The digital world is ever changing, and to stay ahead of the game, online retailers need to be kept informed on the latest eCommerce trends so that they can develop the right strategies for their online business.

Let's find out what are the 4 key eCommerce trends this year.

1. Content marketing becomes people-focused

According to Smart Insights, a consulting and publishing firm, more than than a quarter of the marketers surveyed believed that content marketing would be the most important in 2015. This is because customers are becoming increasingly wary about paid advertisements such as pop-up banners but not towards interesting and engaging content.

Yet, content marketing is more than just creating content to drive traffic to site - it's about how to connect with customers at the right place with the right content. As customers become more empowered in deciding which content to share, online retailers need to make sure that their content is catered towards the interests of their target audience.

2. Enhancing the omni-channel experience

It's hard for retailers with both physical and online presence to ignore omni-channel commerce as 'real time retail' is the new imperative this year. With increased choices and convenience, customers today are expecting a seamless shopping experience wherever they are and retailers need strategise wisely and cross-sell to potential customers at each stage of their shopping journey.

Examples could be for brands to use digital communications to drive foot traffic to stores, or use promotional tactics such as free shipping to attract shoppers to their online store.

3. Mobile commerce continues to grow

With over 80% smartphone adoption rate, it is estimated that mobile shopping has generated US$1.1 billion worth of revenue in Singapore in 2014, with room to grow in 2015. This indicates that it has become mandatory to have at least a mobile-optimised website. More importantly, online retailers need to address customer's concerns on making secured transactions through mobile phones.

4. Using social media to collect leads

Social media played a pivotal role in 2014, and will continue to do so this year. What's different will be that customers are using more social channels such as Instagram and Pinterest to discover new products and content, apart from Facebook and Twitter.

With a wider spectrum of social media channels, it creates opportunities for online retailers to collect leads. The information collected can be used for campaigns, and online retailers can target these potential customers with more personalised promotions.

As the eCommerce industry starts to move into a more matured phase, it is time for online retailers to focus on their returns on investment and refine the marketing initiatives moving forward.