How E-Commerce influencers can help SME businesses

E-Commerce is enjoying an unexpected boost due to the Coronavirus pandemic. But an E-Commerce influencer could help your firm maintain strong growth as normal life returns.

The coronavirus pandemic has been very bad news for most people, but there is no doubt it has brought major benefits for the E-Commerce sector. That is why an E-Commerce influencer could be vital to help your firm go on thriving.

How has the current situation helped E-Commerce?

With so many restrictions on movement for most people and even more for those shielding, as well as the fear of being exposed to infected people and getting ill, many people have sought to use online shopping as a means of providing themselves with both essential goods and additional items for entertainment. The latter has been especially true for those on furlough with time on their hands.

The results of this trend have been clear: In the 12 weeks to June, online retail sales rose by 115% compared with the same period in 2019.

Examples of firms taking advantage of the situation by expanding e-commerce activity include Scottish craft brewer WooHa, which has made online sales a key part of its expansion drive. 

What happens next?

The rise in online sales has been huge, but the effect is likely to wear off over time for a range of reasons:

•          The gradual re-opening of the economy will mean more things can be bought in person

•          As infection rates fall, the fear of going out to the shops will be reduced

•          Fear of the virus will vanish if and when a working vaccine is found and delivered

•          Job losses will mean some people have reduced spending power or hold back from spending due to fears for their jobs

Despite this, there will still be considerable opportunities for online retail, because many people will have got into the habit of shopping online when this might not have been the case before. This is undoubtedly a major opportunity for the long term as well.

How can an influencer help?

E-Commerce influencers can help by using their online channels to promote your goods and services. The fact that they will have a significant number of followers means not just that many people will be keen to see their regular content; those following influencers will, by definition, trust them for recommendations and endorsements.

Consumers following influencers will treat what they say more in the manner of someone taking a recommendation from a friend, than the endorsement of a stranger in a standard advert. This means they will be much more likely to respond positively.

What channels do influencers use?

E-Commerce influencers use a variety of online channels, with the main ones are Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

•          Twitter influencers will regularly tweet endorsements of your product and re-tweet those produced by others

•          Instagram influencers will embed your products into their story, often being seen to use them in their activities

•          YouTube influencers will plug your products in their videos

Successful influencers can have millions of followers and these platforms are designed to provide you with access to these armies of potential new customers.

Why you will benefit from having influencers helping you

As the E-Commerce market grows, nobody can assume that this automatically means their online firm will grow. Competition will grow as more firms enter the marketplace, either as new enterprises or as existing brands seeking to ramp up their online presence. Those who take success for granted will be in for a shock.

Many of them will not think to use the services of influencers, which will give you an advantage if you do. At the same time, however, many firms will be using their own influencers as well as investing in other marketing, which means you should do likewise and make sure you can grab a big share of the growing E-Commerce market.

How BeUniqueness can help you stay influential

At BeUniqueness, we can help any SME to grow through digital marketing using a range of means, with E-Commerce influencers forming part of the mix. We have over 1,000 influencers we can select from to find you someone who is ideally suited to promote your brand and enable you to carry on growing.