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eCommerce

Inside an Ecommerce Agency: What We Do (and Don’t)

Ever wondered what goes on inside an ecommerce agency? Here's a run down of what we do and don't do.

The world of ecommerce moves fast. Every day brings new challenges, from shifting customer behaviours and algorithmic changes to emerging platforms and evolving market trends. For online stores trying to keep up while running their business, it can feel overwhelming.

That's where ecommerce agencies come in. Ecommerce agencies are the specialists who live and breathe online retail, combining marketing expertise with technology know-how to help brands not just survive, but genuinely thrive online.

We’re Cake Agency, an ecommerce agency and Shopify Plus partner. Let’s look at how we empower ecommerce businesses on a daily basis. 

What is an Ecommerce Agency?

An ecommerce agency is a specialised marketing and technology firm that partners with ecommerce businesses to help grow their business. Unlike more generalised marketing agencies, ecommerce agencies focus specifically on brands that sell products or services online. They know the unique challenges of digital retail, like driving traffic, converting visitors into customers, and managing sales across multiple channels and will use this knowledge to drive real results for brands.

Ecommerce agencies provide a range of services tailored to ecommerce businesses, including: building and optimising online stores, creating targeted advertising campaigns (like Google Ads and Meta Ads), improving search engine rankings (SEO), crafting engaging product content and visuals, analysing sales data to refine marketing strategies, and enhancing the user experience to boost conversions

In short, an ecommerce agency acts as a growth partner that combines marketing expertise with technology know-how to help online stores succeed in a competitive digital marketplace.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at an ecommerce marketing agency, you’re not alone. Whether you’re a brand considering partnering with one or just curious about how these agencies help online stores thrive, this blog will give you a clear look inside our world. 

What do Ecommerce Agencies Do? 

Strategy development

At the heart of everything an ecommerce agency like us does is develop solid, customised strategies to build ecommerce businesses. We don’t just run ads or build websites without a clear plan; we begin by deeply understanding a business: what they sell, who the customers are, and what makes the brand unique. We also work closely with brands to define their goals, whether that’s increasing sales, building brand awareness, or entering new markets.

With this foundation, we craft a tailored strategy designed specifically for an ecommerce store. This strategy identifies the right audience segments based on demographics, behaviours, and interests, ensuring that every marketing effort reaches people most likely to buy a brand’s products.

We also carefully select the most effective marketing channels, whether that’s paid ads on Google and social media platforms, email marketing, content marketing, or SEO, and subsequently create messaging that resonates with an audience at each stage of a customer’s buying journey. By aligning an ecommerce business’s  goals with tailored audience targeting, messaging, and the right channels, our strategic approach maximises ROI and builds sustainable growth.

Strategy development is an ongoing process; we continuously analyse performance data and make adjustments to respond to changing market trends, customer behaviour, and business priorities.

Paid advertising

Paid advertising is one of the most powerful methods of driving immediate traffic to your ecommerce store. At Cake, we manage paid media campaigns across a range of platforms, including Google Ads, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), and other relevant channels like TikTok, Pinterest and Snapchat, depending on where a brand’s audience might be.

Our approach goes beyond just setting up ads. We start by researching and identifying the best keywords, audience segments, and ad formats to reach the ideal customers at the right moment - whether they’re actively searching for products or discovering them for the first time through social browsing.

We focus on continuous optimisation, analysing key metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost per acquisition to make data-driven adjustments. This might mean refining bidding strategies, testing different creative assets (images, videos, copy), and adjusting targeting to improve performance.

Our goal is to maximise the return on a brand’s advertising budget, ensuring every penny contributes to meaningful traffic and sales growth. We’re always balancing volume with efficiency, working to increase conversions while lowering the overall cost per acquisition.

We also provide transparent reporting, so that brands can see the impact of campaigns and understand where their investment is going.

Content creation

Great marketing always starts with great content. It’s what captures attention, builds trust, and inspires action. Some ecommerce agencies provide content creation services. This helps craft meaningful experiences that speak directly to a target audience and reflect a brand’s unique voice and values.

The content creation process covers everything from writing compelling ad copy that grabs attention and drives clicks to designing eye-catching graphics that stand out in crowded feeds and digital spaces. Ecommerce agencies also produce high-quality video content, from short social clips to product demos and brand stories, tailored to the platform and audience.

We understand that every piece of content must work hard to communicate the message clearly and consistently. Whether it’s a punchy headline, a detailed product description, or a vibrant Instagram story, the creative and marketing team ensures the tone, style, and visuals align perfectly with a brand’s identity.

We also keep up with trends and best practices across different channels, adapting content formats to what performs best, whether that’s carousel ads on Facebook, TikTok challenges, or SEO-friendly blog posts.

Ultimately, our content aims to not only attract potential customers but also engage and nurture them through their buying journey, helping build lasting relationships that go beyond just a single sale.

SEO and website optimisation

Driving traffic to an ecommerce site is essential, but attracting visitors is only half the work. The real success lies in what happens once they arrive. That’s why ecommerce agencies focus heavily on both Search Engine Optimisation and website optimisation to ensure a site ranks well on search engines and delivers an outstanding user experience that converts visitors into loyal customers.

Our SEO work starts with in-depth keyword research to identify the most relevant and valuable search terms potential customers are using. We optimise a website’s technical foundations, including site speed, mobile responsiveness, URL structure, and metadata to meet search engine best practices and improve organic rankings.

We also create and optimise high-quality, keyword-rich content such as product descriptions, category pages, and blog posts that help sites attract and engage shoppers while providing valuable information that answers queries and builds trust.

Beyond SEO, we enhance the overall user experience by improving site navigation, ensuring fast page load times, and streamlining the checkout process to reduce friction. We analyse user behaviour using tools like Google Analytics and heatmaps to identify pain points and opportunities to improve conversion rates.

Together, these SEO and website optimisation efforts not only increase the quantity of visitors but also improve the quality of their experience, making it more likely they’ll complete purchases and return in the future.

Data analysis and reporting

In ecommerce marketing, data is the best guide to success. We constantly track and monitor every aspect of marketing campaigns and website performance, turning raw data into clear insights that drive smarter decisions.

Our development and marketing teams set up robust tracking systems using tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and other advanced analytics platforms to measure key metrics such as traffic sources, conversion rates, average order value, customer lifetime value, and return on ad spend (ROAS). All of which are crucial in allowing us to refine and improve.

But gathering data is only the first step. We dive deep into analysing trends and patterns to understand what’s working, what’s not, and why. This helps us identify opportunities to optimise ad spend, tweak messaging, improve targeting, and refinemarketing strategies overall.

Ecommerce agencies provide brands with regular, transparent reports that break down complex data into easy-to-understand summaries, visual charts, and actionable recommendations. These reports help them see the impact of their investment, track progress against goals, and plan for future growth.

By relying on continuous data analysis and reporting, we ensure ecommerce efforts stay agile, efficient, and results-driven, adapting quickly to changes in customer behaviour and market conditions.

What Don’t Ecommerce Agencies Do? 

We don’t promise overnight miracles

In the fast-paced world of ecommerce, it’s tempting to believe in quick fixes or instant success stories. However, building a thriving online business takes time, consistent effort, and strategic planning. While some campaigns may deliver early wins, sustainable growth comes from ongoing optimisation, testing, and learning.

Our approach is about managing expectations honestly and delivering measurable progress that builds a brand’s reputation and revenue over months and years, not just days.

We don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach

Every ecommerce brand is unique, from its products and values to its customers and goals. Because of this, cookie-cutter solutions don’t work. What drives success for one business might fall flat for another.

Whether it’s choosing the right channels, crafting tailored messaging, or designing campaigns that reflect a brand’s personality, our approach is flexible and adaptive. This ensures that the marketing we deliver isn’t just effective but also authentic to the business we’re working with, helping them build meaningful connections with their customers.

We don’t forget about collaboration

Ecommerce is a team effort - especially in brand-agency partnerships. We believe the best results come from close collaboration between our ecommerce agency and a brand’s internal team. A brand will have deep knowledge of its brand and customers, which, when combined with our marketing expertise, creates a powerful partnership.

We prioritise open communication, transparency, and regular check-ins to make sure everyone stays aligned on goals, strategies, and progress. This collaborative approach means feedback is valued and incorporated, helping us tailor campaigns that truly reflect a brand’s vision.

By working together, we not only deliver better marketing outcomes but also build a relationship based on trust and shared success. Ultimately, our goal is to become an extension of an ecommerce brand’s team, invested in your long-term growth and achievements.

Why it matters

Partnering with an ecommerce agency means gaining access to a team of specialists who live and breathe the world of online retail. We understand the fast-paced nature of eCommerce, the unique challenges it presents and the exciting opportunities that come with it.

Our expertise allows us to craft strategies that are not just reactive but proactive, helping your brand stay ahead of trends and adapt quickly to changes. We focus on strategic planning to map out clear growth paths, create creative content that resonates and builds brand loyalty, and rely on data-driven decisions to continually optimise and improve marketing efforts.

Beyond tactics, we believe in collaboration. We work closely with you to align on goals and share insights, making sure your vision and values shine through every campaign.

Together, this approach helps brands build lasting connections with their customers, foster trust, and grow profitably in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

If you’re interested in working with an ecommerce agency like us - contact us!

Owen Timmins

Author

Owen Timmins
Brand Marketing Executive