Episode Title: E-commerce Trends for 2018 with Dr. Dave Chaffey

Guest: Dr. Dave Chaffey, Co-Founder and Content Director of Smart Insights

Host: Arlen Robinson

In this insightful episode of the eCommerce Marketing Podcast, Arlen Robinson interviews Dr. Dave Chaffey, co-founder and content director of Smart Insights. Dr. Chaffey discusses the significant e-commerce trends of 2017 and provides a forecast for 2018, focusing on how businesses can leverage these trends to boost their growth and ROI. He also shares practical advice on digital marketing strategies and the importance of planning for small to mid-sized businesses.

Key Takeaways:

• Introduction to Dr. Dave Chaffey and His Background (00:00:30)
  • Dave’s journey from IT to digital marketing and e-commerce in the mid-90s (00:01:00).
  • The founding of Smart Insights and the focus on providing educational resources and templates to improve digital skills and business ROI (00:02:30).
• Biggest E-commerce Trends in 2017 (00:04:00)
  • Top trends: content marketing, leveraging big data, and machine learning/artificial intelligence (00:05:00).
  • Importance of personalization in the customer journey (00:06:00).
• Significance of Data and Personalization (00:07:00)
  • Use of tools like Hotjar for immediate feedback and Net Promoter Score (00:08:00).
  • The evolution of personalization from rule-based to more sophisticated methods using machine learning (00:10:00).
• Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and A/B Testing (00:12:00)
  • Google’s updated A/B testing tool, Google Optimize, now available for free (00:13:00).
  • Importance of testing different elements on your site to improve conversions (00:14:00).
• Staying on Top of E-commerce Trends for Small Businesses (00:15:30)
  • Learning from larger businesses and implementing changes at a smaller scale (00:16:00).
  • The impact of mobile optimization and segmenting your audience in analytics (00:17:00).
• Focus on Home Page Optimization (00:19:00)
  • Testing value propositions and implementing visual elements for better engagement (00:19:30).
  • Practical tips like adding trust symbols and social proof across the site (00:20:00).
• Planning for E-commerce Success (00:21:30)
  • Importance of 90-day planning cycles to focus on specific areas for improvement (00:22:00).
  • Examples of successful 90-day optimization projects (00:23:00).
• Trends to Watch in 2018 (00:24:00)
  • Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) and their impact on search rankings and conversions (00:24:30).
  • Increasing importance of machine learning and social media trends (00:26:00).
• Influencer Marketing and Social Media Platforms (00:28:00)
  • Evaluating the relevance of platforms like Instagram and Snapchat based on industry and audience (00:29:00).
  • The role of paid social media and retargeting in driving sales (00:30:00).
• One Practical Tip for E-commerce Businesses (00:32:00)
  • Focus on A/B testing and optimizing key pages like the home page for better conversion rates (00:32:30).

Guest Information: Dr. Dave Chaffey

• Co-Founder and Content Director, Smart Insights
• Website: Smart Insights
• LinkedIn: Dave Chaffey

Links and Resources:

• Download the six-month guide to marketing your e-commerce store: Get OSI Guide
• Subscribe to the eCommerce Marketing Podcast on iTunes and leave a rating and review.