How to outline to customers how their data will be used as part of your marketing strategy
The data we capture and collect has become a highly valuable and important part of what we do as marketers. As we’ve become increasingly connected online, marketers’ ability to collect vast amounts of data has skyrocketed to the point where we now have new and unprecedented opportunities to organize data, build marketing technology stacks and shape strategies to target consumers more effectively.
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Whilst the collection of data has many benefits - from personalized content experiences to accurate analysis of consumer behaviour - it has also proved problematic. The Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal and Marriott International data breach are notable examples of where personal data has been used without people’s knowledge or consent. Aside from these headline stories, over the last decade, in particular, brands have been taking advantage of the lack of regulation to auto-opt users…
Social engineering is the use of manipulative tactics by fraudsters to convince individuals or organizations to voluntarily give up valuable private information
Modern businesses must contend with a range of cybersecurity threats, from DDoS attacks and hacking attempts to viruses and ransomware. However, according to findings published in the 2019 Trustwave Global Security Report, social engineering is now by far the dominant method for cybercriminals looking to access your data.
Indeed, the report found that 46% of all breaches in corporate settings can be attributed to successful social engineering attacks, and this rises to 60% in cloud and point-of-sale environments. As a result, learning to prevent social engineering attacks needs to be a top priority for all businesses and individuals.
[caption id="attachment_146502" align="aligncenter" width="939"] [Image Source][/caption]Put simply, social engineering is the use of manipulative tactics…
Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common, meaning that, if you're not prepared, your e-commerce business could be at risk from more than competitors
The rate at which the e-commerce business is growing in India is remarkable. According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation or IBEF, India is the fastest growing e-commerce market. IBEF mentions that this rapid growth in the market is due to the digitalization of every sector in the country.
As long as the business provides a service or a product which interests a wide range of customers, the online business is on the roll. While any e-commerce company has huge competition from other organizations in the same sector, they are not the only threats. Cyber attacks are becoming increasingly common, meaning that, if you're not prepared, your e-commerce business could be at risk from more than competitors.
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Around 87% of online shoppers abandon their carts during the checkout if the process is too long or complicated
Without going through the checkout process, your customers will not be able to complete their transaction on your e-commerce website. The checkout process starts when a customer hits the "Buy Now" button or is on the "Shopping Cart" page and clicks the "Proceed to Payment" option.
Around 87% of online shoppers abandon their carts during the checkout if the process is too long or complicated, suggests data from Splitit.com. This means that an e-commerce site could really lose out if the UI/UX on the checkout page is poor.
Attracting visitors to your e-commerce website, offering them a superior user experience and making them buy from you are all challenging aspects in themselves. But keeping your customers interested in buying while they provide their personal and payment details on your checkout page is an…
Security of data in an era when everything is connected via the internet is an increasingly worrying concern
For a business, data is one of the most valuable resources in the world. So, protecting their data against thefts and breaches is a great challenge for organizations of all sizes and domains.
Believe it or not, the effectiveness of your data security measures can either make you or break you. Especially if you are an e-commerce business, instances and intensity of data breaches can be unbearable and irrecoverable for your growth.
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Security of data in an era when…
What to avoid when looking for Ecommerce payment solutions
For most ecommerce retailers, payment gateways are seen as a necessary evil. Yes, they help you accept payments from your customers, but they’re not at the top of your list of organizations you like working with. They’ve developed a reputation of being sleazy, money-grubbing middlemen that take advantage of retailers, both big and small.
Some modern payment gateways, like Stripe, Braintree, and Sezzle, are finding ways to create more value for retailers and they’ve developed good reputations because of that. But problems remain. And if payment gateways want to shake their negative image within the e-commerce community, these are the five things they should focus on improving first.
1. They’re too expensive.
Payment gateways have long been rebuked by retailers for their high processing costs. The average rate today is 2.9% + 30c per transaction for online, or card-not-present, transactions. These costs…
Recommended design patterns and best practices for your Basket/Shopping Bag
Here is the 6th in my series of posts on recommended Ecommerce page layouts. We've been working our way down the funnel, so now we move from product pages to improving your Basket or Shopping Bag Page. Given it's the launchpad to checkout, it plays a vital driver in pushing the buyer down the conversion path.
As with checkout, the basket page has to serve two user types:
1. New users: Reduce barriers to purchase and persuade them to trust your brand and website, with their payment.
2. Returning users: Provide a quick transition to check-out, summarising key information which commit buyers to purchase.
If you work in an ecommerce team at a retailer, or are involved in design for your client’s accounts, then I hope these templates and tips will guide you along the design/re-evaluation process to maximise results for your pages.
Key Ecommerce Basket Page…
3 Best practices for Email Marketing Security
Email is an intrinsic part of building and maintaining customer relationships in any field, but customer data needs to be safeguarded. Because email marketing is so prevalent, it can be easy to take this platform for granted. However, it’s also important to remember that client information is sensitive; your customers entrust your business with their names, Social Security information, and credit card or bank account numbers.
Each field has its own security needs, and a privacy breach could reveal all of the above information and more. When it comes to email marketing for customer retention, it’s critical to ensure that all emails are secure from harm.
The Effects of Data Breaches
Data breaches can be catastrophic for large and small businesses alike. In one recent major hack, Anthem Inc., the country’s second largest health insurance provider,…
How e-retailers can avoid Buyer's Remorse by considering where coupon codes are introduced in the checkout process
In previous posts I have mentioned something that in the offline retail world that is known as buyer’s remorse. But having recently seen so many instances of this simple concept being evident on so many retailers sites I felt that it warranted a post all of its own.
Buyer’s Remorse, in the retail trade is what happens when customers have a sudden regret or recognition of a perceived barrier which introduces doubt into their mind forcing reassessment of their purchase before the purchase has even been made.
Think about it. How many times have you been stood in a queue waiting to get to a till point to make a purchase. This added time at the checkout allows you the extra head space to re-consider what you have placed in your basket or trolley and suddenly…
Website security is probably not top-of-mind for most Internet marketing managers, but in this interview, Colin Hall of web security specialists Watson Hall shows the problems that can arise and outlines how you can reduce the risks you face.
Which website security issues should you consider when commissioning a new site or auditing an existing site. In this E-marketing Essentials interview I ask web security specialist Colin Hall of web site security consultants Watson Hall what you should consider.
Q1. I know you believe that security is often a relatively neglected requirement in website commissioning, design and implementation. Why do you think this is the case?
[Colin Watson] It's not something many people commissioning a website are familiar enough with. Many people often only associate web security with two things... 'viruses' and 'HTTPS' (pages on websites where the data is encrypted in transit) and therefore believe that having anti-virus software and a…
