EXPERT RESOURCES

Media Contour Team Featured on Make Each Click Count Podcast with Andy Splichal

The Make Each Click Count Podcast is a go-to source for anyone looking to grow their eCommerce company. This podcast series hosted by Andy Splichal offers valuable advice from specialists on how to improve your eCommerce sales and make the most of your marketing budget.

Andy Splichal is the World's Foremost Expert on Ecommerce Growth Strategies. He has over twenty years of online marketing experience, and is an expert in managing paid online campaigns, especially with Google Ads and Google Shopping, helping eCommerce businesses increase their sales profitably.

Media Contour Recognized Clutch Global Leader for 2023

Media Contour, a leading e-commerce conversion optimization agency, today announced its recognition as a 2023 Global Award winner for e-commerce conversion optimization CRO services on Clutch, the leading global marketplace of B2B service providers. Honorees are selected based on their industry expertise and ability to deliver scores calculated based on client feedback from thousands of reviews published on Clutch. Clutch has honored its top B2B companies for the sixth consecutive year with the Global Award designation.

Media Contour is honored to be recognized as a 2023 Fall Clutch Global Award winner as a conversion optimization agency on a global scale. This award is a testament to the excellent client work Media Contour consistently delivers, as recognized through the voice of their customers' reviews. Clutch Global Awards showcases the very best in the B2B services industry worldwide.

“We love hearing our clients’ appreciation for our new agency model. We take great pride in our ability to integrate seamlessly with our client’s teams and give them back the extra bandwidth they need to make their business operate successfully. I’m extremely honored and proud of our team and this recognition of their hard work." - Matt Dandurand, CEO

Media Contour Honored Clutch Champion for 2023

Media Contour, a leading e-commerce conversion rate optimization (CRO) agency, is recognized as a 2023 Clutch Champion. Clutch is a leading provider and top global marketplace for finding B2B companies and services. This elite award puts Media Contour in the top 10% of global winners, celebrating their expertise and success in delivering stellar results in their field. The Champion Award also points to Media Contour’s commitment to effective eCommerce Conversion Rate Optimization strategies and their unique guarantee of “up to $1 million in increased revenue, or you don’t pay,” solidifying their position as a conversion optimization industry leader.

"This achievement is more than just an award; it's a testament to the heart and soul we pour into every project. Our commitment to driving impactful results has been phenomenally successful, with our clients experiencing returns on investment that soar up to 20 times their initial spend. We take immense pride in empowering our clients, not just in growth but also in elevating their appeal to potential buyers or investors. This prestigious accolade validates our position as a trusted, experienced leader in the CRO space. We're celebrated for converting data into decisive success and transforming websites into dynamic profit centers, all thanks to our pioneering strategies and unwavering dedication to our client's journey toward remarkable growth." - Matt Dandurand, CEO

5 Strategies for your eComm Site to Outshine Amazon

Is Amazon stealing business from your eCommerce site? With Amazon dominating the market, it may seem like an impossible task to win customers over the e-commerce giant. Even though Amazon is capturing around 40% of online retail sales in the US, it’s possible to have your online shoppers prefer your site over Amazon’s. 

In this article, we will explore 5 proven strategies that will help you differentiate your brand, connect with customers on a deeper level, ultimately win their loyalty, and learn how to compete with Amazon. From leveraging social media and influencer marketing to providing exceptional customer service and offering personalized shopping experiences, these strategies will empower you to carve out your own space in the online marketplace, and prevent Amazon from cannibalizing all of your site’s sales. 

Develop your unique value prop to differentiate your brand from the giants

What makes your products or services special? What unique benefits do you offer that your competitors don’t and that the big retailers can’t communicate? It’s crazy how often brands do this poorly, but clearly defining and communicating your brand's unique selling points will help you stand out in a sea of competitors. 

Amazon isn’t capable of connecting with customers on as deep a level as an individual eCommerce business. They speak to the masses by offering: 1) Everything, 2) Ease-of-use, and 3) Fast and cheap shipping. An individual company can’t offer all of these things, but they can speak in more detail to a customer’s specific needs and emotions with their value prop. E-commerce companies can use this as an advantage to create stronger bonds with their audience.

It's crucial to craft a compelling brand story that resonates with your target audience. Your brand story should communicate your values, mission, and the problem you solve for your customers. By creating an emotional connection through storytelling, you can build trust and loyalty, making the emotional cost of switching higher for customers to just go find your products on Amazon.

Remember, differentiation is not just about product features; it's also about creating a memorable brand experience. From your website design and packaging to your customer service and follow-up, every touchpoint should reflect your unique brand identity. By consistently delivering a remarkable experience, you can build a strong brand reputation that sets you apart from Amazon's standardized approach.

Enhancing customer experience by providing exceptional service and convenience with a personal touch

There is no way in Hades you’re going to be able to offer more products than Amazon, or ship consistently faster. However, you can beat them where there are opportunities to personally interact with your audience. Again, focus on doing what Amazon doesn’t, can’t, or won’t.

Start by investing in excellent customer service with a personal touch. Train your customer support team to be knowledgeable, friendly, and responsive. Encourage them to go above and beyond to solve customer issues and exceed expectations. 

Surprising a customer with how exceptional your customer experience is can create brand advocates for your company. By providing personalized assistance and prompt resolutions, you can build customer loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.

If staffing a large customer service team doesn’t make sense financially for your business, then the number of automated AI solutions are increasing and getting better by the day. Check out FlixCX, HiOperator, or Zowie if this sounds like this may be a better fit for you.

Consider offering unique services that Amazon may not provide. For example, you could offer FREE gift wrapping (Amazon charges for it, and I wouldn’t consider it anything special), personalized product recommendations based on their input, or a concierge service for high-value customers. 

Companies that are killing this will start by gathering a small amount of information from their visitors, then turn those answers into curated recommendations. Go the extra mile and create a memorable experience that keeps customers coming back to you instead of seeking out your product on Amazon.

Lastly, consider offering convenient and flexible shipping options. While Amazon may have fast shipping, you can maintain the status quo and at least not give up too much ground by offering free same-day or next-day delivery for local customers. Alternatively, you could offer free shipping with no minimum order value, making it easier for customers to shop with you.

How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Store Platform

Are you already on an eCommerce platform and thinking about switching to a different one? Maybe you have a custom site, and want to switch to a Shopify theme to make your site more streamlined. 

We’ve seen a lot of eCommerce companies make the mistake of switching to Shopify or another platform and seeing their conversion rates plummet. Switching is generally a good decision, but don’t lose sight of why your current site is working. And, don’t simply switch for the sake of a prettier design.

There are several things you should keep in mind when choosing which eCommerce store platform is best for your business. In this article, we’ll unveil the secrets to choosing the best ecommerce store platform for your online business. We’re here to simplify the process and help you make an informed decision. From analyzing your business needs to evaluating features and pricing, we will guide you through every step of the way and help you with eCommerce conversion rate optimization to avoid the major pitfalls that lead to conversion rate crashes.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an Ecommerce Store Platform

Every eCommerce platform does the same one thing: helps you sell your products or services online. They’ve streamlined the process to make building your website, adding products, and taking payments easy for owners. However, deciding which one you choose can significantly impact your success. 

To ensure you make the best choice, there are several factors you should consider. Think about your business goals and objectives. What kinds of products do you sell, or plan on selling (i.e. physical products, digital goods, or both)? Do you have plans to scale your business in the future? 

Next, how much money can you afford to spend and how much time you have available to dedicated to this project. There are ways to bootstrap with all of these platforms, but money and time will typically be inversely proportional. Every platform has options for both big and small companies and allow for scaling small budgets.

Lastly, consider the level of technical expertise you and your team possess. Some platforms are more user-friendly and require minimal technical knowledge, while others offer greater customization but may require more technical skills. Most offer no code, or “drag and drop” type web builders. These are typically pretty easy to use, but don’t be surprised if there is a learning curve before you’re comfortable.

When evaluating different ecommerce store platforms, it's important to compare features, functionality, and ease of use. 

Let's explore some of the most popular platforms in the market to help you make an informed decision.

Popular Ecommerce Store Platforms

Shopify

Shopify is the largest and most well-known eCommerce platform. If you’ve purchased anything online, then there’s a good chance you’ve used a Shopify store. 

Shopify has a lot of appeal because of it’s user-friendly interface, customizable templates, robust inventory management, order fulfillment capabilities, extensive app store, and seamless integrations. It works with multiple payments gateways, making it easy for customers to make payments. Overall, it’s options are great for both small business and international retailers.

This will sound counterintuitive, but it’s ease-of-use and endless apps and customizations are its biggest downside. Store owners start managing the user-experience and look of their site on their own, and adding app after app thinking it will help boost conversions. What you’re typically left with is a really slow site, and hodge-podge of elements that lead to a confusing and convoluted user experience.

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is a popular ecommerce platform that operates as a plugin for WordPress. With WooCommerce, you’re still going to get a lot of flexibility and customization options to meet your needs. There’s also an extensive WordPress plug-in ecosystem that will allow for additional functionality. If you’re operating internationally, or plan to, then WooCommerce will allow you to accept payments in multiple currencies and grow your global footprint.

Keep in mind, that WooCommerce does require some more technical knowledge than other platforms to set up and maintain, so it may not be the best choice if you’re planning building and managing the site yourself.

WooCommerce would likely make the most sense for stores who already have their sites built in WordPress and are working close with a development team, or have one in house managing their website needs.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is another robust ecommerce platform that has something to offer for both big and small companies making it similar to Shopify and WooCommerce. It provides a user-friendly interface, a variety of customizable templates, robust SEO features, and integrates with popular payment gateways. 

BigCommerce’s biggest asset is its built-in analytics and reporting platform. A lot of Shopify users have to familiarize themselves with Google Analytics or other tools. This isn’t to say that Shopify doesn’t have built in analytics, but having an in house analytics that can provide more granular insights is a major advantage when it comes to growth and scaling your business.

Magento (now Adobe Commerce)

Last but not least is Magento. Magento is popular for a lot of the reasons that the previous platforms in our list are. It offers a wide range of features and customization options, provides advanced inventory management, and a variety of marketing and promotional tools.

However, Magento is similar to WooCommerce in the sense it does require more technical expertise to set up and maintain. With that in mind, it may be more suitable for larger businesses or those with a dedicated development team.

Also, now that it us under the Adobe umbrella, I expect it to continue to look like a better option for Enterprise level companies. I’m willing to be proven wrong, but that’s my hunch.

From Clicks to Conversions: How Conversion Optimization Copywriting Can Boost Your Business

It's not enough to just drive traffic to your website. You need to convert those clicks into actual sales and leads. That's where conversion rate optimization (CRO) copywriting comes in. By crafting compelling and persuasive content, you can boost your website's conversion rates by keeping people’s attention and appealing to their most basic desires. 

The conversion optimization copywriting process involves analyzing your target audience, understanding their pain points, and crafting messages that resonate with them. It's a strategic approach that combines psychology, data analysis, and creativity to create content that not only attracts visitors but also motivates them to take action. In this article, we'll explore the benefits of conversion optimization copywriting and provide tips on how to implement it in your digital marketing strategy. 

Understanding your target audience

Understanding your target audience is the first crucial step to writing compelling copy. Knowing the demographics, psychographics, and behavior of your ideal customer is imperative to creating content that resonates with them. You need to identify their pain points, goals, and desires and how your product addresses these in order to craft messages that speak to them.

One of the best ways to understand your target audience is by creating buyer personas. These are fictional characters that represent your ideal customers. By creating detailed profiles of your buyer personas, you can get a better understanding of their needs, preferences, and behavior. This information can help you create content that addresses their pain points and motivates them to take action. This strategy is great to create a high level overview of what your ideal customers day/life looks like and what major events motivate their purchasing decisions (i.e. new baby, new house, new job, retirement, grandkids, etc.).

Onsite behavioral analysis is another way to help identify which issues your audience cares most about. You can use tools like Google Analytics to get insights into your website visitors' behavior. You can see which pages they visit, how long they stay on your site, and what actions they take. This information can help you create content that meets your visitors' needs and addresses their concerns. This can also help you determine which pages are the most important to focus on first.