E-commerce Marketing Strategies: What Works in 2025

Online shopping has become a habit for many consumers. In fact, 34% make a purchase at least once a week. The path to purchase, however, is rarely a straight line. Instead, today’s buyers move through a web of touchpoints before finally clicking “buy.” In this article, we’ll break down 8 proven strategies to help your online store stand out, engage your audience at every stage of their user journey, and drive more sales.

• E-commerce Marketing Trends
• Core E-commerce Marketing Strategies in 2025
• 1. Content Marketing That Converts
• 2. Social Media & Community Engagement
• 3. Telegram Marketing
• 4. Email & SMS Marketing
• 5. Paid Advertising & Performance Marketing
• 6. SEO, GEO & AEO
  
• 7. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)
• 8. Local & Global Expansion Strategies
• Measuring Success
• Final Thoughts

E-commerce Marketing Trends

In 2025, e-commerce is set to account for 20.5% of all retail sales worldwide, a step up from 19.9% in 2024. Looking ahead, by 2028 more than half of people aged 14 and older across the globe will shop online.

Global e-commerce growth

What’s driving growth in e-commerce today? These are the trends to watch:

• Increased usage of AI. 9 out of 10 retailers and CPG businesses are now adopting or piloting AI — particularly in advertising, marketing, customer engagement, and supply chain operations. And the impact is clear: shoppers who engage with AI-powered chat convert at 12.3%, compared to only 3.1% without it.
• Consumers expect personalization. Nearly half (45%) of Millennials say they’d like personalized product recommendations while shopping online, and the same goes for Gen Z shoppers.
• Social commerce goes mainstream. In 2024, social commerce worldwide generated $683 billion in revenue. At its current pace, the market is expected to break the $1 trillion mark by 2029.
• AR transforms online shopping. Augmented reality tools are helping customers “try before they buy”, from placing furniture in their living room to virtually trying on clothes. The B2C AR market is projected to hit $37.8 billion by 2029.

Thus, the strongest e-commerce businesses in 2025 move quickly with technology, yet their strategies remain focused on customer needs and meaningful connections.

Core E-commerce Marketing Strategies in 2025

1. Content Marketing That Converts

At its core, content marketing is about giving value before asking for anything in return. You use your expertise to guide and support your audience, not just to sell to them.

Shoppers today want more than a product page; they’re looking for material that’s useful, engaging, and worth trusting. Some of the best-performing formats for e-commerce businesses in 2025 include:

• How-to guides and tutorials that show real ways to use a product.
• Short demo videos that highlight benefits of a product.
• Customer reviews and stories that add credibility.
• Interactive tools such as quizzes or style finders that personalize the journey.
• Educational blog posts that answer real questions and build authority.

Before making a purchase, buyers like to see how products work in real life, not just in polished ads. Nearly 40% say user-generated content is “extremely” or “very” important in shaping their purchase decisions. In fact, authentic customer photos and videos now carry more weight than product comparison charts (39%), product videos (37%), and brand-created material (37%).

UGC

Another working tactic is refreshing existing site pages: this can increase organic traffic by as much as 106%. Enhance past blog posts, guides, and product pages with current data, new keywords, and updated visuals to revive rankings and reach a new audience. 

2. Social Media & Community Engagement

Approximately 5.5 billion people worldwide use social media regularly, and an average user spends time across nearly seven networks per month. Your potential customers are already there — scrolling, sharing, and discovering products — so the question is how your brand shows up in those moments.

Here are several ways to make social media work for your e-commerce business:

• Engage with stories and experiences. Users trust real voices more than corporate messaging. Post behind-the-scenes moments, employee-generated content, and customer stories. This will show the human side of your business and make your brand feel more relatable and trustworthy. That authenticity pays off: for example, posts shared by employees generate 8 times more engagement than the polished updates brands publish themselves.
• Sell directly through social commerce. Use TikTok Shop, Instagram Checkout, and YouTube Shopping to let customers browse and buy without leaving the app.
• Use short-form and shoppable video. Short-form video is where people discover new favorites. A quick demo, a behind-the-scenes peek, or a styling tip can inspire someone right away — and with shoppable links, viewers can go from “I like that” to “I bought that” in seconds.
• Host live shopping events. Go live to unveil new arrivals, answer questions on the spot, and make your audience part of the moment. Viewers can also take advantage of special deals that make them feel like they’re part of something exclusive.
• Use social listening for insights. Monitor conversations around your brand, industry, and competitors. Social listening tools help identify customer needs, spot trends early, and adjust campaigns based on real-time feedback.

Social media is a conversation, not just a channel. Listen, respond, and create experiences that make people want to engage with your brand. The more genuine your approach, the stronger your connections with your audience will be.

3. Telegram Marketing

E-commerce in 2025 is less about chasing customers and more about being present where they already are, and Telegram is becoming a powerful hub for engagement and sales.

What makes the app a key platform for e-commerce businesses?

• Telegram is growing quickly worldwide. Its user base has surpassed 1 billion people, nearly half of them log in daily. This places Telegram among the top 10 online platforms in the world.
• Users trust the platform. Telegram consistently ranks high for privacy and security, which makes users more comfortable engaging with brands.
  

Source: Telegram Marketing Statistics and Trends: The 2025 Report

• Guaranteed reach. Unlike Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, Telegram doesn’t rely on algorithms that limit visibility. When you post in a channel, nearly 100% of subscribers receive the update.
• Effective promotion tools. Telegram allows you to automate support, send order updates, enable in-app shopping, run paid ads in channels, bots, mini apps, and more — all without redirecting customers to another platform. These tools help your business achieve real impact. To illustrate, collaborations with influencers on Telegram can deliver a 600% ROI, while mini app ads see an average CTR of 5%.
• Affordable advertising that works. Advertising on Telegram is more cost-effective than running campaigns on platforms like Meta or TikTok, with a minimum CPM for Telegram Ads of just 0.1 TON (around €0.27).

Telegram offers plenty of opportunities to strengthen your e-commerce marketing and engage customers in new ways. Many businesses haven’t fully explored the platform yet, so you can create real impact before competitors catch on.

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4. Email & SMS Marketing

Let’s start with a standout statistic: email campaigns can deliver up to $40 in return for every $1 invested. So, how can you get the most out of one of the top-performing strategies?

Today’s consumers expect personalized experiences that reflect their behavior, preferences, and purchase history. Segmentation is what turns email from “just another message” into a personal shopping assistant. Emails that are segmented see 30% higher open rates and 50% higher click-through rates than those that aren’t. For instance, you can segment based on what customers browsed but didn’t purchase. If someone spends time in the sneaker section, they could receive a tailored email highlighting new arrivals or exclusive discounts on footwear.

Automation helps you stay present at the key touchpoints of the customer journey. A welcome series introduces new subscribers to your brand, cart recovery messages bring hesitant shoppers back to finish their orders, and loyalty campaigns keep long-term customers engaged.

Since 7 in 10 shoppers abandon their carts before checking out, recovery emails play a crucial role: they remind customers of the items they showed interest in. Send the first reminder within 1–3 hours of cart abandonment, while the customer’s purchase intent is still strong. Follow up with a second email within 24 hours to gently encourage them to complete their purchase.

Another effective tool is SMS marketing. It creates immediacy, drives conversions, and helps build a more personal connection with shoppers. A simple text can go a long way: SMS is an ideal tool for sharing urgent offers, tailored promotions, or timely updates your customers don’t want to miss.

5. Paid Advertising & Performance Marketing

Pay-per-click advertising works best when the goal is to attract ready-to-buy users. Unlike organic traffic, which can take months to build, PPC places your products directly in front of high-intent shoppers who are already searching or scrolling with purchase in mind.

For example, someone typing “buy tables” into Google is actively looking to purchase. A well-targeted Google ad can capture that intent instantly and put your product at the top of search results at the exact moment the buyer is ready to act.

Google Ads in search results

Google (98%), Facebook (76%), and Instagram (70%) are the platforms most widely used by PPC marketers today:

Top PPC advertising platforms

One of the most powerful PPC strategies for businesses is retargeting, which can be 10 times more effective than display ads. While standard PPC campaigns capture new traffic, retargeting focuses on people who already interacted with your brand — visited your site, explored your catalog, or even added items to their cart but didn’t check out. These shoppers have shown intent, and retargeting ads give you a second chance to close the sale.

6. SEO, GEO & AEO

SEO fundamentals still play a key role. Make sure your website is fast, secure, and easy to crawl. Include high-quality product images with descriptive alt text, clear pricing, and customer reviews to improve rankings and click-throughs. Category pages should be organized logically, with filters and navigation that help both users and search engines find relevant products quickly.

AI-powered search tools like Google’s AI Overviews, Perplexity, and ChatGPT search integrations are now part of the buying journey. 58% of users turn to generative AI tools instead of traditional search engines for product or service recommendations. In-depth product guides, clear side-by-side comparisons, and thoughtfully written FAQs are more likely to show up in AI-generated answers than basic, thin product descriptions.

7. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Conversion Rate Optimization is about fine-tuning the shopping experience so that every step, from browsing to checkout, feels effortless.

• Streamlined checkout processes. Every extra click or form field can result in a lost sale, which is why a seamless and intuitive checkout process is so important. Features like guest checkout, one-click payment options, and mobile-first design make completing a purchase smooth and help reduce drop-offs.
• Upselling and cross-selling at the right time. Upselling encourages shoppers to go for a better or higher-end option, like choosing a premium laptop with more storage instead of the base model. Cross-selling, on the other hand, suggests complementary items that fit naturally with the purchase, such as adding a laptop sleeve or a charger. Both strategies not only increase revenue but also make the shopping experience feel seamless and genuinely helpful.
• Loyalty programs and subscription models. Loyalty programs that reward your audience with points, discounts, or exclusive perks encourage repeat purchases. Members of such programs drive 12–18% higher annual revenue growth compared to non-members. Subscription-based businesses take it a step further — think skincare refills that arrive monthly or a coffee subscription that never runs out.

Birchbox Subscription Box

The secret to CRO is keeping things straightforward for your customers and showing them why your product is worth it.

8. Local & Global Expansion Strategies

If you plan to enter new markets, start by understanding local expectations. Language, culture, payment methods, and even delivery preferences can make or break trust. For example, while credit cards dominate in the U.S., digital wallets like Alipay and WeChat Pay are essential in China, and cash-on-delivery still holds weight in the Middle East.

Expanding into new markets is less daunting when you have the right partners. Teaming up with complementary businesses through joint promotions, co-created products, or shared distribution helps you gain credibility faster and connect with an audience you might not reach on your own.

At the same time, global consumers, especially younger ones, are paying closer attention to sustainability. About 64% of Gen Z and 63% of millennials say they’re willing to spend more on environmentally sustainable services or products. To make a positive impact on the environment and appeal to eco-conscious customers, you can offer low-carbon delivery options and use recyclable or minimal packaging.

Measuring Success

At the core, every e-commerce brand should be watching these metrics closely:

• Traffic. Are you attracting enough of the right visitors to your store?
• Conversions. Of those visitors, how many complete a purchase?
• Retention. Do customers come back after their first order?
• Customer Lifetime Value. How much revenue does a single customer generate over their entire relationship with your brand?
• Shopping cart abandonment rate. How often do shoppers add items but leave without checking out?

Analytics and AI tools make it easier for businesses to see what’s really happening behind the scenes. Instead of just reporting on sales, they can highlight patterns in customer behavior, predict who’s likely to churn, and even recommend the best time to message your customers.

Final Thoughts

Technology in e-commerce will always keep moving — new platforms, smarter AI, and enhanced online experiences. But the heart of the business hasn’t changed: your audience. Build your strategies around their needs, habits, and values, and you’ll achieve sustainable results.