We Are Social reported that around 50% of the 16 to 64 demographic use their mobile to purchase something online weekly. With those in mind, your eCommerce business shouldn’t be confined to one place. It’s essential that you have a website and social media sites. Plus, don’t be afraid to list your products other than those platforms. Here’s how to make a successful shift towards mobile eCommerce.

1. Use Website Builders

Most website builders nowadays can optimize your eCommerce site on the desktop or mobile. These tools help you design and layout your website and make tweaks before publishing it. Moreover, you can add pages, such as blogs, products, and contact pages, to make your eCommerce site operational.

You don’t need to hire a web designer or developer immediately when creating your site on these builders. It’s ideal for new eCommerce site owners, considering you want the business up and running from Day 1 without any hassle.

2. Set Up Secure Payment Methods

One way to enhance your customer’s experience in your eCommerce site is setting up payment gateways. Although you install payment gateway plug-ins on your desktop, it’s crucial that it’s working on your mobile site, too. This way, your customers won’t experience any mishaps or issues when paying via mobile.

3. Widen Reach with Social Commerce

Mobile eCommerce isn’t only about a mobile eCommerce app. After all, it’s a catch-all term to describe all eCommerce-related strategies done on mobile. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have opened avenues for eCommerce sites to integrate their store into these platforms. Plus, social media sites are easily accessible on phones, allowing customers to browse anywhere. 

You can promote your best-sellers and new products on these platforms. Then, ensure that you link to your website. This way, your customers can view other products, regardless of where they’re browsing them.

4. List Products on Other Relevant eCommerce Marketplaces

Even though you have a website, you can reach more people when posting items on other eCommerce stores. This allows you to get more exposure. It’s possible that your competitors are in the same marketplace. However, if you have the correct copy and high-quality images, your customers are likely to buy your products.

5. Develop an App or Hire an App Designer and Developer

Not all eCommerce sites have an app for their eCommerce products. But you can change the game by having one for easier browsing and a smoother experience. However, app development is challenging for non-developers. There are no-code app makers to use for your new app. 

Or, if creating an app is too tedious, hiring an app developer and designer is a much better alternative. They have the know-how to create an optimized app for your eCommerce site. You can find them on freelance sites like Fiverr or Upwork.

Mobile eCommerce Tools

1. Shopify

Shopify is one of the top eCommerce tools for all businesses. You can build a site, sell online, market your products, and manage your business. You don’t need experience developing or designing a website on Shopify. The eCommerce platform has a no-code website builder, letting users create sites in minutes. Additionally, Shopify allows you to integrate apps into your online store, including payment gateways.

2. Wix

Another contender in website building is Wix. Like Shopify, it’s fast, easy, and simple to create and design a website. Their web design feature, “Editor X,” allows you to customize your site. Also, you can use their Wix Payments feature. It’s their solution for all payments, allowing customers to pay via Apple Pay, credit card, and other payment methods.

3. Stripe

If you need a payment method solution, Stripe is one of the best eCommerce payment tools! You can accept payments globally. Plus, Apple Pay and Google Pay are two payment methods to integrate into your Stripe account. Stripe is also advanced because it can detect fraud and block it. Plus, you can increase conversions and launch subscriptions.

4. PayPal

An alternative to Stripe payments is PayPal. As one of the oldest payment methods, you can trust this tool for easy payments. You can install PayPal for your checkout needs. Plus, you can even request payments! Additionally, PayPal accepts credit and debit card payments worldwide!

5. Sked

Don’t have time to post all the time? Consider Sked as your social media management tool. You don’t need to publish and tag your posts manually. Sked helps you tag posts directly on their dashboard. You don’t have to worry about losing your product tags. Plus, Sked will add your shoppable posts in one gallery!

Post your products on these sites:

• Instagram
• Threads
• Facebook
• TikTok
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• YouTube

6. Planoly

Another social media management platform to consider for your mobile eCommerce needs is Planoly. Like Sked, Planoly enables users to tag shoppable posts without leaving the social media management platform. You can post your products with Planoly:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• YouTube

7. Canva

Content creation tools are necessary to make your mobile eCommerce strategies successful. Canva is one of these tools to promote your eCommerce site and products. You can use the abovementioned social media schedulers or other options. It’s easy to create designs for your social media platforms. Or you can create custom designs for your website and post them on other eCommerce marketplaces.

8. Jotform

If you want a simple yet functional app, you can create one with Jotform! They use a drag-and-drop model when you build and design your app. Plus, you can use their templates to build your app in minutes. Finally, you can share your app with a QR, which will download the app to your customers’ devices.

9. Glide

Glide is another no-code option to consider when building your app. Like Jotform, you can create using templates and customize your app design. Additionally, you can integrate productivity tools into creating your app and automate workflows!

10. Buildfire

Our final mobile eCommerce tool is Buildfire! They have a dedicated eCommerce solution that allows you to sync your products and organize your inventory. You can even add a notification so users are informed when their products are in stock or when they need to complete checkout.

With over 1 billion average monthly active users, TikTok provides new opportunities for businesses to engage with audiences. TikTok for Business has emerged as a dynamic social media marketing channel that helps small businesses grow. Have you ever wondered how to grow a business on TikTok in a highly competitive social media marketing world? Explore the best TikTok branding strategies that could help your business reach a massive audience. 

1. Choose Your Niche Topic

Like most social media platforms, you must create and share-worthy content to be popular. You must create consistent branding if you’ve chosen TikTok to promote your brand. The possibilities to produce excellent content are endless. Pick a more familiar topic and share your knowledge and experience about it.

First, research your competitors to see the types of content they post on the platform. Then, try your best to produce better content to outrank them. Likewise, monitoring and analyzing user feedback will let you understand whether or not you are moving in the right direction.

2. Create Engaging Content

Working with TikTok influencers and putting hashtags is crucial for promoting your brand to a large audience, but let’s face the truth: these strategies will only work if the content you share is balanced. 

Remember that on TikTok, you only have 15-60 seconds to convince the users to follow you. So, pay more attention to the quality of content rather than posting irrelevant things just to be active.

Be sure to create a pleasant, understandable video, as this is the first thing that catches a visitor’s attention. As a creator, you must ensure the correct design is used for all posts. Think about the captions of your videos. If you need more insights, read our blog about what to consider in creating a TikTok content strategy.

3. Work with Influencers

TikTok influencers may be known for their small audiences compared to Instagram influencers. But, reaching out to target users will help you promote your brand or company. 

Develop professional partnerships with influencers whose audience might be interested in your brand and will likely buy. This is similar to the principles of Instagram advertising works.

Tapping influencers into the TikTok platform is one way of producing high-quality content. It also enables you to get more sponsored publications. So, if your budget allows partnering with the influencer to promote your product, go for it! 

4. Join a Hashtag Challenge

The TikTok hashtag challenge is a dynamic marketing strategy that encourages users to participate in creating and sharing content about a specific theme. The goal is to generate user-generated content that aligns with your brand’s message, values, or products. It also aims to drive user engagement and increase brand visibility.

TikTok content creators might have a limited following compared with Instagram influencers. Nevertheless, the key lies in connecting with your desired audience to market your business effectively. Collaborating with influencers whose followers align with your brand’s appeal can attract potential customers inclined to purchase. This process is similar to the principles of advertising on Instagram.

5. Collaborate with Other Creators Via TikTok Marketing Campaigns

Sometimes, you want your brand to reach a large audience, but your budget is limited. In such situations, a partnership with content creators or other brands may work for you.

For instance, if you work in the fashion industry and want to promote your company, you may find other people from this field with a solid following for potential collaboration. Reach out and tell them you’re interested in a partnership project. The mutual potential benefits of collaborative projects are noticeable, so there is a high chance someone will take up your suggestion.

6. Invest in Advertising

TikTok introduced a specialized advertising system, benefiting brands from a large user base. TikTok offers three types of digital advertising:

• Native In-Feed Ads
• Hashtag Challenge Ads
• Brand Ads. 

Brand ads are the most efficient way to drive traffic to your landing page. And when it comes to targeting TikTok ads, there are two options:

• Interest Targeting. Like Facebook ads, this option lets you pick an interest relevant to your target audience. The platform shows ads to a particular group.
• Behavioral Targeting. This ad targeting type allows you to advertise to people based on their behavior within the last week or two.

7. Keep Up with Trends and Make Them Work for Your Business

As you’ve already noticed, TikTok is full of trends. This is a social network where trends change over time. It ranges from popular songs, video effects, challenges, and hashtags. But how do we identify a trend among millions of videos on TikTok? Keep up to date by tracking hashtags and themes. You must follow these trends and analyze how your business can benefit.

8. Monitor and Assess the Results of your Campaigns

Hashtags and creativity are all good, but remember that a fundamental element of any marketing strategy is evaluating the results of a campaign. Using an analytics tool, you can get valuable insights from your promotional efforts and how to improve them. If you need more engagement, consider what mistakes could have caused such an effect and how to fix them. Your clips may be underperforming because they’re not funny enough. Updating yourself with analytics is a powerful way to enlarge your audience and generate more sales.

Conclusion

TikTok stands as a significant milestone in the evolution of contemporary social media. Centered around interaction, it has attracted millions of Gen-Z users and become the most active advertising channel. With these eight branding strategies at your disposal, you’ll be able to understand how to grow a business on TikTok. Once you’ve learned the basics, showcasing your product or brand to a large TikTok community will be easier.

If your company has gained traction in national markets, it’s high time you tap into international audiences. Expanding your business globally is one way to extend your reach outside your geographical base. It’s a way for your business to augment the company’s bottom line and multiply it a hundredfold. You need to execute a well-thought-out expansion strategy. Here’s everything you need to know on global expansion strategies and some examples to help you kickstart yours. 

What are global expansion strategies?

A global expansion strategy is a comprehensive plan that outlines how a company intends to enter and establish a presence in international markets beyond its domestic borders. This strategy involves a series of steps and considerations. These are primarily aimed at maximizing growth opportunities while mitigating risks involved with entering new markets. 

It encompasses various aspects, such as market research, target market selection, market entry modes, localization, cultural adaptation, legal and regulatory compliance, and resource allocation. A well-executed expansion strategy can lead to increased market share, revenue growth, and enhanced brand recognition on a global scale.

Creating a global expansion strategy would require a formal business plan. It must state how the company will tap into international markets and outline its operations. Moreover, a global expansion business plan must state how the strategy will mitigate risks and enhance revenue growth. The global expansion business plan must also indicate clear budgets and timelines based on thorough research, goals, and skills. 

Key components of a global expansion strategy:

Creating a business plan for your global expansion strategy involves regular meetings and brainstorming. It takes a few weeks to develop a robust global expansion plan. Experts will need time to research the targeted international market and audiences. Plus, your team must view the expansion from every angle to ensure you anticipate all risks involved. 

Here are some critical components of a global expansion strategy:

• Market Research and Analysis: Thorough research is essential to identify potential markets that align with the company’s products, services, and business goals. Market research involves studying market size, growth trends, consumer preferences, competitive landscape, and regulatory frameworks.
• Target Market Selection: Based on research findings, the company must prioritize and select target markets with the best growth prospects. Considerations may include market demand, competition, cultural fit, economic stability, and political environment.
• Market Entry Modes: Companies can choose from several market entry strategies, such as exporting, licensing, franchising, joint ventures, acquisitions, and establishing wholly owned subsidiaries. The choice depends on factors like the company’s resources, risk tolerance, and the level of control desired.
• Localization and Adaptation: Adapting products, services, marketing strategies, and business operations to local preferences and cultural nuances is crucial for success. This ensures that the company resonates with the target audience and doesn’t come across as foreign or out of touch.
• Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Navigating international legal and regulatory requirements is essential to avoid legal pitfalls. This includes understanding trade laws, intellectual property protection, taxation, employment regulations, and industry-specific rules.
• Resource Allocation: Adequate allocation of financial, human, and technological resources is necessary to support the expansion effort. Companies should consider budget constraints, staffing needs, and technology infrastructure.
• Marketing and Promotion: Developing a global marketing strategy involves tailoring messages, branding, and promotional tactics to suit the cultural, linguistic, and behavioral differences of each target market. Effective global marketing may involve both centralized and localized approaches.
• Supply Chain and Logistics: Efficient supply chain management is vital for delivering products and services to international markets on time and in the desired condition. Companies need to consider transportation, distribution, and inventory management.
• Cultural and HR Considerations: Managing a diverse workforce across various countries requires understanding cultural differences, legal requirements, and local labor practices. Cultural sensitivity and effective communication are key.
• Risk Management: Entering new markets carries inherent risks, including economic volatility, political instability, and changing regulatory environments. A comprehensive risk management strategy should be in place to address these challenges.

Global expansion strategy examples

Expanding your business internationally offers many benefits. For one, the revenue growth opportunity will be unmatched as you tap into international customers. Also, your business won’t be at the mercy of a single market. You’ll also gain global brand recognition and reputation. Finally, you’ll have access to international talent with diversified skills and expertise, which can propel your brand for innovation. Try these examples for global expansion:

• Exporting: This strategy involves selling products or services to foreign markets from the company’s home country. It’s often a first step in global expansion and requires minimal investment. An example would be a fashion brand in Italy exporting its clothing line to various countries through online platforms and distributors.
• Licensing and Franchising: Licensing allows a company to grant another company (licensee) the right to use its intellectual property, technology, or brand in exchange for royalties. Franchising is a form of licensing that includes intellectual property, business models, and operational support. 
• Joint Ventures and Partnerships: Collaborating with a local partner or company can provide expertise and local market knowledge, reducing risks associated with unfamiliar territories. For instance, General Motors formed a joint venture with a Chinese automaker to tap into the Chinese auto market. 
• Direct Investment and Subsidiaries: Establishing a physical presence in a foreign market by setting up subsidiaries or acquiring existing local businesses. An example is Nestlé establishing subsidiaries in multiple countries to produce and distribute its products locally.
• E-commerce and Online Platforms: Leveraging the internet and e-commerce platforms to reach global customers without the need for extensive physical infrastructure.
• Strategic Alliances: Collaborating with other companies, often within the same industry, to share resources, knowledge, and market access. Airlines forming alliances (e.g., Star Alliance, Oneworld) to offer coordinated services and reach a broader network of destinations.
• Greenfield Investments: Building new facilities and operations from scratch in foreign markets. This approach provides complete control but requires significant investment and time. For example, Toyota constructed manufacturing plants in various countries to produce vehicles for local markets.
• Acquisitions and Mergers: Acquiring or merging with existing companies in foreign markets to quickly gain market share, customers, or capabilities. Take a leaf out of Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp to expand its messaging services and global user base.
• Localization and Cultural Adaptation: Customizing products, services, and marketing strategies to cater to local preferences and cultural norms. The extensive beverage company Coca-Cola changed its advertising campaigns to resonate with local cultures and languages.

Conclusion

A successful global expansion strategy would need a careful assessment of the company’s current state, resources, and target markets. You need to identify and conduct thorough research of your existing industry in both national and international markets. Determining the risks involved is also crucial to mitigate them and reduce impact. Once you’ve tapped into international borders, your revenue could soar by thousands or millions!