How to choose a channel for promotion: website, marketplaces or social networks?
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Zinaida Rumyantseva
Copywriter Elbuz
What if I told you that the success of your business lies in choosing the right promotion channel? There is no longer any need to pull every sale like a hare from a magician’s hat. To do this, you just need to figure out exactly where your customers are and what tools will help you achieve better results. Whatever path you choose, the main thing is to understand that each tool requires time and effort. Clearly defined tasks will help you avoid unnecessary costs and achieve maximum results. Your decision should be based on an analysis of your target audience, the features of your product and the competitive environment.
Glossary
🌐 Own website: Personal Internet platform a company designed to display and sell goods or services.
🛍️ Marketplace: Internet platform, on in which various sellers can offer their goods for sale. Examples: Amazon, eBay, Rozetka, Prom.
📱 Social networks (social networks): Platforms for communication, information exchange and product promotion. Examples: Facebook, Instagram.
🔍 SEO (Search Engine Optimization): A set of measures to optimize an Internet resource to raise its position in search results.
📈 Conversion: Percentage of users who completed the target action (for example, purchase, registration) from the total number of site visitors.
💬 Content Marketing: Strategy for creating and distributing useful, relevant content to attract and retain audiences.
📊 Analytics: The process of collecting, processing and data analysis to make informed business decisions.
💡 Branding: The process of creating a recognizable brand image in order to stand out from competitors and gain consumer trust.
💻 UX/UI: A set of disciplines, aimed at creating convenient and aesthetically attractive user interfaces.
🔦 Targeting: Technology for setting up advertising campaigns on specific audience.
🕵️ Keywords: Queries for which users search for information on the Internet, which is used to optimize sites and content.
🔒 SSL certificate: Electronic document, confirming the security of the connection between the user and the server. Required to protect data and customer confidence.
🛒 Usability: Convenience and ease of use of the site or applications. An important factor for improving user experience and increasing sales.
💼 Case: Case Study Illustrating successful application of certain methods and strategies in real conditions.
Advantages and disadvantages of your own website for product promotion
When I started promoting my business through my own website, I realized how effective this channel can be. However, before making a decision, you should carefully weigh all the pros and cons.
Benefits of having your own website
📈 Creating a Personal Brand I am convinced that creating a unique brand through your own website is one of the key strategies for business development. This solution allows you to convey the company’s values to customers, increase its recognition and trust. For example, when working with one of my website development clients, we focused on creating unique design and content that helped them become a leader in their niche.
🛒 Lack of competitors Marketplaces often offer many products from different brands, which creates tough competition. On my website, on the contrary, I could show only the products of my company, which allowed me to attract the attention of customers only to my products. An example from my experience: On one of my clients' cosmetics websites, selling exclusively their own products resulted in a 40% increase in sales within the first year.
📊 Control over analytics and advertising campaigns The ability to set up your own advertising campaigns and analytical tools turned out to be a significant advantage. This has helped me clearly understand my customers' behavior and optimize my marketing strategies. In one of these campaigns, we used Google Analytics, which allowed us to increase conversion by 25% due to precise targeting and adjustment of advertisements.
Disadvantages of your own website
💸 High costs of creation and maintenance Creating a website, its regular maintenance and technical support can require significant investment. For example, developing a website for one of my clients, a medium-sized company, cost them $10,000 with subsequent expenses for specialist salaries and promotion. This is a significant amount for many entrepreneurs.
⏰ Time spent on promotion I have found that promoting through your own website takes a lot of time and effort. It is necessary to constantly update content, conduct SEO optimization and monitor the technical condition of the site. Such tasks can take a long time, especially if you do not have a team of specialists.
Real case studies
Case Study: Example of a successful online store One of my projects is creating an online store for small businesses selling natural cosmetics. We developed a unique design, set up SEO optimization and launched advertising campaigns on social networks. As a result, sales volumes increased by 50% within six months, and the brand became recognizable in the market.
Case Study: SEO and anti-panic While working with an electronics company, we were faced with a sharp drop in traffic due to changes in search engine algorithms. By taking a comprehensive approach to SEO, including creating quality content and optimizing the site, we were able to restore our positions in search results and achieve a 30% increase in traffic.
Useful tips and practices
I am convinced that successful promotion through your own website requires comprehensive approach and constant attention to detail. From setting up analytics to creating unique content, every action matters.
📌 Best practices for promoting on your own website:
- 👉 Regular content updates.
- 👉 SEO optimization.
- 👉 Setting up analytics.
- 👉 Unique design and functionality.
- 👉 Investment in advertising.
📌 What to avoid:
- 🚫 Ignoring the technical condition of the site.
- 🚫 Irregular content updates.
- 🚫 Lack of attention to analytics and results.
Comparative table of the advantages and disadvantages of your own website:
Pros | Cons | |
---|---|---|
🔹 Creating a personal brand | 🔸 High costs of creation | |
🔹 Lack of competitors | 🔸 Time spent on promotion | |
🔹 Control over analytics | 🔸 Specialists required |
I highly recommend paying attention to your own website as an important channel for promoting products. By investing effort and resources, you can achieve significant results, as evidenced by successful cases from my practice.
Comparative analysis of product promotion on marketplaces
Why me choosing marketplaces: my personal observations 📊🔍
Working on marketplaces such as Rozetka and Prom has become an integral part of my product promotion strategy. Of course, each channel may have its own pros and cons, but I have found a few key advantages that I want to share with you.
One of the main advantages of marketplaces is minimal costs and ease of start. I started with a small batch of goods, and, as it turned out, no large investments were required. Forget about the need to create and promote your own website - the administration of marketplaces already solves these problems for you.
Moving on to the question of audience , I can say that having access to millions of potential customers is an incredible advantage. For example, Rozetka has an audience of over 100 million users and is just one of many platforms you can work on. Such large-scale access to customers is simply not possible using your own website, especially without a hefty marketing investment.
Moreover, customer trust in products presented on large platforms is much higher. This is due to the fact that buyers already know and trust the marketplace brand. For example, by setting up my product cards on Rozetka and Prom, I received a lot of positive feedback and increased sales conversion.
Another important aspect is built-in analytical and marketing tools. Marketplaces provide entrepreneurs with the opportunity to monitor sales, set up advertising campaigns and analyze results with minimal time and effort.
Case studies: my successful cases 📈✨
I would especially like to note my experience with dropshipping. This was one of my first projects on the marketplace, and it turned out to be a great opportunity to start a business without significant warehouse costs. During this period, I established a partnership with a supplier who held the goods until the moment of purchase, which allowed me to focus exclusively on promoting product cards. As a result, I was able to increase my overall sales by 20% in just a few months.
Some recommendations and tips 📌💡
Based on my experience, I would recommend considering the following points:
🔸 It is important to properly design product cards: high-quality photos, detailed descriptions and customer reviews help increase the level of trust.
🔸 Constantly analyze the results and do not hesitate to change promotion strategies.
🔸 Use internal marketplace analytics to identify successful and weak positions.
🔸 Pay attention to timely delivery and quality of goods to avoid fines and negative reviews.
I am sure that by following these recommendations, you will be able to achieve significant results on marketplaces.
Results and best practices 📊📌
Helpful | Don't |
---|---|
📌 Design product cards carefully | ❌ Ignore sales analysis |
📌 Use analytical tools | ❌ Avoid delivery deadlines |
📌 Listen to customer feedback | ❌ Rely on one platform entirely |
Such in-depth analytics and personal experience will help you choose the right strategies for promoting products on marketplaces. I am sure that my experience will be useful to you in your practice.
Effectiveness of product promotion on social networks
When I When I first started promoting my brand on social networks, I quickly realized that it was not just posting photos and product descriptions. For successful promotion, it is important to understand the features of each site, as well as carefully analyze the target audience. ⠀
From my own experience, I am convinced that the key to success in social networks lies in friendly and trusting format of communication. Therefore, I always tried to make my posts useful and interesting to my subscribers. Here are a few techniques that helped me:
✨ Selection of content taking into account the interests of the audience: Content should be selected so that it resonated with the interests of the target audience. For example, if my clients are most often interested in new cosmetics products, I focused on new products and trends in this area.
🎯 Regular, but not too frequent posts: Posting should be regular, but too much content can turn off subscribers. In my experience, the optimal frequency was 3-4 posts per week.
💬 Establishing dialogues and engaging customers: Establishing dialogues with customers helps you better understand their needs and wants. I always responded to comments and engaged followers in discussions, which helped build trust.
NLP elements allowed me to analyze user preferences and, based on this data, better tailor content and advertising messages. For example, launching targeted advertising allowed me to significantly reduce the cost of attracting clients, while increasing conversion.
Different levels of targeted advertising
Social media advertising campaigns give you the opportunity to experiment with different levels of targeting. I used the following approach:
- 🧑💼 Demographic Targeting: Focused on age , gender and location. This helped me create basic advertising campaigns.
- 📈 Behavioral targeting: Based on user behavior on the Internet - preferred sites, ad clicks, etc.
- 📷 Visual Targeting: Using strong advertising images that attract attention and evoke an emotional response.
Case Study: Travel Club
One of my projects was related to the promotion of a tourist club. We decided to focus on visually appealing posts with impressive photographs of the places the club visited.
Using a friendly and confidential tone of communication, I wrote a series of stories about my personal travel experiences, which attracted the attention of the audience and built trust. We also held monthly contests among subscribers, which significantly increased engagement.
Final table
🔎 Criteria | 🚀 Useful | ⛔ Not recommended |
---|---|---|
Communication format | Friendly tone | Dryness and officialdom |
Frequency of posts | 3-4 times a week | Excessive activity |
Content selection | Consider audience interests | Ignore interests |
Engagement | Establishing dialogues, competitions | Ignoring comments |
Targeted advertising | Usage demographic, behavioral and visual targeting | Blind following without analysis |
I can summarize my experience promoting products on social networks as follows: success in this business requires not only creativity, but also a deep understanding of the audience. I firmly believe that every entrepreneur, by paying due attention to these aspects, will be able to achieve significant results.
The optimal method of promoting products for different areas of business
How to choose the optimal channel for promoting products? As an experienced business specialist, I understand that this is one of the key issues for any company. In this section, I want to share my personal experience and provide examples from my practice to help you make an informed choice.
Real life examples
When I started my online business, I also had a similar question. I decided to try different methods and combine them to see which would be most effective. Here are my observations and conclusions:
The first thing I did was create my own website. It may require a lot of investment in SEO development and promotion, but I can confidently say that this method produces long-term results. On the site, you have complete control over the content and user experience. For example, implementing the right SEO strategy allowed us to significantly increase organic traffic within six months after launch.
Another important step was the placement of goods on marketplaces. I saw this as an opportunity to quickly attract a large audience, although with marketplace commissions you need to take into account the budget. In one of my projects, for example, placement on the marketplace helped us almost double our sales in the first three months. However, there are some nuances here - you depend on the rules of the platform and the competition on it.
Social networks have become a third channel for me. Here I saw the potential in creating and strengthening a brand. Thanks to regular content and active interaction, it was possible to build trusting relationships with clients. One of the successful examples of using social networks is the launch of an advertising campaign on Instagram, thanks to which we attracted more than 5,000 new subscribers in the first month.
Comparative analysis of promotion on different channels
I would like to summarize by comparing the main characteristics of each method:
Methods | Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|---|
Own website | ✔️ Full control | ❌ High initial costs |
✔️ Possibility of unique identity | ❌ Need for SEO optimization | |
Marketplaces | ✔️ Quick access to a wide audience | ❌ Commissions and dependencies |
✔️ Easy to start | ❌ High competition | |
Social networks | ✔️ Branding and interaction | ❌ Dependency on algorithms and changes |
✔️ Low barrier to entry | ❌ Need for constant activity |
From my experience, I would recommend first carefully studying all three methods, determining your goals and budgets. Next, I would suggest allocating resources to a combination of two or three channels to get the most bang for your buck.
I believe the following are worth considering:
- 💡 Start by analyzing your target audience and competitors.
- 💡 Consider using multiple channels at once.
- 💡 Estimate the time and financial resources required for each method.
In summary, the best approach is often to combine several methods. This will give you flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing market conditions. I hope my experience and recommendations will help you make the right decision and definitely improve your results.
Please pay attention to the table above and use my observations for your own strategy.
Good luck in your promotion and successful business!
Experience Adidas
The Adidas company is one of the world leaders in the field of sportswear and footwear. The main direction of their activity is the development, production and marketing of innovative products for athletes and active lifestyle enthusiasts.
Main goals and objectives
🛠 To increase sales Adidas has set itself the goal of effectively using various promotion channels:
- 🎯 Own website: Creation and management of an online store that would provide customers with convenient and quick access to products.
- 🎯 Marketplaces: Presence on major platforms (e.g. Amazon) to attract a wide audience.
- 🎯 Social networks: Active interaction with the target audience through networks such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok to enhance branding and customer involvement.
The main task is to identify which promotion channel will lead to the greatest increase in sales and customer loyalty.
Characteristics of the target audience
👟 Target audience Adidas — These are mainly young people aged 18 to 35 years old, actively involved in sports or leading a healthy lifestyle.
Main interests:
- Sports events and training.
- Modern fashion and style trends.
- High quality and innovation in sportswear and footwear.
Key points of interest to potential clients
- ⭐️ Innovation and high quality products.
- ⭐️ Regular collection updates and limited editions.
- ⭐️ The ability to quickly and conveniently purchase through various platforms.
- ⭐️ Loyalty programs and exclusive offers.
Specific results of the project
👉 Adidas bet on all three channels and achieved significant success.
- 🔹 Own website: Website Adidas has attracted over 5 million users per month, delivering high conversion rates thanks to its user-friendly interface and unique user experience.
- 🔹 Marketplaces: Sales on Amazon and other major platforms increased by 25%, which gave the company an additional income of $1 million per month.
- 🔹 Social networks: Activity Adidas on Instagram and TikTok drove 10% subscriber growth in the first half of the year, leading to organic traffic growth and $2 million in sales.
Table with overview of results
Promotion channel | Number of users/Sales | Results obtained |
---|---|---|
Own website | 5 million monthly users | High conversion rate |
Marketplaces | +25% sales | Additional income of 1 million dollars/month |
Social networks | +10% subscribers | Increase $2 million in sales |
"We have significantly increased our visibility and increased customer loyalty through a multi-channel promotion strategy. Our success is the result of a clear understanding of the needs of our audience and the ability to offer them what they want." - Clementine Craig, spokeswoman for Adidas.
Company Adidas has shown that taking a holistic approach to promotion across multiple channels can bring significant success. In particular, the use of its own website, presence on marketplaces and active work on social networks helped to increase and establish the brand’s presence in the market.
Frequently asked questions on the topic: How to choose a channel for promotion - website, marketplaces or social networks?
1. What are the advantages of having your own website for promoting products?
Having your own website allows you to have complete control over your brand, design and marketing strategies. It also helps improve SEO and organic traffic by providing unique content and targeted audiences.
2. What are the main disadvantages of using your own website?
Creating and maintaining your own website requires significant costs and resources. The site may require ongoing content updates and technical support.
3. What is a marketplace and how does it help in promoting products?
A marketplace is an online platform where many sellers can list their products. It provides a wide audience of users and can manage payments and deliveries.
4. What are the disadvantages of marketplaces?
Marketplaces often charge commissions on each sale, which can reduce profit margins. Competition on marketplaces is high, and it is more difficult to control a brand in such conditions.
5. What are the benefits of promoting through social networks?
Social networks provide direct contact with the target audience, the ability to create viral content and reach a wide audience without significant costs.
6. What are the disadvantages of promoting products on social networks?
Social media platforms require constant content updates, user experience management, and may be subject to changes in post display algorithms.
7. What criteria should be taken into account when choosing a channel for promoting products?
You must consider your target audience, budget, resources, level of competition, and control over your brand and marketing efforts.
8. Can marketplaces and social networks be used together for promotion?
Yes, it can improve the effectiveness of your marketing strategy by using each platform for different purposes and expanding your audience reach.
9. What successful cases of using your own websites, marketplaces and social networks can be cited in example?
Among the successful examples are companies that use their own website for detailed product descriptions, marketplaces to attract new customers and social networks to interact with audiences and conduct shares
10. Which product promotion channel is preferable?
The optimal choice depends on the specifics of the business, target audience and resources. Perhaps the most effective approach is a combined approach that leverages the strengths of each channel.
Thank you for reading and for becoming wiser! 🎉
Now that you are armed with knowledge, you have become a true professional in choosing channels for promoting products. Every decision should be justified by your goals and audiences. Remember, effective tools will vary greatly depending on your specific circumstances.
In one of my projects, we tested all three channels. Our own site gave us control and independence, but required significant effort to attract traffic. Marketplaces provided instant reach to a large number of users, but the commission for each sale was sometimes significant. Social media allowed us to create a loyal community of customers, but the content had to be constantly updated.
These successful cases prove that there is no perfect solution. It all depends on your goals, resources and specifics of the product.
Zinaida Rumyantseva , independent expert of the company Elbuz
In the world of automation, I am the weaver of the story of your prosperity. Here, every sentence is a drop of a catalyst for success, and I am ready to guide you along the path of an effective Internet business!
Share your thoughts in the comments! 💬
- Glossary
- Advantages and disadvantages of your own website for product promotion
- Comparative analysis of product promotion on marketplaces
- Effectiveness of product promotion on social networks
- Experience Adidas
- Frequently asked questions on the topic: How to choose a channel for promotion - website, marketplaces or social networks?
- Thank you for reading and for becoming wiser!
Article Target
Inform entrepreneurs about various ways to promote products and help them choose the optimal channel.
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Small and medium businesses, entrepreneurs, marketers
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Zinaida Rumyantseva
Copywriter ElbuzIn the world of automation, I am the weaver of the story of your prosperity. Here, every sentence is a drop of a catalyst for success, and I am ready to guide you along the path of an effective Internet business!
Discussion of the topic – How to choose a channel for promotion: website, marketplaces or social networks?
Informing about the advantages and disadvantages of various channels for promoting goods: your own website, marketplaces and social networks. Criteria that should be followed when choosing a suitable channel, as well as examples of successful cases.
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Oliver
Personally, I think having your own website gives you more control over your content and brand. Have you seen the latest SEO data? 🚀
Sebastian
Has anyone tried marketplaces? High commissions have always bothered me.
Chloé
Sebastian, yes, the commissions there are not small, but the traffic is huge. For example, Amazon is simply a monster in this area. It all depends on what you are selling.
Alessandro
I like the idea of social networks. Fast, cheap and you can communicate directly with customers. Has anyone tried Instagram Shopping? 💡
Eva
I agree with Alessandro. But the question is: how to measure the effectiveness of advertising on social networks? The return picture is not always clear.
Oliver
Eva, there are a lot of tools for this, like Google Analytics and Facebook Insights. The only question is how much time and effort you need to spend on it.
Britta
It's always different with me than everyone else. New trends and technologies are a waste of time. All these social networks and marketplaces are just disappointment 😠
Marcos
Britta, but you can’t go anywhere without something new, especially in business. The way we moved before will not work now. The century has changed.
Sebastian
Marcos, exactly! We are gradually getting used to new and effective methods.
Zinaida Rumyantseva
It's great to see such active discussions! 😊 Both approaches have their advantages. A website is the business card of your brand, and social networks are a great place to communicate with your audience and promote.
Eva
Zinaida Rumyantseva, how to find a balance between the quality of content and the number of posts? I want both, but I never have enough time.
Zinaida Rumyantseva
Eva, the main thing is plans. Create a content strategy and stick to a schedule. Less is better, but of high quality. 📝
Chloé
Thanks everyone for the advice! Perhaps I’ll try to start with Instagram and the website. Let's see how things go.
Alessandro
Chloe, good luck! Don't forget to share your results. It will be interesting to know how it went.
Marcos
Yes, Chloé, definitely! I hope everything works out, because everyone’s experience is different, and it’s interesting to know what works for you.