Nearly every Ecommerce business is on social media, but is every brand using their social channels effectively?

You may be missing more with your social efforts than you think, and that can have detrimental effects on your ability to grow your business to new heights.

To combat those effects, we’ve brought together some of the biggest names in the Social Media industry to provide insights into the best ways to adapt to changing sales tactics and make your brand stand out (and succeed) on social media.

How to "Not Make Ads, make TikToks"

A talk by Evan Horowitz, CEO and Co-founder, Movers+Shakers

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Overview: TikTok remains one of the hottest and fastest-growing platforms, and marketing on TikTok looks different than anywhere else. So how does your brand speak authentically on the platform? You don't make ads, you make TikToks! Tune into this session to learn:

• Ways brands can market on TikTok
• Tips on creating authentic content for TikTok
• Best in class brand examples of TikTok success

Summary: Think you’re ready to start creating TikToks? You might be! All it takes is an account, a camera, and some creativity to get started, and if you remember to always throw in a healthy dose of authenticity, you’ll be miles ahead of those who haven’t yet clicked “record”.

Evan Horowitz also recommends keeping these tips in mind:

• Keep it entertaining - E.L.F. drew users in with lipstick sculptures
• Raw and authentic content resonates - Brands that do the best on TikTok dive into the deep end on this
• Leverage TikTok storytelling styles - This requires an understanding of what’s typical/native on TikTok
• Jump on relevant trends - With organic content, you’ll get better reach if it’s in-line with relevant trends
• Select relevant music - Remember that music interconnects with trends and forms the foundation of the story you’re telling. How does the music or audio you’ve chosen support the story you want to tell?
• Take risks - If it’s safe, it can’t be cool. Be weird, have fun, and don’t be afraid to speak TikTok’s “edgy” language

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The Future of Ecommerce Marketing

A talk by Kunle Campbell, Dave Charest & Chris Snyder, 2x eCommerce, Constant Contact & Shopify

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Overview: Hear from leading industry experts on how the Ecommerce marketing landscape is changing, including talks of emerging platforms, tools, and trends to take advantage of today.

Summary: It’s been an eventful year in the eCommerce industry. A lot of people got into omnichannel marketing due to covid and didn’t have a plan, so now they’re struggling to make sense of it all. What they should really be focused on, however, is convergence. Namely, what pieces they have in place and what data they can use to start mapping out a fully-constructed omnichannel customer journey using that data. Tools like Rockerbox and Octane AI can help you do that.

Other than that, keep an eye to the future of eCommerce, which Kunle, Dave, and Chris anticipate will have the following emphases:

• Getting the right message to the right people
• Creating a rich brand experience at each touchpoint
• Customers freely giving their information even more so brands can give them better information and pitches

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Building Your Business with Conversational Commerce

A talk by Chris Snyder, Senior Community Manager, Shopify Spaces, Shopify

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Overview: Getting your site traffic to convert is largely about trust and building a relationship. That’s why conversational Commerce plays an essential role in nurturing and cultivating lasting relationships that allow you to retain customers and increase sales. Watch this session to:

• Learn what is "Conversational Commerce" and why is it important?
• Understand why should every business implement a chat feature into their business model?
• Learn whether a single addition to a business really increases sales, improves customer engagement and makes your ad spend more effective?

Summary: Customers who chat with a brand are 3 times MORE likely to make a purchase, have average order values that are 10-15% higher than average, and are 50% LESS likely to make a return. This is because of the relationship that the chat creates between you and the customer.

In many cases, chats don’t even happen. 90% of customers say that simply seeing a “chat now” button gives them the confidence to make a purchase because they can get help if they need it. Essentially, conversational commerce helps you:

• Meet consumer expectations
• Build trust with buyers
• Increase sales and conversions
• See greater return from paid ads
• Gain a deeper understanding of your target market
• Get direct product feedback

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Elevating Customer Experience For Ecommerce Growth

A talk by Julia Whatley, Partner Manager, Gorgias

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Overview: Creating a good customer experience doesn’t just mean having a well-optimized website (although that helps). It also means understanding what your customers want and need, what they’re asking for, and using that to consistently improve your products and services. It also means being where your customers are, responding to their questions quickly and effectively, and using data from past customer interactions to anticipate their needs. You’ll learn all that and more in this session with Julia Whatley from Gorgias.

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Summary: Customer feedback is a goldmine of rich, actionable information that can significantly improve your business. When you truly understand what your customers are asking, you can use that data to:

• Build new products
• Anticipate negative feedback BEFORE you lose customers

And even

• Understand where in your processes you can do better
  

The key to acquiring that data is responding quickly to customers when they reach out to you on any channel and interacting with them in a way that makes them more likely to head back to your website.

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How Today’s Brands Can Champion Personalized Advertising in a Privacy-Conscious World

A talk by Ken Nelson & Todd Pasternack, Deloitte & Facebook

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Overview: Personalization and privacy are often presented as two concepts at odds with one another when it comes to digital advertising, but that shouldn't be the case. With the right solutions and partners, people can see content that is more relevant and meaningful to them, and brands can reach the consumers who are more likely to take the actions they care about – all without compromising privacy.

Facebook’s Todd Pasternack, Head of Enterprise Cloud Partnerships, explores the next phase of this movement in brand marketing – one that looks to preserve valuable personalized experiences and people's privacy. This session will cover:

• How the industry is evolving to meet people's expectations around privacy
• 2. What e-commerce businesses large and small are doing to provide customers with the relevant experiences they love while supporting efforts to give users appropriate data transparency and control
• 3. Other e-commerce solutions that are making it easier for brands to reach and connect with customers (e.g. Facebook Shops, Instagram Checkout, Discovery Commerce)

Summary: Consumers all want relevant content and advertising, but we need to make sure that data is used effectively without being overused or taken advantage of. So what’s the right balance of protecting the consumer and policing the industry, and how can you ensure that you strike that balance?

• Plan for the future
• Evaluate your current AdTech stack
• Begin to focus on new operating models for data collection, privacy frameworks from both domestic and international points of view
• Remember that your consumer should always be your priority
• Give consumers all the information necessary to make informed decisions when they opt-in or opt-out

Impactful Social Commerce Strategies for Your Ecommerce Brand

A talk by Katya Allison, Director of Content, GRIN

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Overview: Watch this session by Katya Allison from GRIN to learn:

• Top strategies to implement social commerce for your online brand.
• How to repurpose influencer content to execute those social commerce strategies.
• Best practices, tips, and tricks for managing your social commerce strategy.

Summary: Have you completed your social commerce checklist yet? It’s a necessary step if you want to sell products directly to consumers on social media, regardless of whether you use paid advertising, influencer marketing, or simply word-of-mouth. Each medium comes with its own set of rules and challenges, but if you start every campaign with this checklist, you’ll have a solid foundation for growth.

• Identify your audience - Who are they? What are their pain points?
• Choose a platform - Where is your audience most active and how can you authentically engage with them on that platform.
• Leverage social proof - This can be done with user-generated imagery, promotion from influencers or ambassadors, or even customer reviews.
• Create a customer service plan - How will you address any issues that might arise for anyone purchasing from you on this platform?
• Remove potential friction points - Where could you see issues happening, and what can you do to mitigate those issues?
• Address security and privacy concerns - How will customer information be stored and utilized?

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3 Quick & Easy Ways to Double Down on Your Mobile Traffic During This Summer

A talk by Brigitta Ruha, Product Marketing Manager, Recart

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Overview: Ecommerce is set to total a quarter of all global retail. Watch this session to learn how conversational experiences help you to make the most of the crazy surge in mobile shopping, and get 3 strategies that will cut through the noise, grow your SMS and email list faster & cheaper, and double down on your existing customers. You’ll also learn:

• Exactly what mobile commerce is and why it's so important
• How to turn scrollers into subscribers
• How to tell your unique brand story, run educational sequences and automation to grow revenue on autopilot
• How to run campaigns that convert

Summary: The results are in, and the outlook isn’t looking good if eCommerce brands don’t make some changes. 80% of shoppers are dissatisfied with their current shopping experiences, and with most of your customers meeting you while browsing their feeds, cracking the code with a seamless mobile experience is the must-have method to turn browsers into buyers.

So if you want to optimize for the 70% of traffic coming your way from mobile, make sure you put these tips into action:

• Offer a seamless opt-in on mobile
• Add a whole new level of excitement to your opt-ins and automate the engagement
• Create personalized messages to keep the momentum high

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Giving at the Speed of Culture

A talk by Sonia Nigam & Amar Shah, Change

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Overview: Your audience wants to discuss issues that the world is facing, and if your brand isn’t joining in that discussion through a dedicated mission, it’s the wrong stance. Sonia Nigam and Amar Shah explain why in this E-Commerce Day session. In it, you’ll learn why:

• Consumers choose brands with values
• The rising generation wants to be seen through their social impact
• Brands need to respond quickly and authentically to every movement

Summary: It isn’t a new concept that consumers value social impact. What is new, however, is how big a role those values now play in a customer’s decision to choose one brand over another. In fact, 89% of Americans are likely to switch brands to one associated with a cause. Here’s how you can keep your customers engaged in this cause-focused world:

• Make sure your brand is mission-driven
• Pick a mission that’s authentic to your brand and make it visible
• Don’t be afraid to take a stand on social issues
• Take real action to create a tangible impact with your brand

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How to Drive Real ROI from your Influencer Marketing Program

A talk by Beca Alexander & Derric Haynie, Socialyte & EcommerceTech

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Overview: From blogger to Founder and President of Socialyte, Beca has spent the last decade helping brands identify and establish relationships with top influencers and content creators. Check out this session to join Beca and EcommerceTech’s Derric Haynie as they discuss influencer marketing and what it takes to see success with it.

Summary: Everyone you meet has the ability to be an influencer, and everyone's an influencer in some way. They’re called “micro influencers”. To really make influencer marketing work for you, though, it’s important to keep a few things in mind.

• There’s always a new trend, platform, or challenge on social media -- all you have to do is figure out which ones your audience resonates with.
• Keeping up with trends is what keeps you and your brand relevant in your industry
• Influencer marketing allows people to relate to the individuals “selling” to them and contact them
• Morality clauses are now a big part of contracts on both sides. Don’t forget to include them when working with a new influencer.

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Facebook Ads 101

A talk by Chase Clymer & Ryan Shaw, Electric Eye & Electric Eye

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Overview: Is your brand ready for FB and IG ads? If you aren’t utilizing your entire marketing funnel, the answer is no, but this session can help get you there! Join Chase Clymer and Ryan Shaw as they discuss:

• The basic marketing funnel and where FB/IG ads fit in
• When to start utilizing paid media
• What separates winning brands from losing brands with social advertising

Summary: Is your brand ready for FB and IG ads? To find out, you need to complete 4 specific requirements.

• Social Media Verification - Think of your social media pages more like a social landing page. People are looking at everything to see if you’re real, if people like the product, and everything in between.
• Product/Market Fit - This is the most intangible requirement, but it’s also, arguably, the most important. To gauge whether you’ve completed this requirement, look at your most recent sales. If people are shopping and purchasing your product organically, you’re generally on the right track.
• Fulfillment - Do you have the capacity to fulfill twice as many orders tomorrow as you’re doing today? If you start doing paid media and it takes off, do you have the inventory, logistics, and everything in-between to support the new business? You better, or you could lose customers forever.
• Ecommerce experience - What does your online store experience look like? This matters because the best ads and all the money in the world can’t help you if your digital shopping experience isn’t up to par with customer expectations.

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Scaling Social Commerce with a Social Native Mindset

A talk by Kunle Campbell, Podcast Host, Acquisition Entrepreneur, Advisor, Speaker, 2x eCommerce

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Overview: In this talk, Kunle outlines how to go beyond launching products that turn out to be a social media fad by creating a long-lasting meaningful brand that dominates social media. He covers:

• The anatomy of social native brands
• How best-in-class social native brands build an intricate infrastructure of influencers
• Tiers of influencers
• IGC vs UGC
• 'Pay to Play'

Summary: There’s a new fad or trend on social media every day, but the most successful eCommerce companies transcend those trends by truly understanding their audience and what that demographic looks for when buying. Tactics like:

• Building strong, recognizable brand ambassador programs
• Bringing a feeling of true personalization to interactions with customers at every level
• Blending the world of online with offline through events, meet-and-greets, etc.

And

• Building a community around the brand
  

Can mean the difference between dominating social media for a short time or a long time.

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Winning in Ecommerce with Email Marketing

A talk by Jenna Shaffer, Marketing Manager, Constant Contact

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Overview: Email marketing plays an essential role in nurturing and cultivating lasting relationships that allow you to retain customers and increase sales. In this session with Jenna Shaffer, you’ll learn:

• How to use email marketing to sell more and grow your business including how to target high-value customers on social media.
• The fundamentals of using email to improve retention
• How to segment your list and automate emails to reach your audience through social tools

Summary: 90% of customers want to stick with known businesses and brands, but it’s up to you as the brand to not drive them away with bad business practices.  Email marketing can help you ensure your current customers STAY your customers. Here are the fundamentals:

• Include 2 types of emails in your email marketing strategy: promotional and non-promotional.
• Include the following components in every email:

• Headline (What are you offering? Why are you emailing the subscriber?)
• Message body (How will your offer help the reader?)
• Call to action button (What should the reader do next?)

• Always add value
• Build community and promote audience engagement

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Chat Nondurable DTC with Natalie!

A talk by Chris Snyder & Natalie Woyshner, Shopify & La Monarca Bakery

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Overview: Join Chris Snyder from Shopify and Natalie Woyshner from La Monarca as they discuss the challenges of growing an omnichannel brand in the post-Covid world. You’ll learn how La Monarca Bakery, a 12-location specialty bakery/cafe chain in Los Angeles, has found success with its mission-driven, community-first approach to serving the highest quality pan dulce, coffee, and cookies to the people of Los Angeles and now nationwide.

Summary: La Monarca Bakery has been recognized by The LA Times' Great Bakeries in LA, FORBES Small Giants, and recently NY Times for the packaged goods line. They did it by diversifying their product line where applicable, fleshing out and maturing their online presence to improve their D2C capabilities, and focusing on awareness of their brand and products. Next steps include:

• Optimizing for TikTok
• Restructuring their paid media strategy in light of Facebook’s IOS 14 update to lean into other channels and not focus as much on cost-per-click (CPC).
• Launching their first iteration of a new product AND a relaunch of their current product line
• Repositioning their marketing to show that all their products can be frozen/cooled
  

Which of these steps sounds like something you’re doing? Let us know!

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How to Choose the Right Tech Tools to Grow Your Store

A talk by Derric Haynie, Chief Ecommerce Technologist, EcommerceTech

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Overview: Believe it or not, there’s a right way and a wrong way to add tools to your tech stack. EcommerceTech’s Derric Haynie walks you through the right way in this recommendation-packed session. In it, you’ll learn:

• How to understand the Ecommerce Technology Landscape. 
• The 7 step process for choosing the right tools. 
• How to vet technology companies.

Summary: Have you ever heard the quote: “It's better to be slow and careful in the right direction than to be fast and careless on the wrong path”? One of the most notable ways this saying rings true is in the world of eCommerce technology. Traditionally, eCommerce merchants don’t start looking into new technologies for their business until something in the company is on fire. That’s the wrong way to add tools to to your tech stack. The right way looks more like this:

• Needs Analysis: Analyze your company’s trajectory. What needs do you see cropping up in the future? What needs do you have now?
• Integrations: What tools are available to solve this need, and do they integrate with your current tech stack? If the answer is no, then the tool likely isn’t a good fit.
• Budget: What budget do you have to allocate toward a new tool?
• Understand Switching and Lock-In Costs: Does it make sense financially to switch from one provider to another? How would committing to one tool over another affect you cost-wise?
• Create a Shortlist: Pick at least two, if not three tools to add to your shortlist. Don’t just pick one!
• Demos, yay!: Book demos for each of the tools on your shortlist. Don’t be afraid to ask questions during the demos -- that’s how you find out which tool is right for you.
• Testing or Onboarding: Either start a free trial or completely onboard your new tool, whichever the tool you choose offers.

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Tech Showcase: Route

A talk by Nate Smith, Strategic Partnerships, Route

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Overview: Route offers a connected suite of post-purchase solutions for online retailers. With Route, merchants can optimize their post-purchase experience, increase customer lifetime value, and differentiate their brand by offering customers package tracking built for the needs of modern consumers, order protection against loss, theft, or damage, and genuine customer engagement from purchase to delivery.

Summary: If you’ve never heard of the Route experience, then you’re in the right place. With this tool, eCommerce merchants can consolidate the entire post-purchase experience into something that delights customers and turns them into long-term brand advocates. Here’s how it work:

• Protect: Increase peace of mind at checkout by protecting every order against loss, damage, and theft
• Track: Proactively deflect WISMO inquiries by allowing customers to track their order in real time on a map interface
• Resolve: Enable customer to self-solve order issues in just a few clicks, quickly turning a negative experience into a positive one
• Engage: Engage with your customers post-purchase, increasing customer lifetime value and reducing customer acquisition costs

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How INH Hair Utilizes Social Media and Shop Quiz to Build Stronger Customer Relationships

A talk by Jamila Feaster-Rawls, Octane AI & Zanna Morre, INH Hair

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Overview: INH hair is a self-funded startup that got its start on Instagram. They recently created a color-matching quiz that enables customers to choose between the 17 available shade options for wigs and hair extensions; Zanna Moore shares how they did it in this session. In it, you’ll learn:

• How using social media with on-site quizzes allow you to learn more about customers
• How to use these pieces of information to build a community of fans and influencers
• How to create personalized shopping experiences to build brand affinity

Summary: Hair is a huge part of self-expression and is the cherry on top for the perfect look. That’s why INH hair created a quiz that gives customers their perfect wig or extension match out of 17 available shades. This quiz has been so successful that 19 out of every 21 people get their correct shade on the first test. Here’s how they did it:

• Octane AI’s shoppable quiz tool
• Tested their quiz on a small audience before pushing live (their private FB group)
• Requested feedback from customers who took the quiz before buying

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How to Turn Product Reviews Into Social Posts That Get Likes, Follows, and Sales!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn1UsskeEKE

A talk by Jameela Ghann, Marketing Manager, Fera.ai

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Overview: About 80% of customers read a review before making their purchase, but how can you turn that statistic into sales for your business? Join Fera.ai’s Jameela Ghann as she explains:

• How to gather and manage product reviews
• The best type of reviews to ask for depending on your brand
• How to repurpose reviews and mentions to generate sales

Summary: 90% of people say that their buying decisions, whether or not they buy your product, are influenced by reviews. So how can you make that statistic work for you? Get more reviews. Here are a few key ways to do that:

• Make it easy for customers to leave a review
• Show your appreciation whenever someone reviews your product or website
• Ask for reviews and follow up with customers after they make a purchase. 77% of users would leave a review if asked.
• Offer incentives for reviewing your product or website. Tools like Smile can help you do that.

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Buying an Online Business: How to Win as an Acquisition Entrepreneur

A talk by Walker Deibel, CEO, Quiet Light

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Overview: Being an entrepreneur doesn’t always mean starting a business from scratch. There are also countless options available for acquiring pre-established businesses and seeing returns within hours, rather than years. Walker Deibel from QuietLight explains how to turn acquisition into a successful business venture in this session. You’ll also learn:

• Why Acquiring Beats Starting From Scratch (Most of the Time)
• 3 Paths to Buying Your 4 Hour Work Week
• 7 Best Practices to Win as a Buyer

Summary: 96% of all businesses in the US don’t exceed $1M in revenue, and 50% of owning or creating a business comes at the exit/sale. Knowing that, why wouldn’t you want to purchase an already-established business that HAS exceeded the $1M mark (or is close to exceeding it)? If that sounds like something you’re interested in, here are 7 best practices to keep in mind:

• Get your financing in order BEFORE you go to buy anything
• Do what you say you’re going to do
• Have confidence and speed to closing
• Don’t overestimate the “cash buyer” competition
• Have genuine gratitude for the personal connections you create when making purchases
• Don’t believe the hype (advertised aggregate multiples)
• Don’t fight (i.e. negotiate) over “months”

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Tech Showcase: Carro

David Perry, CEO, Carro

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Overview:  The future of online retail will be built by brands working together. David Perry shares how they are helping turn that future into a reality, and why 35,000 Shopify brands have already joined their mission, in this session from E-Commerce Day 2021.

Summary: Carro, is the only Shopify APP that's dedicated to helping you gain ATTENTION (Traffic), SALES (Including Brand Partnerships), and INVENTORY (Pay only when it Sells.) Their goal is to build a platform that’s built for and designed by brands. One of their main features is the ability to tell you whether influencers buy your products and to help you create fruitful partnerships with those influencers. You can also build relationships with brands that sell in similar product markets.

A few things to remember when building these relationships:

• Don’t treat influencers like billboards. They’re famous because they make amazing content -- let them do it WITHOUT your micromanagement.
• Form relationships with the influencers who are mentioning your brand and products
• Collaborate with brands you love (that have products you love)

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Visual Merchandising to Turbo Charge your Conversion Rates

A talk by Taylor Daniel, President, Merchandise Planning, FOMO Agency

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Overview:  The art of Visual Merchandising shows off your merchandise at its very best with the end goal of making a sale, whether now or in the future. It is the eye-catching impact that waves to your customers saying "HEY - YOU WANT TO SHOP HERE."

It is a combination of products, models, or mannequins, graphics, signage, texture, color, lighting, and message. Your Visual Merchandising Strategy is the crossroads between product design and marketing, and determines your next 12 months of visual displays to tell your seasonal stories and drive important business metrics like traffic, conversion, and brand loyalty.

Historically, visual merchandising has been thought of as just window displays and mannequins inside brick & mortar department stores. However, in today's digital retail landscape, we must also digitally transform our presentation strategies.

So, how do online retailers leverage visual merchandising tactics when their storefronts aren't physical but exist only virtually amongst more competition than ever?

Watch this session to find out.

Summary: For many Ecommerce stores and startup brands, "social media" is managed by a social media manager or marketing department. There is a marketing strategy, there is probably even a content strategy, but many Ecommerce brands are missing a visual merchandising strategy altogether.

As consumers are now shopping from their phones and tablets more often than not, editorial product photography, video of goods in action, and interactive virtual reality try-on become the pillars of visual merchandising for Ecommerce retailers.

There are four main types of product presentations in physical stores:

• One-Item Display
• Line-of-Goods Display
• Related-Goods Display
• Variety Display
  

Here’s what these tactics look like for an online brand:

• One-Item Displays: Be bold, Stay on brand, Remember that the devil’s in the details

• Line-of-Goods Display: Don’t overwhelm your audience with too many images, Be selective of what products you promote, Tell a story with your images

• Related-Goods Display: Stay on brand, Don’t skimp on product details, Focus on the emotions your products (and imagery) cause

• Variety Display: Choose a cohesive theme or story to tell

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