In theory, coupons are a win/win: they’re a great way for smart shoppers to stretch their dollar to the max, and an effective way for businesses to attract new customers and build the loyalty of the ones they already have. But online discounts work differently than the print coupons found in newspapers and brick-and-mortar stores. If used incorrectly, they can actually discourage customers from buying. It’s important to fully understand the ins and outs of online coupons before offering them in your eCommerce store.

According to a recent report from Interpublic Group, online searches for coupons have increased by 58 percent in the last year alone, a spike that’s most likely spurred by the current economy. But not all of these coupons are being used – and those that are may actually be hurting the businesses that offer them.

For online businesses, there is a serious downside to coupons: they remind customers that better offers may exist, and can result in cart abandonment, wasted marketing efforts, lower customer and order values, and a loss of income on discounted products. To prevent lost sales and protect your bottom line, web coupons must be promoted in a whole new way.

Your copy’s main goal is to convert. It won’t convert (or it won’t convert as well) unless it engages the visitor. And you won’t engage visitors with dry, boring, corporate-sounding copy. You’ll engage visitors with copy that’s reminiscent of the conversations they’re having in real life and in real time on Twitter and Facebook (whether it’s with your brand or another brand). In other words, the copy needs to be conversational.

One of the big, obvious differences between eCommerce enterprises and traditional bricks and mortar set-ups is this: the bricks & mortar shops can “see” their customers, talk to them, and develop a stronger profile on them. Sure, if you’re an eCommerce company with strong analytics, you can analyze keywords, bounce rates, referring links, etc. But how clear is that physical picture of your ideal customer?

Luckily, that’s all changed, thanks to Facebook fan pages. Now you can actually see and talk to your biggest fans directly (and when I say talk, I mean talk–there’s a great voice chat application for Facebook called Vivox Voice Chat, which I’ve used. The sound quality rivals Skype. And guess what? It’s free. Vivox is the same company that does voice for Second Life. And full disclosure: I’ve done work for Vivox in the past). You, in essence, have the best of both worlds: the scientific analytics and the insight you gain from having real-life human interactions with fans and customers.

All of us–you, me, and everyone else running Facebook fan pages–are pioneers. There are no rules (yet). And all the benefits of having a strong Facebook presence are still revealing themselves. So I thought I’d share three ways you can use your Facebook fan base to conduct that all-important marketing research. These are things I’ve discovered as I’ve been managing and launching fan pages for clients.

Back in December, I wrote this post about Twitter. A lot has happened to this Internet microblogging company in the ten months since then, including its recent reception of 100 million dollars in funding and its valuation at one billion dollars. This past June, 44.5 million worldwide visitors checked out Twitter, which was up 15 fold from the previous year (comScore).

I thought it would make sense to share some of my observations, including thoughts on “types” of users, takeaways for eCommerce companies, and some cool tools that will help you get the most out of Twitter.

If you could get your hands on footage of 10 of your target consumers right now, 9 of them would probably be on the move. In today’s fast-paced, frenzied world, a majority of buyers are relying on their cell phones and hand-held devices as a primary means of receiving information.

So it makes sense that more and more businesses are making room for mobile technologies in their marketing strategies, using SMS (Short Message Service) to deliver ads, special offers, and brand-building content. In fact, according to the Aberdeen group, approximately ¼ of best-in-class companies are dedicating 10% of their marketing budgets to mobile marketing, and 62% are actually increasing those budgets year-over-year—an investment that speaks volumes, especially in today’s cost-cutting advertising industry.

When it comes to building credibility, attracting new customers, and keeping them coming back for more, relevant and high-quality content is critical. As an added bonus, your content also serves an important role in boosting your site’s organic rankings, making it more likely that potential customers will find you in online search results.

To really maximize results, you’ll probably need to do more than just write a few articles and throw them up on your site. Content syndication is one of the best ways to capitalize on your expertise and maximize your exposure, reaching more consumers and boosting your bottom line.

Why Content Syndication is Key

A huge part of attracting the right audience to your eCommerce site – and getting them to return again and again and eventually convert – is to establish yourself as an authority in your subject area. If you post content that demonstrates your robust knowledge, then customers, affiliates, and vendors will come to respect you as a credible resource, and will be more likely to purchase your products or services.

One of the quickest ways to build a reputation as an expert in your industry is to post give away quality content for free on your website. But imagine how many more consumers you could reach—and how many more potential sales you could garner—if your online content was picked up by several other sites or blogs. This proliferation of content to third-party websites is known as syndication—and the potential benefit to your business is virtually limitless.

For consumers, the passing of Labor Day signals the transition from swimsuits to sweaters. But for e-tailers, it marks the ramp-up for the biggest online shopping season of the year: the Christmas frenzy. The gap between web and brick-and-mortar purchases continues to shrink, most notably during the holidays. To help you get the maximum traffic—and, more importantly, boost your conversions—put your site at the top of customers’ lists with these savvy seasonal strategies:

In today’s competitive marketplace, word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most effective tools in any online business’ arsenal. Referrals can go a long way toward building customer loyalty and drawing in new clientele. Smart companies know that by perfecting the art of word-of-mouth marketing (or “WOMM”), they’ll make themselves more appealing and accessible to potential customers, as well as to the media.

“Tell a Friend”: A Link to a New Relationship

One of the most effective, yet subtle, forms of online WOMM is the use of an icon or link that enables site visitors to email an article, link, or special promotion to their contacts. Not only does this help spread the word about your products, services, and expertise, it also filters your audience so consumers are exposed to the offerings most relevant to their needs and interests.

Are your online marketing strategies paying off? If pay-per-click ads and solid SEO practices are boosting your site’s exposure revenue, good for you! But many online store owners have gone beyond the web to take their success to the next level. When you’ve explored all of the online avenues, it’s time to consider expanding your website’s marketing to include some tried-and-true offline strategies.

Advertise in Traditional Media

It may seem counter-intuitive to advertise your website in traditional print media, but the right placements in newspapers and magazines can garner attention from a market yet untapped by online initiatives. Ads on the Internet are often ignored by busy and desensitized consumers, but a simple, direct ad in a relevant print publication can boost lucrative awareness of your product or service.