36 Strategies to Generate More Sales Online

Sam Smith

Ecommerce Consultant at Doofinder

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Creating a business based on online sales is relatively easy. You just need to buy a domain and get a server to launch your product. However, when the time comes, generating sales can feel a bit like ice skating uphill. That is exactly the reason why we have compiled these 36 strategies that you can start using today for your eCommerce shop in order to help you get your first sale . Don’t skip a word!

Increase your online shop’s sales with this 36 sales techniques! 

1. Carry out a keyword study

Every SEO strategy starts here: discovering how people want to find you on Google. You’ll need to understand this first, before you can start selling online. You should also bear in mind that not everyone will find you using the same words. If you sell footwear, users from different parts of the world might search for you using terms like ‘running shoes’, ‘trainers’ or even ‘tennis shoes’. All of this is very important to consider, which is why we recommend this free SEO course, in which you’ll find the keys to carrying out keyword research adapted to your target market.

2. Implement SEO

You’ll never secure your first sale if you aren’t making it to the top ranks on Google, as we all visit the top site whenever we want to make a purchase. A good eCommerce SEO strategy should include a keyword study, competition analysis, good on-page optimization and appropriate link building.

3. Define your ideal customer or buyer persona

The buyer persona represents the customers who purchase your products or services. You need to know who your target market is, or who you want it to be. To create your buyer persona, it can be useful to have a clear idea of your niche or target. You’ll need to figure out their interests, motivations, concerns, location and gender … In short, everything that could help you to profile that persona or personas and, with this, be able to identify which channels, content or advertising messages you should create in order for these to be effective and meet your goal: to increase your online store’s sales.

4. Trial and error
No one is born with all the answers … And this is all the more true online. It’s vital that you keep trying new online sales methods to find out which ones are the most attractive for your audience. By trying this out, you’ll get to know the tastes and habits of your customers or potential customers. 

• Which topics interest them most? 
• When do they usually buy? 
• Where are they visiting you from? 

For this, you’ll need to create a range of different content and detect which ones your audience interacts with most. Take a look at Google Analytics and study the hours in which your site receives the most traffic and the location of these sessions.

5. Let them know that your site is safe

Of course, any website needs to look good, but it should also create a feeling of security for visitors. For users, it’s important to see that a website has an SSL certificate – in other words, if it uses http or https. Many websites without an SSL certificate may not be secure, so we recommend that you activate the HTTPS protocol, which will make a padlock appear next to the browser bar. Legally, you must also inform your visitors if your website uses cookies. Finally, you’ll need to offer a link to your privacy policy and your site’s terms of use, to show total transparency.

6. Use a smart internal search engine

Want to boost sales on your online store? You’ll need to understand your customers. Imagine you have an online store selling electronic goods … At the same time, a girl from Spain and a boy from Argentina land on your page. By chance, they both search for the same product: 

Both potential customers head directly to your online store’s search bar, because they know exactly what they want to buy. The Spanish girl clicks on the search bar and types ‘desktop computer’, while the Argentine boy types ‘computer for school’. They are both thinking of the same product, but, what if they can’t find what they’re looking for? They will leave your site.  Is the search engine on your eCommerce site capable of understanding both terms?

A smart search engine … Yes!

An advanced search engine can do all this and much more. It’s like an online store assistant available 24 hours a day, that speaks an infinite number of languages and is an expert in all your products. Wouldn’t you like to have someone like that available in your store at all times?

The benefits of an advanced search engine are almost infinite and, of course, we suggest trying out our search engine Doofinder , with a free 30-day trial on your eCommerce site, if you want to boost your sales 🙂

TRY Doofinder 30 days for free

7. Be responsive

In recent years, more and more buyers are making their purchases from smartphones and tablets. It’s crucial that you use responsive design on your site to ensure that your content adapts to all devices. This way, customers can do their shopping on the device of their choice. And not just from the computer!

8. Optimize your site’s images

If you have a large, extensive catalogue of products or many images on your website, this will increase the load time for your online store – something Google does not appreciate. And if Google doesn’t like something … you’ll be cast to the last pages of its search results, making it impossible to sell your products through this channel. There are various online tools available to optimize your site’s images: we recommend this post from blogthinkbig, where they discuss several of the options on offer.

9. Design infographics

In the world of eCommerce, customization is hugely important. For example, every year, we at Doofinder create an infographic in the days leading up to Black Friday, with behavioral data from more than 5,000 eCommerce sites, as this creates value for our customers and potential customers – we’re fully dedicated to the eCommerce sector, in case you weren’t aware 😉

Why not create an infographic with the 10 best ways to use your product or service? Take advantage of this resource tip to get the most out of social media: regularly or at special times of the year, share infographics on Instagram or Pinterest and remember to always include your logo in a visible location so you audience knows who’s behind this information!

10. Customer service

For customers of any company with an online presence, it’s vital that they can get in touch to resolve any questions they can’t find the answer to online, whether it’s by email or phone. Often, this service – or, for your customers, knowing that this service exists – will be key to increasing your online store’s sales.

11. A range of payment methods

It’s essential that your eCommerce site offers all possible payment methods According to a study from the Mexican Online-Sales Association (AMVO), when someone tries to buy a product online and is unable to pay, 50% will look for another payment method, but almost 30% will decide to abandon their purchase altogether. The most popular payment methods will vary according to your sector or country. We often tend to think that credit and debit cards are the most commonly used (and this is usually true), but there are some developing sectors and countries in which this is not the case. Payment methods like electronic wallets, bank transfers or cash on delivery are also very popular in many cases. And let’s not forget financing options … If you are able to offer financing on your products, this can often result in considerable increases in your sales.

12. Returns

Returns policies are key. For example, free returns are a very important factor for any consumer when it comes to choosing one site over another. But should you offer this? There are a lot of things to bear in mind when it comes to returns policies, in order to avoid having this work against you. It should be created with the customer in mind … It seems obvious, but this isn’t always the case. 

• Define conditions for all or just some of your products – not all of these require the same decision-making process or will offer the same benefits. 
• Specify who will cover shipping fees.
• Clearly state your returns policy during the purchase process. A bad experience or a returns policy that leaves your customers with doubts can result in an abandoned cart. 
• Specify which products can be returned and which cannot.

13. Landing pages

A landing page is a webpage with a specific goal: conversion. This conversion may be a sale, a download, or even a click on a certain element on the page. It has been proven that landing pages significantly improve conversations, as they are created for this sole purpose – to convert. We recommend this article from our blog if you want to find out how to create a landing page to increase conversions

14. Use Banners or Pop Ups

It is vitally important that you collect contact details from visitors to your site in order to communicate with them in the future. For this, you can add banners or pop ups to your site’s pages, in which valuable content related to the theme of your page is offered in exchange for contact details.

This content could be an invitation to an event, a discount, an online guide or simply a subscription to a newsletter through which you will send them quality content.

Once you have a database of a certain volume, you can segment based on the information obtained from these contacts, create audiences, establish regular communication and connect with them through email marketing, for example, to try and sell your product or service.

15. Recommend/suggest products

Product recommendations are a world of their own in eCommerce. They are a very powerful tool for online stores, as they significantly reduce the number of clicks required by visitors to complete a purchase, hugely increase the store’s navigation and usability and, as such, boost both conversion rates and – in the majority of cases – the average order value.

However, it is very important that you are able to define rules and strategies, according to your business’s goals. There are very few large eCommerce sites that do not feature product recommendations.

On Doofinder, we offer product recommendations within your eCommerce site’s internal search engine, through “Live- Layer“. So, if you’re not already using product recommendations in your online store, you can enjoy a 30-day free trial with this layer, which comes with all the most popular searches pre-configured – as well as product recommendations, based on a smart algorithm that will allow you to skip that strategic question of how to present these recommendations, because we do it for you 😉

16. Use testimonials on your site

Testimonials on your website will inspire confidence in your customers and give your brand credibility. This is a great way to influence your customers’ purchasing decisions. Showing different uses for your products and partnering with influencers who can demonstrate all the benefits they have to offer will, without a doubt, help you to convert more sales.

17. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is an online business model in which the products sold are not yours. This is a triangular shipping system, in which the online store acts as an intermediary between the customer and the supplier.

In other words, you won’t directly hold the stock, but instead serve as a key agent in its sale. If you’re looking to start out with your online business, this could be an option for you … Or, it can also be used to make some extra income.

18. Create your own affiliates

A great strategy for online sales is offering a small commission to third parties in exchange for recommending your product, so that they effectively sell it for you.

Of course, you’ll be giving away part of your profits, but this system can be highly lucrative if you manage to incentivize enough affiliates to convince their respective audiences. You can create your network of affiliates from platforms such as Commission Junction.

19. Use purchase motivators

Behind each purchase, there is an emotion, and online sales are no exception. You’ll need to use language that makes your customer feel that, by buying your product, they will gain something: whether it’s well-being, safety or status, etc.

What’s more, creating urgency by setting deadlines to buy certain products with discounts will increase your chances of making sales. If you want to master sales, you’ll first need to master copywriting.

20. Implement good Content Marketing

The phrase ‘content is king’ is one of the key mantras of the internet. And it’s true that more and more search engines reward information that is published regularly and is useful for users.

To make sales, don’t hesitate to set up your own blog on your site or create a YouTube channel, where you’ll answer any questions or issues related to your product.

21. Linkbuilding

Link building is one of the most important SEO practices, and one which will greatly improve your positioning. These are strategies created to obtain links on third-party sites that direct users to your website, and therefore increase its popularity. It is important to establish a logical and structured strategy, so that Google interprets the links to your website in a natural way.

22. Get in touch with best

Few things can boost your sales like interacting with leaders in your sector. As such, it’s worth finding out who they are, studying their career and establishing links with them. Interview them, obtain testimonials from them or even do guest posting for them by writing an article on their blog. You’ll gain authority overnight and a good flow of traffic interested in your sector.

23. Take part in forums in your field

Forums are a great place for online sales, thanks to their high levels of specialization. Here, you’ll be able to find a hugely segmented audience, keen to obtain answers to their questions.

If you create links and offer help, with a bit of patience, users will end up trusting you when it comes to spending their money.

24. Email marketing

Also known as e-mailing, this means sending mass emails to contacts who have agreed to receive your communications. 

Each email sent to your customers or potential customers should have a clear objective. For example, why not send an email to a new customer who made a purchase a few days ago to suggest a related product, 15 days after their first purchase?

Or you could write to a potential customer who has subscribed to your newsletter, announcing a new product in your catalogue with an exclusive 10% discount for the next 24 hours.

25. Abandoned-cart recovery emails

An abandoned cart occurs on an eCommerce site when the session expires and your potential customer has not completed the purchase process. In other words, when a product has been added to the cart on your online store, but ultimately was not purchased. From then on, the clock starts to tick (and not in your favor).

So, to make this potential customer return and complete the process they’ve already started, there are various abandoned-cart recovery email techniques you can employ … But watch out, because the email copy you send out is just as important!

26. Get socializing!

A professional presence on social media is essential. Create your business pages and test out which of those brings you genuine traffic. Being on social media for the sake of it will only mean wasting your time and effort, so it’s important to analyze where your ideal customer can be found.

27. Get registered on Google Places

If your online store also has offline customers at a physical location, you can provide your address and contact information to sign up to Google Places, free of charge.

Your first sale could be created through traffic from this channel – which is so reminiscent of the Yellow Pages – so make sure to include descriptions, photos and customer reviews on your page.

28. Advertise on Google

You’ve surely heard of Google AdWords or Google Ads. This is Google’s own advertising platform. It has been active since 2000, and from then on has come to lead the online-advertising market.

The platform is in constant evolution, updated almost monthly.

You can even access courses from Google itself, where you’ll learn how to use the platform. In short, this is a service from Google that highlights results based on segmentation criteria (if you want to know how it works, you can find all the information in this post), allowing you to segment by country, city, times and tastes …

And, most importantly, by search keywords. There are five types of campaigns: Search network, Display, Google Shopping, Video and universal apps campaign. The best choice or choices for you will depend on your business or product.

29. Link Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a tool … Or rather, it is THE tool, and it’s free! Analytics is where we can obtain information about everything that happens on our online store.

Knowing how to analyze this information is the key to success for any actions you plan to implement on your eCommerce site. You’ll need to monitor this data to understand the evolution and behavior of users on your site, as it is capable of tracking practically all interactions carried out on your online store, in great detail.

If you haven’t done it yet … Link your website with Google Analytics as soon as possible!

30. eCommerce on Instagram

Since 2020, Instagram has offered its own sales channel. Instagram allows you to upload a catalogue of products (as long as it is connected to Facebook) and, once you’ve activated shopping features on Instagram, you can start tagging your products in posts and get selling!

The platform also offers users the option to save products from companies presented in images, so they can store them and avoid having to make an impulse buy right here and then.

31. TikTok for eCommerce

A few years ago it was Facebook, more recently it was Instagram … Now it’s TikTok’s turn to be the social network of the moment. This was the most downloaded app in the whole of 2020! And, as you might expect, it’s already making its first steps as a digital tool for online sales.

Recently, we shared a post about eCommerce for TikTok on the matter, where you’ll find everything you need to know about this new ‘online Pandora’s box’.

32. Podcast

Podcasts are here to stay. This is an ideal online-communication format through which to reach your customers. They are affordable (with nowhere near the cost required to make a video, as even just an iPhone to record on would be more expensive), timeless, in demand and allow listeners to do other things while continuing to pay attention …

What’s more, they’re very effective at creating loyalty within your audience, by creating a sense of familiarity.

33. Youtube Ads

6,000 million hours is the average amount people spend watching videos on YouTube over the course of a month, which translates into huge business opportunities. The key to selling is featuring promotional content in the video. 

YouTube Ads is a video-marketing system designed to manage advertising on Google. The formats available are:

• In-stream adverts, which appear before, during and after videos on YouTube, or on the websites and apps of Google’s video partners. 
• Trueview video-discovery ads, which appear in the search results within YouTube or on the homepage (and which are PPC). 
• OUT-stream, Bumper and Masthead ads. 

According to your campaign or project objective, some of these may be more profitable than others … And, of course, it all depends on your budget 🙂 Google offers free courses in which you can learn all about this advertising format and discover how to choose the most profitable option for your campaigns.

34. Linkedin Ads

As you know, LinkedIn is the social network for professionals. It is a gold mine for B2B online trade. This option will allow you to create a direct relationship with the people making decisions within their companies. The advertising you can implement on this social network is as powerful and segmented as it is expensive (if you don’t stay on top of your campaigns, acquisition costs will skyrocket).

A campaign may have various objectives:

Brand awareness (pure and simple branding), perception (visits to your website, interactions or views) and conversions (generating contacts or conversions in your eCommerce business). The factors that determine the price of your campaigns will be:

• Target market
• Bidding strategy
• The objective 
• Ad-relevance score, calculated by number of clicks, comments, recommendations and shares. 

LinkedIn, just like Google, offers courses that will teach you how to use its digital-sales tool.

35. Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads is one of Facebook’s advertising systems. It allows you to promote elements such as your Facebook business page, apps, events or – most interestingly in our case – your online store. This is the social network with the largest user reach (even beyond that of YouTube) and the segmentation of its ads is highly advanced, thanks to the huge volume and information it has on its users.

This will allow you to segment by place, demographic information, interests, behaviors and other more advanced aspects such as your competition’s audience.

It does not require a significant investment to get started, as you might find on other social networks, and it offers flexible budgets. You can choose from various objectives: if you want to know more about this, we recommend this free Facebook Ads guide.

36. A toast

If you’ve made it this far, open a bottle of beer, wine, soft drink or whatever you like to drink and toast with your colleagues and friends … If you’ve implemented the 35 tips in this article, you’ve done everything you can to boost your sales! 🙂 

Ready to boost your online sales?

Here are our tips. Now is the time to turn words into actions and start making sales. That first online sale may be a long time coming, but by combining some of these points, you’ll end up seeing some real results.

What about you, how many of these techniques are you already using? Which are you going to put into practice first?