How to get more views & Is there a better way to manage rising advertising costs?

*|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|* View this email in your browser (*|ARCHIVE|*) Logo ** The Growth Newsletter for UK DTC Brands ------------------------------------------------------------ Hello everyone, Rebecca here! Another week, another dinner – our "Best in Beauty" dinner was such a hit that we hosted it twice in one week! Brilliant conversation, a buzzing atmosphere, and a pretty decent view! Well done Molly for another great event, and thanks to our new besties Hannah and Shane for joining us twice this week. A huge shoutout to our amazing brands for coming: Daisy Kelly, Charlotte Emma Jones, James Greenwell, Jessica Parrish (MBA), Jila Field, Helene Roblette, Selin Taylor, Sabah Yaqoob, and Namrata Nayyar-Kamdar. The energy and insights shared were truly inspiring. We also hosted our "Best in Beauty Brand Banquet" at the incredible Kitchen Theory. This immersive dining experience brought together top DTC brands for a fantastic evening. Beyond the delicious food, we were treated to an insightful keynote from Janis Thomas of Look Fabulous Forever, who shared brilliant tips on connecting with your audience effectively. A huge thank you to our sponsors, Hannah Herlihy Lowe from Conjura and Shane Getkate from Dataships, for making it all possible. Finally, a quick note: submissions for the Irish eCommerce Awards 2024 closed last week. This was the last chance to showcase your eCommerce excellence and gain recognition in Ireland’s top online retail awards. Many thanks to our partners AIB Merchant Services, Advanced Commerce, ADHERE Digital Ltd, Dataships, and TBM Solution for their support. Finally, if you are looking for the LinkedIn Newsletter version, you can subscribe here (https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7026930083269353472) :) Now onto today’s topics 📣 Staying in touch with Tash 📣 Grace Fodor on Challenging Beauty Stereotypes and Celebrating Age with Studio10 📣Is Your Online Store Truly Optimised for Maximum Engagement and Sales? 📣Is There a Better Way to Manage Rising Advertising Costs? 📣 How to get more views? (Hint: 94% of Articles with Images Get More Views!) Staying in touch with Tash After 125 newsletters, this is my last one for DTC Live! (although I very much hope I will be able to contribute to this newsletter occasionally moving forward) I still remember the early days when we first started sending these out and over 125 editions, we’ve seen trends come and go, faced challenges together, shared incredible stories and celebrated successes that have made all the hard work worth it. For those of you who’ve been with us from the start, thank you for your continued support. And for those newer to our community, welcome to what has become a vibrant and dynamic network of like-minded ecommerce and ecom tech entrepreneurs and innovators. I’m filled with pride at what we’ve built together. DTC Live has grown into something truly special – a space where knowledge, inspiration, and connections come together to fuel growth and innovation in the DTC space. The best part of this journey has been the incredible people I’ve met along the way – the founders, CEOs, and teams who pour their hearts and souls into their businesses every day. I’m thrilled to pass the baton to Rebecca. Rebecca amazes me. I’ve been where she is right now myself, as an entrepreneur and a new mum. It’s a tough balance to strike and, as we discussed on the female founder panel at DTC Live Manchester, I don’t think there are many who can truly say they’re nailing it on both fronts. Rebecca just gets on with it, trusting her intuition and remaining fiercely determined. YOU CAN CHECK OUT OUR CONVERSATION OVER ON LINKEDIN (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/natashacourtenaysmith_entrepreneurlife-entrepreneurship-motherhood-activity-7224343715811594241-MXii?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop) https://www.linkedin.com/posts/natashacourtenaysmith_entrepreneurlife-entrepreneurship-motherhood-activity-7224343715811594241-MXii?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop She’s already taken her baby to CosmoProf Beauty in Bologna and to Austin, Texas, in her role as the founder of Rainy City Agency. And now she’s leading the ongoing growth of DTC Live, too. She’s balancing motherhood and running a hugely successful business in probably the only way any of us can – by throwing herself into both and holding on tight for the ride. I’ll still be here supporting Rebecca and the team as they continue to grow this incredible community. DTC Live is in great hands, and I’m excited to see where Rebecca will take it next. Thank you all for being part of this journey with me. It’s been an honour and a privilege to share this space with you. As I transition, I’m excited to share that I’ll soon be launching my own newsletter, which will delve into some of the broader topics I’m passionate about, including media trends, education, TikTok & TikTok Shop, AI, and investment strategies. I’ll be sharing insights, case studies, and thought leadership that aim to provide actionable advice and inspire forward-thinking growth strategies. While I understand these topics may not resonate with everyone who has followed me through DTC Live, I’d love to have you join me on this next journey if they align with your interests. We will share the sign up link over the next few weeks. Here’s to continued success for all of us, and don’t be a stranger – you can always reach me on LinkedIn, or on email tash@tash.partners (mailto:tash@tash.partners) . Grace Fodor on Challenging Beauty Stereotypes and Celebrating Age with Studio10 This week we sat down with Grace Fodor, founder of Studio10, (https://www.studio10beauty.com/) sat down to find out all about her thoughts on beauty, life, and the inspiration behind her PRO AGE beauty brand. We talked about the incredible support she’s received from women, her loyal customers, and the mentors who guided her along the way. "I have been fortunate enough to have many wonderful women support me and my brand over the years," she says warmly. "They are my family." Grace passionately discussed the Studio10 movement, which challenges the status quo and redefines beauty as we age. "The Studio10 movement is all about challenging the status quo and redefining what it means to be beautiful as we age. I want to inspire women to embrace their age and celebrate their unique beauty," she explains. "We must bang the drum on the inherent value of our achievements and experiences. And no matter what, never allow anyone to consider us invisible." Reflecting on her journey, Grace mentioned that hitting her late 40s sparked a desire to celebrate this new chapter in life. "As I hit my late 40s, I felt such a desire to embrace and celebrate this new chapter. I refused to be limited by negative anti-ageing stereotypes that did not align with how I felt or lived my life," she recalls. Frustrated by the lack of products for mature skin, she created a brand with a PRO AGE attitude, celebrating ageing and recognising that true beauty has no age limit. "Studio10 is more than skin deep - it’s a movement," she declares. Grace voiced concerns about the beauty industry's perpetuation of negative ageing stereotypes. "The use of outdated language such as 'anti-ageing,' 'anti-wrinkle,' and '10 years younger' with adverts with poor representation of older women, sends a clear, misguided and very wrong message that for women to remain socially relevant, they must look young," she explains. She highlighted that many women feel invisible by age 51 and stressed the importance of adjusting makeup routines as skin changes with age. "It's crucial to adapt our approach to makeup as we age. Sticking to the same routine and products for years can fail to address our evolving needs," she advises. Being a niche brand allows Studio10 to focus on specific needs and build deeper relationships with customers. "Being a niche brand like Studio10 gives us the advantage of being able to focus on specific needs of our customers, rather than trying to please everyone with a one-size-fits-all approach," Grace says. She advises start-up brands to underpin their work with real research and insight, stressing the importance of product performance in building trust and loyalty. "If your product doesn’t perform, it won’t sell. And even if it did, you wouldn’t see any repeat purchase," she concludes. Is Your Online Store Truly Optimised for Maximum Engagement and Sales? You may remember me mentioning last week about the importance of continuously improving your online store to enhance customer engagement and drive sales. Having a website is just the beginning. It’s the first step to opening your online store. But that isn't what will necessarily keep customers engaged and coming back! That’s why you constantly need to be thinking about how you can optimise it. What are the small, quick, easy wins that can help boost your conversion? As promised, today we will focus on three critical areas: the collection page, the cart, and the checkout process. Let’s get into some of Rainy City (https://www.rainycityagency.com/) ’s TOP TIPS Optimising your collection page is crucial for ensuring that customers can easily find and explore your products. Here are some tips to make your collection page more effective: Sticky Filter, Sort, and Refine Results: Offer the user ways to refine the products presented to them. Implement product filters and quick links at the top of the collection pages based on your product range and size. Informative Product Cards: Each product card should clearly display key details such as color, size, price, a clear product image, and a CTA/Quick View option. Product Grid Layout: We recommend displaying 4 products per row on desktop and 2 per row on mobile, but adjust this based on your product and brand needs. Product Count and Pagination: Display the product count on page load and when products are filtered. Implement pagination or a "load more" option to enhance the browsing experience. User-Friendly Navigation: Ensure users returning to the collection page land on the same spot they left off, providing a seamless shopping experience. The cart experience can significantly impact whether a customer completes their purchase. How can you secure the sale? Main Cart: Activate the mini cart when an item is added or when the cart icon is clicked. Allow users to access the main cart or proceed directly to checkout via the mini cart, with an emphasis on the checkout process. Clear Mini Cart Information: Show items in the user's cart along with the cart sub-total. If possible, include delivery time, cost, and any additional charges to avoid last-minute surprises at checkout. Increase Average Order Value (AOV): Encourage higher cart values by offering free delivery over a certain threshold. This method is proven to boost sales. Reassure in the Main Cart: For users who visit the main cart, provide information on site security, delivery, returns, and warranty, along with trusted badges (e.g., Trustpilot) to reassure them about their purchase. Accepted Payment Methods: Clearly display accepted payment methods. If split payment options are available, make sure this is communicated. Product Information: Focus on products that require minimal information to purchase, typically those with lower price points and minimal or no variants. The checkout process is the final step where customers decide to complete their purchase. Success in the checkout is mostly around security and convenience. Here are our top tips: Enable Guest Checkout: Allow customers to check out as guests, but provide an easy segue to creating an account and saving their information. Quick Resolution for Blockers: Ensure any potential blockers around the checkout, such as forgotten passwords, are quick to resolve. Shopify Plus Upsells: If you are using Shopify Plus, utilise one-click upsells to boost sales. Key Information Re-outline: Clearly outline key information around site security, delivery, returns, and warranty to provide customers with the confidence they need to complete their purchase. By focusing on these areas, you can create a smoother, more user-friendly experience that keeps customers coming back and increases your conversion rates. To learn more check out rainycityagency.com (https://www.rainycityagency.com/) Is There a Better Way to Manage Rising Advertising Costs? Advertising expenses are climbing, putting pressure on profit margins, and fewer visitors are converting into buyers despite higher spending. Platforms like Google, Meta, and Amazon are taking a big slice of the advertising pie, cutting into your profits. These big tech companies are pocketing 30-40% of each order, leaving both merchants and shoppers with less. However, something that we’d recommend to anyone that comes to our conferences and Gamchangers workshops isChaChing (http://Chaching.me) - they are changing the game with a no-risk advertising channel tailored for D2C brands. You only pay when a sale is made, eliminating the gamble of traditional ad costs. Their purchase incentives help increase conversion rates without additional charges for impressions or clicks. ChaChing also helps you cut down on reliance on major platforms, offering a new way to reach customers while keeping more of your revenue by selling at full price directly on your site. How can you best deal with the big tech giants? Adopt No-Risk Strategies Focus on performance-based advertising where you pay for results. This approach minimises financial risk and ensures a direct correlation between ad spend and revenue. ChaChing’s model is an excellent example of this strategy, as it allows you to pay only for completed sales. Increase Conversions with Incentives Motivate customers to complete purchases with incentives like discounts, loyalty points, or cashback offers. ChaChing’s purchase incentive boosts conversion rates, helping brands generate more sales without additional costs for impressions or clicks. Offering tangible rewards for purchasing can significantly enhance customer loyalty and repeat business. Reduce Reliance on Major Platforms Diversify your advertising spend across multiple platforms to avoid dependency on any single tech giant. This strategy can reduce the impact of rising ad costs on your overall profitability. Additionally, invest in organic growth methods such as SEO, content marketing, and social media engagement. Building a strong organic presence can drive sustainable traffic to your site and decrease reliance on paid advertising. Monitor and Adjust Your Approach Regularly analyse key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and return on ad spend (ROAS) to understand the effectiveness of your campaigns. Use insights from these metrics to tweak your advertising strategies. If a particular channel isn’t delivering the expected ROI, consider reallocating your budget to more profitable avenues. Want to find out more? Check out Chaching.me How to get more views? (Hint: 94% of Articles with Images Get More Views!) Visual storytelling is crucial for fashion marketing due to its ability to quickly convey messages and evoke emotions. With the increased demand for high-quality visual content, social media platforms allow for real-time engagement and feedback. Storytelling goes beyond products to include brand values and missions. The human brain processes visual content 60,000 times faster than text, making it more effective in capturing attention and retaining information. This is vital in an industry where aesthetics play a significant role. Check out the following stats Tweets with video get 10x more engagement 65% of people are visual learners Articles with images get 94% more views 70% of marketers believe visuals lead to better results Let’s get into the KEY strategies for effective visual storytelling Know Your Audience Understanding your audience’s demographics, interests, and values is the foundation of effective visual storytelling. Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele has successfully transformed the brand by appealing to a younger, more diverse audience through visually rich content that resonates with their lifestyle and values. Gucci effectively uses fashion films, social media, and online campaigns to share its visual narratives, ensuring a wide reach and strong engagement across different channels. Create a Narrative Developing a compelling story is key to engaging your audience. Chanel’s "The One That I Want" campaign, featuring Gisele Bundchen, is a great example. The campaign tells a cinematic story that aligns with Chanel’s timeless and luxurious brand identity, deeply resonating with its target audience. Additionally, Chanel’s collaborations with high-profile influencers and celebrities for their campaigns leverage the influencers’ reach and credibility, enhancing the brand’s appeal and engagement. Use High-Quality Visuals Investing in professional photography and videography ensures your visuals are crisp, clear, and appealing. Dior’s "J'adore" campaigns, known for their beautiful cinematography and dreamlike quality, showcase the brand’s products in a way that evokes luxury and indulgence, making them highly desirable. Be Authentic Authenticity builds trust and loyalty. Nike’s "Dream Crazy" campaign with Colin Kaepernick is a powerful example of authenticity in action. The campaign’s message of believing in something and standing up for it resonated deeply with consumers, creating a strong emotional connection with the brand. Be Consistent Consistency in branding, colours, and styles across all visual content helps create a recognisable brand image. Burberry’s "The Tale of Thomas Burberry" campaign uses a consistent visual style to tell the story of the brand’s heritage, helping modernise its image while staying true to its roots. Burberry’s innovative use of social media platforms and contemporary storytelling techniques keeps the brand relevant and appealing to modern consumers. That's it for this week! Thank you for reading :) To help continue to build the DTC Live community, please forward this email on to someone you think might like it. Or if easier, share this link (https://d2c10x.krtra.com/c/tDmzXrkMQ8lF/zvd1) . We'll be back with more growth strategies and insights for eCom and tech brands next week. Logo Copyright (C) *|2024|* *|DTC LIVE|*. All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences (*|UPDATE_PROFILE|*) or unsubscribe (*|UNSUB|*)