Helpful pointers to boost your digital presence and drive customer engagement.
In today’s competitive market, having an effective online presence is no longer an option for grocers. With nearly every other type of shopping taking place online, customers now expect the convenience and accessibility that comes with the internet to help inform their grocery experience as well. And with online grocery accounting for nearly 150 million shoppers and growing, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
To help keep your digital presence fresh, and create content that keeps customers engaged, here are four strategies to help you own the digital space.
#1 An App-etite for Success
As consumers are increasingly relying on their mobile devices for completing tasks and interactions, it’s critical for grocers to be a part of this reliance on mobile devices. However, it’s not just a matter of being “just another app,” but a source of making their customers’ lives easier and more enjoyable. While occupying valuable real estate on a user’s smartphone is good for brand awareness, staying there means providing actual value.
The number of customers using a grocery app continues to grow. A report from Statista Research Department shows that the number of grocery customers using a mobile phone has gone up by 18.4 million people from 2017 to 2022. The number of users is expected to grow over the upcoming years. With a promising future, it is important for grocers to embrace the use of mobile devices.
#2 Cooking up Connections
As grocers look to make personal connections with customers, it’s important not to reinvent the wheel. After all, when shoppers visit a grocery store’s website or app, they’re not just deciding what to buy, they’re deciding what to make. Connected recipes provide an easy opportunity to increase spending, increase basket size, and add an interactive element to grocery shopping.
Recipes can be easily integrated into existing platforms like digital circulars and shopping lists and opens up new possibilities to drive organic traffic as people share and discuss recipes in other corners of the internet.
#3 The Potential for Unmatched ROI With Newsletters
The success of any digital outreach strategy is dependent on landing the right message in front of the right audience. While there are endless marketing channels to choose from, none will be successful without the ability to hone in on a specific audience.
Like targeted advertisements, e-mail newsletters offer an exceptional return on investment. A Hubspot marketing report found that for every $1 spent on email marketing, companies make an average of $42. While newsletters aren’t new, they are still vital for the growth of a store’s digital presence. It’s worth noting that 28% of customers claim they “want to be notified about sales, promo codes, or coupons from a company” as the reason they sign up for emails, making newsletters a powerful way to create user engagement.
#4 Increasing Your Sales & Credibility With Excellent Digital Design
We’ve all heard the saying, “Good things come to those who wait,” — but this phrase does not apply to website loading times. In an era where people want information instantly, users expect lighting-fast access to this information. According to a study done in 2019 by Unbounce, almost 70% of customers claim that a website’s speed directly influences their purchasing decision from an online store.
Excellent web design is more than just quick load times. Visitors to a website want a site that’s visually appealing and creates an enjoyable user experience, easy to interact with and navigate. According to the Web Credibility Research from Stanford, 75% of visitors determine a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design and functionality. This means that a good website does more than just look good, it helps build trust from your audience.
In a Nutshell
Technology continues to evolve, reshaping the way customers consume content and information. Grocers must adapt and grow alongside these changes in today’s digital world. Although the task may seem daunting, like trying to constantly hit a moving target, armed with the right tools and knowledge, retailers can harness these changes to their advantage. By using these four strategies, grocers can transcend mediocrity and stand apart from the competition.