believing in us, believing in what we have built and what we will become. With the new seed funding, we will continue to expand our team and develop the new generation e-commerce infrastructure ikas!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="512" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/investors_1-1-1-1024x512.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6489" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/investors_1-1-1-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/investors_1-1-1-300x150.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/investors_1-1-1-768x384.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/investors_1-1-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-what-are-we-doing-with-the-new-funding">What are we doing with the new funding?</h2>



We will continue to develop ikas and provide new generation e-commerce solutions with our new funding.&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>We are constantly adding new features and integrations to make international commerce easier.</li>



<li>International marketplace integrations will be here soon! (Etsy, Zalando, Allegro etc.)</li>



<li>We are planning more logistics, ERP, fintech and marketing integrations, especially in the UK and Germany.</li>



<li>We will soon announce a new project about NFT exchange!</li>
</ul>



<h2 id="h-why-choose-ikas">Why choose ikas?</h2>



Our first priority as ikas is to provide all the features SMB’s and entrepreneurs need to grow their business.



And most importantly, we want these features to be easy to access, learn, and use.&nbsp;



We developed ikas to allow anyone to start their e-commerce and international commerce journey.&nbsp;



In short, with ikas you can build your e-commerce store without coding, design it however you want, manage it easily, and grow your business internationally.&nbsp;



And you can do all these while being independent.



<h2 id="h-the-future-of-ecommerce">The future of ecommerce</h2>



We would like to express our gratitude again to our investors, partners, customers and everybody who has supported us.&nbsp;



As <a href="https://ikas.com/">ikas</a>, we want to determine the future of e-commerce, not just keep up with it.&nbsp;



So, let’s keep going towards the future!



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/ikas-november-update-is-live">ikas November Update is Live!</a>

With $3.5M in funding, we are picking up speed in Europe!

<h2 id="h-what-is-community-management">What is Community Management?</h2>



Community Management is about building communities for your clients, followers or staff. It involves establishing a genuine and engaging atmosphere around your brand. Community Management helps you build brand awareness and expands your target audience.



<h2 id="h-why-is-community-management-important">Why is Community Management Important?</h2>



A solid community management plan offers a wide range of advantages.&nbsp;



Community Management would help you establish and strengthen your brand&#8217;s reputation. It would boost participation from your audience and make it easier for your brand to get recognized. Community management sets growth possibilities for brands. Businesses spend significant resources on how to expand their audience and customers. Yet, it is also essential to ensure that you maintain the interest and commitment of your existing clients. Community management is the key to achieving that. Community Management brings people together to build communities where there isn&#8217;t any around.&nbsp;



Besides, a community management strategy can help you get information from your existing and potential customers to understand their needs and expectations. Community Management keeps your brand credible and relevant. This allows businesses to stay successful in the long run.



Brands improve customer service by offering individualized support. You can directly communicate with your audience through social media channels. Interacting with users puts you in a great position to humanize your brand, which is better than relying on chatbots or automated responses. A proper community management strategy enhances the credibility of your brand and makes it reliable.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-Highlighted-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="Community management for brands" class="wp-image-5852" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-Highlighted-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-Highlighted-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-Highlighted-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-Highlighted-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Brand communities and community management existed before the advent of the internet. But the communication between a brand and the customers used to be a one-way street. Brands published their advertisements, and customers bought their goods. The channels customers could use to respond were limited. The rise of<a href="https://ikas.com/blog/social-media-marketing-tips" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> social media</a> changed everything.



Now customers can easily voice their opinions by using a multitude of social platforms. And these platforms are usually visible to anyone. They can’t be ignored like an <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/email-marketing-guide" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a>, because hundreds, even thousands of people can see the unanswered tweets and posts.&nbsp;



The back and forth answering of these comments and social media messages gave rise to brand communities, where people gather online to <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/brand-awareness-101-how-to-measure-it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discuss a brand</a>, create experiences, and engage with both each other and the company team.



These communities can give the customers a sense of belonging. They can also be a great way to create free <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/digital-marketing-channels" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marketing opportunities</a>.



To make community management easier, we have created a 6 step guide on how to create a loyal brand community!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-1-1024x538.jpg" alt="Community management, people with thought bubbles." class="wp-image-5859" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-1.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-1-find-the-right-platforms-for-your-brand-community">1. Find the right platforms for your brand community</h2>



There are so many social media platforms to choose from. But not all of them will be the right fit for your target audience. So if you want to create a vibrant community around your brand, you need to find the platforms where your target audience feels comfortable.



Consider your social media accounts, the type of people your customers are, their interests, and the typical platforms they probably have used before.&nbsp;



For visually appealing products and brands, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest are great choices. Twitter and Instagram can also be great platforms to create some funny content to delight your audience, or they can be a place for educational tips.



Facebook is usually better with older audiences. Younger generations are a bit distant to Facebook, but it is still a good idea to remember that it is a powerful platform. A company page or a group can go a long way.



Creating a Discord channel can be a great way to engage in conversations with your already existing community, especially for younger generations. This way they can have conversations without your team having to jump in.



Consider the platforms available to you, and focus on the ones that your audience uses the most.



<h2 id="h-2-create-content-for-your-community">2. Create content for your community</h2>



Yep, you can’t expect to have a presence on the internet without creating content. This is doubly true for community management. If you have no content, there is nothing for your community to engage with.



The best way to turn your audience into a community is to share valuable content. The more experiences you create for your audience, the more they will have in common.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-2-1024x538.jpg" alt="Influencer creating content for community management." class="wp-image-5862" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-2-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-2-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-2-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-2.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Creating common experiences is the cornerstone of any community. And by creating the spark in the form of content, you will be giving your audience both something to hold in common and something to expand upon.



Consider the following options when creating content:



<ul>
<li>Educational videos</li>



<li>Blog posts</li>



<li>Videos/pictures from your office or team</li>



<li>Memes and funny content regarding your business, community or services</li>



<li>Industry tips</li>



<li>Webinars</li>



<li>Newsletters</li>
</ul>



<h2 id="h-3-be-consistent">3. Be consistent</h2>



To create a long-lasting, consistent community, you need to be consistent yourself too.&nbsp;



Make a schedule about when you will post, and what you will post. Your community will appreciate knowing when to expect the new video or blog post to come out. The more specific you can be with your schedule, the better.&nbsp;



Continue posting and creating content even if you don’t see much engagement. Don’t stop just because the results are not what you expect. Most communities don’t see a large growth until they have a significant backlog of content ready and waiting for newcomers.



Create weekly events where you or your team takes their time to engage with the brand community. These can be Q&amp;A sessions, Discord chat hours, Reddit AMAs etc.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-4-sincerity-is-key-for-your-brand-community">4. Sincerity is key for your brand community</h2>



The fastest way to lose your community is to not be sincere with them. People appreciate transparency and sincerity, and they expect the community they will be a part of to be open with them.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-3-1024x538.jpg" alt="A man and a woman hanging out." class="wp-image-5865" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-3-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-3-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-3-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-3.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



If you want to find out how to be sincere with your community without breaking your brand identity, consider the following steps:



<ul>
<li>Never lie to your community.</li>



<li>Be open about the situation of your business without giving too much information.</li>



<li>Don’t act like you don’t have a financial incentive.</li>



<li>If you promise something, deliver.</li>



<li>If you can’t fulfil your promise, apologise.</li>



<li>Inform your community if your content or products is going to be delayed.</li>
</ul>



<h2 id="h-5-give-incentives-to-join-and-engage">5. Give incentives to join and engage</h2>



If you are reading this article, you most likely have a financial incentive to learn community management. You might be working for someone else, you might be considering opening your ecommerce store, or you might already have a business. In either case, you are not building a community for free. So don’t always expect your customers to do the same.



You will have loyal customers who will join your community without any incentive, but there will always be a large portion of your target audience that will require a little push.



The incentives can provide just that!&nbsp;



You can offer discounts to join a Discord channel, or following a social media account.&nbsp;



Creating events with incentives can also be a great way to build your community. These can be giveaways, contests, or flash social media sales.



<h2 id="h-6-be-patient">6. Be patient</h2>



Creating a vibrant brand community can take some time. So being patient is important.



Think of your community as a jet engine. There will be a long check-up and warm-up process even before you can start moving on the runway. And then you will need to build momentum on the ground before you can fly.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-4-1024x538.jpg" alt="A clock on a wooden platform." class="wp-image-5868" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-4-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-4-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-4-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Community-Management-extra-4.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



So, the first steps of community building will not always be exciting. Your first videos might be watched by only a handful of people, and your Discord channel might only consist of 10-20 members at first. But have patience, and keep working on it. Once your community gains momentum, you will be surprised at how fast it grows.



<h2 id="h-final-remarks">Final Remarks</h2>



Building a brand community can be a great way to increase customer loyalty. It can also be a great way to create free marketing opportunities.



Content, consistency, engagement, patience and sincerity are a must. Make sure you tick those boxes, and you will be set to go! Then, it is a matter of long term community management.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/top-9-e-commerce-tips-for-small-businesses">E-Commerce Tips For Small Businesses</a>

Community Management in 6 Steps (2023 Guide)

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="538" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Listening-Highlights-1024x538.jpg" alt="A business woman looking at the analytics data of social listening tools." class="wp-image-4390" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Listening-Highlights-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Listening-Highlights-300x158.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Listening-Highlights-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Social-Listening-Highlights.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Social media is a great tool to help your business grow. But failing to manage your presence can have negative consequences. Knowing what people are saying about your brand can create opportunities. To do that, you need to track your social media presence. There are several tools that can help you achieve that goal. We call them social listening tools.



In this article, we will provide you with a list of great b. Using them can help you manage your brand. Which will no doubt improve your marketing.



<h2 id="h-what-is-social-listening">What Is Social Listening?</h2>



Social listening is the process of monitoring your brand&#8217;s social media presence for customer feedback, direct mentions, and conversations about your relevant keywords, competitors, subjects, or industries.



Being able to track them will help you improve your brand presence.



<h2 id="h-what-are-social-listening-tools">What Are Social Listening Tools?</h2>



Social listening tools help you monitor multiple social media platforms from a single point. This way you can easily check the mentions of your brands and manage your presence.



These tools will also allow you to schedule posts and manage social media accounts.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/social-media-marketing-tips">Social Media Marketing Tips</a>



<h2 id="h-the-best-social-listening-tools-for-online-businesses">The Best Social Listening Tools For Online Businesses:</h2>



<h3 id="h-1-brand24">1. Brand24</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="462" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.07.04-1024x462.jpg" alt="The landing page of social listening tool Brand24." class="wp-image-4393" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.07.04-1024x462.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.07.04-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.07.04-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.07.04-1536x693.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.07.04.jpg 1643w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<a href="https://brand24.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Brand24</a> is a social listening platform. And it provides information about what people are saying online about your brand.



With the Mentions Feed, Brand24 allows you to see mentions of your brand in real-time. And allows you to take immediate action via its dashboard.&nbsp;



Features such as mention analytics, influence score and sentiment analysis allow users to categorize mentions easily and understand what they should focus on.



Brand24 offers a wide price range, starting from $49 for the Individual Package, to $249 for the Enterprise Package.



<h3 id="h-2-buzzsumo">2. BuzzSumo</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.09.11-1024x420.jpg" alt="The landing page of social media management tool BuzzSumo." class="wp-image-4397" width="1024" height="420" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.09.11-1024x420.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.09.11-300x123.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.09.11-768x315.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.09.11.jpg 1451w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



BuzzSumo describes itself as a content analysis tool. But it is also a great tool to use for social media listening.



With <a href="https://buzzsumo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">BuzzSumo,</a> you can find all content related to a search term on the web. You can use it to research all the mentions your brand has on the web.&nbsp;



However, it doesn’t only show you the content itself. You can also see the number of engagements that content has. So you can see engagement figures for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, etc.



The Pro Plan for BuzzSumo is $99 per month. While the most expensive plan is $299 per month.



<h3 id="h-3-buffer">3. Buffer</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="569" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.11.22-1024x569.jpg" alt="The landing page of Buffer." class="wp-image-4400" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.11.22-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.11.22-300x167.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.11.22-768x427.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.11.22.jpg 1472w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<a href="https://buffer.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Buffer</a> is a social listening tool and management platform all rolled into one. With Buffer, you can find social media discussions that are most important for your brand. Then, you can join in to immediately take action&nbsp;



The tool offers a centralized dashboard where you can see replies, post content, and engage directly with the brand’s audience.



You can use it to plan effective social media campaigns. Also to analyze audience behaviour and integrate multiple platforms to manage them from a single screen.&nbsp;



The paid Buffer packages start at $5 per social media channel. The Team package costs $10 per month, and the Agency package is offered at $100/month per 10 social channels.



<h3 id="h-4-tailwind">4. Tailwind</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="537" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.12.20-1024x537.jpg" alt="The landing page of marketing tool tailwind." class="wp-image-4403" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.12.20-1024x537.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.12.20-300x157.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.12.20-768x403.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.12.20.jpg 1416w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<a href="https://www.tailwindapp.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Tailwind</a> allows you to schedule posts for Instagram and Pinterest. You can schedule content to auto-post, or use Smart Scheduler to find the ideal times to share content with the best hashtags for the subject.



You can also use it as a social listening tool by managing and reporting all the aspects of your Pinterest and Instagram presence.



The Pro package costs $19.99 per month, while the Advanced package costs $49.99 per month.



<h3 id="h-5-agorapulse">5. Agorapulse</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="490" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.13.27-1024x490.jpg" alt="The landing page of Agorapulse." class="wp-image-4406" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.13.27-1024x490.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.13.27-300x143.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.13.27-768x367.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.13.27-1536x735.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.13.27.jpg 1909w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<a href="https://www.agorapulse.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Agorapulse</a> is a social media management and social listening software that allows you to unify your inboxes.



With this tool, you can manage your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube accounts from a single dashboard.



You can also use it to discover feedback from customers, and search brand mentions, as well as to manage ad comments.&nbsp;



The Pro Plan for Agorapulse costs $99 per month, while the Premium Plan costs $199/month. There are also customer prices available for enterprises.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-6-brandmentions">6. BrandMentions</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="549" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.14.50-1024x549.jpg" alt="The landing page of BrandMentions." class="wp-image-4412" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.14.50-1024x549.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.14.50-300x161.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.14.50-768x411.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.14.50-1536x823.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.14.50.jpg 1803w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<a href="https://brandmentions.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">BrandMentions</a> scans every corner of the internet to find all relevant mentions about your brand.&nbsp;



Basically, it can monitor everything that is being said about your brand on the internet and social media.&nbsp;



This social listening tool allows you to engage with your customers and manage your brand reputation by providing great insights into your target market.&nbsp;



You can start using BrandMentions for $99 per month with the Growing Business plan. While the most expensive plan, Enterprise/Agency, costs $499 per month.



<h3 id="h-7-hootsuite">7. Hootsuite</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="419" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.16.33-1024x419.jpg" alt="Landing page of Hootsuite." class="wp-image-4415" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.16.33-1024x419.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.16.33-300x123.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.16.33-768x314.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.16.33-1536x629.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.16.33.jpg 1778w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Hootsuite is a well known social media management tool, but social media listening is not a part of their Hootsuite Platform. For that, they have a separate tool called <a href="https://www.hootsuite.com/products/insights" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Hootsuite Insights</a>.



This social listening tool allows you to measure the social sentiment surrounding your brand. So you can spot what each segment thinks about your brand.



And you are not only limited to social media platforms. With Hootsuite Insights, you can “listen” to discussions on different parts of the web. Such as blogs, news sites and forums.



Like with most social listening tools, you can get real-time data to your dashboard. You can also set alerts for unusual spikes in sentiment or volume.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-8-keyhole">8. Keyhole</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="399" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.18.04-1024x399.jpg" alt="Keyhole homepage." class="wp-image-4418" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.18.04-1024x399.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.18.04-300x117.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.18.04-768x299.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.18.04-1536x598.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.18.04.jpg 1772w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<a href="https://keyhole.co/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Keyhole</a> is a social listening tool that allows you to get relevant data instantly.&nbsp;It does that by automating your reports.



The tool also provides the ability to track keywords, hashtags and influencers. While advanced plans include additional features, such as sentiment analysis, media moderation, and advanced analytics.&nbsp;



But without a doubt, the main selling point of the platform is the ability to access social analytics and reporting easily. Being able to monitor and post in real-time is a great benefit too.&nbsp;



Keyhole offers custom pricing depending on the company&#8217;s size and needs.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-9-mention">9. Mention</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="561" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.19.24-1024x561.png" alt="Mention landing page." class="wp-image-4421" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.19.24-1024x561.png 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.19.24-300x164.png 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.19.24-768x420.png 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-10.19.24.png 1518w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<a href="https://mention.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">Mention</a> allows users to track content sources across numerous languages. With that, you can find brand mentions all over the entire world.&nbsp;



You can also choose which content to filter out or focus on, so you can pay attention to discussions that actually matter.&nbsp;



You can also use Mention to compare your brand agains competitors, so you can ensure that your content is always in top shape.&nbsp;



The cheapest Solo plan costs $29, while the ProPlus plan costs $199 per month.



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/what-is-video-marketing">What is Video Marketing?</a>

Top 9 Social Listening Tools For Online Businesses

We are constantly improving the ikas e-commerce platform by adding new features that enable e-commerce merchants to increase their sales quickly and efficiently.



This month we have added new filters, sorting options, employee permissions, and much more. Let’s take a detailed look at the new features.



<h2 id="h-new-shipping-rules">New Shipping Rules 📦</h2>



We have renewed the shipping rules in order to offer improved shipping management to our users on the ikas platform. Previously, users were only able to input shipping rules based on the country. Now, ikas users can define rules according to the postal codes of their deliveries. 



There is also a new delivery method called &#8220;Fast Delivery&#8220;. We have now two delivery methods in total:



<ul>
<li>Standard Delivery</li>



<li>Fast Delivery</li>
</ul>



Once you have established the time and day for the two different delivery methods, the corresponding rule will become visible on the payment page. In addition, you can also see the estimated delivery time on the same page.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="712" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fast-delivery-rules-1024x712.webp" alt="Fast Delivery Rules" class="wp-image-36686" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fast-delivery-rules-1024x712.webp 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fast-delivery-rules-300x209.webp 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fast-delivery-rules-768x534.webp 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fast-delivery-rules-24x17.webp 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fast-delivery-rules-36x25.webp 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fast-delivery-rules-48x33.webp 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/fast-delivery-rules.webp 1057w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



If you have multiple stock locations, you can set different shipping rules for each stock location. This way you can choose from which stock location the order should be sent to the customer.&nbsp;



Example:



You have two stock locations: One in the city center and the other outside the city. With the new update, you can set different shipping fees and rules for the warehouse location in the city center and the one outside the city.



If there are no products available at your warehouse location, then the shipping rules you set will not be displayed.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="827" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shipping-settings-1024x827.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-36695" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shipping-settings-1024x827.webp 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shipping-settings-300x242.webp 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shipping-settings-768x620.webp 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shipping-settings-24x19.webp 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shipping-settings-36x29.webp 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shipping-settings-48x39.webp 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/shipping-settings.webp 1517w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-product-reviews">Product Reviews 💌</h2>



Automating product reviews allow you to send emails to users who have purchased products and ask them to rate them. Furthermore, you can manage all product reviews on the product detail page. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="504" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/reply-to-review-1024x504.png" alt="" class="wp-image-36704" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/reply-to-review-1024x504.png 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/reply-to-review-300x148.png 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/reply-to-review-768x378.png 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/reply-to-review-24x12.png 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/reply-to-review-36x18.png 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/reply-to-review-48x24.png 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/reply-to-review.png 1139w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



You can access all the product reviews and respond to them in the “Automations” section. Your response will be sent via email to the user’s email address. If you select the &#8220;Private&#8221; option, the user&#8217;s rating will not be publicly visible, allowing you to modify the review.



<h2 id="h-google-xml-and-update-times">Google XML and Update Times ⏱️</h2>



The feed you uploaded to Google Merchant Center used to be in .tsv format which caused problems with the transfer. With the latest update, you will receive the feed file with the .xml extension from Google Merchant Center, and product feed files will be updated immediately.



<h2 id="h-exclusion-filter">Exclusion Filter 🔍</h2>



With the new update, you can now select custom fields and categories. There are two new options: &#8220;include&#8221; and &#8220;not include&#8220;. You can select these two options as rules.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Example: Take a look at the example below. You can exclude the brand MEDUSA, but include the color black.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="525" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dynamic-category-conditions-1024x525.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-36710" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dynamic-category-conditions-1024x525.webp 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dynamic-category-conditions-300x154.webp 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dynamic-category-conditions-768x394.webp 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dynamic-category-conditions-24x12.webp 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dynamic-category-conditions-36x18.webp 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dynamic-category-conditions-48x25.webp 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/dynamic-category-conditions.webp 1071w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-package-split">Package Split ✂️</h2>



Packages with the status &#8220;ready to shipment&#8221; or &#8220;shipped&#8221; can be canceled. If the order contains several products, you can remove them now without canceling the whole order. 



You can create a new shipping code for the removed product and ship it separately. This function is especially useful in case of missing or wrong shipments.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="792" height="370" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/split-package.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-36720" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/split-package.webp 792w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/split-package-300x140.webp 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/split-package-768x359.webp 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/split-package-24x11.webp 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/split-package-36x17.webp 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/split-package-48x22.webp 48w" sizes="(max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-other-improvements">Other Improvements 🎉</h2>



<ul>
<li>The rule &#8220;Maximum cart amount&#8221; has been added to the campaign function</li>



<li>The &#8220;Gift Package&#8221; rule has been added to the order filter.</li>



<li>You can update the language preferences of the customers according to the actions performed.</li>



<li>When you copy the product description from another place, the style of the copied text is not applied in ikas. Only styles such as color, background color, list, bold, italic, underlined font, etc. will be copied to ikas.</li>



<li>You can add billing information and a custom title to the shipping label.</li>



<li>With Twilio integration, you can send SMS notifications&nbsp;</li>



<li>You can define the file names of the product images</li>



<li>If a shopping cart reminder email is sent, you can see it in the order timeline</li>
</ul>



<h2 id="h-other-functions-on-our-roadmap">Other functions on our roadmap ⏳</h2>



<ul>
<li>Grouping products and selling them with the bundle function</li>



<li>Enter separate prices for bundle products</li>



<li>When a bundle of products is sold, you can calculate the stock or product prices separately for the products in the bundle</li>



<li>The ikasPOS will be work on both Android and iOS devices</li>



<li>Collect and obtain contracts and permissions from customers on new displays</li>



<li>Etsy integration</li>



<li>New price-lists&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>



<li>Separate display of sales from abandoned shopping carts</li>



<li>Ability to download digital products</li>



<li>New website theme for beauty products</li>



<li>Dynamic customer groups</li>



<li>Better visibility of category pages on the website</li>
</ul>



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/ikas-november-update-is-live" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ikas November Update</a>

ikas March Update

The November update of ikas is here! This month we have added specially prepared features for our users. These features include receiving payments via a link, product highlighting in search results, product price history and more. Let&#8217;s take a detailed look at the latest features of ikas without wasting time.



<h2 id="h-receive-payments-via-a-link-for-manual-orders">Receive Payments Via a Link For Manual Orders 💳</h2>



You can start an online store with ikas and manage your marketplaces and physical stores from a single dashboard.



Thanks to this manual ordering feature, you can create an order directly on the management dashboard. When you create a manual order, your stocks in your sales channels get updated, and all your reports are generated accordingly.



After creating a manual order on your ikas dashboard, you can get a checkout link to share with your customers, where they will be able to enter their necessary information. And you will receive your payment for the order.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="582" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-1024x582.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-26033" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-1024x582.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-300x171.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-768x437.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-1536x874.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-2048x1165.jpg 2048w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-24x14.jpg 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-36x20.jpg 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-1-1-48x27.jpg 48w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Doing this is easy! Just create a manual order from the ikas dashboard. Then you can create a payment page link by clicking the &#8220;Create Payment Link&#8221; button.&nbsp;When you create the link successfully, the sales channel of the order will change from manual order to the sales channel of your online store.&nbsp;When the payment goes through by the customer, you can filter this order as a manual order again. If you want to close the payment link, click the trash can icon next to the &#8220;Edit Payment Link&#8221; button. By clicking it, you can close the payment link and change the sales channel back to manual order. To use this feature, it is essential that you remember to get the theme update in your theme settings.



<h2 id="h-product-price-history">Product Price History 📊</h2>



Employees within your business can perform operations on a single account with certain authorisations, thanks to ikas.



The authorisations will improve considerably more in the upcoming updates.



In addition to employee accounts, we have users utilising different ERP integrations.



Stock Movements within the product help you determine by whom and after which transaction the stock has changed. It also allows you to find when it happened.



Furthermore, you can now see who or which integration modified the product&#8217;s price from the &#8220;Price History&#8221; page by clicking the three dots on the upper right corner of the product detail page. You can also check which list the prices are from on this page.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="582" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-1024x582.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-26037" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-1024x582.jpg 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-300x170.jpg 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-768x436.jpg 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-1536x873.jpg 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-2048x1163.jpg 2048w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-24x14.jpg 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-36x20.jpg 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-2-48x27.jpg 48w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-ability-to-see-the-number-of-stock-in-shipment">Ability to see the number of stock in shipment 🚚</h2>



With ikas, you can manage multiple store locations and assign these stock locations to different sales channels.



In addition, you can add the products you receive from your suppliers in ikas and transfer stocks between stock locations.



For example, you have two stock locations defined in ikas. One of your stores is in London, and the other is in Bristol. Let there be 110 units of your product in London and 0 units in your Bristol store. When you enter a stock transfer to transfer ten products from your London store to your Bristol store, the stock amount in your London store decreases from 110 to 100, while Bristol remains at 0. These ten stocks appear as pending shipments unless you enter the stock transfer detail and accept the goods for the Bristol store.



Thus, from the &#8220;Inventory&#8221; section on the product detail or product listing page, you can see which stock transfer or order you are waiting for from the product&#8217;s own page.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="716" height="786" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-26041" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-3.png 716w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-3-273x300.png 273w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-3-22x24.png 22w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-3-33x36.png 33w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-3-44x48.png 44w" sizes="(max-width: 716px) 100vw, 716px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-ability-to-intervene-in-search-results">Ability to Intervene in Search Results 🔍</h2>



One of the most essential features of ikas is its search and filter system. Our users can filter within the scope of areas, such as brands, labels, and attributes. The speed and ease of use we provide alongside these features prove this.



The search results in ikas are sorted by default according to the search term and the algorithm.



Now, you can sort the products that have nothing to do with the search or that would appear lower in the search results.



For example, when you type &#8220;Backpack&#8221; and want a particular product to appear on the top and other products related to the search to appear below this product you have chosen.&nbsp;



Thanks to &#8220;Search Suggestion&#8221;, you can easily ensure that the products you want will appear for specific keywords.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="582" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-1024x582.png" alt="" class="wp-image-26045" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-1024x582.png 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-300x170.png 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-768x436.png 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-1536x873.png 1536w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-2048x1163.png 2048w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-24x14.png 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-36x20.png 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-4-48x27.png 48w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-information-on-how-many-orders-the-customer-has">Information on how many orders the customer has ↩️</h2>



With ikas, when you have a new order, you are able to see if it is your customer&#8217;s first order from your website on the order detail page. You are also able to see the orders they have previously placed on the same page if they are a returning customer.



With the new update, you can view this information on both registered and unregistered purchases of your customers.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="779" height="280" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-5.png" alt="" class="wp-image-26049" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-5.png 779w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-5-300x108.png 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-5-768x276.png 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-5-24x9.png 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-5-36x13.png 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-5-48x17.png 48w" sizes="(max-width: 779px) 100vw, 779px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-product-variant-attributes-import-and-export">Product/Variant Attributes Import and Export 👊</h2>



You might be selling products with variants such as shoe size or colour. For example, variants such as red, blue, and black may have attributes independent of each other, or there may be attributes such as gender or season that cover all variants. Until our last update, you could define filters by entering these features into the system. Now, you can edit the custom fields of products and variants in bulk through a .csv file via Excel or Google Sheets.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="493" src="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-6-1024x493.png" alt="" class="wp-image-26053" srcset="https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-6-1024x493.png 1024w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-6-300x144.png 300w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-6-768x369.png 768w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-6-24x12.png 24w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-6-36x17.png 36w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-6-48x23.png 48w, https://cms.ikas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ikas-november-update-6.png 1318w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 id="h-other-improvements">Other Improvements 🎊</h2>



<ul>
<li>The minimum basket amount feature and the option of whether the offers will be valid at the discounted price or the sale price of the product have been added to the campaign offer feature.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>The process of updating and removing the discounted price of the product has been added to the bulk product editing section in the products table.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Employee and operation filter has been added to the &#8220;Store Activity History&#8221; screen under Settings.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>In the &#8220;Back In Store&#8221; feature, the export feature has been added to the most wanted products table. Thus, you can see which user is waiting for which product by exporting it.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Product search feature has been added to the products table on the purchase page.</li>
</ul>



<h2 id="h-other-features-on-our-roadmap">Other Features on our Roadmap ⏳</h2>



<ol>
<li>Product bundling and entering different prices for bundled products, calculating the stock of the products and the prices in the invoices separately when a bundle is sold. 🎊</li>



<li>Staff authorisations to be sales channel based and more detailed. 🔒</li>



<li>Our point of sale application, ikasPOS, is to become available on Android and iOS devices. 🙏</li>



<li>Printing information receipt at the end of a sale at ikasPOS. 📃</li>



<li>Product return/exchange scenarios will be added. 📝</li>



<li>Ability to customise the agreements sent by e-mail and manage the checkboxes in the theme from a single place. 🛡️</li>



<li>Sending a verification e-mail for customer account activation. 💌</li>



<li>New communication channels for abandoned carts. 🤐</li>



<li>Ability to ship to a specific region and enter different shipping rules into the system. 🛵</li>
</ol>



Related Article: <a href="https://ikas.com/blog/ikas-raised-seed-funding">With $3.5M in funding, we are picking up speed in Europe!</a>

News Blog Posts

With $3.5M in funding, we are picking up speed in Europe!

With $3.5M in funding, we are picking up speed in Europe!

With $3.5M in funding, we are picking up speed in Europe!

ikas March Update

ikas November Update is Live!

With $3.5M in funding, we are picking up speed in Europe!