As part of our expert series, I am pleased to feature Sam Baker, founder of Sam Baker Consulting.
Utilizing her expertise in conversion rate optimization, personalization, retention and acquisition strategy, Sam transforms underperforming ecommerce sites into powerful selling tools.
In this post, Sam shares her tips for optimizing your site ahead of a big campaign, the mindset necessary to build a high converting site, and the marketing tools she is most excited about these days.
Tell us a little bit about yourself! How did you start working in digital growth?
I got my start in analytics 12 years ago working on the analytics teams at Vera Bradley and Abercrombie & Fitch. I developed a (very nerdy) love for analytics and problem solving that grew every time I was able to solve a problem or derive a new insight for the business.
What tips would you give to brands looking to optimize their site ahead of a big marketing campaign?
There are always quick wins that can be implemented ahead of the holidays. The key is understanding your data. As an example, if you are preparing for Black Friday, my recommendation is that this summer you do a deep dive into your data. Look at your analytics from last holiday. Look at your performance from the past 2 quarters. And then come up with 3-5 hypotheses that you can easily test before November. They probably won’t all be wins, but you’ll have one or two new strategies for this holiday.
Any lessons learned that you can share?
The biggest mistake DTC retailers make is when they use the phrase “This will obviously be a better experience.” The reality is, 2 out of 3 site optimizations are a flat or losing experience. Humans are really bad at predicting what will encourage other humans to take action. The DTC brands with high converting sites are constantly building hypotheses that can be tested without any ego involved.
DTC brands with high converting sites are constantly building hypotheses that can be tested without any ego involved.
What trends or new technologies are you most excited about as it relates to personalization and optimization?
You might expect me to say AI… but I’m not going to! The more time I spend in this industry, the more I realize that retailers are often not using basic tools to their full capacity. For me, that means GA4 and Shopify. I don’t know many people in the retail industry who like GA4, and I’m on a mission to change that! I don’t believe that layering new technologies on top of under-utilized tech is the answer.
I hope you find Sam’s advice on optimizing your site helpful as you plan future campaigns!
To follow along with all campaign planning tips be sure to bookmark this page which will be regularly updated with campaign planning tips from industry experts.
_______________________
👋 I’m Anat Yaniv, founder of TAG Marketing
👥A collective of B2C experts, handling 360° marketing efforts
🪴For growing Ecommerce brands who are not ready to hire a full in-house team
Comments