Case Study: Retail Niche Site - Picnic Items
Marketing Activities Include:
- Garnering number one search position in Google, MSN and Yahoo for specific keyword phrases – primarily through link building.
- Each and every category page ranks on the first page in Google, Yahoo, MSN – using unique title tags, header and custom created copy to pick up specific search phrase.
- Detailed keyword rich product descriptions so specific product pages rank extremely high in Google, MSN and Yahoo.
- In depth tracking using analytics tools to calculate bounce rate, vistor path, exit pages, etc. to increase conversion on the site.
- Special Promotions/Incentives to buy
- Email marketing – creation of mail list by adding subscription information to the purchase page and giving users an opportunity to sign up
- Press Releases (digital press releases/local press releases)
- Creation of buyer's guide area to establish this site as the expert in all things picnic related.
- Creation of Picnic Planning Guide as free giveaway with every purchase.
- Articles submitted to article directories that were picked up and featured in blogs.
- Established relationships with journalist/editors of national and local publications to provide high resolution images and product samples for photo shoots and tv spots - Domino Magazine Daily Dot, American Way Magazine, Life & Style Weekly, Real Simple, Yogi Times, Breakfast Television, HGTV Mother's Day Product Spotlight, Fox News Product Spotlight, "O" At Home Magazine, Positive Thinking Magazine, NY Daily News, Better Homes and Garden - to name a few.
- Set up and management of googlebase datafeeds and msn live product datafeeds.
- Use of blog to direct traffic to site.
- Use of Social Media Sites and Shopping Wists - PopGloss, CribCandy, YumSugar, ThisNext, etc.
Results: Sales increase over 400%…yes, you heard correctly…sales more than quadrupled over a 2 1/2 year time-span.
What you should know: The advertising budget was pretty much non-existent. The growth of the site came from the high search rank for specific phrases combined with getting the products featured both online and offline in various publications and web sites. Creating and increasing the site's 'findability' was key to the increase in sales.
*What I would add to the marketing mix: Reviews! Honest, detailed product reviews would definitely increase the site exposure, it's linkability and would harness the power of customer centric word of mouth to further growth.
