2013 was yet another record year for eCommerce, both in the United States and around the world. Consider, according to Forbes, eCommerce spending grew by 16.2% in the U.S. By 2017, Americans are expected to spend over $270 billion a year on the worldwide web. Things are looking equally rosy for global web spending, with 2013 seeing $1.25 trillion being shelled out across the world.

Knowing how to advertise effectively, as always, will be the key to drawing in eCommerce in 2014. Inbound marketing, a method of marketing that is designed to draw users in, is the only way for effective promotions marketing in this new year. If you’re unsure what exactly your inbound marketing campaign should be focusing on, here are the three most important advertising strategies you should be looking at.

Content Marketing is the Future
As any professional web advertising agency can tell you, the need for writing great content has been growing since Google Penguin and Panda arrived on the scene a few years ago. Black-hat practices, like link-farming and keyword stuffing, aren’t enough to please Google or consumers anymore. As Social Media Today suggests, content marketing is about optimizing content for your readers; writing content that answers a question, entertains, or educates is the best way to accomplish this goal. If you successfully implement this content strategy, you can take advantage of the 61% of people who say they feel better buying from companies who publish useful, custom content, according to Inbound Writer.

Everybody Needs to Be on Social Media
According to Statistics Brain, 1.9 billion people use social media everyday via Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, 500 million use Google+. In total, social media represents well over 2.5 billion chances to put effective advertising strategies to use. Statistics from Content Marketing Institute show that 87% of small businesses say social media is important for their company. 74% of all businesses say they experience noticeable increases in web traffic after spending only 6 hours on social media per week. Make social media a priority if you’re going for effective advertising in the new year.

Search Engine Optimization Remains Crucial
As content marketing and social media become increasingly useful, SEO remains an essential part of all smart companies’ advertising strategies. 93% of web experiences still begin with a web search, according to Search Engine Journal. With limited, effective use of keywords, generating back-links in an acceptable way, and optimizing post titles and web design, your company can generate the buzz it needs through SEO and greatly increase revenue potential.

You might notice that the best advertising strategies for 2014 are the same as they were in 2013, and that’s no coincidence. As outbound marketing methods become ever-less useful, inbound marketing is taking its rightful place as the king of all advertising strategies. Put these tips to use in your own marketing campaigns, and watch as they make all the difference. Continue.