Wednesday, August 2

#1 - 🤖 BigCommerce introduces AI tools

📰 TL;DR - Good news for those of you using BigCommerce — you’ll have some neat new AI tools to play with. BigCommerce is leaning on Google Cloud AI to add these new tools, which are expected to roll out by the end of the year. That is supposed to include things like AI writing, AI for data analytics, and storefronts that are tailored for individual customers, like with product recommendations. They say this will save you time and also boost your SEO.

💡 Insight - I wish this announcement was meatier with the details, to be honest. I can imagine the pressure is on at BigCommerce and other e-comm platforms to have some sort of answer to Shopify’s recent AI announcements like its AI bot Sidekick. If anyone wants to compete with Shopify, they’ve got to be adding features like this. Overall, these updates look great but I’m most excited about the personalization aspect. We know that offering a personalized experience for shoppers is a conversation booster, and something that recommending products is a smart use of AI.

➡️ You can read the press release here...

#2 - 🚨 WooCommerce adds new marketing features

📰 TL;DR - In other non-Shopify news, WooCommerce is partnering with AdRoll to beef up marketing solutions for merchants on the platform. The result is meant to be a unified platform for your marketing needs, allowing for tracking pixels and real-time monitoring of a customer’s journey. You can then take that data and create unique customer profiles, allowing for segmentation. And then that means personalized ads.

💡 Insight - Again, it’s just great to see Shopify competitors pushing themselves to make their platforms more attractive. The ability to reengage with someone who abandoned a cart, for example, is crucial. This is a solution. It’s also available immediately, no waiting on this one.

➡️ You can read the article here...

📣 If you want to reach our audience of 10,000+ DTC store owners, tap here 

#3 - 🌿 Can you go green while still earning green?

📰 TL;DR - Sustainability is used so frequently in e-commerce sometimes I think it’s starting to lose meaning. Many people want to be able to say it, but can you do so without hurting your bottom line? This piece has some practical examples of things you can do to be more sustainable, from reducing packaging, to optimizing production, and making sure your quality matches any increased price that sustainable practices demand.

💡 Insight - This is mentioned here but I want to double down: if you’re engaging in sustainable practices, be loud and proud about it. The first advantage is that we know younger customers prioritize sustainability (and strong values, in general) when it comes to brand loyalty. The other aspect is that sometimes sustainable practices cost you more money, which is reflected in higher product prices. That is easier to swallow if you’re clearly outlining to buyers that your choices have resulted in not only a great product, but some social good. This piece cites Patagonia for example — we know it’s pricy, but we also know any purchase will last forever and be produced sustainably. Yes it feels a bit cynical to turn sustainability into a marketing point, but you still need to turn a profit while doing some good.

➡️ You can read the article here...

#4 - 🛠️ Things worth checking out

✏️ CONTENT - Here’s a list of content marketing ideas for e-comm for September.

👹 SEO - Keyword cannibalization can seriously ruin your SEO strategy, so here’s a guide on how to avoid it.

💜 LOYALTY - Did you know that even “loyal” customers are happy to shop elsewhere? Here are some insights on what customer loyalty means now.

🧶 ETSY - Some Etsy sellers are threatening a boycott over the whole reserve system fiasco. Read more here.

💸 CROWDFUNDING - Is crowdfunding a good strategic move? Read the pros and cons here.

#5 - ✨ This is what makes social media marketing most effective

📰 TL;DR - The University of Notre Dame did a study looking at movie marketing and what makes it most effective on social media. The short answer is that it does its best when it inspires people to create their own content. You know, UGC. They found the stuff you create yourself only indirectly impacts purchase behavior, it’s the UGC that’s the good stuff. Although they looked at movies, they pose that this approach works for the launch of any sort of new product.

💡 Insight - I think, inherently, you already knew this was true. Just look at TikTok marketing. Putting out a great ad is all fine and good, but the real trends on TikTok are participatory — memes, filters, challenges, etc. The goal shouldn’t just be to make a good ad, but to inspire potential customers to perform an action beyond simply making a purchase. Even better if you can somehow reward them for their participation.

➡️ You can read the article here...