Category: Articles

Overview

Shopify has recently launched more than 100 updates for the mid-year 2023 season. So, what does that mean for the eCommerce landscape? Looking to see how these improvements will impact your business? As a Shopify Plus Partner Agency, our LION Digital team have explored the latest innovations of all new Shopify features and functions for you. We’ve covered everything that end-user merchants and eCommerce business owners need to know – from theme updates to advanced analytics and expanded payment options – to empower you to create exceptional online shopping experiences for your valued customers.

Brands must be open to innovating and constantly learning to stay ahead in the fast-paced world of eCommerce. For Shopify merchants and eComm operators, this means adding Shopify’s latest updates and improvements to your toolkit.

To help you stay in the loop, we’re excited to bring you a comprehensive overview of the most recent Shopify updates for 2023. These updates are designed to deliver the tools and resources you need to create outstanding online shopping experiences for your clients.

LION Digital + Shopify Updates = Success

As one of the few performance marketing focused Shopify Plus Partner Agencies, LION Digital is at the forefront of the latest Shopify updates. We understand how to harness the improved features and functionality to drive growth and success for your eCommerce business.

Discover how LION Digital, as a leading Shopify developer and Shopify Plus Partner, can take your projects to the next level.

• Increasing the average order value
• Delivering curated value and convenience for your customers
• Providing discount shopping for your customers
• Clearing outdated inventory
• Driving greater product visibility.

Shopify Subscriptions App: Shopify’s free subscription app helps you set up and manage subscriptions easily. Customers now gain the flexibility to pause, skip, or modify orders. You can also enhance customer loyalty by suggesting hassle-free, relevant recurring purchases.

Marketplace Connect App: By using the Shopify Marketplace Connect app, business owners can connect product catalogues to multiple marketplaces, including major platforms such as Amazon and eBay. This allows you to gain key access to new customers while syncing and managing all your listings, inventory, and orders in Shopify admin. Along with product prices automatically converting to local currencies on your chosen marketplaces, any changes to products or orders are automatically synced across all platforms for seamless fulfilment through this centralised Shopify app.

Improved B2B Features: You can now manage both wholesale B2B and D2C sales in one intuitive admin, with tools optimised for flexibility and customisation for all your buyers. The updated B2B functionality simplifies the entire wholesale buying process with seamless volume pricing and accepted PayPal payments. You can customise the end-to-end experience for all your buyers for products, pricing publishing, quantity guidelines and payment options without the need for coding or multiple apps.

Shopify Credit Card: Enjoy hassle-free purchasing via the Shopify Credit Card exclusively for Shopify merchants. The card offers up to 3% cashback on eligible purchases, no fees, and scalable credit limits based on sales.

Expanded Payment Options

Shopify is constantly growing its payment options to cater to a global audience. In 2023, you can expect even more options, including:

• Localised Payment Methods to accept payments in various local currencies through popular regional payment gateways.
• Buy Now, Pay Later to increase conversion rates and offer flexible payment choices for your customers.

With these expanded payment options, you can easily expand into new markets to increase sales worldwide.

Shopify 2023 Theme Updates

Themes are the cornerstone of any successful eCommerce store. In 2023, Shopify introduced several theme updates that, with the help of the LION Digital team, you can use to create visually stunning and highly functional online stores. Some highlights include:

• Theme Sections 2.0: A revamped system that enables even more flexibility in customising the layout and design of your clients’ stores.
• Responsive Images: Better image handling to ensure optimal performance across all devices, enhancing the overall shopping experience for customers.
• Improved Accessibility: Making online stores more accessible to all users, adhering to the highest accessibility standards.

These updates empower us to help you deliver exceptional, user-friendly designs that convert visitors into customers.

Enhanced eCommerce Analytics

Understanding customer behaviour is key to making data-driven decisions. Shopify’s enhanced analytics gives our team access to deeper insights into your business. New features include:

• Customer Segmentation to easily categorise and analyse customer behaviour, allowing for targeted marketing campaigns and personalised experiences.
• Enhanced Funnel Analytics to track the customer journey from landing on your website to making a purchase, identifying drop-off points and areas for improvement.
• Inventory Insights to gain a better understanding of inventory trends, optimise stock levels and reduce waste.

Your Trusted Shopify Plus Partner Agency

When it comes to implementing the latest Shopify updates to harness their full potential, partnering with a premium eCommerce digital marketing agency is essential to get the most benefits. As a distinguished Shopify Plus Partner Agency, LION Digital has a demonstrated commitment to excellence in eCommerce development and a deep understanding of the Shopify platform.

Leveraging the Power of Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus is Shopify’s enterprise-level platform tailored for high-growth businesses. Our partnership with Shopify Plus means we can seamlessly scale your eCommerce operations to new heights. Here’s what sets LION Digital apart:

• Customised Solutions: Our specialist team is well-versed in Shopify Plus’s advanced capabilities, allowing us to create tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of your clients.
• Optimised Performance: We can fine-tune Shopify Plus stores for optimal performance, ensuring speed, reliability, and scalability, even during peak traffic.
• Seamless Integrations: Our in-depth knowledge of Shopify’s APIs and integrations ensures smooth and efficient connections with third-party tools and systems.
• LION Digital is a specialist eCommerce solution, SEO, paid media and Klaviyo agency, so we understand the retail landscape best.

Partner with us and tap into our wealth of experience and expertise to make the most of these updates. Whether adopting new theme features, optimising eCommerce analytics, or integrating expanded payment options, our team has the know-how to ensure a seamless and effective Shopify implementation for your business.

Contact our specialist LION Digital team today.

Article by

ERIKA MAGPILI – DIGITAL EXECUTIVE & MARKETING MANAGER

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is key; no organisation knows this better than Google. While the search engine game-changer delivers a “nothing to see here” approach to its constant redefinition of search algorithms, LION has done all the hard work so you don’t have to lose any sleep over Google’s game-busting new moves. Google delivers several core and algorithm updates that have left marketers and website owners eager to learn. So the team at LION has compiled a comprehensive guide to shed light on these imperative updates, their impact on search engine rankings, and what that means for your business.

Here’s the 2023 Google Core Algorithm Updates & what you need to know

Google is constantly innovating and looking for new ways to ensure that its search algorithms identify the best content to appear at the top of the search engine results. This often means updating the way websites are evaluated. Here’s some key information about the changes Google has made to its search algorithms in 2023.

October 2023: The October Core and Spam Updates

The October core update is the third of 2023 focused on improving Google’s search ranking systems. In addition to the core algorithm update earlier in the month, October also marked the rollout of enhanced spam detection systems with better language coverage, better coverage for various types of spam and cleaner search results.

The update, a result of feedback from global community members reporting increased spam results across a range of languages, is designed to target cloaking, hacked, auto-generated, and scraped spam content.

How the Spam Update Works

Google leverages a combination of human review and AI systems to identify and penalise pages that use any of the following:

• Hidden text or links that users don’t see but search engines do.
• Automatically generated content with little or no added value for users.
• Large-scale article scraping without permission
• Pages loaded with distracting ads that provide a poor user experience
• Affiliate pages with thin content focused heavily on monetization

Those sites that don’t use any of the above tactics to increase their rank will be unaffected by changes. Those who do should fix or remove pages to avoid penalty.

You can learn more about Google’s Web Search Spam Policies here, and make changes to your website if you believe that you’re violating any of these, otherwise contact LION Digital now if you need a bit of help from one of our SEO & website best practice experts.

September 2023: The Helpful Content Update

In September 2023, Google introduced the Helpful Content Update, reaffirming the importance of making valuable, relevant, and trustworthy information accessible to everyone in business. No surprises that this update once again highlights the need to prioritise user-centric content creation in your ecommerce SEO strategy.

What do these updates mean for my site?

The September 2023 Helpful Content Update reinforces the importance of offering valuable, relevant, and trustworthy information to users. Websites are guided to prioritise creating content that genuinely helps their audience. So, focussing on user needs, addressing common queries, and providing comprehensive, informative content needs to be ongoing to help your business win the big game.

How the helpful content system works

The trickiest part is figuring out what all these algorithmic updates mean for you. Let LION show you the way by helping you understand that Google favours websites that provide answers, solutions, and valuable insights to users. Therefore, to align with the latest Google update, ensure your content addresses the intent of the search users so that it can add real value to your audience’s results experience.

August 2023: The Core Update Redux

Google’s commitment to improving user experience was reinforced with the August 2023 Core Update. Core updates can significantly impact various types of websites, yet they can be difficult to navigate. Digital marketers must adapt their SEO strategies to accommodate these changes, and at LION Digital, we will tailor a strategic plan to ensure your website remains visibly strong.

What do these updates mean for my site?

The August 2023 Core Update reinforces Google’s commitment to user satisfaction. If you notice changes in your website’s rankings and traffic, it’s simply a reminder to adapt your SEO strategy, which is where LION’s specialist SEO team excels. Focus on providing high-quality, user-centric content and an exceptional website experience and ensure you’re implementing authentic content delivered in your brand voice.

Going one step further, it’s crucial that the structure and hierarchy of your URLs allows Google to understand the importance, placement and context of your content, and unless you’re sure this has been done correctly, consider engaging LION Digital for some website architecture consulting.

CASE STUDIES

How do core updates work?

Google keeps on top of its game by covering all bases. One thing to consider is the core updates, which help strategists evaluate various aspects of your website, including content quality, relevance, and user experience. Google refines its algorithms to ensure users receive the most valuable search results. Staying ahead of your competitors requires commitment. Your website and SEO channels must deliver first-class content and optimise user experiences to remain on top.

April 2023: Another Focus on Reviews

April 2023 witnessed another noteworthy update targeting reviews. For eCommerce websites that thrive on reviews and product information, this update was of particular significance. LION Digital can help you remain informed about these changes while optimising your content accordingly to secure and enhance your position in search results.

What will this system do to my site?

The April 2023 Reviews Update underlines Google’s promise to deliver trustworthy information to users. For websites with a strong focus on reviews, this means emphasising credibility, transparency, and in-depth analysis of your content. Avoid promotional language and prioritise authentic user experiences to maintain or improve your visibility in search results.

How the reviews system works

The reviews system update evaluates the quality and credibility of reviews presented in search results. Google rewards websites that offer objective, user-focused reviews. To align with this update, make sure your reviews are honest, informative, and free from bias.

March 2023: The Core Update

In March 2023, Google rolled out its Core Update, a significant event in SEO in Australia and internationally. Core updates often have a significant impact on search results, reconfiguring various aspects of Google’s ranking algorithm. Marketers must pay attention to these updates if they want to continue to rank and gain traffic and sales for their brand. This update is a reminder to provide valuable, high-quality content to help maintain or improve your search rankings.

What do updates to this system mean for my site?

Google’s Core Updates, including the March 2023 version, have a broad impact on search rankings. With this in mind, it is vital to monitor site performance, to ensure you’re on top of changes in traffic, rankings, and user behaviour. At LION Digital, it’s our job to remain on top of Google’s curve balls, so contact us to tailor an SEO strategy that will send your business success sky-high.

February 2023: The Product Reviews Update

Google kicked off the year with the February 2023 Product Reviews Update. This update was aimed at enhancing the quality of product-related content in search results. Google’s focus on delivering valuable information to users meant that eCommerce websites with high-quality product reviews gained an advantage. If your website features product-related content, understanding and optimising this update has become crucial.

What do this system and updates mean for my site?

The February 2023 Product Reviews Update again signals Google’s reaffirmed dedication to delivering the most relevant and valuable content to users. If your site features product reviews, this update highlights the importance of ensuring your content offers genuine content. Be mindful that there is no wiggle room for spam. Google aims to reward websites that provide comprehensive user-focused product reviews.

How the reviews system works

The reviews system update will ultimately improve how product-related content occurs in search results. The Google magnifying glass is ever-present when it comes to scrutinising reviews, favouring sites with informative content and unbiased product reviews. If your site relies on product reviews, the team at LION Digital can help you maintain transparency, avoid promotional language, and provide the right kind of information that Google loves to ensure greater search rankings and improved sales.

If you want to stay on top of Google’s next move, partner with LION Digital today. Our specialist team understands the many-nuanced metrics and metres and how to read the data. We’re here to help you stay ahead of the pack. Talk to us today to get your content ‘up top’.

The holiday season is gearing up, and so is the excitement surrounding Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM). These back-to-back shopping extravaganzas have become a golden opportunity for eCommerce businesses to skyrocket their revenue. If you’re ready to dive into the world of BFCM success, keep reading for practical strategies that can make a real difference to your online store.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have transformed into more than just an extended weekend for shoppers to secure discounted products. They’ve teamed up to represent a critical opportunity for eCommerce enterprises to revitalise their earnings and exert a notable influence on their financial outcomes.

Guide to Effectively Maximise BFCM Success

It’s all about the hustle and the smarts — from crafting irresistible offers that leave customers hungry for more, to optimising your website, the following strategies are your ticket to dominating BFCM.

✅ Advance Planning and Promotion

Achieving success during BFCM begins with meticulous preparation well in advance. Early promotion generates excitement among your target audience, maintaining their interest and eagerness for what bargains they can get their hands on.

✅ Creating Irresistible Offers

With competition at its peak, your offers need to stand out. Consider offering bundle deals, limited-time promotions, buy-one-get-one offers, or tiered discounts based on purchase value. Tailor your offers to cater to different customer segments.

✅ Enhancing Website Performance

The surge in visitors during BFCM can strain an unprepared website. Ensure your website can manage heightened traffic by optimising its performance, refining loading speeds, and conducting stress tests.

✅ Prioritising Mobile-First Approach

A substantial portion of BFCM traffic comes from mobile devices. Ensure your website is mobile-responsive and offers a seamless shopping experience on both smartphones and tablets.

✅ Streamlined Checkout Process

A complicated checkout process can lead to cart abandonment. Simplify the checkout process, offer multiple payment options, and consider implementing one-click purchasing to reduce friction.

✅ Multi-Channel Strategy

Effectively executing a holistic multi-channel strategy can significantly amplify the success of your BFCM campaign.These channels may include your website, social media platforms, email marketing, and paid campaigns.

Guide to Effectively Maximise BFCM Success

Partnering with a seasoned digital marketing agency like LION Digital can take your BFCM campaign to the next level.

• Optimising Through SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

With BFCM providing a peak online shopping period, securing high visibility is important. Meticulously conducting keyword research, optimising product descriptions, enhancing website structure, and augmenting site speed to ensure a seamless user experience will bolster your eCommerce website’s visibility on search engine results pages.

• Leveraging Paid Campaigns

During the BFCM frenzy, when competition is fierce, it is essential to ensure your products are prominently displayed to users actively searching for them. This approach maximises the likelihood of converting clicks into conversions and driving revenue.

• Harnessing the Power of Social Media

The influence of social media during BFCM cannot be underestimated. Whether it’s teasing exclusive deals or fostering user engagement through contests, implementing comprehensive social media strategies can help your brand shine bright.

• Email Marketing Expertise

Email remains a potent tool for BFCM success. From crafting attention-grabbing subject lines to designing visually appealing templates, it is pivotal to ensure your BFCM messages stand out in crowded inboxes and ultimately drive recipients to your eCommerce platform.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have evolved into more than just shopping holidays—they’re now a battleground for eCommerce success. By implementing a combination of strategic planning and comprehensive multi-channel strategies, your business can harness the immense potential of BFCM to boost revenue and solidify its position in the competitive eCommerce landscape for 2023. 

If you’re aiming to kick your campaigns up a notch, teaming up with the pros at LION Digital is a smart move. Our know-how and track record can give your BFCM efforts an impressive boost, helping you reach giddying heights of success.

So, take these strategies onboard, ask for help from seasoned experts, and get ready to make this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday an eCommerce extravaganza to remember.

Partner with us today.

Article by

Erika magpili – digital executive & marketing manager

In the dynamic world of eCommerce, being able to effectively reach your target audience and staying ahead of the competition are paramount. Klaviyo has recently rolled out its Customer Data Platform (CDP) Solutions, promising to revolutionise customer data management and drive marketing strategies for businesses. 

If you’re a Premium eCommerce Marketing Agency like LION Digital, or simply looking to lift your eCommerce marketing game, it’s essential to explore how Klaviyo’s latest update can benefit your eCommerce business.

Understanding the Basics: What is a Customer Data Platform (CDP)?

Before we delve into the features and benefits of Klaviyo Customer Data Platform (CDP), let’s start by determining what a Customer Data Platform is and why it is crucial for eCommerce success.

A Customer Data Platform (CDP) is a centralised system that collects, organises, and analyses customer data from various touchpoints, such as websites, email campaigns, social media, and more. It creates a unified customer profile, providing businesses with a holistic view of their customers’ behaviour, preferences, and interactions with the brand. This thorough gathering of comprehensive information enables businesses to deliver personalised and targeted marketing campaigns, thereby enhancing customer engagement and driving sales.

Now, let’s explore how Klaviyo CDP takes this concept to the next level.

What You Can Expect From Klaviyo Customer Data Platform (CDP): Features and Benefits

✅ Real-time Data Sync

Klaviyo CDP offers real-time data synchronisation, ensuring you have access to the most up-to-date customer information. This feature is invaluable for eCommerce businesses, which must respond swiftly to changing customer behaviours and market trends to stay on top. With real-time data, you can personalise marketing messages, recommend products, and tailor your communications instantly, which can have a huge impact on the relevance of your campaigns.

✅ 360-Degree Customer Profiles

One of the standout features of Klaviyo CDP is its ability to create 360-degree customer profiles. These profiles compile data from multiple sources, including website visits, email engagement, purchase history, and more. This comprehensive view of each customer’s behaviour and preferences can empower your marketing team to craft highly personalised and targeted campaigns that resonate with your audience on a deeper level.

✅ Advanced Segmentation and Targeting

Segmentation is the cornerstone of successful email marketing and eCommerce strategies. Klaviyo CDP Solutions pushes segmentation up a notch with its advanced capabilities. Klaviyo CDP can create custom segments based on a wide range of criteria, such as browsing behaviour, purchase history, and demographic information. This precision data will allow you to deliver laser-focused marketing messages to specific customer segments, helping to improve conversion rates and ROI.

✅ Predictive Analytics

Harnessing the power of predictive analytics, Klaviyo Customer Data Platform (CDP) enables you to anticipate customer actions and interests. By analysing historical data and trends, the platform can provide insights into which products a customer might be interested in, when they are likely to make a purchase, and how much they are willing to spend. Armed with this information, you can send timely and relevant offers, maximising your sales opportunities.

✅ Seamless Integration with eCommerce Tools

Klaviyo understands that eCommerce businesses rely on a multitude of tools and platforms to operate efficiently. That’s why the Klaviyo CDP solutions seamlessly integrate with popular eCommerce platforms, marketing automation tools, and analytics solutions. Whether you’re using Shopify, Magento, or another eCommerce platform, Klaviyo’s CDP can easily connect with your existing tech stack, ensuring a smooth and cohesive marketing ecosystem.

✅ Personalised Recommendations

Personalisation is the name of the game in eCommerce, and Klaviyo CDP excels in this capacity. The platform uses AI-driven algorithms to provide personalised product recommendations to individual customers. By suggesting products that align with a customer’s interests and purchase history, you can significantly increase cross-selling and upselling opportunities.

✅ Dynamic Content Creation

Creating dynamic and engaging content is essential for capturing your audience’s attention. Klaviyo CDP offers tools for producing diverse email content that adapts based on the recipient’s activity and choices. This ensures your emails are not only visually appealing but also highly relevant, leading to improved click-through rates and conversions.

Klaviyo CDP Pricing: Tailored for All Business Sizes

Klaviyo understands that businesses come in all shapes and sizes, and therefore strategic pricing reflects the flexibility of the product.

Klaviyo’s pricing structure is designed to accommodate all tiers of business, from startups to enterprise-level eCommerce giants. Klaviyo offers transparent pricing plans that scale with your needs. 

With a quick and straightforward setup process, Klaviyo customers can be up and running in just minutes. Klaviyo’s CDP costing options can be tailored to suit your budget and requirements. So if you’re a small business owner looking to boost your online presence, you can reach out to a CDP specialist to request a demo.

In addition to competitive pricing, Klaviyo also provides excellent customer support and resources to help you make the most of its CDP. The company’s knowledge base, webinars, and community forums are invaluable for learning best practices and staying updated on the latest features and trends.

Klaviyo’s Customer Data Platform (CDP) is a game-changer for eCommerce businesses seeking to elevate their marketing strategies. Its real-time data sync, 360-degree customer profiles, advanced segmentation, predictive analytics, and seamless integrations make it a powerful tool for driving growth and maximising ROI. 

Whether you’re a seasoned eCommerce business or just starting your online venture, it’s wise to engage expert guidance to ensure you’re always learning about the latest and greatest. LION Digital is a premium Klaviyo partner with a track record for delivering exceptional eCommerce marketing services. With our expertise and Klaviyo’s cutting-edge technology, you can take your eCommerce business to new heights. 

Connect with a partner right now who understands the power of data-driven marketing – and make the most of Klaviyo CDP.

Partner with us today.

Article by

Erika magpili – digital executive & marketing manager

The eCommerce landscape is ever-evolving, so choosing the best strategies and tools to help you stay ahead of the curve is essential. When you need to move your eCommerce website to a new platform with improved features and performance to maintain your edge, make sure you’re choosing the best team for the job – LION Digital.

Here, we explore the complexities of migrating an existing eCommerce store to Shopify or Shopify Plus and how our LION Digital Shopify specialists can help you maximise the opportunity associated with this migration.

The Complexities of Shopify Migration

While moving to Shopify offers plenty of benefits, the process itself demands meticulous planning and execution. To maintain customer trust and prevent disruptions to your business operations, it is critical that we ensure the accurate transfer of data without loss or corruption.

Shopify Migration Checklist

Migrating your eCommerce store to Shopify is a complex process, so make sure you have a well-structured checklist for a smoother transition. The team at LION Digital has compiled a comprehensive Shopify migration checklist to help you cover the essential aspects of the migration process.

Shopify
Migration Checklist

Seemlessly migrate your eCommerce store to Shopify.

Download

By following this Shopify migration checklist, the team at LION Digital can help manage a successful transition to your new eCommerce platform while minimising disruptions to your operations.

Potential Challenges of Shopify Migration

A poorly executed migration can unravel your online presence. Therefore, understanding the potential challenges that may arise during the process is vital to ensure a smooth transition.

❌ Cost Considerations

Shopify operates on a subscription-based model, and additional expenses might arise due to theme customisation and app integrations, so you need to consider hiring experts for coding or design assistance.

Rather than risking a DIY debacle, collaborating with an experienced agency such as LION Digital during your migration to Shopify can greatly reduce the fallout from any complex technical hurdles and create a smoother transition for your business and customers.

Handing Over Your Migration to Shopify Specialists

Successfully migrating your eCommerce website to Shopify is supported by partnering with the Shopify specialists at LION Digital, who hold the experience, customer and technical know-how to ensure your business breezes through this complex transition. 

Our recognition as a Shopify Plus Partner is a testament to our expertise in conducting thorough and effective Shopify migrations. This partnership cements our position as an industry specialist, allowing us to offer expert Shopify implementation and management strategies.

✅ Expert Proficiency

LION Digital is an eCommerce agency, delivering top-tier eCommerce solutions in a complex and highly competitive marketplace. Our specialists possess in-depth knowledge of the nuances of Shopify Migration to help your business transition seamlessly.

✅ Bespoke Approach

We acknowledge that every business is different. Our team will identify your unique requirements before customising the migration process to resonate with your brand identity and business objectives.

✅ Data Integrity Assurance

Data forms the lifeblood of your eCommerce venture. With LION Digital, we undertake best practice procedures to ensure the integrity of your data and reduce the possibility of loss or corruption.

✅ Minimal Downtime

Our streamlined migration process ensures minimal disruption for your online store, creating ease of flow during the evolution of your business.

✅ Sustained Post-Migration Support

Our indexed procedures don’t just end once Shopify is up and running. At LION Digital, we offer ongoing support to tackle potential challenges and ensure consistent operations.

By choosing LION Digital as your eCommerce partner, you’re tapping into a wealth of experience that’s backed by Shopify-endorsed success for your business.

Partner with us today.

Article by

ERIKA MAGPILI – DIGITAL EXECUTIVE & MARKETING MANAGER

To attract and maintain customers in a marketplace saturated with brands from all industries, it is crucial your business stands out with an innovative, trustworthy brand that is focused on building community, as well as straightforward customer appeal.

LION Digital acknowledges the significance of brand strength and prominence by partnering with an established full service creative, brand-building agency The Reactor.

So how do you achieve brand success for your business?

Bolstered by breakthroughs in technology, consumer behaviour and the intensifying demand for convenience and efficacy in the digital age, especially in the mCommerce sector, the evolution of eCommerce continues its forward march.

Within this explosion of offerings, as well as increasingly savvy customers, your brand can’t afford to be tame. The Reactor is an Australian-based premium strategic creative and branding agency specialising in building brand equity – that recognisable quality that brings status to your products and services.

Aside from increased customer loyalty, strong brand equity has many benefits, including:

• Standing out from competitors, especially when scrolling on social media
• Stronger desirability and status for customers
• Organic influence, as loyal patrons promote and share your products and services
• Improved emotional connection, which allows the brand to identify with consumer wants and weaknesses
• Less price sensitivity, so you can charge more, based on a greater perception of value, without losing customers
• Credibility for new products and services to ensure seamless integration into the marketplace
• Increased sales, loyal customers spend on average 67% more than new customers
• Acquisition of the best teams to enhance overall employment attainment and retention for your business.

WHAT LOYALTY LOOKS LIKE FOR YOUR BRAND

Strong brand loyalty creates a more receptive audience for an easier “sell”. Plus, by retaining customers, you save at least 6-7 times the cost of obtaining new ones.

Sales from new customers sit around the 5-20% success rate, while existing customers will push the chance of sales success up to 60-70%. This, combined with 20% of your existing customers taking up 80% of your future profits, makes achieving and maintaining loyalty a key element in your success.

BE THAT STANDOUT BRAND

If you’re feeling the pinch since the pandemic-pushed eCommerce boom and want to climb out of the slump, relaunching your brand strategy is a brilliant way to make a statement.

The internet is scattered with cut-price products and services that could send you out of business if you set cost as your focus. So, finding the point of difference by identifying the meaning behind your brand is key for customer allegiance.

Partnering with eCommerce specialists LION Digital, The Reactor takes a goal-based approach to building your brand and starts from your intended outcome to turn your brand into a winner. Either creating your brand from scratch or reinventing your legacy, the agency will not deviate from your intended vision of what a “win” looks like for your business.

Ensure your brand appeals to that primal human urge to “belong” to a community. Build a strong foundation and always look for new ways to reward loyal customers, as well as the traditional special offers, discounts and pre-order waitlists.

The Reactor’s goal is to create a stellar result that pitches you above your competitors. There is no room for “ordinary” when you are focused on “extraordinary”.

It was this ethos that captured eCommerce SEO agency LION Digital’s heart and reinforced the partnership offering for our clients.

WHY IS EMOTIONAL BRAND ENGAGEMENT SO IMPORTANT?

A prominent and polished brand is adept at creating emotional connections with customers to become top-of-mind when they are making purchasing decisions.

A robust creative brand campaign can make shoppers feel safer buying from a trusted business.

The Reactor creates brand creative that ‘speaks’ to customers, including weaving the USPs into the company story.

Do you have a unique story that buyers could relate to?

Effective storytelling can position you as perhaps an underdog that has risen to stratospheric heights by pure grit, guts and determination. Or, you could label your brand an ethical supporter by partnering with causes and charities that are front of mind for your target market.

Customers are looking for honesty and integrity, so pulling their heartstrings on a consistent basis will only appear inauthentic. 

Avoid saturating your marketing with lengthy and overly flourishing accounts of your brand journey. Keep it simple, consistent and always highlight how your brand has helped resolve the challenges and needs of your clients. 

EFFECTIVELY SOLVING ISSUES FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS IS A BOON FOR YOUR BRAND

The best way to beef up your brand is to win at helping people. 

There isn’t a customer out there without an issue to fix. So, if you can position your brand as that reliable “go to” problem-solver, this will instantly amplify your credibility.

Word-of-mouth referrals is purchasing gold, with 88% of consumers stating they trust recommendations from someone they know.

The Reactor has been producing premium strategic campaign creative for brands and achieving remarkable results. These include RAWW Cosmetics, DITC (Diggin’ In the Cellars) wine sales, and Upflow non-alcoholic beer, as well as many others.

The Reactor launched the RAWW Cosmetics online and on social media campaign to great applause from shoppers, making it easy for Total Beauty Network to stand out in the aggressive pharmacy cosmetics market and appeal to young women wanting to find “Super Good” health-conscious products.

Proving their creative flexibility, The Reactor stepped up for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic brands, DITC and Upflow respectively. 

DITC (Diggin’ In The Cellars) called for a complete campaign pivot after Melbourne Lockdowns shut down their 6 funky inner-city bars. So, The Reactor came out swinging with creative punches for online ordering, same-day home delivery service and social media saturation that saw their “wine that goes with” campaign help DITC match and even surpass their pre-pandemic sales numbers.

For the growing sober-curious market, The Reactor helped Upflow answer the call when they focused on building the brand’s online profile and social media campaign. Upflow’s point of difference is they are a completely zero-alcohol craft beer brewing company, not just a standalone single label, which have been produced to appeal to the industry major players’ newly minted alcohol-free customers.

QUALITY VS LOW-COST, HOW CHARGING MORE CAN BE YOUR ALLY

The Reactor recommends you don’t go head-to-head with the cheaper products in your industry due to the fact that like attracts like. Being the best at being inexpensive can cost your brand by offering substandard products and services, as well as penalise your status and influence.

Think of some of the biggest brands you know, the household names, the high-density marketers. These brands come with street cred. They come with prestige and desirability – a quality that “money can buy” if your marketing is on point. 

Increased quality, looks, feel, functionality and stature in society all come with a higher price tag. So why cannibalise this offering by cutting costs?

Here at LION Digital, we only partner with organisations and services that help you amplify your offer. We take pride in our hand-selection of quality partnerships for our customers to help your brand go from bland to brilliant.

If you’re looking for outstanding campaign and branding creative, The Reactor specialises in delivering stunning brand identities for a diverse array of industries, while LION provides highly strategic approaches that drive targeted traffic, while generating relevant conversions, ensuring your business remains top of mind for your customers.

Leave the lacklustre results behind and go from ordinary to extraordinary today!

Article by

Jennifer mccarthy –
Digital Content Manager

In today’s digital age, email marketing is helping skyrocket eCommerce businesses to engage with their customers. With numerous email marketing platforms available, it can be challenging for businesses to choose the right one.

This article will compare Klaviyo, a leading email marketing platform, with other email marketing services. We will highlight the benefits, pros and cons and provide an overview of the platform for eCommerce businesses.

Klaviyo

Klaviyo is a powerful email marketing and automation platform catering to eCommerce businesses. It provides a comprehensive suite of tools and features designed to optimise email campaigns, segment audiences, and generate higher ROI. With Klaviyo, businesses can leverage data-driven insights to create personalised, targeted, and automated email campaigns. The platform also has a product reviews module and improved CDP.

Benefits of Klaviyo for eCommerce Businesses:

• Data-Driven Automation: Klaviyo leverages customer data to deliver highly personalised and automated email campaigns. By tracking customer behaviour, purchase history, and preferences, Klaviyo enables businesses to send relevant and timely emails, resulting in improved engagement and conversions.

• Segmentation Capabilities: Klaviyo’s robust segmentation options allow businesses to divide their audience into specific groups based on various parameters, such as demographics, purchase behaviour, or engagement level. This feature enables businesses to tailor their messaging to each segment, increasing open and click-through rates.

• Integration with eCommerce Platforms: Klaviyo seamlessly integrates with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce. This integration ensures smooth data synchronisation, allowing businesses to automate email campaigns triggered by specific customer actions, such as abandoned carts or post-purchase follow-ups.

• Powerful Analytics and Reporting: Klaviyo offers comprehensive analytics and reporting features that provide deep insights into the performance of email campaigns. Businesses can track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and revenue generated, enabling them to make data-backed decisions and optimise their marketing strategies.

PRICING
Klaviyo’s pricing is based on the number of contacts in your email list. They offer a free plan for up to 250 contacts with basic features. Paid plans start at $35 per month for a small number of contacts and scale based on the size of your email list. Additionally, Klaviyo offers custom enterprise plans for larger businesses with more advanced billing requirements.

Learn More About Klaviyo Plans

MailChimp

Mailchimp is a well-known email marketing platform that has served businesses of all sizes for years. It offers a user-friendly interface and a range of features suitable for beginners and experienced marketers.

Benefits of Mailchimp for eCommerce Businesses:

• Wide Range of Integrations: Mailchimp seamlessly integrates with various eCommerce platforms, CRMs, and other marketing tools, making it easy to connect and manage your data.

• Free Plan Option: Mailchimp provides a free plan with basic features for businesses just starting with email marketing, allowing users to familiarise themselves with the platform before upgrading to paid plans.

• Extensive Template Library: Mailchimp boasts a vast collection of pre-designed email templates, enabling users to create visually appealing campaigns without design skills.

PRICING

Mailchimp offers a free plan with limited features for up to a specific number of contacts. Paid plans start at $6.50 monthly for up to 500 contacts and increase based on the number of contacts and additional features required.

Learn More About MailChimp Plans

HUBSPOT MARKETING HUB

HubSpot Marketing Hub is an all-in-one inbound marketing and automation platform known for its comprehensive suite of tools designed to attract, engage, and delight customers. With a focus on inbound marketing strategies, HubSpot empowers eCommerce businesses to create meaningful connections with their audience and nurture leads effectively.

Benefits of HubSpot Marketing Hub for eCommerce Businesses:

• Inbound Marketing Excellence: HubSpot’s core philosophy revolves around inbound marketing methodologies. This approach involves creating valuable content that attracts potential customers, building lasting relationships, and converting leads into loyal patrons. For eCommerce businesses, this translates into more organic traffic, improved brand reputation, and increased customer loyalty.

• Powerful Automation: HubSpot Marketing Hub provides robust automation capabilities, enabling businesses to streamline repetitive tasks and nurture leads through personalised and timely email campaigns. Automation helps save time, increase efficiency, and deliver tailored  content based on customer interactions and behaviour.

• Seamless CRM Integration: HubSpot Marketing Hub seamlessly integrates with HubSpot’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, providing a 360-degree view of each customer’s interactions and journey. This integration allows for more personalised communication and targeted marketing efforts.

PRICING

HubSpot Marketing Hub offers a variety of pricing tiers to accommodate businesses of different sizes and requirements. The pricing is based on the number of contacts in your CRM and the level of functionality needed. HubSpot also provides a free version of its CRM with limited features, which can benefit small eCommerce businesses.

For more comprehensive features, pricing starts around $18 with up to 1,000 contacts and more than $800 per month, depending on the number of contacts and the chosen plan.

Learn More About HubSpot Marketing Hub Plans

Klaviyo has fast become the top choice for next-gen marketers and businesses offering various benefits such as data-driven automation, powerful segmentation, seamless eCommerce integration, and insightful analytics. Its comprehensive features make it an ideal choice for elevating your email marketing efforts and driving conversions.

To achieve optimum results and unlock the full potential of email marketing, we encourage you to explore  LION Digital’s Klaviyo expertise. Our team offers tailored solutions and expert guidance to help you unleash the power of email marketing and maximise your business’s growth and success.

Click here to explore Klaviyo services with LION Digital.

Article by

Erika magpili –
digital executive & marketing MANAGER

Why is Voice Search Important for SEO?

The use of voice search has grown significantly in recent years. This is largely due to the rise of smart speakers and voice-activated assistants like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s Siri. Research shows that in 2022, 57% of voice command users used voice commands daily. And by 2024, 8.4 billion digital voice assistants will be used worldwide. 

For eCommerce businesses, voice search matters because it presents a new opportunity to reach customers. Voice search is shifting how people discover and purchase products online — and eCommerce businesses must adapt their SEO strategies accordingly.

This article will explore the emerging world of voice search and how to leverage this channel to create better customer experiences while generating more sales for your eCommerce store.

Voice Search vs. Text-Based Search

With each passing year, it’s becoming easier and easier for online shoppers to search for anything they want by speaking into their devices and applying voice search. But it’s important to note that people use this technology differently from how they use text-based search. 

People often use short and keyword-driven queries when typing into a search engine. However, they are more likely to use longer and more complex sentences when using voice search. They might also use a more conversational tone. For example: “What’s the best product for…” or “Where can I find a great…”. 

It’s also important to note voice search is typically used in a different context than text-based search. When using voice search, people may be doing so while multitasking — cooking, driving, or doing housework. As a result, they will likely choose the first or second result provided by the search engine. 

The user goals could also vary depending on the type of device they are using:

• Smartphones: Quick Voice Queries. When people want immediate answers or solutions to pressing issues, they typically use their smartphones for voice searches.
• Smart Speakers: In-Depth Voice Search Exploration. People often rely on smart speakers within the comfort of their homes for more comprehensive searches. 
• Car Speakers: Voice Searches Addressing Consumer Needs. Employing voice search while driving is generally used for inquiring about locations, directions, and stores offering the best prices.

What is Voice Search Optimisation?

Voice search optimisation refers to adapting your content and eCommerce website to rank higher in voice search results. It requires shifting focus from traditional keyword optimisation. It starts with understanding how people use voice search and what they are looking for. 

As we’ve discussed, voice search allows users to find answers and solutions quickly and efficiently, which is why it’s becoming increasingly popular. With this in mind, eCommerce businesses must focus on creating strategic content that provides smart, helpful and informative answers to common user queries.

How to Implement SEO for Voice Search

The first step to success with voice search SEO is using conversational keywords and natural language. Optimising for humans and not for Google is always a great place to start.

Transforming your website for voice search may seem overwhelming at first glance. However, following some simple best practices will allow you to improve rankings and increase visibility among potential customers in voice search results:

• Understand your target audience. Start by understanding your audience and how they use voice search. What types of questions do they ask? What specific challenges or difficulties are they facing? 
  You want to provide genuine value and accurate answers to frequently asked questions about your products or services. This could include FAQ pages, product guides, and other helpful content pages with valuable information and solutions to common user problems. Here’s a proven technique to get you started with some of the common questions your customers have:
  – Create a page with a title that poses a frequently asked question
  – Present a brief and clear answer to the question directly following the title
  – Use the remaining portion of the page to provide in-depth information or clarification on the subject matter
• Conduct keyword research. Identify the keywords and phrases that your audience uses to search for information about your products. You can use Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Rank Ranger and other common SEO tools to identify relevant keywords and phrases. However, to understand how people already use voice search to find your website, you can use Google’s Voice Search API. 
  Instead of just targeting specific keywords, incorporate conversational long-tail keywords and phrases that mimic how people speak in real life It’s a good idea to include question keywords and queries that start with “who,” “what,” “where,” “when,” and “how,”.. For example, instead of “best running shoes”, target the phrase “What are the best running shoes for marathon training?”
• Create conversational content. Optimise for voice search by mirroring conversational style. Use natural language in your content to make it more conversational. Shorter sentences and simpler language are easier for voice assistants to understand and read aloud. 
• Use structured data. Structured data helps search engines better understand the content, making it easier to find them in voice search results. eCommerce businesses should implement schema markup to help search engines identify your content’s purpose and context.
• Optimise for featured snippets. “Position zero” or featured snippets are concise answers at the top of the search engine results page. The fact that voice assistants often read snippets aloud makes them essential for voice search optimisation. Aim to create content that can rank for featured snippets by providing precise and concise answers to commonly asked questions.
• Proper text design. Use bullet points, tables, and lists in your content to make it easy for voice assistants to read and understand.
• Apply local SEO and use your Google Business Profile. For eCommerce businesses that rely on local customers, local SEO is crucial for success in voice SEO. Voice search queries could be location-based (meaning users look for businesses and products nearby). One effective strategy is to create location-specific landing pages and content that includes local keywords and phrases. Your business may also appear at the top of local voice search results by leveraging the Google Business Profile. 
• Advanced multilingualism. Voice search integration makes your content’s translation accuracy critical. It’s a good idea to seek assistance from a fluent speaker of the language to manage the translation and editing of your written material and content. Refer to Google’s guidelines for effectively managing multilingual websites.
• Interact with users on social media platforms. Voice search results frequently leverage content with a lot of likes and shares on social networks. Maintaining active and thriving social media pages and providing them with ample attention and care is crucial. The higher your level of interaction with social media users, the greater the likelihood they will come across your business via a virtual assistant.
• Optimise your video rankings in search results. An informative video can often be more effective than plain text in answering user queries. If a video can assist your audience, it is also valuable for voice search. Include conversational long-tail phrases in the video titles, for example, starting with “How To”, incorporate keywords in the video’s description and transcript, and use a clickable and enticing thumbnail that encourages users to watch your video. Where possible, Google can extract relevant video sections based on user requests.
• Enhance your Domain Authority. The higher your website ranks, the more powerful it is for voice search. You want to intensify your SEO efforts with proven best practices — backlinks, local search, technical optimisation, and more. These will positively impact domain authority — one of the most important ranking factors. 
• Improve your website speed. Site speed is critical in voice search SEO. A slow-loading website can result in a poor user experience and decreased rankings. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas where you can improve page load and site speed.
• Ensure your website’s mobile-friendliness. This is crucial, given that a significant proportion of voice searches are performed on smartphones and similar mobile devices. 
• Focus on a high-quality user experience. Optimise your website to make it fast and easy to use, with clear navigation and prominent calls to action.

By following these steps, you can gradually optimise your website for voice search and increase the probability of achieving a higher ranking in voice search outcomes.

How to Use Google’s Voice Search API

Google’s Voice Search API is a powerful tool to analyse data and acquire valuable insights on how your website is accessed through voice search. To use Google’s Voice Search API, you’ll need to integrate it by installing a small piece of code. 

One of the benefits of using Google’s Voice Search API is that it allows you to identify which phrases are most commonly used in voice search. This information can help you identify keywords and phrases that you can start to optimise your content for. Additionally, the tool can help you determine which pages on your website are most frequently accessed through voice search, allowing you to focus your optimisation efforts on these pages first.

How to Test and Measure the Effectiveness of Your Voice Search Optimisation Efforts

After implementing voice search optimisation techniques, it’s important to track the results and measure the effectiveness of your efforts.

• One method involves monitoring the analytics of your website: looking at the website’s traffic, bounce rates, and conversion rates and determining whether or not your voice search optimisation strategies are having the desired impact.
• Another way to measure the effectiveness of your voice search optimisation efforts is to conduct user testing: having individuals interact with your website using voice search and providing feedback on their experience. 
• Additionally, you can use voice search analytics tools like Voice Metrics to track the performance of your website’s voice search capabilities and identify areas for improvement.

One thing is for sure… voice search is no longer a trend but a necessity for eCommerce businesses that want to remain competitive in today’s digital landscape. Ignoring voice search optimisation can result in lost traffic, leads, and sales to your competitors who have optimised for voice search. We strongly suggest you start adapting your SEO strategy for voice search today!

Reach out to the LION Digital team to discuss how we can help.

Article by

ASSELYA Sekerova –
MARKETING & PROJECT MANAGER

Looking to drive up your conversion rates while also creating a better experience for your online shoppers?

Dynamic product discovery utilises advanced technologies, such as visual search, recommendation engines, and AI — to create a more personalised and engaging shopping experience for online customers.

This article explores why eCommerce retailers need to utilise dynamic product discovery and how it can drive more revenue for your store. It also highlights some successful examples of implementation.

Improve Customer Experience

Studies have shown that customer experience is crucial to the success of eCommerce retailers. Companies that provide a better online shopping experience than their competitors increase revenue and demand faster. On top of that, 73% of online shoppers consider buying experience an essential factor in purchasing decisions. Dynamic product discovery is one of the most powerful ways retailers can achieve a positive customer experience.

Delivering personalised shopping experiences can improve buyer engagement in several ways. Firstly, merchants can provide personalised recommendations and visual search results based on user behaviour and preferences — resulting in a more enjoyable and relevant search experience. Secondly, it can save online shoppers time by providing them with relevant products quickly and easily, increasing satisfaction and loyalty. Finally, dynamic product discovery can reduce frustration by minimising irrelevant search results and recommendations, leading to a better overall experience.

Industry-leading companies have led the way in implementing personalised browsing and shopping experiences with great success. For instance, Amazon and Netflix use their recommendation engines to personalise each customer’s product catalogue, contributing significantly to their conversion rate.

Increase Sales

Dynamic product discovery can have a significant impact on sales for eCommerce retailers. By providing personalised recommendations and visual search results, online retailers can increase the likelihood that customers will find and purchase the products they want. Providing truly personalised experiences can also help retailers upsell and cross-sell products by suggesting complementary items that customers may not have considered, leading to increased sales and revenue.

Studies have shown dynamic product discovery can significantly impact retailers’ business optimisation and revenue. Companies that personalise the search and discovery experience can see a 10% – 15% increase in revenue. Also, 78% of online shoppers are most likely to repurchase from (and recommend) companies that personalise.

Stay Competitive

Retail technology is a highly competitive industry, and eCommerce retailers must continually adapt to stay ahead of their market. Dynamic product discovery allows retailers to stay competitive by offering a more personalised and relevant product investigation, leading to increased user engagement and loyalty.

Zalando, a top European fashion retailer, is an excellent example of a company that stays ahead of the curve and remains competitive. Zalando uses AI-powered personalised search to provide online shoppers with a more personalised and relevant search experience.

Meet Customer Expectations

Customers now expect a seamless and personalised shopping experience across all online and in-store channels. They want retailers to understand their needs and preferences and offer personalised recommendations and promotions. Dynamic product discovery can help eCommerce retailers meet customer expectations by providing a more personalised and convenient product identification experience.

By utilising machine learning and other cutting-edge technologies, retailers can offer customers personalised recommendations, search results, and promotions, helping customers find new products they are interested in more quickly and easily. Additionally, these technologies can help retailers offer a seamless shopping experience across all channels.

Gather Valuable Data

Dynamic product discovery can also provide valuable data on customer preferences, behaviour, and buying patterns that eCommerce retailers can use to improve various aspects of the business — from product development to data analytics strategies. This data allows companies to optimise product offerings and ensure stock of the products their customers are interested in. It also allows merchants to improve marketing strategies and use insights on customer behaviour and preferences to create more targeted and effective marketing campaigns. Additionally, retailers can use the data to improve their supply chain and logistics operations, optimising inventory levels and streamlining delivery processes.

A Reliable Partner for Implementing Dynamic Product Discovery

We strongly believe online retailers should consider incorporating recommendation engines, visual search, optimisation and other product discovery technologies into their strategy — to increase conversion rates and user engagement, improve search results, enhance personalisation and relevance, and ultimately stay competitive in the fast-paced and ever-changing retail landscape.

In LION Digital, we work with the market-leading platform Nosto to meet evolving customer expectations and improve business optimisation for brands that have chosen us as their trusted eCommerce advisor. Nosto was born from the idea that every shopping experience can and should be personal. With the help of powerful machine learning and a team of global eCommerce experts, Nosto uses shopper behavioural data to design digital commerce experiences that create customers for life.

Article by

ASSELYA Sekerova –
MARKETING & PROJECT MANAGER

Wondering what the fuss is all about with Shopify Plus?

Selecting the right eCommerce platform is critical to the success of any online business, as it can provide the necessary tools, features, and flexibility to thrive in the competitive world of online retail. The top eCommerce platforms help businesses manage their online stores, from inventory management and order fulfilment to payment processing and shipping. They also provide tools to optimise the user experience and a marketplace of 3rd-party integrations. 

Over the past few years, many eCommerce companies have chosen to migrate to Shopify or Shopify Plus from their current platforms. Shopify vs. Shopify Plus comparison and related questions are very common. While both platforms offer the same dashboard and editor, Shopify Plus offers more advanced features and is tailored to high-volume businesses — offering enterprise-level tools to support growth and scalability. 

1. Scalability and Flexibility

Is your business growing quickly? 

Shopify Plus excels in scalability and flexibility, making it an ideal solution for rapidly growing businesses. It can seamlessly handle high-volume sales and sudden spikes in traffic or orders without compromising performance or speed. 

• Scalability
  Shopify Plus is built on a cloud-based infrastructure that can adapt to changing business requirements. This means you can easily add new product lines, expand into new markets and handle large order volumes without worrying about infrastructure limitations or downtime. With Shopify Plus, businesses can customise their online store infrastructure to meet their specific needs, allowing them to scale quickly and efficiently.
• Flexibility
  Shopify Plus offers a range of APIs and development tools that make it easy for businesses to customise their online store and integrate with third-party applications — giving them complete control over their growth and evolution. This level of flexibility is a significant competitive advantage for businesses requiring a platform to keep up with their changing needs.
• Handling traffic spikes and large order volumes
  Shopify Plus is designed to meet the demands of high-volume sales, providing businesses with the infrastructure and tools to handle large spikes in traffic and orders without slowing down or crashing. The platform can handle millions of visitors and orders daily, ensuring that it remains stable and always available. Additionally, its scalable architecture allows businesses to expand and contract their resources as required, enabling them to handle sudden surges in traffic and orders during peak seasons without any performance issues or downtime.

2. CUSTOMISABLE CHECKOUT PROCESS

Looking to improve your buyer experience and conversion rate?

Shopify Plus allows businesses to customise their checkout process and improve the user experience — leading to higher conversion rates and increased sales. By customising the entire checkout process, businesses can create a seamless and intuitive experience for their customers, reducing cart abandonment rates and increasing customer satisfaction.

One way to customise the checkout process is using the one-page checkout feature. This allows customers to complete their purchases on a single page without having to navigate through multiple steps, simplifying the checkout process and reducing the likelihood of cart abandonment. 

Another feature is adding custom checkout fields, such as gift messaging or engraving, which can be especially useful for businesses that offer personalised products or services.

Shopify Plus also offers a wide range of payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Stripe and others. This allows businesses to cater to a wide range of customers and provide a convenient and secure checkout experience. Additionally, Shopify Plus allows for custom payment gateway integrations, which can be useful for businesses with unique payment processing needs.

3. ADVANCED MARKETING AND SALES FEATURES

Shopify Plus is a game-changer for businesses looking to boost their eCommerce sales and revenue. The platform offers a range of advanced marketing and sales features that can help businesses to better engage with their customers and drive more sales.

One helpful marketing feature of Shopify Plus is abandoned cart recovery, which automatically sends reminder emails to customers who have left items in their cart without completing their purchase. These emails can include incentives like discounts or free shipping to encourage customers to return and complete their purchases.

For businesses not running their email marketing through a tool like Klaviyo — Shopify Plus also offers a range of email marketing capabilities, including creating and sending newsletters, product updates, and promotional emails to specific segments of your customer base. Additionally, businesses can create and manage discount codes to incentivise purchases or reward loyal customers with exclusive discounts.

Moreover, Shopify Plus seamlessly integrates with third-party marketing tools such as Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, Klaviyo and many others. By integrating these tools, businesses can gain deeper insights into their customers’ behaviour and tailor their marketing efforts accordingly. This includes tracking conversions from social media ads, analysing website traffic, and creating personalised email marketing campaigns based on customers’ past purchases and browsing behaviour.

4. ROBUST REPORTING AND ANALYTICS

Shopify Plus’s advanced reporting tools and analytics features can help businesses make data-driven decisions to boost sales and drive growth. Businesses can track their performance, monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), and gain valuable insights into customer behaviour and sales trends.

The platform allows businesses to generate reports on various metrics, including sales, customer behaviour, and inventory levels. Shopify Plus also offers customisable dashboards that allow businesses to track KPIs and monitor the health of their online store. By using these tools, businesses can identify areas for improvement, optimise marketing and sales strategies, and increase conversion rates.

Shopify Plus enables businesses to gain insights into how customers interact with their website, what products are popular, and which channels drive the most sales. With numerous different report templates, businesses can generate custom reports tailored to their specific needs and receive them daily, weekly, or monthly. The platform also offers the ability to create custom dashboards that consolidate data from various reports, allowing businesses to gain a holistic view of their performance.

5. MULTI-CHANNEL SELLING

Shopify Plus offers several benefits to businesses looking to expand their reach and increase their sales. One of the platform’s key features is its integration with social media platforms. With Shopify Plus, businesses can easily create and manage their social media accounts and connect them to their online store. This allows businesses to sell products directly through social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, reaching a wider audience and driving more traffic to their online store.

Another advantage of Shopify Plus is its ability to sell through multiple channels, including popular marketplaces like Amazon, eBay and Etsy. This feature allows businesses to expand their reach and tap into new markets without investing significant resources into building new sales channels from scratch. Shopify Plus seamlessly integrates with these marketplaces, enabling businesses to manage their product listings and orders from a central location and providing tools to help manage inventory across all sales channels.

Centralised inventory management is another significant benefit of Shopify Plus. With this feature, businesses can track inventory levels across all their sales channels in one place, eliminating the need for manual updates and preventing overselling, out-of-stock items, and order cancellations. Shopify Plus also offers an advanced inventory management feature that allows businesses to track their inventory levels in real-time, set up automated reorder points, and manage their suppliers. By having a clear overview of their inventory, businesses can make informed decisions about their stock levels, reduce their storage costs, and prevent stockouts.

6. ENHANCED SECURITY AND COMPLIANCE

Shopify Plus is a platform that takes security very seriously. Being certified as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Level 1 compliant, which is the highest level of certification available, Shopify Plus ensures businesses comply with industry standards and provide the highest level of security for handling credit card data. This means that Shopify Plus is protected against credit card fraud and data breaches. By using Shopify Plus, businesses can be confident that they have a secure and reliable payment processing system that uses advanced encryption and security measures to protect customer payment data during transactions.

Another way Shopify Plus protects customer data is through SSL encryption. SSL encryption is a standard security technology that establishes an encrypted link between a web server and a browser, ensuring that all data passed between the two remains private and integral. This feature is important for keeping customers’ personal information safe and building trust and credibility. By displaying the SSL padlock icon in the browser’s address bar, businesses can show their customers that their website is secure, which can go a long way in boosting customer confidence and encouraging them to purchase.

To further ensure the security of its users, Shopify Plus provides a dedicated security support team. This team is available 24/7 to assist with security-related questions and provide guidance on best practices for keeping customer data and transactions secure. The team is made up of experts in the field of security and compliance who work closely with businesses to ensure that they are meeting industry standards for security. They also ensure that they have the necessary safeguards in place to protect customer data.

Shopify Plus also offers compliance with various industry standards, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR is a set of regulations implemented by the European Union to protect personal data privacy and ensure that companies handling such data are transparent about their processing activities. Shopify Plus offers GDPR compliance features such as data portability, data access, and data erasure, which help businesses meet the requirements of the regulation. In addition, Shopify Plus provides features such as cookie consent banners, GDPR-friendly form builders, and privacy policy generators to help businesses comply with the GDPR.

7. CUSTOMISABLE APIS AND INTEGRATIONS

Shopify Plus’s customisable APIs and integrations can greatly benefit eCommerce businesses by helping them streamline their operations and improve efficiency. By using these APIs and integrations, businesses can easily connect with third-party tools and services that they may already be using, such as marketing automation platforms, accounting software, and shipping providers. This allows businesses to automate repetitive tasks and reduce manual data entry, freeing time for growth and revenue-generating activities.

For example, integrating Shopify Plus with accounting software like QuickBooks or Xero can automate financial tasks such as invoicing and expense tracking. This saves time and reduces the likelihood of errors that may occur with manual data entry. Similarly, businesses can integrate their Shopify Plus store with shipping carriers to automate the fulfilment process, reducing the time and resources required to ship orders and ultimately improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Shopify Plus also offers pre-built integrations with popular third-party tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zendesk, among others. These integrations are designed to work seamlessly with Shopify Plus, providing businesses with a unified view of their data and a more holistic approach to managing their online store.

8. DEDICATED SUPPORT AND RESOURCES

With Shopify Plus, merchants enjoy exclusive priority support. This includes:

• 24/7 Priority Technical Support
  One of the most significant benefits of Shopify Plus is its 24/7 priority technical support. This feature enables Shopify Plus customers to access expert help whenever needed, regardless of location or time zone, with support via phone, email, and live chat. This ensures that businesses can quickly resolve any issues or technical difficulties they encounter without having to wait for the next business day. This is especially important during peak periods, such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday or Christmas when businesses are more likely to experience high traffic and increased sales.
  Shopify Plus users also have access to a dedicated support team with a named Account Manager who can help with any questions or concerns. This team is specifically trained to handle the unique needs of enterprise-level businesses and can provide advice on everything from site optimisation to app integrations. With this level of support, businesses can ensure they are maximising the potential of the Shopify Plus platform and driving sales growth.
• Access to Exclusive Resources and Training Materials
  Shopify Plus offers its users exclusive resources and training materials to help businesses learn and develop their skills. These resources are designed to help users get the most out of the platform and maximise their potential for success. The platform’s community of experts, developers, and partners are also on hand to provide advice and support.
  Shopify Plus users can access webinars, workshops, tutorials, documentation, and best practices on various topics, including marketing strategies, design tips, and technical support. They can also access the Shopify Plus Academy, an exclusive online learning portal offering training courses, certifications, and many other resources to help users build their expertise and advance their careers.

9. PRICING AND FEES

In contrast to Shopify’s defined pricing plans, the pricing for Shopify Plus varies based on factors such as your business model, monthly turnover, and marketing needs. Also, Shopify sets fixed fees per transaction for both platforms, but transaction fees for Shopify Plus are negotiable during the quote process.

10. THE SHOPIFY PLUS PARTNER PROGRAM

Shopify Plus is a game-changer for eCommerce businesses, providing a powerful platform and support system to help businesses thrive and succeed in today’s highly competitive eCommerce market. But there is one more amazing benefit that merchants can access for growing their stores and taking their business to the next level — the partner program

The Shopify Plus Partners program supports merchants by linking them with trusted world-class service providers (such as LION Digital) that have the platform expertise to help brands grow. By utilising the platform efficiently with the help of one of the Shopify Plus Partners, merchants can benefit from a complete eCommerce solution and tailor it to their specific needs and goals.

LION Digital has successfully applied the platform’s best practices and generated online growth for brands like Ledlenser, OneWorld Collection, Nutrition Warehouse, and Havaianas, to name a few. We encourage eCommerce businesses to consider Shopify Plus as a tool to grow their brand, increase customer loyalty, and drive sales. In June of 2022, our agency was recognised for its long-term partnership with Shopify, and LION Digital has achieved the very exclusive Digital Marketing Partner status with Shopify Plus.

Article by

ASSELYA Sekerova –
MARKETING & PROJECT MANAGER