Brands are always trying to outdo one another in order to gain a greater market share by dominating the digital shelf, ranking higher in relevant search results, providing more useful content, etc.
So, optimizing your digital shelves is essential for your success!
Table of Contents
What is digital shelf optimization?
Digital shelf optimization is a process that ensures products are optimized for search and that customers have a positive experience on your site. The goal is to boost your online sales and make your brand more visible.
You must constantly monitor and optimize your digital shelf to stay relevant and competitive. There are many factors to consider when tracking metrics and improving your performance.
- One of the most effective ways to get your brand noticed is through social media. By engaging with your target audience, you can connect with customers and establish a rapport.
- Another useful tool is Search Marketing Intelligence. It allows you to measure the effectiveness of your digital shelf and stay on top of fast-evolving trends.
- Optimizing product pages is another important step in the digital shelf optimization process. Having an informative and easy-to-navigate product page can lead to increased conversion rates. In addition, you can strengthen the integrity of your site and gain more visibility.
- Optimizing the digital shelf for your product means creating a clear and concise product page with the specs, features, benefits, and other information shoppers need to make a purchase. A well-rounded, well-designed product page can result in a 31% weekly sales increase.
- Other parts of the digital shelf include reviews, content, FAQs, and instructions. Each aspect must be thoroughly reviewed. Taking the time to understand your customers’ needs is key to optimizing your digital shelf.
Why digital shelf optimization is important
Digital shelf optimization is a crucial element of an eCommerce strategy. It helps brands create the best impression by showcasing their products and boosting search results. Increasing the number of search results for a product will help boost its exposure and increase its sales.
Make it easier for customers to find your products-
For many consumers, products that do not appear on the first page of search results might as well not exist. Every business desires to provide its consumers with the most relevant search results. As a brand, it is your responsibility to guarantee that your products are the top search results for the keywords customers use to find products. Digital shelf optimization fulfills this objective.
Ongoing process-
Optimizing your digital shelf involves several ongoing processes. It is important to keep up with trends so that your products can perform at their best. This includes content monitoring, improving search results, and catching issues before they impact consumer perceptions.
A regular check of competitors-
The most influential parts of your digital shelf may be found on third-party sites. For example, if you sell on Amazon, the Amazon ranking of a product is determined by customer reviews, price, and shipping speed. As these factors change, you will need to update your digital shelf to reflect the changes.
Make the best first impression you can-
Your digital shelf should contain all the information your customers need to make a purchase. These pages should include specifications, features, and a range of accurate imagery. They should also be a one-stop shop for information about your product.
As online shopping continues to grow, it is crucial that you optimize your digital shelf to provide a streamlined customer experience. Having an optimized digital shelf can have a direct effect on your overall brand awareness and profits.
To get started with digital shelf optimization, you will need to establish roles and strategies. You can find a range of eCommerce agencies that can help you develop and execute a comprehensive digital shelf strategy.
How to win digital shelf
As eCommerce evolves, brands must take their digital presence seriously. To compete, they need to optimize their digital shelf to maximize their visibility and reach target audiences.
The purchase journey is a complicated one. It involves research, information gathering, and finally, making the purchase. Fortunately, there is a way to streamline this process and increase conversion rates.
Optimize product display pages-
One way to do this is by improving product pages. These pages should be filled with accurate, thorough information. Keeping these pages, up-to-date will boost sales and reduce returns. Creating a well-structured product page also provides a more user-friendly experience.
Monitor review and ratings-
There are two primary types of data that are used to analyze the digital shelf. In addition to the standard KPIs, eCommerce marketers can monitor product reviews and ratings. With these insights, they can improve their performance and make more effective marketing decisions.
Out-of-stock products-
One major turn-off for shoppers is out-of-stock products. Brands lose an average of 22% of weekly sales when their products are unavailable. By boosting the rate of sales, a brand can boost its position on the digital shelf.
Paid promotions-
Digital shelf optimization includes paid promotions and marketing tools. Paid advertising increases traffic and boosts conversions. This is a great way to connect with customers and build awareness. Similarly, social media engagement is a great way to gain new customers.
Being consistent-
In order to win on the digital shelf, a brand must be consistent across all channels. This requires maintaining a reliable data source and using the best digital shelf monitoring tools.
To do this, a brand must set and execute a strategic plan. A strong strategy involves developing a budget, enlisting the help of an agency or executive, and integrating digital shelf optimization into the larger brand marketing mix.
How to optimize digital shelf
Digital shelf optimization is an important component of a successful eCommerce strategy. It gives your product an edge in the marketplace and helps to increase sales. However, it is important to understand the process before jumping into it.
- Optimizing the digital shelf is a complex task that requires time and effort. You must keep track of your progress and measure the impact it has on your business. By measuring your performance, you can find out what changes need to be made.
- One way to start is to determine your product’s Unique Product Identifier (UPI). This identifier is what allows your product to be picked up on the appropriate shelf in digital channels.
- In addition, you can use analytics tools to find out what your competitors are doing. For example, you can see what products they are selling and how well they are performing. If your competitor has a better-performing product, you can then optimize your own product so that it performs well in comparison.
- Another important aspect of digital shelf optimization is content. The right content will encourage customers to make a purchase. A great product page will contain all the information a customer needs to know about your product. It should also be easy for a shopper to discover. Detailed product content increases eCommerce performance and helps consumers to make more informed purchases.
- In addition to improving your content, you should focus on your product’s growth rate. Products with the highest rate of sale and margins should be the focus. Alternatively, you can invest in headline banner ads to boost your search results.
- With the right technology, you can gain real-time visibility into your digital shelf. By gaining this knowledge, you can tweak your strategy and take advantage of opportunities to increase your digital share of the shelf.
Conclusion
Digital shelf optimization is the process of ensuring that the pages of your online store perform as well as possible. By doing so, you can improve your product visibility and increase your conversion rates. However, the task of optimizing your digital shelf isn’t easy, and you may need to employ third-party tools. With our in-house eCommerce data analytics tool- Kinator, we provide digital commerce services including enhanced eCommerce tracking, digital shelf analytics, and price Intelligence.
