E-Commerce Marketing Strategies for Beginners

Introduction

Five years ago, in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, it created insecurity and fear among Malaysians as the government enforced the Movement Control Order (MCO), keeping most citizens at home. People had no choice but to change their lifestyles — how they worked, ate, made payments, and replenished daily necessities. Only one person from each household was allowed to buy food and groceries during the MCO period, while everyone else was required to stay home.

This was when Malaysia’s e-commerce landscape underwent a dramatic transformation. Consumers quickly shifted to buying groceries and essentials online through platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Shopee, and Lazada. Cashless payment methods like QR Pay and credit cards also gained popularity. Today, Malaysia is firmly positioned as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing e-commerce markets.

Growth of the e-Commerce Market in Malaysia

Malaysia’s e-commerce market has experienced rapid growth, reaching MYR 175.7 billion in 2023, up from MYR 66.4 billion in 2015 — representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 13% over the nine-year period. This growth has been driven by rising digital adoption and strategic policy initiatives, as noted in the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) Draft Final Report: Book 2 (E-Commerce Retail Marketplace) published in August 2025.

The steadfast growth of Malaysia’s e-commerce sector applies not only to B2C but also to B2B transactions. In fact, the highest e-commerce income by customer type comes from Business-to-Business (B2B) transactions, totaling RM 817.1 billion with a growth rate of 3.9%, as reported in Usage of ICT and E-Commerce by Establishment by the Ministry of Economy, Department of Statistics Malaysia (July 2025). 🔗Read more here.

E-Commerce Marketing Strategies

E-commerce is crucial for businesses to stay relevant and connect with their target audiences. Marketers today combine data-driven insights, creativity, and technology-enabled strategies to achieve their goals. Below are some effective techniques you can adopt:

• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

For buyers to find your product listings, the keywords used in your titles, descriptions, and image tags are essential. Categorising your products correctly also boosts organic visibility on e-commerce platforms. Often, multiple sellers offer the same product — providing detailed and accurate product information helps your listings stand out.

• Performance Marketing (SEM & Paid Ads)

Beyond organic SEO, sellers are encouraged to leverage paid advertising to drive traffic and conversions. Targeted campaigns using Google Ads, Meta Ads, and TikTok Ads allow businesses to reach audiences anytime, anywhere. The more specific your demographic targeting, the more effective your campaigns. Dynamic remarketing can also re-engage cart abandoners and improve conversion rates.

• Marketplace Optimisation

Optimisation is a key step in improving marketing performance. A/B testing can be used to experiment with product images, titles, and promotional strategies (e.g., Shopee Ads, Lazada Sponsored Discovery) to maximise visibility. It’s about testing which version captures more attention and drives better engagement.

• Email & CRM Automation

Regardless of what you sell, customers value a personalised buying experience — and that begins with understanding and communicating effectively with them. Building automated email journeys such as welcome emails, birthday promotions, abandoned cart reminders, and loyalty offers through a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool helps nurture brand loyalty and scale your business.

• Influencer & Affiliate Marketing

In the era of abundant online content, buyers often research through search engines or rely on word-of-mouth before making a purchase. Their decisions are frequently influenced by micro-influencers or content creators. Partnering with creators who align with your brand values drives authentic engagement. Affiliate marketing also helps reach wider audiences cost-effectively, as commissions are paid only for actual sales or leads generated.

• Social Commerce & Content Marketing

Social media platforms now provide seamless in-app shopping experiences — from shoppable posts to live-selling streams — encouraging spontaneous purchases. Content marketing such as product reviews, unboxing videos, and how-to guides, helps brands build authenticity and trust through real customer experiences.

• Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)

A successful marketing campaign focuses on improving user experience to increase the likelihood of a desired action — such as making a purchase, adding an item to the cart, subscribing to a newsletter, or requesting a demo. Testing checkout flows, call-to-action (CTA) placements, and product recommendations can significantly improve conversion rates.

• Customer Retention & Loyalty Strategies

Reward programs motivate high-value customers to make repeat purchases and share reviews. These can take the form of:

Point-based programs – earning points with every purchase;

Tiered programs – grouping customers by spending levels and offering higher benefits to top tiers; or

Subscription models – providing exclusive privileges for recurring or membership-based customers.

• Data Analytics & Personalisation

Most marketing tools today include analytics features to measure campaign performance. Key metrics like click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate reveal what’s working and what isn’t. By analysing this data, marketers can design more targeted campaigns, offering content and promotions that align with customers’ actual buying behaviour.

• AI-Driven Marketing Automation

Modern marketing tools increasingly integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate repetitive tasks and optimize campaigns through real-time data analysis. AI enables marketers to deliver highly personalized experiences, operate more efficiently, enhance engagement, and achieve better results.

Conclusion

As brands compete to capture online shoppers’ attention and offer competitive deals, the success of e-commerce marketing campaigns hinges on strategic marketing, seamless digital experiences, and data-driven insights.

To stay ahead in Malaysia’s fast-evolving digital economy, brand owners must integrate multiple marketing strategies, embrace omni-channel engagement, personalize content, and leverage AI to remain competitive.

Contact us today to learn how you can automate your marketing campaigns with AI and stay ahead in the e-commerce game!