Ecommerce NEEDS Advertising.

Maybe a bold claim, but one that’s widely supported and that we wholeheartedly believe is true.

Take Shopify as an example - it’s our favourite e-comm platform to work on ads with - it prides itself as a plug and play platform from which to

• sell your products

• market your business

• manage the numbers

… and as an online shopping platform it’s go-to marketing channels are digital ads.

Whilst Shopify has undoubtedly grown into a powerhouse of its own since launching in 2004, it is hard to deny that the rise of Facebook and Google Ads (PPC) played a more than significant role in its success. Dig deeper into the ecosystem and it’s fair to say that Shopify only exists because Facebook and Google Ads exist - they’re an inherent part of the business model.

Facebook, Instagram and Google Ads have allowed Shopify merchants to reach millions of potential customers with their products, regardless of where they are in the world, and Shopify makes it easy for this to be facilitated with simple integration apps and regular updates to ensure everything is speaking the same language. They appreciate the business owner’s reliance on these channels and the fact that the advertising platforms have made it easier than ever for small businesses to compete with larger, established brands by targeting their advertising to specific demographics and interests.

With the rise of online shopping, competition is fierce, and it can be really challenging to stand out in a crowded market. Advertising is essential in helping stores to raise brand awareness, drive traffic to their websites, and ultimately get the sales and subscriptions in.

Whilst there are other ways to drive traffic to an e-commerce store, such as

• social media marketing

• a spike cause by beautiful PR

• nurturing email marketing

• SEO

• influencer partnerships

(and we’re big fans of all of the above), none of these methods are as effective at building a reliable, scalable return as paid social advertising and PPC - which allow stores to reach a much wider audience, and to do so much more quickly than they would be able to through other methods.

So it’s not surprising that Shopify (and the other big e-commerce platforms) harp on about the effectiveness of advertising on Facebook and Google Ads - it’s what completes the circle and drives their success, and it’s what the multitude of data they see shows.

Obviously we could write about this until the cows come home, about the ninja targeting that ads allow at differing stages of customer intent, and the cross platform retargeting capabilities that keep your store front of mind for the customer as they make their purchasing decisions, or about how nimble these platforms are in testing multiple concepts quickly and cheaply.

But - the bottom line - it goes back to the fact that Shopify only exists (and thrives) because of the rise of Facebook and Google Ads, and any e-comm store seeking success should prioritise their advertising efforts. With the right strategy in place, you can achieve success and scale in the highly competitive world of online retail.