Cross-border e-commerce leading a new era

The ancient Silk Road, now the international trade of cross-border e-commerce

Under the current policy of vigorously promoting China's smart manufacturing to the world, the fire of cross-border e-commerce is burning more and more vigorously, from North America to Europe, and now to the Southeast Asian market. However, the policies of major overseas platforms change rapidly, the wave of account suspensions is continuous, and many sellers suffer greatly! Why not try an independent website, take charge of your own destiny, and no longer be at the mercy of others! Don't know how to drive traffic to an independent site? In this sharing session, I will discuss with you how to attract traffic to an independent site and set sail for big sales together!

Introduction to the independent platform Shopify

Super simple Shopify website building steps. The host shared: First, I want to ask everyone, what do you think about independent sites and platforms? Are you currently using independent sites? Yunyou Cheney asked: "What is an independent site?" Yunyou Taoyong answered: "An independent site is a website with a domain name, such as www.lengyundianpu.com. Companies need to purchase domain names, servers, space, website program code, upload news, products, etc." The host explained: "Hmm, but if you use Shopify, you don't need to buy a server yourself, you only need a domain name, and you can operate it even if you don’t know code. I don't know code at all, but I can still operate a Shopify independent site."

Shopify platform precautions

When using the Shopify platform, pay attention to the following items: do not sell infringing products, as this can easily lead to store closure, and it is difficult to appeal back after being banned; domain naming should not be on the edge, do not come close to famous brands like CHANEL, DIOR, PRADA, once discovered, the website will be immediately shut down, and even could lead to legal disputes.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Independent Websites

Compared to platforms, independent websites have the following advantages and disadvantages: The advantages include being able to independently decide on products, pricing, website style, layout, and display, shipping policy and timeliness, etc.; no need to worry about store closure by the platform; all user data on the site and data accumulated during the operation of the entire site belong entirely to the owner. The disadvantage is the lack of platform cluster traffic effect, requiring independent traffic acquisition.

How to Effectively Drive Traffic to Independent Websites

Paid traffic advertising on Google (GG) and Facebook are common ways to drive traffic to independent websites. The author points out: Facebook, Instagram, Google, etc. are common traffic sources for foreign independent websites. Google ads are charged per click, while Facebook ads are charged per impression.

What do you think about Google ads and SEO operations? Do you think it costs a lot of money? There are many discussions online about the operation methods and effects of these two marketing methods.

Discussion Sharing

Friend CJ mentioned that Xiaohongshu has begun to have paid advertisements. How to operate such advertisements? Friend Cheney believes that letting others know how much money you spent may not necessarily be effective. Friend Taoyong emphasized the importance of burning money, testing data, improving conversion rates, reducing conversion costs, and assessing input-output. The landlord shared methods for advertising on Google and Facebook.

Advertising Budget

In the discussion, everyone mentioned that the advertising costs vary in different industries and businesses, and it is necessary to determine a reasonable budget based on the product and market conditions. B-end advertising often requires professional platforms and SEO optimization, while C-end advertising is more based on user browsing behavior. Differences in user habits and perceptions on various platforms and search engines were mentioned.

SEO Construction

By optimizing the website through SEO, you can obtain free organic traffic, but it requires long-term accumulation to achieve the expected revenue goals. Friends Taoyong and the landlord shared methods and significance of search engine optimization. SEO is quite difficult and requires in-depth understanding of search engine algorithms and indexing principles.

Different industries have different methods and points to note in Google advertising and SEO operations. Choosing the right operation strategy for your product and market is crucial. SEO optimization can help websites get free traffic, while advertising requires budget and a professional operation team. Considering the effects of natural traffic and paid advertising together can better drive business development.

Product selection, paid marketing, and supply chain management

When operating in foreign markets, companies need to spend a lot of effort on product selection, paid marketing, and supply chain management. Product selection needs to be based on the market demands and consumption habits of the target country, paid marketing requires reasonable control of advertising expenses to achieve profitability, and backend supply chain management is also a critically important component.

Information sedimentation in free channels

Companies entering foreign markets can start with free channels, but it takes time to accumulate and sediment information. The effects of free channels are not immediate and require patience. Using paid advertising can quickly yield results, but testing and data analysis are necessary.

Application of TikTok in Marketing

TikTok is a popular overseas video application favored by young people. It can be used in marketing for brand promotion and media dissemination. Compared to YouTube, TikTok has different audience groups and usage scenarios, so it is necessary to choose the appropriate platform for marketing based on product characteristics.

Brand Promotion on Instagram and Pinterest

In addition to TikTok and YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest are also free traffic platforms that can be utilized. Posting product information and brand images on these platforms can attract more attention from target users. Pinterest is especially suitable for showcasing product images and website conversion.

Application of Free Channels

In addition to social platforms, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube can also be used as tools for free traffic development. By creating official pages or accounts, companies can post product information and attract user attention, achieving free traffic flow.

In short, overseas market operation involves product selection, paid marketing, supply chain management, and application of free traffic channels. For companies entering foreign markets for the first time, it is necessary to have a deep understanding of the consumption habits and needs of the target market, choose the appropriate marketing platforms for promotion, in order to achieve business goals.

Issues related to products, prices, and supply chain

Many small and medium-sized domestic enterprises face challenges in product, price, and supply chain aspects during the process of going global. In terms of products, the ability for independent design is weak, mostly relying on modifications of similar foreign products, leading to serious homogenization. In terms of prices, price wars are very severe, with low profit margins and a harsh industry environment. In the supply chain, problems such as insufficient inventory, lax quality inspections, and long delivery cycles exist, leading to a high number of user complaints and negative reviews.

Logistics and agency issues

For exports, companies need to consider logistics and agency issues. Finding overseas customs agents is necessary work, and freight forwarders can help companies with international shipments. When considering the delivery time, companies should strive to shorten the delivery cycle as much as possible to ensure the speed of customer receipt.

Amazon Platform and Logistics Advantages

Operating a store on the Amazon platform can utilize its comprehensive logistics system, including overseas warehouses and fast delivery services, to improve user experience and satisfaction. Companies operating stores on Amazon may consider using Amazon's logistics services to improve shipping speed and quality.

Solutions and Strategy Recommendations

To address the issue of domestic small and medium-sized enterprises going global, the following solutions and strategy recommendations can be adopted:

Enhance the ability for independent product design to avoid homogeneous competition.

Avoid engaging in vicious price wars and seek differentiation competitive advantages.

Optimize supply chain management to ensure product quality and shipping speed.

Utilize the logistics advantages of platforms such as Amazon to enhance user experience.

These measures can help companies better cope with challenges in the process of going global, enhance competitiveness, and obtain more business opportunities and development space.