Startup Guides > 6 Ways To Promote Your Auto Parts Store Online

Auto parts is one of the fastest growing ecommerce sectors.

Clearly, there's demand for aftermarket car parts and accessories. But how can an auto parts store increase their sales to reach more customers who want what they've got?

Here's 6 steps to increase your online auto store revenue.

1. Optimized Landing Pages
For an ecommerce site, having an optimized landing page for your products increases your sales. The easier you make it for a customer to buy from you, the more likely they will click your "add to shopping cart" button, and follow through to your "thank you for purchasing" page.

For an online auto parts store, a good product landing page should:

• Show an image of the part
• Include a headline with the part name
• Give a description
• Include the auto part number
• Give the auto part price
• Have a clear, easy to see CTA (such as "Add to Cart")
• Have directional cues towards the CTA
• Be free of friction (by reducing the number of CTAs and other distractions on the page)


2. Google AdWords
When you're an ecommerce business, it only makes sense that you spend your advertising dollars where they work. Online advertising drives traffic directly to your site.

By using Google AdWords, you can reach your customer exactly when they are searching for your products. You can target your Google search ad by:

• Keywords - To show your ad when prospects search for your specific product words. Keywords are hands down the most important part of getting your ad to show to the right people, and increasing your click through rate.
• Location - To target by country, region or city. If you have shipping restrictions, or have pick-up only items, narrow your ad reach to get clicked by the right customers.
• Device - Target ads to show on prospect's computer, mobile or tablets
• Negative keywords - You can exclude keywords to sharpen your audience targeting. For example, if your ad is for "front brake calipers", you can exclude searches for "rear brake calipers".

The highest converting PPC ads have a strong correlation to the destination landing page. An optimized Google Ad should include the keywords from the product landing page and have the same (or very similar) headline. Making your ad match your landing page increases the trust factor - and conversions - with your market.

And speaking of promotion, don't forget online marketing sites. You can visit 40billion.com which is a fastest-growing network of entrepreneurs and crowdfunders. They specialize in promotion of small businesses by broadcasting and promoting to its large network of several million users across the most popular social networking sites for small businesses - including Twitter, LinkedIn, 40Billion, and even Facebook. Innovative services like tweet ads and promoted company listings were created for small entrepreneurs to tap into a growing, active network online without spending thousands on pay-per-click ads or traditional advertising. They also offer crowdfunding promotion and promote crowdfunders and their campaigns/projects.

3. Facebook Ads
If you're not using Facebook ads in your online marketing yet, you're missing out. Facebook ads are some of the cheapest advertising options right now.

With Facebook ads, you can hyper-target based on: (1) Demographics (2) Interests (3) Behaviors and (4) Location

Here's a few tips to making a high converting Facebook ad:

1. Use eye-catching images
2. Use action words in your Headline
3. Be clear in your Headline and ad copy


4. Ad Retargeting
Ad retargeting gives you a huge competitive advantage.

Even with all your highly-targeted marketing efforts, most people exit a site they've visited for the first time - without converting. They're just not ready to buy from your immediately.

In an online environment, it's easy for visitors to get distracted or just browse and shop around to your competitors.
But, there is a was a way to go and chase after that customer who just left your online store.

Ad retargeting enables you to follow that bounced traffic.

You not only get to remind your visitors to come on back to your store, you're pretty much 100% guaranteed to reach your demographic with people who've already visited your site. You don't have to guess where your potential customer is - your ad shows wherever they are.

Being on sites your consumer visits tends to increase your own trust factor - and amplifies brand awareness through multiple touchpoints.

5. Coupon Landing Page
Who doesn't like getting a great deal on auto parts? As a business marketer, you know the power of giving away discounts and deals.Direct your prospects to a coupon landing page on your website.

6. Email Marketing Automation
Once you've got a conversion or sale, you'll have the email address of your customer. Use it, but don't abuse it.

A repeat customer is worth 3 to 7 times the cost of a new one.

The better you can nurture your lead, the more likely they'll buy your products - and keep coming back for more. An extremely cost effective way to initialize your relationships is with email marketing automation campaigns.

Setup triggered email marketing automation campaigns to send a personalized "thank you" message with the customer's name and product details.

Keep the relationship going by sending out weekly updates. (Send out deals and new auto products you're getting in.

An email marketing automation campaign gives you the opportunity to stay in touch with customers, and create a super personalized message.

A real key to getting your email opened and read is your subject line. Craft your open enticing line by:

• Personalizing your subject line - include your customer's name
• Be specific and clear about your message
• Ask a question
• Offer another discount or coupon for repeat consumers

Bonus Online Marketing for Auto Parts Stores: Pop-ups
Want to know a little-known secret? One that'll get you tons more leads?

Use website pop-ups.
Yes, I know, they're controversial - and they're still relatively new to mainstream marketers. If you use them too much, they'll backfire and you seem like a spammy company. But if you're smart and you set up website pop-ups with your customer user experience in mind - you really can build your email list by a lot.

Beat out your competitors and get a larger piece of the automotive parts market. Be one of the first to use website pop-ups in your sector.

Recommended: Crowdfunding or P2P Lending - Which is Better for My Small Business?