5 Things to Consider When Setting Up eCommerce Goals for 2020

It's a good idea to consider your eCommerce goals and define new objectives every year.

14:37 20 January 2020

But at the dawn of a new decade, it's never been a better time to assess, re-evaluate, and set new targets. For an eCommerce platform, some things will always stay the same. But with new trends and technologies, many things change entirely.

Let’s dive into the best ways to set your eCommerce goals for 2020 and beyond.

Understand Your 2019 Traffic to Improve 2020's

All businesses aim to increase their web traffic. But for eCommerce sites, it's not the quantity but the quality that's essential. Take time to review your 2019 marketing and traffic to see what users you brought to your site.

Between Google Analytics and other tools, you can get a precise snapshot of the types of users visiting your site. Are you converting enough visitors? Do you have a new audience potential in new demographics? Use this information to set your 2020 targets.

Focus on crucial information like:

• Geographic data
  
  
• Demographics like age and gender
  
  
• Interests based on browsing data
  
  
• Tech information like desktop or mobile, browser type, platform, etc.
  
  

Expand Your Email List

Few things have the ROI potential of email marketing. On average, email marketing has a 42:1 ROI. That's $42 to every $1 spent! By every measure, email marketing is one of the best tools to build successful relationships with your customers. Be sure to take advantage of it.

Find ways to expand your email list using your analytics data. You may not be able to capture every user who visits your site, but if you can induce more of them to sign up for your email list, you may convert them down the road. Likewise, look for new avenues to increase active recipients. Those can include promotions, exclusive newsletters, and other ways to encourage sign-ups and engagement.

Take Cybersecurity Seriously

If you didn't suffer a hack during 2019, consider yourself lucky. Cyber attacks are on the rise, and all eCommerce platforms are vulnerable. Cybercriminals have a vast arsenal of tools that can destabilize your business. They can take your site offline, steal customer data, and more.

In 2019, the average cost of a data breach reached an all-time high of $8.1 million in the US. Thus, in 2020, you must get serious about cybersecurity and take it into account when setting your goals.

Take steps to protect all aspects of your online business. Use the latest security software and plugins. Secure your sensitive data with the best encryption software for Windows. Update your eCommerce platform to get all security patches and be careful when trying out new plugins or extensions.

Take Your Blog to the Next Level

By now, most eCommerce businesses have incorporated blogs into their websites. Blogs are essential content marketing tools. But now that there are so many out there, it can make it difficult for your content to stand out.

In 2020, start branching into new content that can supplement and boost your blog. You can look into podcasts, videos, infographics, webinars, and more. And you don't have to limit it solely to your blog. You can place these items in different spots around your website, social media, and email marketing to draw further interest in your content.

Set time and budget to experiment to see what works. Some may fall flat while other things will perform much better than any written content ever did. As a bonus, you can get a better understanding of what your audience is looking for. It will help you to take advantage of your eCommerce platform.

Take Advantage of Digital Marketing Super-Tools

In the old days, if you wanted to advertise, then you needed a big budget to reach broad audiences with newspapers, radio, and TV ads. But digital marketing has many different (cheaper) ways for you to reach new relevant audiences.

Consider guest posting on popular industry blogs. For example, if you are an online clothing retailer, then try guest posting on a fashion blog.

Also, take a look at influencers. Sure, you may not have the budget to partner with the top Instagram celebrity for your niche. But you can find a growing star and work out a favorable partnership agreement for both of you.

Finally, do what it takes to make your website stand out from your competition. Create an experience that your customers enjoy. But of course, don't lose focus on the site functionality, navigability, and SEO.

Now Take a Deep Breath and Set Your Goals

You've now created a solid foundation for your 2020 goals. Between your traffic, trends, security, blog, and other tools, you have everything you need to set your 2020 targets. It is your time to be both ambitious and realistic.

Don't forget the essential thing: reassess your goals each month. You have the tools to track performance. Take time each month to chart progress and see where you should go next. It is the best way to ensure you're always headed on the path to success.