{"id":12013,"date":"2025-01-06T17:49:13","date_gmt":"2025-01-06T17:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/"},"modified":"2025-01-06T17:49:13","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T17:49:13","slug":"5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Proven Ecommerce Growth Strategies ($0 to $100 Million)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Want to know the most effective ecommerce growth strategy?<\/p>\n<p>I studied successful online stores to find out what works best. While every store\u2019s path is unique, clear patterns emerged.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some examples:<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-responsive\">BrandAnnual Revenue\n<table class=\"table table-primary table-striped table-hover\">\n<caption>*All figures in USD<\/caption>\n<thead><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Brand\">Hush Blankets<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Annual Revenue\">$48M<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Standout Strategy\">Product Validation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Brand\">Mid Day Squares<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Annual Revenue\">$20M<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Standout Strategy\">Content Marketing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Brand\">TBH Skincare<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Annual Revenue\">$6.5M<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Standout Strategy\">Content Marketing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Brand\">MX Store<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Annual Revenue\">$65M<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Standout Strategy\">Search Marketing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Brand\">Who Is Elijah<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Annual Revenue\">$13M<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Standout Strategy\">Operational Efficiency<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Whether your goal is to do $1M or $100M, it comes from executing the fundamentals.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve distilled this guide to the five most impactful growth strategies, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Success metrics<\/li>\n<li>Real-world examples<\/li>\n<li>Requirements to execute<\/li>\n<li>Expected timeline and results<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the most important one.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#1_Make_Products_Your_Customers_Actually_Want\" >1. Make Products Your Customers Actually Want<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_Hush_Blankets_Grew_to_48M_Through_Customer_Conversations\" >How Hush Blankets Grew to $48M Through Customer Conversations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_to_Have_Customer_Conversations\" >How to Have Customer Conversations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#2_Build_a_Strong_Brand_Through_Storytelling\" >2. Build a Strong Brand Through Storytelling<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_Mid_Day_Squares_Built_a_20M_Chocolate_Empire_Through_Storytelling\" >How Mid Day Squares Built a $20M Chocolate Empire Through Storytelling<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_TBH_Skincare_Makes_Customer-Focused_Content\" >How TBH Skincare Makes Customer-Focused Content<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_to_Start_Creating_Engaging_Stories\" >How to Start Creating Engaging Stories<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#What_Makes_Storytelling_CRUCIAL\" >What Makes Storytelling CRUCIAL<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#3_Optimize_Search_Marketing_Paid_and_Organic\" >3. Optimize Search Marketing (Paid and Organic)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_MX_Store_Uses_Search_to_Drive_100M_in_Sales\" >How MX Store Uses Search to Drive $100M+ in Sales<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_to_Make_the_Most_Out_of_Your_Google_Ads_Campaigns\" >How to Make the Most Out of Your Google Ads Campaigns<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Calculate_Your_Campaign_Profitability\" >Calculate Your Campaign Profitability<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Do_Keyword_Research\" >Do Keyword Research<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Analyze_Your_Competitors_Campaigns\" >Analyze Your Competitor\u2019s Campaign\u2019s<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Build_Your_SEO_Foundations\" >Build Your SEO Foundations<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Optimize_Your_Product_and_Category_Pages\" >Optimize Your Product and Category Pages<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Get_Your_Technical_Foundation_Right\" >Get Your Technical Foundation Right<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Start_Small_Scale_What_Works_Repeat\" >Start Small, Scale What Works, Repeat<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#4_Turn_Email_Into_Sustainable_Sales\" >4. Turn Email Into Sustainable Sales<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Build_a_Quality_Email_List\" >Build a Quality Email List<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#The_Pattern_Behind_High-Performing_Email_Programs\" >The Pattern Behind High-Performing Email Programs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Shift_1_Methodically_Test_Your_Campaigns\" >Shift #1: Methodically Test Your Campaigns<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Shift_2_Simplify_Your_Automations\" >Shift #2: Simplify Your Automations<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#5_Optimize_Operations_for_Profit_Free_Calculator\" >5. Optimize Operations for Profit (Free Calculator)<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_Who_Is_Elijah_Learned_the_True_Cost_of_Growth\" >How Who Is Elijah Learned the True Cost of Growth<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#How_to_Build_Better_Operations\" >How to Build Better Operations<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#1_Understand_Your_Unit_Economics\" >1. Understand Your Unit Economics<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#2_Build_Systems_Not_Band-Aids\" >2. Build Systems, Not Band-Aids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#3_Optimize_Your_Supply_Chain\" >3. Optimize Your Supply Chain<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Subject_Partnership_Growth_Discussion_%E2%80%93_Your_Company\" >Subject: Partnership Growth Discussion \u2013 [Your Company]<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#4_Automate_Before_You_Hire\" >4. Automate Before You Hire<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/06\/5-proven-ecommerce-growth-strategies-0-to-100-million\/#Turn_Your_Ecommerce_Growth_Strategy_Into_Reliable_Sales\" >Turn Your Ecommerce Growth Strategy Into Reliable Sales<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Make_Products_Your_Customers_Actually_Want\"><\/span>1. Make Products Your Customers Actually Want<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__visual-chart backlinko-image\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Strategy: Product Validation\" alt=\"Strategy: Product Validation\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.46142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/strategy-product-validation.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Most ecommerce failures share one root cause: creating products nobody wants. Or products that are okay but never really get traction.<\/p>\n<p>You follow trends. Copy competitors. Trust your gut.<\/p>\n<p>Then invest thousands in inventory and marketing, hoping customers will buy.<\/p>\n<p>The solution?<\/p>\n<p>Talk to your customers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>One honest conversation today could prevent massive product failures tomorrow.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>These chats reveal opportunities like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Problems customers can\u2019t solve with existing products<\/li>\n<li>What their \u201cperfect\u201d product would look like, and missing features<\/li>\n<li>Unexpected details that could help you differentiate your product<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Conversations also build relationships. They turn customers into fans who drive growth through word-of-mouth.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__visual-chart backlinko-image\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Conventional vs Customer \u2013 Led Product Development\" alt=\"Conventional vs Customer \u2013 Led Product Development\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.63142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/conventional-vs-customer-led-product-development.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Hush_Blankets_Grew_to_48M_Through_Customer_Conversations\"><\/span>How Hush Blankets Grew to $48M Through Customer Conversations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>By talking to customers, founders Aaron Spivak and Lior Ohayon turned <a title=\"The Underdog: He Turned His Last $4,000 Into $48M\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/IuoscQiQQLg?si=N_Lkut3QEFG9zutp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">$4,000 into $48M in 48 months<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, when summer sales dropped, they scheduled customer calls. The feedback was clear:<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/aaron-spivak.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cWe love the blanket, but we\u2019re sweating. It\u2019s in storage until winter.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Aaron Spivak<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/aaron-spivak.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>That single insight led to their breakthrough \u201cice fabric\u201d technology, which:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Raised $1M on Kickstarter<\/li>\n<li>Sold 3,000 units in 72 hours<\/li>\n<li>Became their highest-margin product<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The entrepreneurs continued talking to customers to inform product development.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/aaron-spivak.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cWhen people ask what our marketing hack is or which agency we worked with, they miss the point. We had 3,000 people on the phone tell us exactly what they wanted. That\u2019s the real secret.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Aaron Spivak<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/aaron-spivak.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Have_Customer_Conversations\"><\/span>How to Have Customer Conversations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to overthink product research. But Hush proved that you just need to begin talking to customers.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a simple process to get started:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"15 minute customer \u2013 Call structure\" alt=\"15 minute customer \u2013 Call structure\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.49714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/15-minute-customer-call-structure.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Send a brief email with a link for a 15-minute call.<\/strong> The Hush team found this approach got better responses than long surveys or complicated feedback forms.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Approach each conversation with genuine curiosity.<\/strong> Don\u2019t defend your products or explain your constraints. Just listen. Ask what their perfect product would look like. Follow interesting threads that emerge.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Start with five customers this week.<\/strong> That\u2019s enough to spot patterns while being totally manageable. Even if you\u2019re swamped, you can find 75 minutes for conversations that could transform your business.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Take detailed notes using their exact words.<\/strong> In addition to product ideas, you can get feedback points and marketing content.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__visual-chart backlinko-image\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Customer Insights Template\" alt=\"Customer Insights Template\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.69\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/customer-insights-template.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>The goal is to build such deep customer understanding that product failures become nearly impossible.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Build_a_Strong_Brand_Through_Storytelling\"><\/span>2. Build a Strong Brand Through Storytelling<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__visual-chart backlinko-image\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Strategy: Content Marketing\" alt=\"Strategy: Content Marketing\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.46142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/strategy-content-marketing.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>When we consume <a title=\"Media Consumption Trend Report - Talker Research, formerly OnePoll U.S.\" href=\"https:\/\/talkerresearch.com\/media-consumption-trend-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">6 hours of content daily<\/a>, <strong>attention is the most valuable currency in business<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Storytelling is how you earn it.<\/p>\n<p>Why? Stories stick.<\/p>\n<p>You may not remember product specs, but you likely recall Sara Blakely cutting the feet off her pantyhose to create Spanx. Or Patagonia\u2019s founder testing gear on mountain expeditions.<\/p>\n<p>Most brands miss by showing only the highlight reel\u2014the wins, the perfect moments, and the polished content.<\/p>\n<p>Telling raw, relatable stories is how you build a lasting brand.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Mid_Day_Squares_Built_a_20M_Chocolate_Empire_Through_Storytelling\"><\/span>How Mid Day Squares Built a $20M Chocolate Empire Through Storytelling<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In 2018, Jake Karls and his co-founders launched Mid Day Squares with a radical commitment to transparency.<\/p>\n<p>They documented everything about building the company\u2014from production line disasters to legal battles to funding negotiations.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Instagram \u2013 Mid-day Squares \u2013 Reel\" alt=\"Instagram \u2013 Mid-day Squares \u2013 Reel\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.88571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/instagram-middaysquares-reel.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Mid Day Sqaures unconventional approach involved:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sharing the entrepreneurial journey, not just the product (85-90% of content)<\/li>\n<li>Showing behind-the-scenes wins and failures<\/li>\n<li>Filming raw, unscripted moments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jake-karls.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cWhen people ask what\u2019s our marketing hack or which agency we worked with, they\u2019re missing the point. Building in public and sharing our authentic story turned customers into fans who felt like they were buying from friends.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong> \u2013 Jake Karls<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jake-karls.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Mid Day Squares grew to over $20 million in revenue. And Jake attributes much of their <a title=\"Jake Karls reveals Mid-Day Squares&#039; $100 million storytelling playbook\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/qCeDx2b8YI0?si=edBgusMLlojrv9dk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">success to creative content<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But brand storytelling isn\u2019t just for founder-led content.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_TBH_Skincare_Makes_Customer-Focused_Content\"><\/span>How TBH Skincare Makes Customer-Focused Content<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When Rachel Wilde started TBH Skincare, she took a different approach to content marketing.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to founder stories, she created content on real customer experiences. It focused on honest education about acne treatment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/rachel-wilde.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cI always say start with the customer. Understand what they want, and hit them with the right with the right message in the right place at the right time.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong> \u2013 Rachel Wilde<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/rachel-wilde.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>This customer-first storytelling shaped every aspect of their content, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Focusing on raw, unfiltered customer results<\/li>\n<li>Creating educational content that destigmatizes acne<\/li>\n<li>Showing real people dealing with real skin issues<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Instagram \u2013 tbh Skincare \u2013 Post\" alt=\"Instagram \u2013 tbh Skincare \u2013 Post\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.66857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/instagram-tbhskincare-post.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>They allocated <a title=\"TBH Skincare Founder: How To Build An 8-Figure Ecommerce ...\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qe0TeiT7Pvo&amp;t=1634s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">80% of the marketing budget to content creation<\/a>. It built a storytelling engine that helped customers see themselves in the products.<\/p>\n<p>And it worked.<\/p>\n<p>TBH Skincare grew to $14M ($22M AUD) in four years.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Start_Creating_Engaging_Stories\"><\/span>How to Start Creating Engaging Stories<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before investing in content, identify what makes your brand relatable. Here are some best practices to get started:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Document your \u201cwhy.\u201d<\/strong> Beyond making money, what drives your company? What change are you trying to create?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Choose your storytelling lane.<\/strong> Will you focus on founder content? Customer stories? Educational content? Pick an approach that plays to your strengths and resonates with your audience.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Start small but consistent.<\/strong> You don\u2019t need fancy equipment or a full content team. Both Mid Day Squares and TBH Skincare started with iPhones and posted daily while staying true to their story.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Test and iterate.<\/strong> Track which stories resonate deeply. Look for patterns in engagement and sales attribution. Double down on what works.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a title=\"What Is Content Marketing? Complete Beginner&#039;s Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/content\/what-is-content-marketing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is Content Marketing? Complete Beginners Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Makes_Storytelling_CRUCIAL\"><\/span>What Makes Storytelling CRUCIAL<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When you nail your brand\u2019s narrative, you create compelling organic content.<\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s just the beginning.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You\u2019re also building marketing assets that drive results across every channel.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Your content becomes fuel for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Paid media on Meta, Google, and TikTok<\/li>\n<li>Email nurture sequences<\/li>\n<li>Product pages that tell a deeper story<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"How to Write a Blog Post: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/write-a-blog-post\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Blog content<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jake-karls.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cMost brands create different content for each marketing channel. We just document our journey and then adapt those stories for different platforms. It\u2019s more authentic and way more efficient.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Jake Karls<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jake-karls.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The TBH Skincare team has found authentic stories outperform traditional ads across every channel.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/rachel-wilde.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cWhen you have a piece of content that really resonates with people, you can use it everywhere. Our best-performing ads weren\u2019t planned campaigns\u2014they were real moments we captured and then amplified.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Rachel Wilde<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/rachel-wilde.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The lesson?<\/p>\n<p>View storytelling as the key to better marketing. It\u2019ll boost all your other channels.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Optimize_Search_Marketing_Paid_and_Organic\"><\/span>3. Optimize Search Marketing (Paid and Organic)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__visual-chart backlinko-image\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Strategy: Search Marketing\" alt=\"Strategy: Search Marketing\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.69857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/strategy-search-marketing.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Every day, billions of people tell Google exactly what they want to buy. Capturing this traffic isn\u2019t cheap or easy\u2014but it\u2019s steady.<\/p>\n<p>Paid search gives instant traffic but needs constant investment. Organic search is free but takes time to build up. Together, they drive consistent sales.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a title=\"SEO vs. SEM: What&#039;s The Difference?\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/seo-vs-sem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO vs. SEM: What\u2019s the Difference?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_MX_Store_Uses_Search_to_Drive_100M_in_Sales\"><\/span>How MX Store Uses Search to Drive $100M+ in Sales<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When MX Store, Australia\u2019s largest online motorcycle parts retailer, first tried Google Ads, their approach was typical.<\/p>\n<p>Broad keywords. Generic ads. Homepage traffic.<\/p>\n<p>Like throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping something sticks.<\/p>\n<p>So they shifted their approach\u2014<a title=\"This Is How You Run Profitable Ads On Facebook &amp; Google\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/jVjR5hKSb9E?si=qaHs23koa42OVSTe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">led by marketing director Dan Turner<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/dan-turner.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cThe key is perfect alignment. Your keyword matches the intent, your ad matches the keyword, and your landing page matches the ad. No disconnects.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Dan Turner<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/dan-turner.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Here\u2019s exactly what they changed:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Built granular campaigns:<\/strong> Instead of lumping everything together, they created separate campaigns for each product category. Every campaign got its own custom landing page and clear conversion path.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Analyzed search terms meticulously:<\/strong> Weekly reviews. Aggressive negative keyword expansion. Minimized wasted spend on irrelevant searches.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Implemented systematic testing:<\/strong> Every ad needed a minimum of 5,000 impressions before making decisions. Proper budget allocation for each test. Regular creative refreshes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The result?<\/p>\n<p>A consistent 10x return on ad spend (ROAS).<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Make_the_Most_Out_of_Your_Google_Ads_Campaigns\"><\/span>How to Make the Most Out of Your Google Ads Campaigns<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Before you spend a dollar on ads, understand your profit. Then, analyzing your competitors and keyword research follows.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Calculate_Your_Campaign_Profitability\"><\/span>Calculate Your Campaign Profitability<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Work out how much you can spend to get a customer while making a profit. Without this calculation, you risk burning your ad budget on dud campaigns.<\/p>\n<p>To avoid this mistake, note three metrics:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Target cost per click (CPC)<\/li>\n<li>Expected conversion rate<\/li>\n<li>Maximum customer acquisition cost (CAC)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example of the math:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Product price: $100<\/li>\n<li>Profit margin: 50% (meaning you make $50 per sale)<\/li>\n<li>Target ROAS: 3:1 (for every $1 spent on ads, you want $3 in revenue)<\/li>\n<li>Expected conversion rate: 2% (2 out of 100 visitors buy)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The maximum CAC calculation is $50 profit \u00f7 3 = $16.67 maximum ad spend per customer. With a 2% conversion rate, you can\u2019t spend over $16.67 to acquire a customer while keeping campaigns profitable.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Keyword_Research\"><\/span>Do Keyword Research<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Keyword research answers a simple question: are people searching for what you\u2019re selling?<\/p>\n<p>Start by Googling your products to see what ads are displaying.<\/p>\n<p>For example, here\u2019s what the ads look like for \u201cpendulum lights.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Google ads for \u201cpendulum lights\u201d\" alt='Google ads for \"pendulum lights\"' data-aspect-ratio=\"1.5314285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/google-ads-for-pendulum-lights.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>There are lots of ads, which implies they\u2019re working.<\/p>\n<p>You could theoretically follow this simple process of Googling, observing, and copying.<\/p>\n<p>But, to reduce wasted budget, use a tool like Semrush. It\u2019ll help you understand the demand and cost for profitable keywords.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Bonus:<\/strong> Here\u2019s a link to a <a title=\"Backlinko &amp; Semrush: 14-day PRO Trial\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/lp\/backlinko-offer\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">14-day trial on a Semrush Pro subscription<\/a>. That should give you enough time to plan your search marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The first thing to do is check the keyword data.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Keyword Overview \u2013 Pendulum light \u2013 Overview\" alt=\"Keyword Overview \u2013 Pendulum light \u2013 Overview\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.64857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/keyword-overview-pendulum-light-overview.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Semrush\u2019s <a title=\"Keyword Generator by Semrush\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/analytics\/keywordmagic\/start\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Keyword Overview tool<\/a> shows that pendulum lights are searched 320 times a month. And the CPC is $0.77.<\/p>\n<p>This is enough data to test a campaign. But if you want even more validation, spy on your competitor\u2019s ads.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Analyze_Your_Competitors_Campaigns\"><\/span>Analyze Your Competitor\u2019s Campaign\u2019s<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Following the breadcrumbs of how your competitors do ads can save you months of time and money.<\/p>\n<p>Staying with the lighting example, Lumens is a competitor.<\/p>\n<p>According to Semrush\u2019s <a title=\"Advertising Research: Competitor PPC Analysis\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/analytics\/adwords\/positions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Advertising Research tool<\/a>, Lumens is attracting over 27k monthly users from ads.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Advertising Research \u2013 Lumens \u2013 Traffic\" alt=\"Advertising Research \u2013 Lumens \u2013 Traffic\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.44\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/advertising-research-lumens-traffic.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>This tells us that they\u2019re investing pretty aggressively in Google Ads. And they\u2019ve likely done the work of testing and failing.<\/p>\n<p>To validate this, you can check Lumens ads history.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, they\u2019ve been bidding on \u201coutdoor wall lighting\u201d for seven months straight.<\/p>\n<p>Meaning: they\u2019re seeing enough sales to continue the campaign.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Advertising Research \u2013 Lumens \u2013 Ads History\" alt=\"Advertising Research \u2013 Lumens \u2013 Ads History\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.70142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/advertising-research-lumens-ads-history.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>You can see what the ad looks like in Semrush. And Lumens has been tweaking their copy each month.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Lumens ad in Semrush\" alt=\"Lumens ad in Semrush\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.47857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/lumens-ad-in-semrush.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Using this data drastically increases your chances of successful ads.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"Google Ads Competitor Analysis: A How-to Guide (+ Top Tools)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/blog\/google-ads-competitor-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Ads Competitor Analysis: A How-to Guide (+ Top Tools)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_Your_SEO_Foundations\"><\/span>Build Your SEO Foundations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Paid search delivers immediate results. Organic search builds free traffic over time.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, start getting your foundations right today.<\/p>\n<p>Here are two priority areas to focus on:<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Optimize_Your_Product_and_Category_Pages\"><\/span>Optimize Your Product and Category Pages<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Your product and category pages are your money-makers. So you want to maximize their SEO potential.<\/p>\n<p>For product pages:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Write unique, benefit-focused product descriptions<\/li>\n<li>Include technical specifications in a structured format<\/li>\n<li>Add product <a title=\"Schema Markup 101: Boost Your SEO &amp; Improve Search\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/schema-markup-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">schema markup<\/a> for rich snippets<\/li>\n<li>Use high-quality product images with <a title=\"Image SEO: 15 Tips for Image Optimization\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/image-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">descriptive alt text<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Include real customer reviews and ratings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"20 Effective Product Page Examples (+ Best Practices)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/product-page-examples\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 Effective Product Page Examples<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>For category pages:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Create helpful category descriptions that solve buying dilemmas and desires<\/li>\n<li>Use clear subcategory structure (3 clicks max to any product)<\/li>\n<li>Add internal links to best-selling or related products<\/li>\n<li>Include filters and sorting options (price, size, color, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For inspiration, check out Ruggable\u2019s \u201cclean rugs\u201d category page.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Ruggable \u2013 Search filters\" alt=\"Ruggable \u2013 Search filters\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.88714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/ruggable-search-filters.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_Your_Technical_Foundation_Right\"><\/span>Get Your Technical Foundation Right<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>You don\u2019t need to address every technical detail.<\/p>\n<p>Start with:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Fast-loading pages (aim for \u201cgood\u201d in Google\u2019s <a title=\"Core Web Vitals: Essential Guide to Better Site Performance\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/core-web-vitals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Core Web Vitals report<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>Mobile-first design<\/li>\n<li>Clean URLs with keywords<\/li>\n<li>Proper handling of product variations (<a title=\"Canonical URLs: A Comprehensive Guide for SEOs\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/canonical-url-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">canonical tags<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Sitemap: What Is It &amp; Why Your Website Needs One\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/sitemaps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">XML sitemap<\/a> for all important pages<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Speed is especially important for ecommerce.<\/p>\n<p>In 2019, <a title=\"Shopping for speed on eBay.com | web.dev\" href=\"https:\/\/web.dev\/case-studies\/shopping-for-speed-on-ebay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eBay did a sitewide<\/a> initiative to improve performance. Every 100-millisecond improvement led to a 0.5% increase in \u201cAdd to Cart.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"Ecommerce SEO: 6 Proven Strategies to Rank Higher\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/ecommerce-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ecommerce SEO: 6 Proven Strategies to Rank Higher<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Start_Small_Scale_What_Works_Repeat\"><\/span>Start Small, Scale What Works, Repeat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Begin with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>2-3 focused paid campaigns<\/li>\n<li>Helpful content on your product and category pages<\/li>\n<li>Core technical optimization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Test everything. Double down on what works. Cut what doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n<p>Every dollar should drive immediate sales (paid) or build long-term assets (organic).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Turn_Email_Into_Sustainable_Sales\"><\/span>4. Turn Email Into Sustainable Sales<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__visual-chart backlinko-image\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Strategy:  Email Marketing\" alt=\"Strategy: Email Marketing\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.46142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/strategy-email-marketing.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>The top brands drive 30-50% of their revenue through email marketing.<\/p>\n<p>These email programs succeed by connecting three foundations we\u2019ve covered:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Products customers want (Strategy #1)<\/li>\n<li>Authentic storytelling (Strategy #2)<\/li>\n<li>Steady website traffic (Strategy #3)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>But there\u2019s a fourth element that ties everything together: systematic execution.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s explore how to build an email program that turns subscribers into customers\u2014and customers into repeat buyers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-note.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> The best practices I\u2019m about to share are inspired by Boyuan Zhao, an email and SMS consultant for Shopify brands. I recommend checking out his free <a title=\"Everything On Email Marketing FULL COURSE FREE\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/B8Z4LCe4BsA?si=7TrkolwjJlbDdsJq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">four-hour training on YouTube<\/a>. It\u2019s some of the best content I\u2019ve seen on email marketing.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-note.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_a_Quality_Email_List\"><\/span>Build a Quality Email List<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Your email list isn\u2019t just a number.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/boyuan-zhao.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cMost brands obsess over list size. But I\u2019ve found that smaller, engaged lists consistently outperform massive, unengaged ones.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Boyuan Zhao<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/boyuan-zhao.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Large lists built through aggressive tactics (giveaways, lead magnets, etc.) often convert at 1-2%.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, carefully grown lists using targeted pop-ups and organic signups can hit 8-15% conversion rates.<\/p>\n<p>The math is simple:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>100,000 subscribers at 1% = 1,000 customers<\/li>\n<li>20,000 engaged subscribers at 10% = 2,000 customers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Plus, better engagement means higher deliverability. Which means more of your emails actually reach inboxes.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"tbh Skincare \u2013 Mystery code\" alt=\"tbh Skincare \u2013 Mystery code\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.54142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/tbhskincare-mystery-code.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Start by optimizing your signup forms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Test different offers (10% off vs. free shipping)<\/li>\n<li>Use clear value propositions<\/li>\n<li>Target exit intent to capture interested visitors<\/li>\n<li>Avoid generic \u201cSubscribe to our newsletter\u201d messaging<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Further reading:<\/strong> <a title=\"Email Marketing: The Definitive Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/email-marketing-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Email Marketing: The Definitive Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-further-reading.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Pattern_Behind_High-Performing_Email_Programs\"><\/span>The Pattern Behind High-Performing Email Programs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You likely have a decent welcome series, abandoned cart emails, and a newsletter.<\/p>\n<p>But to hit 50% attributed revenue to email, you need to think differently.<\/p>\n<p>There are two shifts you need to make this happen.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shift_1_Methodically_Test_Your_Campaigns\"><\/span>Shift #1: Methodically Test Your Campaigns<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/boyuan-zhao.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cThe brands consistently driving 50% of revenue through email aren\u2019t doing anything revolutionary. They\u2019re just incredibly systematic about execution.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Boyuan Zhao<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/boyuan-zhao.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>This means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Testing one element at a time<\/li>\n<li>Tracking actual revenue (not just opens and clicks)<\/li>\n<li>Making small, continuous improvements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The results compound over time.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shift_2_Simplify_Your_Automations\"><\/span>Shift #2: Simplify Your Automations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>How many emails are in your sequences?<\/p>\n<p>Probably too many.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/boyuan-zhao.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve found that a well-executed 3-email sequence often outperforms complex 10-email flows. It\u2019s not about the number of touchpoints. It\u2019s about delivering the right message at the right time.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Boyuan Zhao<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/boyuan-zhao.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Instead of building complex automations, focus on the fundamentals:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>First impression (welcome)<\/li>\n<li>Purchase intent (cart abandonment)<\/li>\n<li>Post-purchase experience (reviews)<\/li>\n<li>Reactivation (win-back)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Weave authentic brand storytelling into your automations and relentlessly test, test, test.<\/p>\n<p>Do this, and you\u2019re well on your way to more sales.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Optimize_Operations_for_Profit_Free_Calculator\"><\/span>5. Optimize Operations for Profit (Free Calculator)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"Strategy: Optimize Operations\" alt=\"Strategy: Optimize Operations\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.46142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/strategy-optimize-operations.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Even if you have winning products and amazing marketing, you can fail if your operations suck.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Who_Is_Elijah_Learned_the_True_Cost_of_Growth\"><\/span>How Who Is Elijah Learned the True Cost of Growth<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In 2023, founders Raquel and Adam Bouris of fragrance brand Who Is Elijah learned <a title=\"How Raquel &amp; Adam Bouris Built a $20 MILLION Ecommerce Em...\" href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/gcvyDGNVanc?si=fXGiltJL1Pl6i7cY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">two expensive lessons<\/a> about business.<\/p>\n<p>First, their discovery set promotion seemed like a slam dunk: sell fragrance samples for $1 plus shipping.<\/p>\n<p>They sold 6,000 sets in 24 hours.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/adam-bouris.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cSales looked great because thousands and thousands a week were going out.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Adam Bouris<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/adam-bouris.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>But the math told a different story.<\/p>\n<p>Customers paid $1 plus $10 shipping. The actual shipping cost was $7-12 per unit. Add production, logistics, and overhead costs.<\/p>\n<p>The result?<\/p>\n<p><strong>A 60% loss on every order.<\/strong> Ouch.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/adam-bouris.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cWe would\u2019ve been better off turning the website off.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Adam Bouris<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/adam-bouris.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Meanwhile, their team had grown from 28 to 44 people, but profits weren\u2019t following.<\/p>\n<p>Their initial approach followed conventional wisdom:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hire department heads from big corporations<\/li>\n<li>Build specialized teams for every function<\/li>\n<li>Add headcount to solve anticipated problems<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Despite growing revenue, operational costs were suffocating the business.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/adam-bouris.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cOne of the biggest problems founders make is they worry about the now instead of what\u2019s on the other side of that decision. We were hiring people to fix problems six months away. That\u2019s so stupid.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Adam Bouris<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/adam-bouris.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Who Is Elijah made a complete operational reset, including two critical changes:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Fixed unit economics:\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>Stopped money-losing promotions<\/li>\n<li>Calculated true cost per order<\/li>\n<li>Built proper financial forecasting<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<li>Optimized team structure:\n<ol type=\"a\">\n<li>Cut their team from 44 to 21 people<\/li>\n<li>Moved full-time specialists to agencies<\/li>\n<li>Simplified internal processes<\/li>\n<li>Built systems<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Profitability improved. They also became more agile and innovative.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/adam-bouris.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p>\u201cI learned how to be a CFO the hard way, but I\u2019m glad that I went through the pain.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Adam Bouris<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/adam-bouris.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Build_Better_Operations\"><\/span>How to Build Better Operations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You can build efficient operations without an MBA or years of corporate experience. It starts with digging into four areas.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Understand_Your_Unit_Economics\"><\/span>1. Understand Your Unit Economics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>To understand your profitability create a system for tracking your unit economics.<\/p>\n<p>Start with the three numbers that matter most:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Revenue per order<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Average order value<\/li>\n<li>Shipping revenue<\/li>\n<li>Any other fees<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>2. Direct costs per order<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Product cost<\/li>\n<li>Shipping cost<\/li>\n<li>Packaging cost<\/li>\n<li>Payment processing fees<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>3. Operating costs per order<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Marketing spend \u00f7 number of orders<\/li>\n<li>Platform fees<\/li>\n<li>Customer service time<\/li>\n<li>Storage\/warehouse costs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Here\u2019s a basic calculator to help:<\/p>\n<p><strong>[CALCULATOR]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is a starting point. The rest of your numbers (tools, complex calculations, etc.) can come later.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> Use a tool like <a title=\"Cin7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cin7.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cin7<\/a> to automate this tracking. The investment pays for itself by identifying profit leaks.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Build_Systems_Not_Band-Aids\"><\/span>2. Build Systems, Not Band-Aids<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>When problems arise, the tendency is to:<\/p>\n<ol type=\"A\">\n<li>Hire someone to fix it<\/li>\n<li>Create a quick workaround<\/li>\n<li>Ignore it until it becomes a crisis<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Instead, step back and design systems that prevent future issues.<\/p>\n<p>Start with your three most time-consuming processes, e.g., order fulfillment, customer services, and inventory management.<\/p>\n<p>For each process:<\/p>\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>Document exactly how it\u2019s done now<\/li>\n<li>Identify bottlenecks and failure points<\/li>\n<li>Create standard operating procedures (SOPs)<\/li>\n<li>Build quality control checkpoints<\/li>\n<li>Add automation where possible<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Optimize_Your_Supply_Chain\"><\/span>3. Optimize Your Supply Chain<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Your supply chain impacts everything: cash flow, customer satisfaction, and profitability. Here\u2019s how to optimize it:<\/p>\n<p>First, map your current supply chain:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>List all suppliers and their lead times (it\u2019s essential to have 2nd and 3rd options)<\/li>\n<li>Document shipping carriers and costs<\/li>\n<li>Track inventory levels and turnover<\/li>\n<li>Identify quality control points<\/li>\n<li>Note payment terms and minimums<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Then, negotiate better terms. Here\u2019s an email template:<\/p>\n<p><code><\/code><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-email-script-grey\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Subject_Partnership_Growth_Discussion_%E2%80%93_Your_Company\"><\/span>Subject: Partnership Growth Discussion \u2013 [Your Company]<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Hi <strong>[Name]<\/strong>,<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve been working together for <strong>[X months\/years]<\/strong> and have purchased <strong>[$ amount]<\/strong> of inventory during this time. I\u2019d like to discuss ways we can grow our partnership.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically, I\u2019d like to explore:<\/p>\n<p>1. Volume-based discounts<br \/>\n2. Extended payment terms (Net-30 or Net-60)<br \/>\n3. Priority shipping\/fulfillment<\/p>\n<p>Could we schedule a quick call next week?<\/p>\n<p>Best,<br \/>\n<strong>[Your name]<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Automate_Before_You_Hire\"><\/span>4. Automate Before You Hire<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Before adding employees, see what tasks you can automate. Here are some processes to tackle first:<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-responsive\">\n<table class=\"table table-primary table-striped table-hover\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"col\">Process<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">What to Automate<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Popular Tools<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Process\">Order Management<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"What to Automate\">Order confirmation emails, fulfillment triggers, tracking updates<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Popular Tools\">Shopify Flow, Order Desk, Mesa<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Process\">Shipping &amp; Logistics<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"What to Automate\">Label creation, carrier selection, rate optimization<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Popular Tools\">ShipStation, ShippingEasy, Shippo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Process\">Customer Service<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"What to Automate\">FAQ responses, order status updates, return requests<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Popular Tools\">Gorgias, Zendesk, Re:amaze<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Process\">Inventory<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"What to Automate\">Low stock alerts, reorder points, supplier notifications<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Popular Tools\">Stocky, TradeGecko, Skubana<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"Process\">Marketing<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"What to Automate\">Content scheduling, performance tracking, competitor monitoring<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Popular Tools\">Semrush, Buffer, Klaviyo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Turn_Your_Ecommerce_Growth_Strategy_Into_Reliable_Sales\"><\/span>Turn Your Ecommerce Growth Strategy Into Reliable Sales<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You don\u2019t need to do everything at once. Start by answering these questions:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Which customers can you chat with this week?<\/li>\n<li>What authentic stories can you share about your brand\u2019s journey or customer impact?<\/li>\n<li>Where does your website rank for high-intent buyer keywords?<\/li>\n<li>How much of your revenue comes from email marketing?<\/li>\n<li>Do you know your true cost per order?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Pick the area that needs the most work. Focus there first.<\/p>\n<p>If you want more ideas, read our <a title=\"Ecommerce Marketing: 11 Strategies to Drive Traffic and Sales\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/ecommerce-marketing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ecommerce marketing guide<\/a>, which has 11 ways to increase your traffic and sales.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/ecommerce-growth-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">5 Proven Ecommerce Growth Strategies ($0 to $100 Million)<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Backlinko<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to know the most effective ecommerce growth strategy? I studied successful online stores to find out what works best. While every store\u2019s path is unique, clear patterns emerged. Here are some examples: BrandAnnual Revenue *All figures in USD Hush Blankets $48M Product Validation Mid Day Squares $20M Content Marketing TBH Skincare $6.5M Content Marketing MX Store $65M Search Marketing Who Is Elijah $13M Operational Efficiency Whether your goal is to do $1M or $100M, it comes from executing the fundamentals. I\u2019ve distilled this guide to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":12014,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-backlinko","category-marketing-blogs"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/strategy-product-validation-rojVdR-600x400.png","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/strategy-product-validation-rojVdR-600x600.png","author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12013"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12013\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}