Long-term e-commerce growth requires brand marketing and close customer relationships

Top-of-mind awareness is what differentiates successful e-commerce brands from the rest. Those who invest in brand building will also see the best results for their tactical marketing. This, along with nurturing the relationship with your customers and meeting them in multiple channels, helps secure your e-commerce success in 2026 and beyond. 

The cold, hard truth is that only a fraction of your target group is ready to buy in the moment they come across your advertising. The way to unlock the potential in the rest of your audience is to make a lasting impression and create top-of-mind awareness. 

A consumer with a spontaneous need will first turn to a familiar brand. Top-of-mind e-commerce brands may even steal some of the impact of their competitors’ advertising: when an ad sparks a will to buy, the consumer may still compare the prices and selection to the stores they know and prefer. 

“A strong brand brings more organic sales and allows you to use advertising as more of a reminder. In addition, when economic times are tough, trusted brands tend to do well,” says Client Manager Sebastian Wikman from Sanoma. 

Brand building adds to the effectiveness of performance marketing 

According to WARC, brand building does not compete with performance marketing but rather multiplies its effectiveness. The brand sparks interest, emotions and connection and performance marketing turns them into sales. 

If the goal is long-term growth, the amount of brand marketing you do should exceed that of tactical efforts; WARC recommends a ratio of 60–40. 

Memorable details and consistency in brand image create subconscious recognition. Sebastian Wikman warns about the pitfall of being too generic. 

“Not appealing to every single consumer can be a strength for a brand. Don’t be afraid to talk to your most important audience the way the want to be talked to.” 

TV and video advertising are great brand marketing tools. A TV sponsorship, for instance, effectively attaches your brand to a specific target group. Digital and print media, on the other hand, allow for a combination of brand and tactical marketing: digital media enable click-throughs, while in print, you can showcase your product selection.

Long-term customers are a valuable asset 

Bringing in a new customer is a much more arduous task than retaining and serving a happy, existing one. This is especially true when it comes to e-commerce. Long-term customers spend 67 per cent more than new customers; they gladly recommend the store and reach a buying decisions with less marketing.

When the trust is there, consumers are more willing to receive personalised messaging. Email marketing and applications are excellent channels for timely or targeted promotions or, for example, presenting the customer with a gift on their birthday.

Communicating directly with your customers also gives you an opportunity to develop your business with your most valuable clientele in mind. 

“And if the customer decides to leave, it should not be made difficult for them. Ending the relationship should be just as easy as joining and buying. The customer needs to be there willingly,” Wikman says.

Meet the consumer in multiple channels

Today, catching the consumer and making an impact often requires a multichannel approach. 

Back in 2014, the consumer had an average of nine interactions with the brand before purchase. In 2023, the number of touchpoints was anything between 20 and 500 depending on the complexity of the product.

The best media mix for your brand depends on your target group. Older demographics can still be reached effectively through a limited selection of media, but the media use of younger generations is much more fragmented.

“Having a media partner with multiple wide-reaching channels in their repertoire can save you a lot of time,” Wikman notes.

AI and new technologies simplify the buyer’s journey

E-commerce brands have led the way when it comes to new technologies that simplify buying. Voice search is one example of removing steps from the path towards purchase.

AI has made AR and VR more approachable than ever. A virtual try-on opportunity, for instance, can make all the difference to the consumer’s online shopping experience.

AI also streamlines the search for the best-priced product that matches the consumer’s needs and values. Sebastian Wikman has three keys for an e-commerce brand to secure their position in this age:

“Make sure your product selection is sharp and caters to the target group’s taste. Stay on top of trends and offer information and content for AI to find and use.”

E-commerce trends in 2026 – from interactivity to virtual assistants and more 

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