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Ecommerce is an always-on, 24/7 job. To keep up, you’ll want to have the right tools in your pocket to help manage, streamline and grow your eCommerce business .  But with so many tools to choose from, it can be difficult to know which ones are worth trying. Below, we review 28 of the best eCommerce tools on the market today and what makes them so useful. Whether you’re looking for a platform to host your site or something to make your day-to-day life easier, these tools can help you keep up with the fast-paced, demanding nature of online shopping.  Ready to start selling? Use an eCommerce website builder  to create your site. What is an eCommerce tool? An eCommerce tool is a type of software or application designed to make it easier for you to manage your online store. These tools streamline various aspects of online selling , including (but not limited to) website creation , online payment processing, inventory management and customer service. While some eCommerce tools are designed to solve a single problem, others are designed to serve as all-in-one solutions. Types of eCommerce tools  No matter if you’re just starting an online store  for the first time or growing an existing business, you’ll likely find yourself reaching for tools across a variety of categories:  Ecommerce website builders: Platforms where you can learn how to create a website and build a positive shopping experience for your customers. Check out our recommended eCommerce platforms . Keyword research: Tools that provide insight into what customers are googling or typing into the search bar when shopping online.   Shipping and logistics: Solutions that offer visibility into and assistance with the shipping process, so you can deliver products to your customers faster and more reliably. B usiness management: Tools for helping you run your business, whether that has to do with customer management, project management, accounting or something else. Marketing:  Tools for promoting your products and brand, be it through email, SEO or other channels. Website analytics: Tools that give you insight into the performance of your web pages (e.g., your homepage, product pages and blogs) so that you can optimize your site to attract more conversions or traffic. Let’s explore a few of the top contenders in each of these categories.  28 eCommerce tools worth trying   Wix   BigCommerce Shopify   WooCommerce   Google Keyword Planner Google Trends Semrush Jungle Scout Modalyst ShipStation Shippo Wix Members Area Avalara Asana Trello   monday.com Slack Wix’s free tools Klaviyo Canva Omnisend Buffer Hootsuite Wix Analytics  Google Analytics Hotjar Kissmetrics   TWIPLA Ecommerce website builders The best eCommerce platforms  give you peace of mind in knowing that your site not only looks good but is solidly built. While you might initially gravitate to certain platforms for their web design capabilities, look for other built-in advantages spanning things like marketing, customer service or other core aspects of business. These features may spare you the hassle (and cost) of juggling multiple tools—plus ensure that your online store runs smoothly. 01. Wix An incumbent in the website-building space, Wix offers hundreds of free online store templates  and a drag-and-drop editor to simplify the web design process. It even offers an  AI website builder , which allows you to create a fully functional website in mere minutes—just by chatting with AI.  The platform comes packed with essential eCommerce features. These include built-in tools for inventory management, multichannel sales , marketing, eCommerce UX , eCommerce merchandising and dropshipping —plus AI-powered tools for product descriptions, images and product recommendations. Wix also supports 80+ payment gateways, in addition to its own native solution. If you’re looking to expand beyond Wix’s toolset, you can search its expansive App Market  for a vetted list of solutions.  All Wix sites are built to scale. With 99.99% uptime and enterprise-grade security, Wix makes sure that your online store can withstand spikes in traffic, cyber-attacks and other potential threats as it grows.  Sign up for Wix  today.  02. BigCommerce BigCommerce provides solutions for businesses of various sizes, with a particular focus on enterprise operations. The platform’s draw is its advanced features, including robust inventory tracking and management capabilities. For larger businesses, BigCommerce offers support for wholesaling, international shipping and more.  BigCommerce has a drag-and-drop editor and pre-designed “themes,” which can be edited with CSS or HTML. Themes typically come with a price tag but come with some core eCommerce features, like marketplace integrations and inventory tracking. BigCommerce additionally offers an app marketplace geared towards optimizing your store and supports over 65 pre-integrated online payment solutions.  03. Shopify Shopify is a website builder designed especially for eCommerce. You can choose from more than 100 free or paid templates and, like other platforms listed above, use drag-and-drop functionality to edit them to your liking.  While Shopify includes built-in features for discount codes, abandoned cart recovery and more, you may find yourself tapping into its extensive third-party app repository. However, keep in mind that many of these apps will come at an additional cost.  Beyond this, Shopify Magic powers several AI capabilities within the core platform—including product descriptions, image editing and email generation. Shopify Payments additionally allows you to quickly set up online payments, though you can choose from over 100 other third-party payment providers with integrations into Shopify.  Learn more: Shopify alternatives Wix vs Shopify 04. WooCommerce WooCommerce carves a unique niche in the market. It’s a free plugin designed to work with WordPress websites. So, if you’ve already made a website, such as a blog, on WordPress and want to start selling merchandise on it, WooCommerce might be a good option. With WooCommerce, you can fully customize your website as you see fit. If you don’t know WordPress very well, you will experience a bit of a learning curve when it comes to using WooCommerce. Additionally, you will be responsible for finding a hosting provider, unlike other alternatives like Wix that include hosting. You’ll also be responsible for website updates, maintenance and security. Keyword research tools While getting to know your customers is a never-ending pursuit, keyword research tools can help you understand your shoppers by their search histories. Given that 50% of product searches start on Amazon and another 31.5% start on Google, according to Search Engine Land , keywords can signal what your buyers may be most interested in both now and in the future.  05. Google Keyword Planner The best thing about Google Keyword Planner is that it’s 100% free. However, you’ll need to set up a Google Ads account to access it. Once you’ve created an account, you can use the Keyword Planner to track search trends for specific keywords that are relevant to your business. Keep in mind that search volumes and other data points are meant for advertisers and rooted in paid—not organic—traffic. You can use this research to guide your Google Ads campaigns, and loosely to guide your SEO strategy on your website.  06. Google Trends Another free tool, Google Trends  makes it easy to explore consumer interests across different regions and time frames. You can search everything from “Academy Awards” to “mini waffle maker” to see their popularity online. By providing real-time data on search queries, Google Trends can help you track popular products, seasonal demands and emerging market trends.  07. Semrush Semrush is a popular subscription-based platform used by SEOs and other marketing professionals. Its intuitive Keyword Magic tool lets you investigate the search volume around any search term or phrase that you’re curious about. Beyond this, the platform offers advanced tools for understanding the performance of your website compared with your competitors’ sites—and through its various reports, you can explore different marketing strategies (both paid and organic opportunities) to pump up excitement around your brand.  Did you know: You can access Semrush’s keyword research data, directly in Wix. Connect your Semrush account to Wix via the SEO Setup Checklist  in your account, or the SEO settings of your Wix-powered blog.   08. Jungle Scout Jungle Scout is a keyword research tool specifically tailored to Amazon sellers. Whether Amazon is your primary sales channel or a supplement to your online store, Jungle Scout can provide invaluable insight into the popularity, profitability and competition of particular products on Amazon.  Ecommerce logistics tools Logistics can be a messy ordeal, but eCommerce logistics tools can help your business stay afloat. From keeping your inventory in check to connecting you with reliable shipping partners, these tools can simplify the process of getting products to your customers’ doorsteps.  09. Modalyst  Modalyst is a dropshipping platform that’s fully integrated into Wix. When you’re starting a business  in dropshipping, Modalyst can connect you with pre-vetted, reliable suppliers. You can choose from products that are available for dropshipping and/or print on demand, then easily integrate them into your catalog. To get started with Modalyst on Wix, open your Wix Stores account. Then go to Catalog  > Store Products  > Find Products to Sell , where you’ll see the option to explore more products on Modalyst.  10. ShipStation ShipStation is a shipping software that helps you compile orders from multiple channels and customize delivery options for your customers. It promises up to 89% off in rates across top carriers like UPS, DHL Express and USPS. ShipStation additionally offers many advanced features best suited for sellers turning large volumes.  Connect ShipStation with Wix  in a few simple steps.  11. Shippo Shippo’s shipping software connects you to a large network of carriers, including UPS, USPS and FedEx. It promises the best rates from 40+ global carriers, and syncs with multiple apps and marketplaces to streamline the fulfillment process. Quickly print shipping labels, send tracking codes and more from Shippo. Small businesses may find that Shippo is a more affordable option for their needs.  Combine the power of Shippo and Wix .  Business management tools As is the case when running any  type of business , running an eCommerce  business involves lots of tedious tasks. Those include accounting, customer management, team management and others. While lots of tools can fall under this bucket, the several mentioned below may be particularly helpful for your online store.  12. Wix Members Area  The Wix Members Area  app benefits both you and your customers by facilitating the production of members-only content. By connecting the app to your Wix Store, you can create, monetize and share exclusive content through your website. This can help to foster a sense of community while opening another revenue stream for your business.  13. Avalara Avalara’s tax automation platform can keep you up to speed with constantly changing compliance requirements. It can identify where you have sales tax obligations, plus bring together data across all of your sales channels (e.g., your online store, marketplaces, brick-and-mortar locations, etc.). Save time filing your sales tax returns, while staying on top of multiple deadlines and filing requirements.  Check out Avalara’s integration with Wix .  14. Asana Asana is a project management tool that can be especially useful to businesses with large teams. You can use Asana to coordinate product launches, marketing campaigns, inventory schedules and more. Create comprehensive “boards” where you can assign tasks and track progress, or set up automation to streamline inventory updates and order confirmations (as an example). 15. Trello Trello differentiates itself from Asana by using Kanban boards, i.e., visual tools that help move internal teams through each stage of a project. Inside each board, users can create “cards” to set deadlines, upload pertinent files and delegate specific tasks. What’s more, employees can message each other within each card, creating a comprehensive single source of truth for mission-critical projects. 16. monday.com Similar to Trello and Asana, monday.com gives you a way to manage your workflows. You can set up your projects on color-coded boards like Asana, or you can view Kanban boards similar to Trello. monday.com lets you assign a task to multiple people, create automations and track “subitems” within a project (among other things).     17. Slack Slack is a popular collaboration tool, known for its ability to bring remote and hybrid work teams together. You can use Slack for everyday communications, as well as project management via dedicated Slack channels. With Slack, teams can share files and discuss ideas in real time. They can also launch surveys and polls, and even offer customer support directly through the platform. Marketing tools It goes without saying that your products won’t sell themselves. Having a strong marketing plan—and tools to coordinate them—are vital to your store’s success. While there’s an endless number of ways to promote your brand, the following tools may prove useful to your efforts.   18. Wix’s free tools  Take your pick between a landing page builder , QR code generator , logo maker  and more. Wix’s suite of free tools  can help to propel your brand forward. Best of all, each of these items can be integrated into your Wix account, where you can manage everything in one place.   19. Klaviyo Klaviyo is a marketing automation platform that specializes in email and SMS. It also serves as a customer data platform (CDP), bringing all of your audience analytics together under one roof. One of its most recent developments, Klaviyo AI, enables you to better segment audiences, view predictive analytics and run highly targeted campaigns. Klaviyo integrates with the major eCommerce platforms, including Wix.  Add Klaviyo  to your toolkit in Wix.   20. Canva Canva offers a free-to-use graphic design platform. It’s widely used by marketers and store owners with little to no graphic design experience. Create stunning graphics for your website, emails, social media and more using one of Canva’s 250,000+ free templates. Canva’s Magic Studio further offers AI-powered tools for creating professional graphics and videos. If you’re looking for additional capabilities and assets, Canva offers paid plans.  21. Omnisend Omnisend is an email and SMS automation platform with 100% customizable templates. You can launch personalized campaigns that pull in products directly from your online store. You can also send unique discount codes, add videos or gamify your emails—plus manage multiple stores in one multistore account.   Connect Omnisend  with your Wix Store.  22. Buffer Buffer is a social media solution that can help you ride the wave of social commerce, a market that’s expected to hit a whopping $8.5 trillion  by 2030. With Buffer, you can schedule posts across multiple social channels, including Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). You can track brand mentions, hashtags and keywords. Plus, you can run social media promotions, analyze the results and engage with your fans and followers. 23. Hootsuite Similar to Buffer, Hootsuite brings all of your key social media functionality together in one place. You can use it to create a content marketing schedule, publish posts across your social channels and create a library of content for future use and reuse. Additionally, Hootsuite will give you content recommendations based on your audience and data analytics. Social listening and brand monitoring tools within Hootsuite further allow you to monitor customer feedback continuously, respond quickly and build brand loyalty.    Website analytics tools Your website offers a wealth of information about your customers. Website analytics tools allow you to tap into this. From showing you which pages more people frequently visit to showing you where people drop off, your site analytics can help you improve the shopping experience and ultimately land more sales.  24. Wix Analytics Wix Analytics , available with any Wix plan, gives you access to a variety of reports. Glean insight into your best-selling products and most-visited site pages. Track which times of day your customers are most engaged and/or where they come from. You can even investigate the performance of your site. Wix uses real visitor data from your site to provide accurate insights into site speed, as an example.  25. Google Analytics Google Analytics can be installed on your site to track metrics, such as sessions, returning vs. new visitors and more. You can see where your web traffic originates, what pages customers interact with the most and friction points that cause your customers to bounce. Google Analytics also captures insights like total revenue and conversion rates.  The basic version of Google Analytics is free. And because it’s a Google product, it integrates nicely with Google Ads and Google Search Console, allowing you to optimize your website and marketing campaigns.  26. Hotjar Hotjar makes it easier for you to visualize how your customers interact with your online store. This eCommerce tool offers heat maps that show you exactly where users scroll, click and engage on each of your pages. You can even access recordings of real user sessions to see which parts of your online store delight versus frustrate them. You can even recruit website testers who will give you feedback on how to optimize your online store. 27. Kissmetrics A behavioral analytics platform, Kissmetrics helps you track the entire user journey, starting from the second a shopper arrives on your site all the way through to checkout. Kissmetrics is a self-proclaimed “person-based” solution that examines every single person that lands on your site. It offers A/B testing, along with data analysis breakdowns by segments and cohorts.  28. TWIPLA TWIPLA, formerly called Visitor Analytics, is billed as a “website intelligence platform” that offers heatmaps, session recording and detailed customer behavioral data. TWIPLA is committed to a no-cookies process, promising 100% GDPR- and CCPA-compliant tracking.  Get TWIPLA for Wix .  Ecommerce tools FAQ What are the best tools for eCommerce? The best tools for eCommerce allow business owners to enhance the customer journey, improve the user experience and make their employees more productive.  Different categories of eCommerce tools can help with different aspects of starting an ecommerce business . For example, if you’re looking for an all-in-one eCommerce solution, Wix is a good option. However, if you’re specifically looking for a tool that helps with keyword research (as an example), Semrush may be a good option. The exact tools you need depend on your business goals and type.  What is the best eCommerce platform? For new eCommerce business owners or for those who need to spin up a new online store quickly, Wix for eCommerce is an ideal choice. It features hundreds of templates, integrations and built-in eCommerce tools—all backed by enterprise-level security. Learn more: Best eCommerce platforms Squarespace alternatives Wix vs Squarespace WordPress alternatives What some of the best eCommerce tools for marketing? First consider what your ecommerce marketing goals are. These will determine which tools you'll need to track and assess them. If you're looking to create a site and promote it, an all in one ecommerce website builder like Wix is one solution. You can also consider standalone marketing tools. Semrush, for SEO, is one such example; or Mailchimp for email marketing. What are some popular eCommerce research tools? When it comes to selling online, you'll want to consider keyword, market and product research to ensure the success of your business. For keyword research, Ahrefs is a good choice. For market research, try Statista or Google Trends. Product research is more nuanced and it's worth using several tools for a more comprehensive picture of what's good to sell. Examples include JungleScout, for selling on Amazon.

In today’s world, it’s almost impossible to picture life without certain conveniences of automation. Much of which is thanks to the seamless integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in our daily lives. From the face ID and image recognition we use to open our mobile devices, to digital voice assistants replenishing our groceries, we've become somewhat dependent on AI. We map out our driving routes with constant traffic and weather updates, and we even rely on the technology to curate the types of shows we want to watch. These technologies and their capabilities are now simply an integral part of our lives, and while these automations are convenient, they miss a key ingredient of business success: the personal touches that turn casual consumers into lifetime customers. While it's become easier for creators to use AI to cultivate their presence and realize their dreams online, that doesn't mean it's also gotten easier to provide those business-changing touches at scale. That’s why Wix’s newest version of the Editor is enhanced with new intuitive design presets and advanced capabilities to better create personalized websites faster. Now, solopreneurs, side-hustlers, freelancers, and professional web creators can all optimize their website creation without compromising the bespoke touches they need to engage and convert their audiences. Ready to know how to make a website with the newest version of the Editor? Try it now. As the Head of Wix Editor, Oded Nachshon, puts it, “These new capabilities align with the needs of today’s self-creator as well as professional users. The platform removes barriers that generally complicate website building and enables users to keep their site updated and on brand with the latest technology, setting the stage for the future of creation.” Let’s dive into some of the ways the Editor empowers creators and web designers to grow their business: Improved platform and infrastructure With the newest capabilities of the Editor, users define their own path: whether it's starting from a blank slate, choosing from a wide range of industry-specific templates, or letting artificial design intelligence make the decisions. Now, all Wix users can enjoy full-design freedom to completely customize and create their professional website , from using drag-and-drop to add, resize and adjust hundreds of elements, to Velo ’s custom code to achieve high-end personalization. This includes: Semantic sections Now, every page on your site is divided into sections, or full-width customizable building blocks that separate pages into meaningful semantic chunks. Web creators can add a blank section and customize to fit their needs, or they can add intent-based pre-designed sections which allow for a cohesive and engaging experience. These sections help creators frame more accurate messaging for each area of their site in a more concise manner. These sections can also expedite the site building process for first-time users. No need to worry about line breaks or spacing, users simply need to click the icon and choose a ready-made section wired to match their site theme and input their content. Easier navigation In addition, these sections allow web creators to easily play with layouts and decide where the sections fit within the site. With the click of one button, creators can move sections around the page to visualize the overall layout. This can also be done for the mobile Editor, so that sections can be changed accordingly. Quick Edit tool for easy updates With the new Quick Edit tool, users can skim through all the elements in the section and change them on the sidebar without touching the canvas. This allows users to update content without worrying that it will accidentally move or change an element and impact the design. WYSIWYG software like the Wix Editor reveals real-time design changes and edits to the user interface. Zoom out mode It’s important to see the big picture. As the workflow evolves using the new sections, in layout navigation, the upgraded Editor automatically goes to zoom out mode, so web creators have a better overall vision of their site. This is particularly relevant for creators building websites on laptop screens. Limitless creation possibilities The world has come a long way from the first ever text-based web page in 1991. Today, people of all technological skill-sets can build their own websites, which would have been outsourced to high-tech professionals some years ago. Regardless, most businesses still spend precious time tinkering with making their website layouts rather than invest time in their craft. The upgraded Editor uses state-of-the-art AI technology to give creators the creative freedom of high website design without the extra time and effort with its structured building block experience. No matter what content you put in your section, Wix (see what is Wix ) can always provide suggestions for sections to change the layout. Additionally, professionals who design websites for external clients—like Jackie Treitz, founder of The Paper Bakery and designer behind Netflix's Motel Makeover —can also benefit from the Editor’s newest features. Treitz can quickly create a site to visualize her client projects, offering a much better starting point for both parties. The Editor also streamlines the site creation process so that Treitz’s clients can easily update their own content without harming the design and site aesthetic. Switch layout This new Wix website feature suggests alternative layouts to optimize the page’s content for user and visual experience. Regardless if creators are just starting out in their building phase, or are coming back a year later for a refresh, this feature allows them to update their layout with ease and confidence, no matter their experience or design background. For example, a clothing store wants to update their promotional section from a holiday sale to a summer sale, but the new image size they use doesn’t work with the current layout. The switch layout feature provides a ready-made alternative. By selecting a preset layout option, the store can conveniently add the new content and update the site within seconds. Design presets Web creators can effortlessly change their site’s look and feel, with easily integrated and customizable design kits curated by Wix. Everything from fonts and color palettes to custom designs is just one click away. With a range of site theme options like “retro vibrant” and “nostalgic,”“energetic” or “tech-savvy,” creators can play around with different themes before committing to one, decide to customize certain colors or fonts within the theme—or even decide to create their own distinct palette. To illustrate, an organic wine store has recently rebranded its business as a mobile delivery service. The new mobile business created a refreshed brand identity to match their updated business offering and they want their site to follow suit. The wine business may choose a design preset and shuffle between the range of options to envision their site. They can decide to customize within the preset to include their lilac purple feature color and other relevant design details important to their brand. This change will update across-the-board, affecting the color scheme of the entire site for a cohesive and professional look. Are you ready to create your Wix website ? Check out the Wix Editor and get started . You can also choose to use an AI website builder . Note: The new Editor experience will gradually become available to all users.

We’ve all heard of the term “growth marketing” by now. It has been circulating the web since the early 2010s, when the tech industry sunk its teeth into this seemingly new, hip marketing model. It was, at one point, ‘all the rage.’  And yet, many of us are probably still wondering what the heck “growth marketing” is. Also, how do we do it? “The term has been thrown in a laundry machine a couple of times over the last couple of years,” says Kevin Indig , an advisor to some of the fastest-growing startups like Snap and Nextdoor (and a board member of Wix’s SEO Advisory Board, we might add). Today, growth marketing is best described as a mindset. While its roots lie within the Facebooks and other tech giants of the world, many of its founding principles can benefit business leaders across all industries. We talked with Kevin for his advice on how to think like a true growth marketer. Here’s what he had to say.  Ready to get your business online? Create a website with Wix. What exactly is growth marketing?  Growth marketing is a very systematic, testing-heavy approach to growing a product or marketing channel , summarizes Kevin. “A lot of that methodology came from Facebook,” he says. “Companies like Facebook had enough data to run tests. For example, [they could test an idea like] ‘if we onboard new users and suggest them a couple of friends on Facebook, they're more likely to stick on the platform.’” In the context of marketing, a growth experiment can range from testing an element of a webpage to launching a whole series of landing pages to improve organic discovery.  “In my opinion, growth marketing is often used in the wrong context,” notes Kevin. In recent years, growth marketing has been used interchangeably with performance marketing. “What it actually should be is to say, ‘OK, we can scale our approach to ads or SEO—but we're going to do it in a very systematic testing-heavy way.’” Kevin elaborates on how the term "growth marketing" has evolved over the years. How to assess the health of your current marketing approach  Of course, like all marketing strategies , a growth marketing strategy can’t survive without a clear target audience , product differentiation  and other factors.   Prior to drafting out a marketing plan  for any client, Kevin makes sure to ask three key questions: Is your company achieving the goals that you set out to achieve? “First, of course, I’m curious [to know if your existing marketing strategy] works.” Are you seeing the results you predicted and wanted to see? Do you have a clear strategy already? “Marketers love to confuse strategies with tactics. But a true strategy means doing things in a different way than your competitors. I'm really looking for a clear strategy for the company.” Is your product differentiated and well-received (i.e., product-market fit and market penetration )?  “I'm looking for pointers that tell me that this product is something people like—maybe love—[and seeing] what people are saying about the product and whether the company leans into that.” Only after you’ve assessed the health of your current strategy can you start plotting out a course for improvement.  Growth marketing for small businesses vs. enterprises The elephant in the room: it helps to have a lot of data and a large website when running classic growth experiments. “I don't think small companies can do growth marketing in the same way as big companies—they just don't have enough data,” says Kevin. “[But] the benefit that small companies have is that they can move much, much faster and they can build a direct relationship with their customers that is maybe equally as powerful,” he adds.  “If you are a small local business, you might know a lot of customers by name and that is…something that people value. The advantage is you can be fast [plus] you know your customers on a much more personal level.” “Instead of building these big-scale systems and experiments, you can run experiments at very small scale—and maybe in person. Like what happens if you pitched on product B instead of product A. Or what happens if you test a new discount, a new offer, a new package or a new membership program?” Kevin talks about how growth marketing differs between large versus small businesses. A small business marketing   plan can thereby be just as impactful despite looking different from the playbooks of larger businesses.  Tips for hacking together your own growth strategy If you’ve identified room for growth, Kevin offers four key pieces of advice.  Adopt a meta-thinking approach  No matter the size of your business, it’s always a good idea to take a structured approach to decision-making. Kevin dubs this “meta-thinking”—the practice of being “very precise in how you approach your business.” “Way too often we run on autopilot,” observes Kevin. “[People] often do a lot of things implicitly and they learn what is called ‘tacit knowledge.’ They don't write down, ‘Today I tried this and that was the result.’”  “So, my advice for small businesses is to be very, very clear in your approach to winning new customers…and developing a hypothesis for [what you think will work], then testing it systematically.”  He continues, “We're very quick to repeat what we hear and take on the opinions of others…I think it's critical to be honest with yourself about how you know something, [even if the answer is that it’s just a hunch or an idea you got from a book]. Just be honest with yourself about how you know [something] because then it's easier to question, and you don't identify yourself with that opinion and you can be more systematic.”  Use AI to scale while retaining a personal touch AI has opened up a path to scaling and reacting to experiments faster and better than ever before. It has, at the same time, allowed small businesses to scale without losing the personal touch that they’re known for.  “These days, you can customize videos at scale with AI,” says Kevin. “You can, for example…record a video and then change the name of the customer across hundreds of videos [with AI]. So, you can personalize that touch a little bit.” The same idea can be applied to multiple channels and marketing assets, be it graphics for an email or dynamic copy on a webpage.   Talk to your customers  One lost art in marketing: talking to your customers. “I very rarely work with companies where the marketing team talks to customers on a regular basis,” says Kevin. “It almost never happens and everybody knows it’s important. This is one of the few mysteries in marketing.” The best research strategy? Go straight to the source. Avoid jumping to your own conclusions based on generic data points or by simply looking inward and letting personal biases drive your perception of buyers. Ask your top customers—or the customers you have yet to engage—what they’re seeking and where they go to find answers.  Invest in channels where you can share one-to-many  If you’re a small business owner, you’re especially pinched for time and resources. Some of the most creative strategies stem from having this type of pressure—which may subsequently force you to be more selective of the channels you work with.  This is a good thing, according to Kevin.  “I already mentioned video. I think email is another one of these channels,” he muses. “I've come across [a fashion store] in Germany where the owner basically records a video…where she just walks through new inventory and new pieces that she has gotten, and she sends that out to her followers on social and via email. [It’s a] really cool way to address a lot of people and keep them up to date in a very personalized style—and you do it at scale.”  Understanding and tracking success So, when all is said and done, how can you track success? This question has eluded many marketers since the dawn of time. One simple place to start, according to Kevin, is to look at three core variables:  Sales patterns . “You have to understand where most of your business comes from and if that's in line with where you want most of your business to come from…One mistake that I see a lot of business owners making is that they look too much at vanity metrics…Organic traffic doesn't matter if if it doesn't transfer into sales. So, I think a good start is to monitor sales, maybe on a daily or weekly basis over time, and then break that down into all the different ways that you get sales.” Top channels .“Sometimes [your top marketing channel is] going to be word of mouth and maybe some social. Other times, maybe it's 50% SEO and 50% direct traffic. Split sales up by channel or source. And then figure out how to move the needle on some of these things.” What drives progress on these channels? “[You might find that] more campaigns [could] drive word of mouth. It could be [that] a referral incentive system [could] drive more referral sales. There are different ways to grow your presence and sales on channels. You want to identify what drives that—what are the inputs?” Track your success with the help of Wix Analytics .

Many factors play a role in determining the success or failure of your online presence, yet few are as significant as the one encapsulated in these three letters: CTA, which stands for call to action. We all encounter CTAs on the web all the time without even realizing it, but when you create a website it is imperative that you learn how to write a call to action that supports your site’s goal. In this post, we will clarify how CTAs work to ensure the high performance of any website, and especially of business websites. We will then explore the key steps in creating powerful CTAs that bring real results, improve your website’s conversion rates and set you on the right path towards financial and professional growth. What is a call to action? A call to action is a short phrase that prompts your online audience to take immediate action. In the context of a website, they are most often clickable texts, images or buttons that encourage site visitors to follow your site’s invitation towards a certain step. Common call to action examples include downloading files, purchasing products, subscribing to a service, signing up as members, contacting the team, starting a trial and more. Essentially, CTAs tell your site visitors what it is that you want them to do. If the entire content of your site is doing the prep work for it, the role of the call to action is to entice visitors to take that final step and click to complete that action, to “seal the deal.” CTAs have a direct impact on your entire website’s success, and strong, persuasive CTAs can get you higher sales, more followers and wider exposure. Why is a call to action important? Calls to action are a critical component of any marketing strategy , because they provide your user with a clear guide for where to go. Good CTAs can help you to increase conversions, improve your website's traffic and boost your sales. Here are some of the benefits of CTAs: Increase conversions: CTAs tell your visitors exactly what you want them to do, which in turn helps them convert. When a CTA is clear and concise, it’s more likely to be clicked on. Improve website traffic: Improve your website's traffic by directing visitors to the pages that you want them to see. For example, you could use a CTA to direct visitors to your product pages or your blog. Boost sales: When you encourage visitors to take action through your call to action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter, you can then help boost your sales. Build relationships: CTAs can help you build relationships with your customers by providing them with a way to contact you or learn more about your products or services. Limit decision fatigue: Users can sometimes feel overwhelmed by too many options. CTAs cut down on confusion by giving a direct command to follow. How to write a CTA that converts Here are the key steps to write an effective call to action that bring real results: Define your goals  Know what your audience wants They can't miss it Keep it short and clear Use action-oriented language The time is NOW Lead with incentives Don’t neglect the rest of your site Track and analyze success Test and improve 01. Define your goals  The first step to perfecting your call to actions takes you to the very core of your online presence. You need to have a clear understanding of your goals. Let’s put it this way: Why are you setting up a website to begin with? What are you hoping to achieve? The answer to this question would determine how you use CTAs. Your goal and the action that you are calling for correspond to each other. If, for example, your site’s goal is to advance your life coaching service, the action you’d be prompting would be scheduling an appointment, and the CTA might read something like: “Book Your First Session Here” or “Schedule a Free Consultation.” In some cases, you might be interested in directing site visitors to do more than one thing. For instance, you want them to both purchase one of your products and like your Facebook page. In this case, you will have more than one CTA on the site and you will need to prioritize them. You may choose to have one CTA more prominent on one page and the other on another page. You may also divide your site’s layout in a way that supports both CTAs without creating competition between them. 02. Know what your audience wants Knowing what you want to achieve is one thing, but you won’t get far if you neglect to consider the wishes and needs of your audience. What are they doing on your site? What are they hoping to accomplish? What tone of voice and what kind of vocabulary appeals to them? To maximize your chances of success, you should start this stage by doing some research on your target audience and creating a profile of your average site visitor (or multiple archetypes of visitors). Once you get a sense of what motivates your audience, you will be able to craft more effective CTAs. And don’t be afraid to look at what your competitors are doing, there’s a lot to learn from other people’s successes and failures. 03. They can't miss it A CTA has to be clearly visible. All the effort that you put into creating your CTAs will be useless if your site visitors are unable to spot it on your site. Here’s how you guarantee that they will: Your color palette should make the call to action stand out. Choose a color combination that accentuates the CTA and draws attention. Obviously, you don’t want to blind your site visitors with clashing colors (and these color palette generator tools will help you avoid that), but you do need enough contrast for it to stand out on the page. In addition, consider which colors to use in order to evoke specific emotions from people. Size matters. The proportions of CTA buttons or texts should reflect their unique role on your site. You want to go with a size that distinctively marks the CTA as a crucial segment of the site, one that shouldn’t be overlooked. But practicing moderation is a good move here too: devoting half of your page size to a button will not get you much other than frustrated visitors. Location is key. Where you choose to place the CTA will have a huge impact on its performance. The guiding principles are that CTAs should be located in prominent spots, the space surrounding them should be free of clutter, and they shouldn’t compete with other buttons in the area over clicks. Don’t assume that CTAs always work best if placed right at the top of the page. Remember that you are asking visitors to take action, so the request should appear at the moment when they’re ready for it. The CTA usually follows content that prepares the ground for it. 04. Keep it short and clear This is not the place for witty observations or lively descriptions of the benefits you promise. CTAs are brief and to the point. They describe the action in a straightforward manner – Download Your Copy, Register for a Free Trial, Buy This, Sign Up and Get $50 Off, Reserve Your Seats, etc. This type of copywriting may sound a bit bland, or even off-putting in its directness. Don’t forget, though, that the CTAs are just that final step in a process. Your site’s design, images and content provide the atmosphere, information and motivation to follow through the journey, while the CTA is there to give it a final push. 05. Use action-oriented language Compelling site visitors to take action requires proactive language. It’s no coincidence that CTAs begin with a powerful imperative verb that assertively determines what happens next. This type of explicit invitation increases people’s motivation to follow your CTA and complete the action. It puts the focus on them and their decision and strengthens their confidence in the choice to click onwards. 06. The time is NOW Similarly to the use of power-verbs, adding a sense of urgency strengthens the CTA’s impact. An effectively-written call to action motivates site visitors to take the next step immediately, rather than giving them time to think about it and probably forget all about your site. Adding words like “Now,” “Here” or “Today” to your CTAs can help prompt quick reactions. Other phrases that elicit this type of determination are: “Get Instant Access,” “Grab Limited Discount Code” or “Take Advantage of Our Best Deal Ever.” 07. Lead with incentives When you’re asking your site visitors to do something for you, you better be willing to do something for them in return. With an abundance of options and information available online, web users have the power to consider costs and benefits and make informed decisions. If you want CTAs to appeal to that mindset, you need to make sure the value that you are offering is clear, and that it actually appeals to your group. For example, CTAs like “Start My Free Trial,” “ Create a Blog ” or “Download Straight to Your Device” all offer a certain incentive that allows visitors to visualize what they are getting out of this deal. 08. Don’t neglect the rest of your site This article focuses specifically on the art of creating CTAs, but just as important is the art of creating a good CTA environment. Remember, the CTA is a culmination of your pitch to your site visitors. Even the perfect CTA will fail if the site that surrounds it does not lead visitors towards completing the action. To begin with, your entire site design should support the CTA. This means that the layout of the page should direct the visitors’ view towards the CTA in a natural browsing flow. Subsequently, you should also free up some white space around the CTA, to make sure that nothing distracts from it. Your site content is also crucial for the elimination of FUDs – fears, uncertainties and doubts. Because CTAs are short and can’t address all the concerns or questions that site visitors might have, you need to make sure that your site has all the answers. 09. Track and analyze success No serious website owner would be satisfied with following all the steps mentioned above without tracking their impact, too. Analyzing the success rate of your CTA is crucial in evaluating your site’s overall performance and is a vital step towards improving your strategy for growth. An important metric that can help in guiding your evaluation is the conversion rate, which is the percentage of website visitors who convert. For example, if you have 100 visitors to your website and 5 of them make a purchase, your conversion rate would be 5%. The way you define conversion depends on what your goal is, but it could include actions such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter or downloading a PDF . The higher the conversion rate, the more effective your CTAs are at driving conversions. 10. Test and improve After tracking and measuring your CTAs’ performance, you have the knowledge required to experiment, compare and improve various call to action schemes. For example, your analysis may show you that some colors bring in more clicks than others, or that the phrasing “Buy Now” is more effective than “Purchase Now.” Keep track of your different tests to better understand what triggers action with your target audience and continue to improve your CTAs accordingly. Where to include a CTA When it comes to mastering CTAs , you also need to know where to include them. There are many places where you can integrate a CTA, but some of the most effective spots are: On your website: CTAs can be placed on your website in a variety of places, such as: The homepage: The homepage is a great place for your CTA because it's the first page that visitors will see. Product pages: CTAs can be placed on product pages to encourage visitors to buy your products. A blog: Try including CTAs on your blog posts to encourage visitors to read more content, subscribe to your blog or buy your product. Contact page: A CTA on your contact page encourages visitors to contact you. In your email marketing: CTAs can be included in your email marketing campaigns to encourage subscribers to take action, such as clicking on a link, opening an attachment or making a purchase. On your social media: CTAs can be included in your social media posts to encourage followers to engage with your content, such as liking, commenting or sharing your posts. In your advertising: CTAs can be included in your advertising campaigns to encourage viewers to visit your website, sign up for a free trial or make a purchase.

Starting a business  means wearing multiple hats and facing constant challenges that require innovative solutions. Custom Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPTs) are revolutionizing the business world, changing how small businesses operate. These powerful tools act like an assistant in each department, helping to streamline processes, enhance customer service and empower decision-making. With a multitude of options available, how can small business owners choose the best custom GPTs tailored to their needs and budget? In this article, we’ll dive into the top custom GPTs available, exploring their features and benefits. Discover how advanced tools can drive your business towards greater efficiency and growth. What are GPTs? GPT models are advanced AI systems capable of understanding and generating human-like text. Built on sophisticated algorithms and trained on vast amounts of data, these models can analyze and understand large datasets to generate meaningful responses to prompts and questions. This makes them useful for applications like chatbots, content creation and even complex problem-solving. Custom GPTs are tailored versions of these models, designed to meet specific needs and requirements. For small businesses, this means having an AI that understands your unique business context and can assist in various functions, from customer support to marketing strategies . With a Custom GPT, small businesses can leverage AI technology to drive growth while reducing the time and effort typically required for these tasks. 9 best custom GPTs for small businesses Wix AI website builder Adobe Express DALL-E Data Analyst Consensus Scholar AI Creative Writing Coach InVideo AI VEED 01. Wix AI website builder The Wix AI website builder  makes it easy for small business owners to establish their online presence. Start creating a website  with tailored design recommendations that align with your brand's identity, ensuring a unique and personalized touch.  Save time and focus on what truly matters—growing your business and reaching a wider audience. Learn how to create a website in minutes using Wix’s AI website builder GPT . 02. Adobe Express Adobe Express  simplifies design with AI-driven tools that offer smart suggestions, refining the creative process and ensuring quality results. This approach lets small businesses focus on strategy instead of repetitive tasks, saving time. Enjoy an efficient workflow and elevated design standards to create visually striking content with ease. If you want to leverage AI for digital marketing, Adobe Express provides an intuitive platform that enhances both creativity and productivity. 03. DALL-E DALL-E  is a GPT model created by OpenAI  that can generate images from text descriptions. This innovative tool can assist small businesses in creating visual content, such as product designs or presentation graphics, without the need for a designer or expensive editing software. With its limitless imagination and ability to create unique images, DALL-E can help make a lasting impression on your audience. 04. Data Analyst The Data Analyst GPT  model assists small businesses by analyzing trends and patterns in their business data. It can provide insights and recommendations to identify market opportunities, optimize pricing strategies or streamline supply chains. Users can ask questions in everyday language, and it delivers valuable insights through clear visuals like graphs and charts. It's perfect to help you make informed decisions without needing a team of data analysts. 05. Consensus Consensus  is an AI-driven academic search engine, helpful for small businesses aiming to create authoritative content on complex or scientific topics. It offers AI-driven academic search capabilities, allowing access to insights from over 200 million research papers. By simplifying intricate information into clear summaries, assisting with accurate citations and providing science-backed insights, Consensus helps you draft well-informed documents efficiently. 06. Scholar AI Scholar AI  streamlines the process of accessing patent information, providing small businesses with a safeguard against infringement issues and legal challenges. This tool searches databases, offers concise summaries of research papers, and analyzes documents like PDFs . By directly linking users to relevant sources, it simplifies finding, analyzing, and connecting academic and technical information, making it an essential asset for anyone engaged in research or technical innovation. As a small business owner eager to enhance research and development, use Scholar AI to maintain your competitive edge. 07. Creative Writing Coach The Creative Writing Coach  GPT provides personalized feedback to create compelling marketing content, refine communication and elevate storytelling. It can help improve clarity and develop branding to ensure messages connect with audiences. Craft narratives that capture attention and build stronger customer relationships. 08. InVideo AI InVideo AI  empowers small businesses to elevate their social media marketing on platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. With features like script generation and automated text-to-speech, it simplifies creating engaging short-form videos. Produce professional-quality content quickly, enhance brand visibility and capture your audience's attention effectively. 09. Veed Veed Video  GPT is a tool that utilizes GPT technology to automatically generate video content from text. Often, there isn't funding to invest in an in-house team or outsource to a specialist. Veed can assist you in creating promotional videos, product demos and more, without the need for expensive equipment or editing skills. How to implement a custom GPT Begin your custom GPT journey with a strategic plan for success. This straightforward process makes implementation simple, helping you maximize your custom GPT's potential for your small business. Follow these steps to get started. 01. Identify your needs Begin by assessing which parts of your business could benefit most from a GPT. Consider how AI can boost productivity and efficiency, improve customer interactions, or tackle current issues. 02. Choose the right model Explore various custom GPTs that can help with your business goals. Understand what each GPT offers and how it addresses your specific needs. Can't find the right GPT? Learn how to build a custom GPT to match your business need. 03. Train the model  Tailor the GPT model with your business data. Provide relevant information so it can grasp the unique language and requirements of your industry for greater accuracy. 04. Integrate with existing systems Make sure the GPT model seamlessly fits with your current tools and platforms. Some technical adjustments may be needed to make sure everything runs well together. 05. Monitor and optimize After implementation, track the model's performance. Regularly assess its efficiency and make necessary tweaks. Updating settings and data ensures optimal results and adaptability to business changes. Best custom GPTs FAQ Do I need coding knowledge to implement a custom GPT? While some coding knowledge can be helpful, it is not necessary as there are user-friendly tools and services available to assist with implementing a custom GPT. Can a custom GPT replace human employees? No, a custom GPT is designed to work alongside humans and enhance their capabilities. It can handle repetitive tasks and provide insights, but ultimately, human creativity and decision-making are still necessary in business operations. How do I ensure data security when using a GPT model? Ensure your data stays secure when using a GPT model by choosing a trusted provider. Implement strong data encryption and regularly update security measures to protect sensitive info. Educate your team on handling confidential information and best practices for data protection. Consulting with an IT specialist can offer extra guidance.

Many consider content the most important part of a strong marketing strategy. Informative, engaging content can reach new customers and maintain current ones. Even Bill Gates knew back in 1996 that “Content is king.” From deciding to create a website to strategizing your social media content , you’ll often share links to videos, articles and social media posts. A link shortening tool can be a handy way to optimize these links for your content marketing strategy. In this article, we’ll discuss why compressed URLs can help your marketing. Plus, we’ll go over some of the best link shorteners on the market. What is a link shortener? A link shortener—also known as a URL shortener, link compressor, or URL condenser—is a digital tool that takes a long URL and makes it shorter. This URL tool serves self-creators or small businesses in many ways. In fact, the US government found this tool important enough to provide two types of government-funded link shortenings , although they decommissioned the project in 2019. If you want to share a link for any type of marketing , whether social media marketing or your weekly newsletter, most people don’t find website links littered with excess numbers and letters attractive. A lengthy URL can even deter people from clicking. Link shorteners condense the long URLs in your marketing strategy so people will be more inclined to click on them, in turn increasing click-through rates. Learn more: URI vs URL 4 reasons to use a link shortener 01. Elevates your brand image Excess characters in URLs can look suspicious and unappealing. Use a link shortener to keep your marketing assets clean and concise, which reflects positively on your brand image. 02. Easier to share If your users find a link easier to copy and paste, especially from a mobile device, they’ll be more likely to share your links. 03. Cleaner appearance People have an easier time reading and comprehending shorter text, making them more likely to click on shorter URLs. 04. Provides tracking capabilities To sustainably grow your brand, you must track your marketing efforts and key performance indicators (KPIs). Most link shorteners come with analytics tools and other advanced features. 10 best URL shortener services Hopp.co Sniply ClickMeter Cuttly Bitly TinyURL T2M Tiny.CC BL.INK Rebrandly 01. Hopp.co Hopp.co is the ideal URL shortener for online content creators who want to increase their revenue and customer base. All creators, from Instagram influencers to culinary bloggers, can access Hopp.co’s impressive list of tools. This includes: tracking and analytic data, unlimited number of uses and the ability to create short links with a customized domain just for this purpose. Hopp.co’s ability to add a “pre-roll” customized promotional page is what makes this link shortener a real winner. Creators can send users to an interstitial page before their final destination where they can add a CTA or link that promotes a service, video, event, social account, blog post or product; collects subscribers or contact information; and even promotes a membership. They also offer call-to-action landing pages and a “speed-dial” feature, which allows users to enter a code and access a link—a handy feature for those looking for a link sharing workaround for Instagram posts. 02. Sniply Sniply allows users to compress long links and overlay them with custom call-to-actions (CTAs) to create visually appealing mini banners. 03. ClickMeter ClickMeter ’s URL shortening tool offers marketers a dashboard to analyze data from large, global audiences, plus optimize and compare links in one place. The tool targets visitors where they will have the best conversion rates, monitors fraud and broken links, tracks clicks and conversions, and more. 04. Cuttly Cuttly ’s platform can manage and track analytics from users' branded URLs. The tool integrates with several platforms—such as Zapier, Integromat and Laravel—and comes with other marketing tools like password-protected short links, UTM parameters and QR codes. 05. Bitly Bitly’s free tool shortens links using the bit.ly domain. Users with a premium plan can customize their shortened URLs with their own domain names. Bitly comes with an analytics dashboard to help users comprehend which campaigns and content their audiences prefer. 06. TinyURL TinyURL’s basic link shortening tool does not require users to create an account, but it also doesn’t offer advanced analytics. Paid users get basic tracking tools such as click rates, URL editing and timestamps. 07. T2M T2M is intended for large businesses and corporations, but it can also suit smaller businesses. T2M offers URL management, branding and APIs, campaign management and complete analytics to help marketers make business decisions. 08. Tiny.CC Tiny.CC offers a simple interface that allows users to manage many URLs at one time. Users can edit links in real time, redirect smartlinks and track traffic metrics. 09. BL.INK BL.INK ’s GDPR-compliant tool caters to small businesses. Key features include the ability to build UTM campaigns and create links that are easily shareable with any channel, including mobile, PDF files , QR codes, email and more. 10. Rebrandly Rebrandly emphasizes the importance of brand trust and recognition. With an array of advanced features and collaborative tools that enable different departments to work together more easily, the platform focuses heavily on organizational teams. It offers multiple logins and workspaces for this purpose. Consider creating a qr code for your brand, you can use a qr code generator to do this.

In a world where so much happens online, businesses are constantly faced with the decision of where to invest their marketing and branding efforts. Should you focus on learning how to build a website or is it better to engage customers through social media platforms ? This debate is more relevant than ever as companies try to establish a strong online presence in an often crowded marketplace. Making the right choice between a website and social media can significantly impact your business. Each platform has its unique advantages and serves different purposes in the grand scheme of your marketing strategy. By understanding these differences, you'll be better equipped to make informed decisions that align with your business goals. Let's explore what it means to have a website versus engaging on social media and how these tools can work together. What is a website? A website is your business's home on the internet. It's a dedicated space that you own, where you can provide information about your products or services, share your brand's story and connect with customers. It's a place where you have complete control over the content and design, allowing you to present your business professionally to the world. What is social media? Social media, on the other hand, is focused on engagement, where everyone comes to chat, share and connect. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn are social spaces where businesses can create profiles to interact with their audience via social media marketing . Here, you can post updates, respond to customer inquiries in real time and engage with other content. Social media is all about building relationships and fostering community around your brand. Website vs social media: the great debate Ownership and control When you create a website, you're the owner. You own your domain name (as long as you keep on with the annual renewal process), decide on the layout and determine the content that goes live. This level of ownership means you're not subject to the whims of another company's business model or policy changes. Your website remains as long as you maintain it - with most website builders this means as long as you renew your plan every year. In contrast, social media is like renting space in someone else's building. You can set up shop and decorate your area but ultimately, the platform owns your presence there. They can change the rules, their algorithms or even shut down your page if it doesn't comply with their policies. This lack of control can be a significant risk for businesses that rely solely on social media for their online activity. Customization and branding Websites offer a blank canvas for branding and customization. You can design every aspect to align with your brand identity—from colors and fonts to the user experience. This customization helps in creating a consistent brand image that resonates with your audience. Social media platforms do allow some level of branding through profile pictures, headers and posts. However, you're limited to the layout and design constraints of each platform. While these spaces are great for showing your brand's personality, they don't offer the same level of branding depth that a website does. Why create a website for your business? Professionalism A website serves as the cornerstone of your business's online identity, communicating credibility and professionalism. When potential customers search for your business, a well-designed website provides a sense of trustworthiness. It's a signal that you're serious about your business and that you offer a legitimate product or service. Conversion optimization Websites are also incredibly effective for guiding visitors through the buying process. With a sales funnel built into your site, you can lead potential customers from awareness to consideration and finally to making a purchase. By learning how to create a landing page and optimizing call-to-action buttons and contact forms, you can increase the likelihood of converting visitors into customers. SEO benefits One of the most significant advantages of having a website is the ability to appear in search engine results. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is vital for increasing visibility and driving organic traffic to your site. By using keywords, producing quality content and optimizing your site's structure, you can rank higher in search results, making it easier for potential customers to find you online. Learn more: Small business website statistics Why use social media for your business? Audience engagement Social media platforms excel at fostering direct and immediate communication with your audience. They provide a space where you can quickly respond to comments, messages and reviews, creating a two-way dialogue with your customers in real-time. This level of engagement helps build a community around your brand and can lead to stronger customer loyalty. Learn more: What is Brat? Brand awareness The shareable nature of social media content means that your posts have the potential to reach far beyond your immediate followers. When users share your content, it increases your brand's visibility exponentially. This virality can be a game-changer for brand awareness, helping you reach new audiences at little to no cost. Learn more: How to design social media graphics . Can social media replace a website? While social media platforms offer many benefits, they come with limitations for businesses that can't be overlooked. Relying solely on social media means you're at the mercy of platform algorithms and policy changes, which can affect how and if your content is seen by your audience. Social media doesn't necessarily offer the same level of professionalism and credibility that a website does. Customers often expect legitimate businesses to have a website where they can find comprehensive information and contact details. Without a website, you may miss out on opportunities to establish trust and authority in your industry. While social media is an excellent tool for engagement and brand promotion, it cannot fully replace the depth of functionality and control provided by a dedicated website. Website vs social media - combining the best of both The key to a strong online business presence is not about choosing between a website and social media but understanding how to use them together effectively. Your website should be in the center of your branding and marketing efforts—a place where you control the narrative. Social media, meanwhile can be used to reach out to new and existing customers, encouraging interaction and community. By integrating both, you can drive traffic from your social media to your website where conversions happen. Social media can be used to tease content, promote offers, and engage with your audience, while your website provides more in-depth information, captures leads and processes sales. For example, a retailer might use Instagram to showcase their products with beautiful imagery and then direct customers to their website for purchase. Or a B2B company might share thought leadership articles on LinkedIn to establish expertise before funneling readers to their site for webinar sign-ups or consultations. An integrated approach can lead to greater brand consistency, improved customer journeys, and ultimately better business outcomes. Website vs social media and how to choose for your business Deciding whether to focus on a website, social media or both depends on your business goals, resources and audience. Here are some considerations to help you make the right decision: Decide on you goals : Determine what you want to achieve with your online presence. If sales conversion is your primary goal, a website should be your priority. For brand awareness and community building, social media might be the right focus. Understand your audience : Know where your customers spend their time online. If they're active on social media platforms, that's where you should be too. However, remember that a website can cater to those who are searching for your services via search engines. Consider your resources : Maintaining both a website and social media presence requires time and money. Evaluate what resources you can dedicate to each platform to keep them updated and engaging.

After you create a website for your brand, you need to get out there and let people know you’re open for business. The best way to do so is to set your sights on social media. In particular, you need to learn how to increase social media engagement to bring attention to your brand, make meaningful connections, fully utilize social networking and accelerate your business growth. It’s the “engagement” part of that strategy that’s going to be key to your success. Today we’ll look at what it is, what it’ll do for your brand and 10 ways to get more of it. What is social media engagement? Social media engagement refers to the responses your social media posts receive. While comments, likes, and shares are the most common type of social engagement, some platforms use different engagement features or terminology for them. For example, on the one hand, a Twitter user would "retweet" a post, but a Pinterest user, on the other hand, who wants to share this IKEA post would use the “Save” button: Just keep in mind that the ultimate goal of social media marketing is to get meaningful engagement. That means that while having a high number of interactions or follower numbers may look good, it’s the quality of the interactions that’s more important. The importance of getting engagement on your social media Social media might be free to use, but the time you invest in creating content for each platform, growing your list of followers , and engaging with them is very valuable. With this in mind, the last thing you want is to create a social media account and end up talking to an empty room. Or, worse, to talk to a super-crowded room, but get ignored by everyone. When you nail your social media strategy and give people a good reason to engage with you, you’ll reap plenty of benefits: Build greater brand awareness. You don’t need to be Kim Kardashian level famous in order to get good engagement. You just need a great strategy (including knowing the best time to post on TikTok ) aimed at the right audience - like this TiktTok for business guide breaks down. Increase your clout. You have a great website and a promising offer. But the conversational style of marketing on social media allows you to really let your brand’s voice and thoughts shine. It also makes it easier for you to monetize your platform, whether its making money on TikTok or Instagram. Exponentially increase your reach. When someone engages with your social media posts, it can help the algorithm identify your post as more relevant and interesting and there is more likely to push your content into more people’s feeds. We explain this further in our guide to LinkedIn marketing , for example. Develop meaningful relationships. Unlike your blog, email marketing , or traditional marketing, where you talk at your audience, social media is a conversation. And when you give people a reason to engage, really meaningful interactions can develop from that. Provide better customer service. Even if you’re not handling technical support on social media, simply being there to answer questions for interested prospects or existing customers gives you another opportunity to demonstrate how much they matter (and to show others curious about your brand how attentive you really are). Get more accurate data. You know who your audience is, but the metrics you get from social engagement and social signals can tell you a lot more about their story and inform how to better connect with them. How to increase social media engagement If you’ve already begun using social media for your brand, then you’re familiar with basic social media marketing tips and strategies. However, what we’re going to focus on below are 10 ways to improve your social engagement metrics and get a better ROI on your marketing strategy as a whole. 1. Make a record of your current engagement rates 2. Set measurable goals for future engagement 3. Get to know your audience when they’re on social media 4. Write blog content that’s going to get their attention 5. Experiment with different social media post formats 6. Create social media posts that are eye-catching and engaging 7. Create social media posts that are authentic 8. Don’t just wait for people to come to you 9. Respond to your engagements in a timely fashion 10. Review your analytics regularly and reconfigure your strategy as needed 01. Make a record of your current engagement rates There are two places where you can get social media analytics from. First, you can log into each of your social media platforms and use the analytics provided there. For instance, here’s what Twitter’s Analytics dashboard looks like: Each social media platform provides statistics based on the types of engagements available, and you’ll get engagement statistics for each individual post. You’ll also see average performance stats related to: Engagement rate Link clicks Retweets without comments Likes Replies The second way to get analytics is if you use a social media management and scheduling tools like Buffer or Hootsuite . There, all of your social engagement data will be in one place. Regardless of which tool you use, it’s recommended to export the data as a spreadsheet and save it on your computer. If the tool does not do this for you, here is the formula of how you can calculate your own engagement rate: Social Media Engagement Rate = # of Engagements (sum up all likes, shares, comments, etc.) ÷ # of Followers ✕ 100 Do this for each of your platforms, and afterwards compare your engagement rates to a few of your competitors who have a similar size following. 02. Set measurable goals for future engagement Now that you know roughly what to shoot for, it’s time to set some goals. The first thing to set goals for is your social media marketing efforts. Which audience are you looking to reach? What actions to wish for them to take upon seeing your content? How will you measure success? To help you decide which engagement metrics are most important to you it’s important that you know that not all engagements are created equal. For example, the Instagram algorithm values saves, shares and comments more than likes. Figure out which engagements to track based on your business goal (if you want to create brand awareness, focus on increasing page visits; if your goal is to build a community, focus on growing the number of followers or comments under each post etc.). Next, figure out which social media platforms to focus your efforts on that can best help you reach your above goals. Remember, sometimes it is easier to build a successful engagement strategy if you limit how many platforms you focus on. From Pinterest for business , to Instagram and Facebook, there are a variety of platforms to choose from depending on your niche and industry. 03. Get to know your audience when they’re on social media In order to build offerings and create strong social media content for your target customers, you need to figure out who they are in terms of demographics, needs, and motivations. Which platforms do they use most? What kinds of accounts do they follow? Are there certain topics that tend to catch their interest more? What types of posts and content are they more likely to engage with? Do they communicate using GIFs, emojis, or acronyms? Start by looking through accounts for brands similar to yours. You should be able to spot some trends in terms of content with the highest engagement. Then, do some research on their followers—especially the most engaged ones—and find out what their feeds look like. Because not only do you want to share posts that are relevant to them, you want to speak their language as well. This step can be really time-consuming if you try to do it all on your own. So, social listening and engagement tools like Sprout Social or BuzzSumo can help. 04. Write blog content that’s going to get their attention While you don’t want your social media feed to be all “Me! Me! Me!”, you can create a free blog with high-quality and thought-provoking content to share with your followers from time to time. So, make sure your blogging strategy coincides with your social media engagement goals. For instance: If your goal is to boost the number of clicks and saves as part of your Pinterest marketing efforts , create more Pin-friendly content like infographics. If your goal is to get more engaged followers on Instagram, record a daily vlog. If your goal is to increase the number of comments you get on each Facebook post, start writing blog posts that answer common questions your customer service team gets. Every platform has its own strengths. Figure out which platforms you want to increase social engagement on and then create content in shareable formats for each. It might also be a good idea to review the set up of your social platforms - go over your YouTube channel name , or other platform handles, to make sure it resonates with users. Learn more: How to design social media graphics . 05. Experiment with different social media post formats In order to increase engagement, use a social media calendar to test out different kinds of social media posts. Here are some post formats and themes to consider: Behind-the-scenes tours Customer spotlights “Live” video events Infographics Quotes Video Q&A This-or-that questions Contests and giveaways Surveys Animated GIFs and Memes You never know which ones will get the most attention and engagement until you give them a try. Plus, with the variety of social media platforms available, there’s a lot to play around with. If you're looking for inspiration, take a look at this curated list of social media ideas and tips on how to use them effectively. You can also consider sharing content from your blog or website straight to social media, with a social share button. This helps make it easier to post more often and consistently. 06. Create social media posts that are eye-catching and engaging As we write this post, Internet Live Stats tells us that there have been over 375 million tweets sent, 3.5 billion YouTube videos viewed, and 42 million Instagram photos uploaded today . Needless to say, there is a lot of noise on social media. Having a great social media channel will help you get more followers, but that doesn’t guarantee that they (or other social media users) will see your posts in their feed. There’s just too much new content being published every second of every day. In order to get people to slow their scroll, your posts need to be eye-catching. While it does vary based on platform as well as the industry you operate in, images are more or less the most effective way to capture someone’s attention on social media. According to Social Insider’s report, images clearly dominate for attention over carousels and videos on Instagram—and this is the platform with the highest levels of engagement. It’s not just images alone that make a post eye-catching or engaging though. Applying filters so your images all have a similar look is one way to make your content stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, creating a logo and adding it as a watermark to all custom content is another way to make your posts more recognizable and eye-catching. You should also be constantly on the lookout for new features. TikTok, for instance, recently launched a new video Q&A feature . Every platform creates new features in response to the way people use the platform, so take advantage of them as they’re a good way to drum up more attention. Even if the bigger visual components of your posts initially grab social media users’ attention, it’s the accompanying message that’s oftentimes what convinces them to engage. In addition to writing awesome messages, give them some visual style, too. For example, on platforms like Twitter and Instagram where hashtags and handles are popular, use them to not only improve the discoverability of your posts, but to make your messages stand out like this @travelchannel tweet: Here's our full guide on how to use Twitter. Tagging someone else’s handle is an especially good way to get exponentially more eyes on your content, which can increase engagement, too. With platforms like LinkedIn and Pinterest, where you have more room to write, take advantage of the space as The Walt Disney Company does here: Just remember that the rules of formatting long content apply here, too. Add paragraph breaks to make long text less intimidating to read. Including emojis along the way helps, too. Another tip is to focus on creating content people would like to save for later or share with their friends. Try including a question in the caption that has the potential of starting a discussion and conversation in the comments section. Don't forget your social media bios too, they are crucial to boosting social media engagement rates and a key part of the puzzle. Hopp helps create the most stunning and fast-loading bio pages with ease. It is highly customizable, its unique search feature ensures that your followers can access your links quickly and easily like never before. 07. Create social media posts that are authentic While there’s certainly a lot of room for what you can post on social media, not everything is going to fit with your brand identity. So, make sure you’re creating posts and choosing formats that are authentic to you. For example, entrepreneur Marie Forleo is on all the big social media platforms and has hundreds of thousands of followers there. She could easily throw different kinds of posts at them. What Forleo does, however, is stay in her lane. Most of Marie's posts—regardless of which channel she shares them on—are inspirational and motivational images and video content where she talks directly to her followers. What you won’t see her share are infographics, animated GIFs, or shameless selfies. And that’s a really important part of getting high levels of engagement on social media. Sure, you want to market your brand and increase your leads and sales in the process. But you have to be genuine when you do it or else people will quickly catch on that it’s all just for show. 08. Don’t just wait for people to come to you Dedicate some time every week to look for new relevant users to engage with. One way to easily do that is to follow Gary Vee’s $1.80 engagement method . This proven to work method encourages you to find users through the top hashtags in your niche and to comment something meaningful on their posts. Other methods include engaging with: Customers who’ve shared photos or recommendations of your products. Companies whose missions you really dig and want to keep tabs on. Brands you want to partner with. Blogs and news sites that share content that you and your audience will find valuable. Cute and funny accounts that add some extra positivity to your feed. Whether you’re sharing your love for another brand’s offering or you’re simply getting involved in other users’ conversations, you need to get out there and be social. It’s a great way to show that your brand actually cares about making genuine connections and being part of the social media community and not just using it to boost conversions. 09. Respond to your engagements in a timely fashion Once you start giving people a reason to engage with you on social media, get ready to respond. While you might not want to thank the dozens or hundreds of people who like each of your posts, take time out to respond to those who share and comment. Check out Burger King’s tweets and retweets for a masterclass in responding to followers: Burger King responds to all kinds of posts. Customer service issues. Memes. Ridiculous demands. And, not only that, it does it with its trademark personality and quickly, too. If you don’t have that kind of bandwidth to monitor social media 24/7, that’s okay. Just make sure you respond within 24 hours. 10. Review your analytics regularly and reconfigure your strategy as needed When you set up your social media branding , you set up monitoring and analytics for this very reason. Without these insights, there’s no way to measure your marketing strategy’s efficacy. On a regular basis or at least monthly, it’s a good idea to perform a social media audit . In terms of engagement, ask yourself questions like: Which posts get the highest numbers of engagement? Which posts get the best type of engagement? Which ones go completely ignored? Are there any platforms where your engagement rates remain really low? Don’t forget to look at Google Analytics either. There’s a section under Acquisition that will tell you which platforms drive traffic to your site as well as the best quality of leads. If you can nail down which posts and platforms are giving you the biggest ROI, you can reconfigure your strategy and give your audience more of what they want where they want it.

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain → Marketing is a crucial element for any business, including laundromats. As a laundromat owner or operator, you understand the importance of different types of marketing  in standing out amidst tough competition to attract and retain customers. Whether you're starting a business  or aiming to enhance your current marketing strategies , having a solid marketing plan is essential. In this article, we'll delve into understanding your target market , crafting a strong marketing strategy that includes both digital marketing  and traditional tactics, building an online presence and leveraging community involvement. With a comprehensive laundromat marketing plan, you'll be well on your way to making your laundromat a local favorite. 8 marketing techniques for laundromats Google Business and Google Ads Utilize social media Use discounts and promotions Build a website for your laundromat Leveraging online maps Participate in local events Collaborate with other businesses Engage with the local community 01. Google Business and Google Ads Google Business Profile: Set up a Google Business Profile and ensure your laundromat is listed on Google My Business to highlight your laundromat's key details, such as photos, customer reviews, operating hours and location. Google Ads : Use Google Ads to target potential customers in your area. With location-based advertising , you can appear in search results when people are looking for laundromats nearby. 02. Utilize social media Social media profiles : Create social media profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where your customers are most active. Leverage these channels for effective customer engagement   by sharing laundry care tips, exclusive promotions and updates about your laundromat. Paid advertising : Consider paid social media marketing  to reach a broader audience. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer targeted ad options based on demographics, interests and behaviors. 03. Use discounts and promotions Offering discounts and promotions can be a powerful way to encourage new and repeat business. Here's how you can implement these strategies effectively: Loyalty programs : Introduce a loyalty program that rewards customers for their repeated business. This could be a digital punch card or points system that offers a free wash after a certain number of visits. Time-based discounts : Consider offering discounts during off-peak hours to increase website traffic  during slow times. Referral bonuses : Encourage word-of-mouth marketing by providing incentives for customers who refer friends or family to your laundromat. 04. Build a website for your laundromat You'll want to kick off your laundromat marketing by  learning how to build a website  that highlights your projects, services and expertise. You can start with a  website builder  like Wix to create a business website  that's visually striking, easy to navigate and user-friendly. Your laundromat website should be: User-friendly : Ensure your website is easy to navigate with clear menus and calls-to-action. Mobile-friendly : With most users accessing the internet via mobile devices, your site must look good and function well on smartphones and tablets. Informative : Provide all the necessary information about your services, location, operating hours and pricing. Branded : Use consistent branding elements like colors, fonts, logo and a laundromat slogan to create a strong brand identity. To make your website truly effective, consider these tips: SEO optimization : Use relevant keywords like "laundromat marketing strategy" and "how to attract customers to laundromat" throughout your content to improve search engine rankings. Engaging content : Include engaging content such as blogs on laundry tips or the history of your laundromat to keep visitors on your site longer. Online scheduling : If possible, offer an online booking system so customers can reserve machines or schedule laundry services in advance. Learn more:  Wix SEO 05. Leveraging online maps Make sure your laundromat is listed on online map services such as Google Maps. This helps locals find you easily when they search for laundry services in their area. Keep your listing updated with accurate information and encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews. 06. Participate in local events Sponsorship : Look for local events, sports teams or charities that you can sponsor. This not only supports the community but also puts your brand in front of potential customers. Hosting events : Consider hosting your own events at your laundromat, such as laundry education workshops or family fun days. 07. Collaborate with other businesses Partnerships : Partner with nearby businesses to offer joint promotions or discounts. For example, team up with a local coffee shop to provide a discount to customers who show a receipt from your laundromat. Referral networks : Create a referral network with other local service providers where you can recommend each other's businesses. 08. Engage with the local community By actively engaging with your local community, you demonstrate that your laundromat is more than just a business—it's a valuable member of the neighborhood. This approach not only helps in building customer loyalty but also sets you apart as a socially responsible establishment that people want to support. Social responsibility : Show that your laundromat business  cares about the community by participating in or organizing charity drives and environmental clean-ups. Local forums and groups : Join local online forums and groups to stay informed about community needs and interests and to share information about your services. Discover more marketing strategies: Small business marketing Understanding your laundromat's target market To effectively market your laundromat, you first need to know who you're marketing to. Defining your target audience  is a foundational step in any successful marketing strategy. It involves understanding who needs your services and what specific characteristics they possess. This knowledge will shape every decision you make, from the services you offer to the way you communicate with your customers. Market research is an indispensable tool in this process. It helps you gather data about the local population, their habits and preferences. Here's how you can start pinpointing your ideal customer base: Demographic analysis : Look at the age, gender, income level and employment status of the people in your area. Are there many college students or families? Do residents mostly work blue-collar jobs or commute to office jobs? These factors can influence when and how they use laundromat services. Psychographic profiling : Go beyond basic demographics to understand the lifestyles and values of potential customers. Are they environmentally conscious? Do they value convenience over cost? This information can help tailor your marketing messages and service offerings. Crafting a strong laundromat marketing strategy A robust marketing strategy is the backbone of any successful business and for laundromats, it's no different. To craft a strategy that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the competition, you need to consider several essential components. Creating an effective marketing plan  for your laundromat involves a mix of both digital and traditional marketing tactics. Here are the steps to guide you through this process: Set clear objectives : Determine what you want to achieve with your marketing efforts. This could be increasing foot traffic, enhancing brand awareness  or boosting customer loyalty. Budget allocation : Decide how much you're willing to spend on your marketing campaigns. A well-defined budget ensures that you use your resources efficiently according to your laundromat business plan . Channel selection : Choose the right marketing channels  to reach your audience. This might include social media platforms  or traditional methods such as flyers and local newspaper ads. Content creation : Develop engaging content that speaks to your customers' needs and interests. Whether it's informative blog posts or eye-catching posters, make sure it reflects the quality of your service. Promotion strategy : Plan out how you will promote special offers or events. This could involve email marketing campaigns , social media contests or partnerships with local businesses. Performance tracking : Implement tools to measure the success of your marketing activities. Use data analytics to understand customer behavior and refine your strategy accordingly. Laundromat marketing FAQs What kind of content works best for promoting a laundromat? Content that provides value to your customers tends to perform the best. This can include laundry tips, stain removal guides or information about any eco-friendly practices you use. Highlighting special promotions and behind-the-scenes looks at your operations can also engage your audience. Can email marketing be effective for a local laundromat business? Email marketing allows you to directly communicate with your customers and keep them informed about special offers, events or any changes in operation hours. It's a personal way to stay connected and encourage repeat business. What metrics should I track to measure the success of my marketing efforts Key metrics include website traffic, social media engagement (likes, shares, comments), email open rates and promotional redemption rates. Tracking these metrics over time will give you insights into what strategies are most effective and where adjustments may be needed. Is it worth investing in professional photography for my marketing materials? High-quality visuals make a significant difference in how potential customers perceive your business. Investing in professional photography for your marketing materials can enhance their appeal and effectiveness, making it a worthwhile investment. What are some effective laundromat advertising examples? Consider utilizing direct marketing  by sending out flyers or postcards that feature coupons or details about your services to local residences. Additionally, take advantage of community boards by posting notices and special offers on bulletin boards found in supermarkets, libraries and community centers. Don't forget the power of online advertising ; run targeted ads on platforms such as Google and Facebook, which allow you to reach your local demographic more effectively. Who is the target audience for laundromats? Laundromats serve a variety of customers with different needs, including:  Apartment dwellers : People without in-unit laundry often rely on laundromats for convenience.  Students : College and university students especially those in dorms or off-campus housing frequently visit laundromats.  Travelers and temporary residents : Visitors staying in hotels, rentals or temporary housing often need access to laundry services.  Large households : Families or individuals with big laundry loads like bedding or bulk items benefit from larger machines.  Busy professionals : Those short on time often prefer wash-and-fold services for ease.  Eco-conscious shoppers : Customers looking for energy-efficient machines or sustainable laundry options.  By understanding and catering to these groups, laundromat owners can build a loyal diverse customer base.

If we asked you to name a sport that has survived multiple generations and cultures, you’d probably think of baseball or soccer. Trading cards probably never came to mind. But, as it turns out, trading card games (“TCGs”) have bred a new type of athlete over the years. From the rise of Pokémon cards to the materialization of One Piece cards, TCGs have rapidly grown in popularity.  TCG tournaments now attract players from all around the globe. And in a small, unassuming card shop nestled in the heart of Mönchengladbach, Germany, players congregate weekly to compete in Magic: The Gathering matches.  The owner of that shop? Arkady Kovalev. A long-time collector and player himself, Arkady is the local hero of trading cards and comic books. Heroes INN now exists to bring card enthusiasts together, providing a space for players young and old to share their love for comics, manga and trading cards.  Looking to start your own online journey? Get started with Wix's eCommerce website builder . For the love of trading cards Before venturing into entrepreneurship , Arkady never had big dreams of starting a business . The idea came up rather organically.  “I have played a lot of trading cards as a child and visited some stores like the Heroes INN,” he recalls. “But then all the stores closed here.” “There were no opportunities anymore for people to engage in playing cards, and there were no real stores selling comic books and mangas anymore…I wanted to give people the same experience I had as a child playing card games.” “And yeah, that's why I created the store,” he says matter-of-factly.  Heroes INN opened its doors in 2014. At the time, Arkady was a freelancing software developer and a once-aspiring writer. His new business was a slow burn. For 10 years, it was a “slow but steady process,” with the first year being devoted entirely to research (“I thought, ‘Hey, maybe there's a reason why there's no store anymore in our city’”).  But things came together: First came the realization that Mönchengladbach, a city of more than 260,000 residents, was home to comic fans yet lacked a store that truly understood their preferences. Then came the credit line (“I needed to buy so much stuff”). Then came his online store—and eventually, the people.  Today, Heroes INN serves around 200 regulars, plus hundreds more on-foot visitors at its tournaments. Magic: The Gathering matches happen twice a week alongside other games, though the inn is open for players to meet whenever they’d like.   Image source: Heroes INN “[We deliberately called the store an inn] because it's like a tavern or someplace where people stay,” says Arkady. “Heroes is also referring to comic books because you have some heroes in comic books…and I wanted people to be their own heroes in some way…[I thought] maybe if you become a very, very skilled player, you could be a hero for others.” Looking to learn how to build a website ? Start creating your site today with Wix's website builder . Conquering a global quarantine period  But no hero’s journey is without hiccups. One of Arkady’s greatest conquests involved COVID-19.  “We were at the store but we weren’t allowed to let people in,” recalls Arkady. “[So,] we sold them stuff at the door. People could come to the store and say, ‘Hey, I need the new issue from One Piece,’ and we gave them it at the door.” “We were, more or less, the only social interactions for many people…[they weren’t] allowed to see other people but they could get their books and chat a little bit.” At this time, the Heroes INN site served as a portal for seeing what was in stock. Customers could reserve certain items for pickup before venturing outdoors. It became, as Arkady describes, a “dedicated database of products,” allowing both his staff and customers to keep an eye on the latest inventory.  “[By having a dedicated online shop for presales, people could] preorder stuff from their home, from their couch [while] watching TV or watching Netflix or something else,” Arkady adds.  The enduring magic of presales  Even now, presales play a pivotal role in the business. In one sense, the strategy doesn’t work as you’d imagine in the comic world: retailers like Arkady must preorder new comics and manga months in advance. By the time customers inquire about them (usually a few weeks before their release), it’s too late for retailers to change their orders. “But we can at least see, ‘Hey, this product sells well and maybe we should make it a bit more expensive or cheaper depending on presales,’” says Arkady. “Or we can try to order more of the same product.”  This is particularly useful for hits like One Piece. One Piece, a Japanese manga series that has taken the world by storm, exists in book form, card form and collectible statue form within the store. Of these, the trading cards are in hot demand.  “People are buying like there's no tomorrow for One Piece…we are already selling products for One Piece that are coming out in September,” Arkady told us in an interview in April.  The legacy of Heroes INN The magic of Heroes INN is that it has always been more than a shop. Arkady himself is an emblem of community, embodying the kindness, passion and hospitality that make visitors feel at home.  He enthusiastically shares about the couple who drove from the Netherlands to play Magic at his store. He talks about the couple from the Eurozone who met at the inn and had their first child 22 weeks ago.  “It was never my dream but I built something I can be proud of,” he says. “You have so many people who were lonely before—who spent their time sitting in front of the PC or TV or monitors at home just playing video games or watching shows. They didn't have social interactions, but then they came here and found friends.” When asked about his own experience becoming an entrepreneur , he shares that building Heroes INN was like “seeing a child grow.” And as the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” Arkady found himself in a fortunate spot. “ We  have also made friends along the way.” “It’s beautiful because [Heroes INN] is like a shop that you open but now it's become a center of some people's lives.”   Lessons from Arkady Much can be said about becoming an entrepreneur in this day and age. Arkady shares some wisdom he has gathered over the years that can be applied to any type of business .  Seek help when you need it: “[When] I had to create a website…Wix was very helpful because I'm not a programmer, I'm not a web developer. I don't know how to do stuff like that…[Wix had] a lot of features that I wanted to use. Especially, for example, the calendar function where I can put my events and people can book events…[my Wix site] was easy to create. Just a few clicks and we had an online shop.” The Heroes Inn Wix website (translated to English) Don’t just rely on gut instinct: “Do your research. [Many people] just have an idea and are trying to achieve it somehow…[and] a lot of advice will say, ‘Hey, just do it. You can do it.’ But [in reality,] you have to do the calculations and research first and find out how to do it.” Don’t get discouraged early on: “Things won't work from the beginning. It's just the nature of starting a business…I worked [on Heroes INN for] nearly 10 years. And even before I opened it, I did about a year of research…but it was a fun journey and I hope that it will keep on going.” Follow your dreams: “I think other people should also follow their dreams. If they have something they want to accomplish, just try it…the worst thing that could happen is that it doesn't work and then you return to your everyday life again.”  Read about our other Upgrade with Wix winners: How this founder created ‘the first hanger worthy of Vogue’ How this serial entrepreneur made a big career pivot in her 50s

Starting a business, launching a brand online, personal blog or figuring out how to make a website requires constant planning and assessment. With consistent hard work, eventually your efforts will pay off. However, as your venture grows, you might consider bringing in reinforcement for the most crucial and busiest areas of running a website. For example, adding an app to your website that can help with getting more site visitors and in turn, convert those visitors into paying customers or subscribers. More importantly, you need apps which can easily integrate with your business and your Wix website. While you can find hundreds of marketing, sales and traffic solutions for your website on the Wix app market , we’ve narrowed down the top categories of apps created to resolve our users’ common pain points. That way, you can build your website from scratch and then customize it accordingly with Wix apps and realize your full potential online. Apps to increase traffic to your website Apps to convert more visitors into paying customers Apps to strengthen your site content and blog Apps to customize your site’s design and visual effects Apps to help scale product offering Apps to analyze visitor data Apps that simplify shipping, delivery and returns Apps to boost social media marketing 01. Apps to increase traffic to your website When you increase website traffic, you can generate more sales and paying customers. Even the smallest uptick in traffic may positively impact your website. There are plenty of ways to drive traffic to your website , requiring research, analysis, strategy and implementation. From AdScale and Deepcrawl to LeadDyno, these marketing tools from the Wix app market are designed to help you reach more people and expand your online presence. AdScale AdScale’s focus is paid search ads which works on a pay-per-click-advertising model and gets your ad campaigns spread across multiple channels. Designed with ecommerce websites in mind, AdScale lets you create and optimize ads on Google Search, Google Shopping, Google Display as well as Facebook and Instagram. Once your ad is built on the AdScale app, with BI Analysis insights, you can evaluate the success of these ads vis-à-vis key performance indicators, such as store orders and revenue. Also check out AdRoll: Marketing & Ads for similar features. Deepcrawl Apart from online advertising, people also find new websites through organic search, a subset of search engine marketing (SEM) which refers to unpaid results. To get your website or business ranking on the first page of search results, you need to know how to create a search engine optimization plan, or SEO, which requires a lot of factors and effort in the face of strong competition. Deepcrawl is a website app that offers SEO analytics and insights, helping you increase search engine performance, revenue and run a technical health check of your site. The app scans and flags important issues that could determine your site’s SEO, including broken pages, links and detrimental content not meeting Google’s best practices—all of which can be hard to identify with an untrained eye. LeadDyno Affiliate Marketing Affiliate marketing is another type of marketing that can drive quality traffic to your website since the focus is on targeted traffic rather than numbers alone. Hence, by directing this type of traffic to your online platform, you could see higher conversion rates and boost overall sales down the line. Yet, for most site owners, starting an affiliate program isn’t nearly as intuitive as one would hope. LeadDyno Affiliate Marketing from the Wix app market provides the tools you need to start, manage and grow an affiliate program from scratch. As for your affiliates, they’ll receive easy link sharing options and a downloadable app to track their own sales, content and overall performance. 02. Apps to convert more visitors into paying customers With so many businesses and brands available, getting a new customer to commit to your product or service can be a feat. A sales funnel allows you to bring people closer to your offer by guiding them through a series of marketing efforts. Defined by four stages from top to bottom—awareness, interest, decision and action—the best way to optimize a sales funnel is by understanding your audience and engaging meaningfully with them. With this in mind, adding website features that strengthen your funnel can also improve your customer experience. Popify The app helps create a sense of urgency, or ‘fear of missing out’ (FOMO), around your business through social proof sales pop up notifications. Social proof improves brand awareness by validating customer’s buying decisions and building trust. Integrating Popify into your service website or online store can increase engagement through a series of effective notifications triggers. Customers feel they are a part of something when they see customer feedback, how many other visitors are on the site and real-time recent purchases. Kudobuzz Reviews Continuing the line of social proof as a sales method, the Kudobuzz Reviews app automates the entire process. With this app, you can generate customer reviews with ease and request feedback from customers. Furthermore, the app lets you centralize all existing social reviews from Facebook, Yelp, Amazon, Etsy and more, showcasing them on your website. Like Twitter, you can label reviews with a ‘trust badge’ so people see that they can rely on what they’re reading, helping you build up credibility and authenticity around your brand. MarketPush Cart Recovery When you decrease cart abandonment, you inadvertently improve your conversion rate and revenue. With the MarketPush Cart Recovery app, you can recover lost sales using text messaging and Facebook messages, containing direct payment links to previously lost orders, straight from your website. Since FB messages and text messages have a higher opening rate than emails, this app lets you reach customers more effectively. You can also customize the time of day that customers receive the messages, leading to more impactful communication. Coupon X Discount Code Pop Ups Similarly to the aforementioned app, Coupon X offers a solution of its own to reducing cart abandonment. As the name suggests, this app creates highly targeted coupon pop ups and promo codes meant to keep visitors’ on your site, thereby moving them an inch forward to convert. With the addition of Coupon X to your business, you’ll also be able to create effective pop ups to capture more leads based on the unique behavior of your target audience. Thereafter, you have an option in the app to build a simple A/B test to compare the most effective versions of your coupon pop ups. Tolstoy Interactive Video Building brand loyalty is about keeping customers close to your business. The Tolstoy Interactive Video app lets you produce interactive branching videos. The style of video attempts to help brands create face-to-face conversations with their customers on their own website. Thus, viewers are encouraged to participate in each “Tolstoy” video, accompanied by surveys and messaging options. In turn, brands can take that feedback to improve the ways in which they interact with consumers. Essentially, branching videos are a great alternative to not only talk to your clients on a regular basis, but also focus on the customer experience through the interactive component. 03. Apps to strengthen your site content and blog Starting a blog or website is the first step toward establishing an online presence. Once you have a functional and well-designed platform, the second step is to strengthen your site content. Doing so can help increase your readership, customer base and even lead to monetization opportunities for your blog. Wordtune Good content on your website, online store or blog helps you convey the right message to your audience. However, writing effective copy, whether its product descriptions, blog posts, ad banners or anything else, takes time and effort. If you lean on a bit of technology to improve and elevate your site content, Wordtune is a helpful word app to have by your side. AI-powered, this website app works like a word generator. Simply type your content in Wordtune so that the algorithm can enhance the tone of your text, fix spelling mistakes and check for grammatical errors. 04. Apps to customize your site’s design and visual effects A well-designed website leaves an impactful first impression on potential customers or site visitors. While good web design helps you nurture leads and get more conversions, it also provides a positive user experience tailored to people’s wants, needs and values. There are a couple of website apps that will upgrade your website design when you're planning how to create a professional website : 3D Seasonal Effects The all-seasons app allows you to add special effects and customized design to your website for special events and holidays. For example, you can decorate your site with colorful light strings, fireworks, hanging logos and holiday symbols. The benefits of seasonal design on your site are multifold. If you own a business, you can make your holiday-inspired sales more effective against the backdrop of a festive web page. Essentially, adding seasonal elements to your site makes it easier for your target audience to resonate with what you’re offering on the most crucial days of the year. Impressive Effects You can create over 60 engaging image animations for a website slideshow, welcome bar, site menu, and more. This app also allows you to custom design your own interactive buttons unique to your target audience. This Is another great way to enhance the user experience and meet their every web need. 05. Apps to help scale product offering Managing a growing business involves expanding your product offering. In other words, you need to create a scalable strategy without impacting the customer experience, production quality or setting you back financially. You can do this through dropshipping and print-on-demand, which is also one of the 15 ways to monetize your blog . Dropshipping is an order fulfillment method that lets business owners sell products to customers without having to stock the items themselves. That means if a product doesn’t sell, you’re not stuck with the inventory , thereby giving you the freedom to test new and different products on your target market in a flexible way. Print-on-demand is an order fulfillment method where white-label products, such as mugs, tote bags and t-shirts, are printed with your design once an order is made. It’s another low-risk option to sell products online and help businesses expand their creative offering. Modalyst Modalyst is an app that has helped over 350,000 online businesses manage, sell and automate product inventory, according to the company’s statistics. Modalyst also works with a range of U.S. and European distributors and multiple AliExpress suppliers, making it one of the most diverse dropshipping options available. Printful For the more creative businesses, Printful is a print-on-demand app that lets you “turn your ideas into premium products.” The website app requires no subscription fee and has over 300 types of products on offer—from t-shirts and tank tops to mugs and hats. Printful also offers same-day fulfillment for certain warehouse items, as well as a free designer maker to stamp your brand wherever and however you see fit. 06. Apps to analyze visitor data By knowing your site visitors’ demographics and interests, you can create targeted content, which can also rank higher on search engine results for relevant keywords. These insights also help you better understand how people interact with your site and take action. WEB-STAT With this app, you can watch visitors interact with your website in real-time. This type of behavioral data helps you improve your overall online presence. You'll learn how long a visitor stayed on the page, where they came from geographically, what kind of device they used to reach your website, and more through reports made on the app. Blocky: IP & Country Blocker Sometimes there are unwanted visitors to your website. More specifically, these are bots and spammers who can wreak havoc on your online presence. To prevent visitors, of certain IP addresses or even countries, from accessing your website, you can use the Blocky app as an added layer of protection against fraud. 07. Apps that simplify shipping, delivery and returns In the ecommerce world, one of the best time-saving tools for retailers is one that can automate the entire fulfillment journey, from shipping and delivery to returns. While there’s a range of website apps available on the Wix app market created to expedite this arduous process, you still need to know how to pick the right one. That depends on your business needs. For example, if you have international customers, you want an app that helps you ship products across the globe. Shippo In the age of online shopping and Amazon Prime, consumers really care about the efficiency of shipping. Shippo is a fulfillment platform that gives businesses fast shipping support to grow. With the app, users will gain access to the best rates from top carriers, like USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL, and provide customers with track shipment notifications. Also check out ShipBob for similar features. Barcode Man Some ecommerce stores need to improve their own in-house printing solutions for making barcodes and labels. With this in mind, Barcode man from the Wix app market has a feature that lets you print labels for all types of products. Furthermore, the app tries to solve online retailers’ many pain points by offering a customizable label editor, letting you rotate and resize any of your labels. Then, you can print labels and barcodes using any type of printer, which is especially useful for home-based businesses . 08. Apps to boost social media marketing Social media gives businesses and brands alike the chance to meet and connect with potential customers exactly where they are: on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram—just to name a few. With a strong social media marketing plan, you can engage with your audience by creating content that’s relatable and memorable. Here are two apps from the Wix app market that will not only help boost marketing on social media, but also automate some of the process for you. Minta This website app provides you with access to a library of auto-generated videos and images based on your product catalog. That way, you can get started with a marketing plan based on some tried and tested social media methods. Once you’re ready with your post, the app will share it. Simple Social Auto Post Simple Social Auto Post helps you schedule social posting for new blog posts, store products and event reminders. It also lets you create sales campaigns and send push notifications to existing customers. With mobile notifications, you can gently remind users to return to their abandoned shopping carts, let subscribers know when a new blog post is available and bring back users who haven’t visited your site in more than 2 weeks. At the end of the day, finding the right app on the Wix app market depends on what you and your business need to succeed. While those needs might change over time, the app marketplace anticipates nearly every possible pain point and counters it with a working solution to improve the functionality and design of your website. Looking to turn your website into an app ? Start with these app names for inspiration.

When Kiran Mazumdbar-Shaw began her career as a certified brewmaster in 1975, she had no idea she would eventually go on to start her own biopharmaceutical company, Biocon Limited, and become one of the most influential and richest women in the world. This self-made entrepreneur and thought leader has contributed exponentially to the medical and pharmaceutical industries. As a lifelong advocate for affordable medications, along with her impressive list of accomplishments, she earned a place on Medicine Maker’s 2020 Power List, as well as on Forbes 2020 list of the World’s 100 Most Influential Women . But what exactly qualifies Mazumdbar-Shaw as a thought leader, and why are entrepreneurs so cut out for this coveted title? Defining thought leadership In the age of social media and digital marketing, the term thought leadership has morphed into an overused buzzword attributed to almost anyone who wants to claim it. But what exactly does this term mean and is it even useful to strive to be a thought leader today? To answer this question, let’s differentiate between a thought leader and a subject matter expert. While a thought leader will no doubt be a subject matter expert, the opposite is not always true. The latter is an experienced professional who is well-versed in a specific field. They may be known for their wealth of knowledge and be regarded as an industry leader. Subject matter experts work hard for their accomplishments and possess the foundational attributes to become a thought leader. Thought leaders, on the other hand, possess two primary traits that push them beyond the label of subject matter experts. First, they consistently develop new concepts, ideas and strategies to improve and refine their industries. Second, thought leaders share these ideas with others in simplified terms that they can understand. Entrepreneurs not only contribute to industry conversations, but lead, educate and motivate others to be innovative and think outside the box. They’re game changers, the ones who set sail and shift direction entirely when they find a better route. You need not only passion and expertise, but critical thinking, patience and courage to put your thoughts and ideas out there and, ultimately, take action. This is exactly why thought leadership and entrepreneurship go hand in hand. Why entrepreneurs make exceptional thought leaders While there are many types of entrepreneurs , they all have one thing in common: Entrepreneurs are natural-born problem solvers who create something out of nothing. They possess entrepreneurship skills like vision and perseverance to turn an idea into reality that no doubt comes with many bumps in the road. Entrepreneurs also have the ability to see the bigger picture and imagine a new and different world, one that utilizes and benefits from their ingenious innovation. So how was Kiran Mazumbdar-Shaw able to not only accomplish so many professional goals, but claim the title of thought leader? The truth is, entrepreneurs and thought leaders share similar qualities and personality traits that can help us understand why, oftentimes, the two are one and the same. Muzumbdar-Shaw’s journey began in 1978 from the garage of her home in Bengaluru, India at age 25. Her initial intention when creating Biocon was to focus on extracting and manufacturing specialty enzymes for medical purposes, such as papain from papaya. After doing so successfully, Biocon became the first Indian company to export these materials to the US and Europe. It was at this point that the company transitioned from solely enzyme production to manufacturing biopharmaceuticals. A central component of Mazumbdar-Shaw’s motivation behind her work was her belief that everyone should be able to afford the medications they need to maintain their health. She was adamant about incorporating this into her business model so that drugs would be easily available to developing countries and vulnerable populations, and encouraged other pharmaceutical companies to do the same. However, she faced grueling discrimination because she was a woman and had a difficult time finding employees and investors because of her gender. But she persevered and remained adamantly outspoken against rising drug costs and spikes in pricing, boosting India’s reputation as a global leader in pharmaceutical development. Ultimately, her philanthropic efforts have made her a trailblazer at the forefront of affordable pharmaceuticals. As she states: “All entrepreneurs have a responsibility to the world around them and the communities in which they operate.” This is her legacy. How can entrepreneurs develop their own thought leadership? Just as Mazumbdar-Shaw’s passion and drive goes beyond the scope of her business, developing your own thought leadership requires diligence and continued effort. It can earn you respect, esteem and admiration, as well as the chance to create new business models and industry standards. Here's how you can start developing your own. Consider your impact As an entrepreneur, you’ve already started a business and ventured into the business world. But consider the core message you strive to share and the larger impact you want to have. What do you see as your overall purpose and do you have a bigger mission you have yet to accomplish? There is no right or wrong answer, but becoming a thought leader requires exactly that: leadership. Perhaps you want to help bridge the digital divide or reduce the burden of carbon emissions on the environment. Spend some time thinking about the mark you want to leave on your industry — and on the world. Create content — and plenty of it The key to establishing yourself as a thought leader is creating written and visual content that conveys your message. Having knowledge is not enough; you need to share it with others and prove why your ideas are worth putting into action. One way you can do this is by having your own platform, for example, creating a blog . Dedicate yourself to writing a new article every week in which you share changes you want to see within your field, effective strategies you’ve implemented within your own business and the direction you see the industry going. You can also reach out to other relevant online publications and ask to be a guest contributor. Then, use social media, newsletters and your personal website to share your written work. Video is also extremely valuable. In fact, people retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text. Because of this, this type of engagement can significantly help strengthen brand identity, build community and incite conversations. Using a platform like YouTube allows you to network , grow your following, boost your online reputation and reach new audiences. Just make sure each video is professional in quality, whether you create them yourself or hire someone to film you. And lastly, live speaking engagements are one of the most strategic ways to get your voice heard. Think conferences, university lectures and even TED Talks. The opportunity to stand and speak in front of your peers allows you to reach people on a more personal level. You have the chance to more fully engross your audience, demystify your ideas and solidify your message. While establishing thought leadership is an ongoing process, entrepreneurs already possess the dedication and tenacity required to do so. It’s their passion, commitment to their work and their natural-born drive that motivates them to persevere. By sharing their expertise and personal credence with the world, entrepreneurs have the power to be the future of the modern day workforce.