The Most Important Marketing Goals of Successful Online Shops
Making plans and setting marketing goals for your business is the best way to make sure that both your customer base and your sales grow.
Online shops face many challenges. Not only is there a lot of competition, but customer expectations have evolved as well. What separates successful online stores from the rest isn’t just great products or sleek design—it’s a clear set of strategic marketing goals that drive consistent growth.
Whether you're trying to scale up or solidify your current success, here are seven of the most important marketing goals that thriving e-commerce brands prioritise and how you can apply them to your business.
1. Build brand awareness
Selling products is important, but in the long term, you’ll want to make your brand recognisable to your target audience.
Why it matters:
When potential customers recognise your brand, they’re more likely to trust your shop and eventually buy from you.
How to do it:
- Invest in SEO: Optimise product pages, landing pages, blog content, and metadata to rank higher in search engines.
- Leverage social media: Be active where your audience spends time, whether that’s on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest. Research the relevant hashtags for your niche.
- Invest in paid marketing: Whether it’s Google Ads, Google Shopping, Meta, or YouTube, you can get great exposure to your target audience. Just spend your budget wisely.
- Collaborate with influencers: There are a lot of options for collaborating with influencers. One thing is for sure – they have a strong relationship with their audience.
Key metrics:
- Website traffic
- Social media reach and engagement
- Brand mentions and branded search volume
Recommended reading:
What is Social Listening?
2. Drive quality traffic to your site
It’s not just about getting people to your store—it’s about getting the right people. Quality traffic means visitors who are more likely to convert.
Why it matters:
Random traffic and window shoppers don’t pay the bills. Intent-driven visitors do.
How to do it:
- Use targeted paid ads: Run PPC or social ads focused on buyer intent (Google Shopping, Meta Ads).
- Create high-intent content: Publish buying guides, comparison articles, review videos, and “how-to” posts that lead naturally to your products.
- Email marketing: Bring returning visitors back to your site with tailored campaigns and product recommendations.
Key metrics:
- Bounce rate
- Average time on site
- Conversion by traffic source
Recommended reading:
9 Tips for Newsletters & Email Marketing in E-commerce
3. Increase conversion rates
You’ve done the hard work to get traffic. Now it’s time to convert these visitors into customers. Improving your conversion rate can often deliver bigger gains than increasing traffic alone.
Why it matters:
Higher conversion = more revenue without more ad spend.
How to do it:
- Simplify your checkout process: Fewer steps and friction mean fewer abandoned carts.
- Use A/B testing: Test headlines, button colours, and product images to see what moves the needle.
- Add social proof: Customer reviews and trustmarks can reduce buying hesitation (more on this later).
Key metrics:
- Conversion rate
- Cart abandonment rate
- Average order value (AOV)
4. Grow customer retention and loyalty
Repeat customers spend more, buy more often, and refer others. Retention is one of the most cost-effective ways to grow.
Why it matters:
You may have heard it a million times (and there’s a reason why), but it’s cheaper to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one.
How to do it:
- Implement loyalty programs: Reward customers for repeat purchases, referrals, or reviews.
- Use email flows: Send automated post-purchase sequences and win-back emails.
- Offer top-notch customer service: Fast, helpful support turns buyers into advocates.
Key metrics:
- Repeat purchase rate
- Customer lifetime value (CLV)
- Customer churn rate
Recommended reading:
Increasing Customer Loyalty: Stats & Tips
5. Build and nurture email lists
Your email list is one of your most valuable marketing assets. It’s a direct line to customers and doesn’t rely on third-party platforms.
Why it matters:
Unlike social platforms or ad networks, you own your email list. And statistics show that email marketing still has one of the best return-on-investment rates in the marketing industry.
How to do it:
- Capture emails early: Use pop-ups, discount offers, or lead magnets to encourage signups.
- Segment your list: Send different messages to first-time buyers, loyal customers, or cart abandoners.
- Automate where possible: Welcome email workflows, product recommendations, and birthday emails all build trust and sales.
Key metrics:
- Email list growth rate
- Open and click-through rates
- Unsubscribe rate
Shutterstock/Onchira Wongsiri
6. Maximise customer lifetime value (CLV)
We touched on customer lifetime value in tip #4, but let’s dive a bit deeper. CLV is a key metric for long-term profitability. The more that a customer spends over time, the more you can invest in acquiring them upfront.
Why it matters:
Focusing on high-CLV customers helps you build a sustainable, scalable business.
How to do it:
- Offer subscriptions or bundles: Encourage long-term commitment with recurring products or packages.
- Use upselling & cross-selling: Suggest complementary products on product pages, during the checkout, or in follow-up emails.
- Track buying behaviour: Use past purchase data to predict and influence future buying decisions.
Key metrics:
- CLV
- Purchase frequency
- Average revenue per user (ARPU)
7. Establish trust with your audience
People buy from brands they trust. Establishing yourself as trustworthy within your niche improves conversions, but it also builds long-term credibility and customer loyalty.
Why it matters:
Trust reduces friction in the buying process and leads to higher retention.
How to do it:
- Create educational content: Product tutorials, blog posts, or explainer videos with an objective tone can build trust with your audience.
- Encourage authentic reviews: Collect both service reviews and product reviews. Display them prominently across your site and marketing campaigns (Google-certified reviews can be displayed in Google Ads and Google Shopping).
- Get certifications from third parties: Depending on your niche, you may decide on specific certifications (Fairtrade, Vegan, etc.). Some certifications are universal and work for all audiences (like the Trusted Shops Trustmark and the 30-day Buyer Protection).
Trusted Shops has been offering trust solutions for online shops and online shoppers alike since 1999. Learn about the Trusted Shops Trustmark, the Buyer Protection, Customer Reviews, and much more. Contact us now.
Key metrics:
- Number of backlinks and referring domains
- Customer review score and volume
- Conversion rate after implementation
Conclusion
The relationship between online shops and customers runs deep. From driving new users to your site to loyal customers returning again and again, you can always use marketing to improve that relationship. It’s important to choose realistic and measurable goals in order to track your success.
