In this video, Rachel chats with Rikita Jain, director and CEO of MMF Infotech Technologies. Ritika shares why she decided to start MMF Infotech, her focus on Amazon, the balance between SEO and advertising, and Amazon ads best practices.

Transcript below.

Rikita’s background

Rachel Andrea Go: So, thank you, Ritika, for joining us. To start off, can you share a little bit about your background and how it led to where you are today?

Ritika Jain: Sure. Thank you for asking the question. So, my journey into the world of eCommerce consultancy and entrepreneurship has been shaped with 14 years of experience in the field where I honed my skills and expertise along the way. So, I’m a driven and passionate woman who has dedicated her career to, you know, master[ing] the intricacies of eCommerce businesses as well as digital commerce. So, from the outset, I have been guided by two fundamental principles, that is, the passion and diligence, and I think these qualities have propelled me forward, shaping my path and leading me where I am today. So, with my background rooted primarily in the eCommerce businesses, I have navigated through [the] ever-evolving landscape of online commerce, where I have gained valuable insights and experiences along the way.

So, as I’m deeply immersed in the dynamics of eCommerce, I have found my niche in helping brands and, you know, retailers to expand their presence in eCommerce marketplaces, especially on Amazon, but not only on Amazon but other marketplaces as well, like Etsy, eBay, Walmart, etc. What my expertise lies in is providing comprehensive support to businesses who are looking to navigate the complexities of online marketplaces and offering them strategies that drive results and growth as well. But beyond the technicalities of expanding eCommerce business, my strength also lies in fostering connections and driving Innovations.

So, I will say that throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with clients and brands who have interested me with their goals and aspirations. So, together along with brands, I am able to [achieve] a few remarkable milestones; that is generating over two billion in revenue through a blend of organic as well as paid media. So, in a sense, I mean, my journey at MMF is of growth, you know, learning, and unwavering dedication. Every experience, every challenge has shaped me into the professional that I am today. So, as I continue my path, I remain committed to pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and driving meaningful changes in the world of eCommerce.

Bridging the gap between offline and online selling

Rachel Andrea Go: So, speaking of MMF, what led you to start MMF Infotech and have a focus in Amazon?

Ritika Jain: Okay, so, basically, I always have a passion for doing something online, right? So I also always want to, you know, like, learn as well as want people to do something sitting at the comfort of their home obviously, and, you know, growing their business online. So when I started MMF, obviously I was passionate about doing something online, so I was not sure what I’m gonna do, but I have to do something online, right? 

So, then I started seeing the gap as well as learning the new things and starting seeing the gap in the market where the retailers are still not able to adapt this eCommerce thing, you know? When I started, it was quite new. There are very few people who are encouraged to go online and start selling their product. They are like—they’re not able to gain that kind of niche, you know, whether they have to or not. They are doing well in the offline business, but still they are quite reluctant to go online. So I saw a huge gap in the market. And then, as this evolved, you know, I have also seen that brands and retailers who are, you know, like, doing that business even online are using quite generic strategies, so they are not quite successful. And that is what also made other sellers, you know, to not make entry in this market. 

Then as we evolved, you know, what happened—the brand, you know—when I learned from the media as well and also the brand also learned that, yes, the eCommerce is a thing that they have to do. Then we, you know—I created a personalized and data-driven approach for every category and every brand who was—who want to launch in this marketplace or who want to grow in the marketplaces. So I think what made it MMF specialize or, you know, started as an eCommerce consultancy is basically giving them personalized, data-driven approach that I think which can help them understand their goals and challenges in this industry.

Rachel Andrea Go: That’s really interesting. And what are a few things that you found helped you grow and established MMS?

Ritika Jain: Yeah, sure. So, there are several key factors which have played [a] pivotal role in the growth and establishment of MMF infotech. So, I would say that MMF success boils down to two things: That is a great team and laser-focused strategy. So, obviously, we hired similar minds who are passionate about growing businesses of eCommerce sellers, you know. And then together, we dive deep into eCommerce and what it demanded from us. So, we built our services and solutions and crafted custom strategies that really work for our clients. So, yes, the eCommerce boom gave us the best to boost our company as well, but we never stopped learning and adapting new technologies and strategies which are needed at the current scenario. Like, in terms of Amazon, we completely embrace the new tech to stay ahead of the Amazon game. And also timing and industry also played a crucial role.

I mean, we stayed abreast of the developments in the eCommerce trap, adapting the emerging technologies and trends. We also capitalized [on] the rise of mobile shopping or leveraging the eCommerce platform with the help of AI tools. We have done, you know, like, we have used AI tools as well. We have two certain product resource tools as well which are giving us significant data.

The power of marketplace specialization and robust SEO

Rachel Andrea Go: Very cool. So, speaking of kind of staying on top of tech and data, what are a few lessons that you learned from growing your Amazon agency or your eCommerce agency?

Ritika Jain: Yeah, definitely. So, I mean, I will say the, you know, Amazon or eCommerce agency has been a journey with invaluable lessons. So there are few key insights which I want to share with you guys. First is that if, in terms of Amazon or eCommerce, I will say that mastering the ecosystem of the business, right? So, let’s say if I talk about the Amazon, understanding the intricacies of the Amazon platform, algorithm, and policies is essential for the success of any seller. So by mastering this—you know, elements, we can effectively optimize product listing, do categorization, manage advertising campaigns, and navigate the complexities of selling on the platforms like Amazon.

Another I will say, the marketplace specialization. So, if the seller is selling in the Amazon—as you all know that the marketplaces like Amazon or Walmart, they continuously evolve and grow and they find a specific niches or services in a standing in this crowded marketplace to stay ahead of the competition. So we must excel in terms of product launching, advertising, optimization, and brand management as well so that we can deliver exceptional results to our clients who have launched on this marketplace or who are looking to launch in this marketplace.

Another, I will say that learning continuously and adapting the new technologies like I’ve already mentioned earlier, since we all know that this eCommerce landscape is continuously evolving. So, it is crucial to stay abreast of industry trends, algorithm changes, and best practices. So, I think by embracing a culture of continuous learning and adaptation, we can remain agile and proactive in our approach to serving clients. The last — I mean, not the list, obviously — the data-driven decision-making. So I will say that leveraging the data and analytics to inform decision-making is critical for driving results on Amazon or any other marketplace.

By analyzing performance metrics and identifying the current trends and iterating the strategies based on the previous insights also, and also optimizing the campaigns, it can maximize the ROI of the clients. Yeah, so, that is what I think is very important things and also that is what I have learned by growing my eCommerce agency.

Rachel Andrea Go: So, clearly, you have really deep insight and knowledge about growth on Amazon. So, do you have any advice on when Amazon sellers should focus on SEO versus when they should focus on advertising (so, organic versus paid)?

Ritika Jain: Yeah. So, I will say that advertising part help us to get more sales for our account, no doubt for that. So, if the client is, you know, like, very new to the business and he has just launched — so, I will say that, after the listing optimization part, the client has to start advertising without putting their, you know, product or listings in front of the buyers. They are not able to lend anywhere. So already, like, there are many sellers selling the same product or, you know, having the same kind of things, doing—or they are doing the same kind of things that the competitor is doing. They have to make sure that they spend some kind of thing in advertising so that at least people start seeing their brand.

So that is where the advertising should come into, while SEO helps sellers to get organic ranking. So I will say, along with SEO, these two simultaneously, you know, invest in SEO so that the people start getting the organic traction as well. So, you know, ranking the products on Amazon platform is equally crucial along with advertising. I will say that advertising and SEO should go hand-[in]-hand. But if the client is short on budget, then first start with advertising—a little bit investing [in] advertising if the client is launching, and then slowly focus on driving the traffic with the help of SEO.

Do’s and don’ts of selling on Amazon

Rachel Andrea Go: What’s a favorite success story of yours? I know that you spoke a lot about Amazon A+ Content on our blog you have—

Ritika Jain: Yeah, correct.

Rachel Andrea Go: Yeah, do you have a case study or, like, a client that you really enjoyed working with on A+ Content?

Ritika Jain: Yeah, definitely. So, we work with many brand owners for whom we have done A+ Content, you know, and we have libraries that A+ Content for increasing their sales with the help of advertising as well as for the organic sales as well, right? So, I will share—definitely, I will share one of my favorite success story. I think I should tell all year. 

So, one of my favorite success stories for implementing Amazon A+ Content is regarding, you know, for one of the U.S.-based seller who was into skincare business. So he started a, you know, small skincare brand selling under the beauty category. So, as you all know that the beauty category is already very crowded and competitive on Amazon, having a lot of pricing issues, competitive pricing issues.

So, for that particular, you know, skincare brand, what we have done, we have incorporated A+ Content into their listing. Initially, when the client started for the sixth month, he didn’t want to invest in that, in the A+ for six months, so we just, you know, like, tried to leverage without that but, however, at a particular time, you know, the growth became stagnant and there was something the client was missing. So then we suggested to start with the A+ Content and we have given them the plan and the client got agreed. 

So, by leveraging this A+ Content, we were able to create a visually stunning and informative product pages that highlighted the unique benefits of their skin care product. So their skincare product, I mean, quite unique, they are very good. So by creating, you know, the compelling images and engaging copy, we enhanced the product descriptions, which were able to captivate the attention of shoppers, you know, and which have effectively communicated the brand value.

So, as a result, after just, you know—in a span of 30 days and 30 to 40 days, the client saw a significant increase in conversion rates and sales, ultimately surpassed their sales expectations, and they have gained traction in this competitive skincare industry. I think this success story underscores the power of A+ Content in driving conversions and elevating a brand’s presence on Amazon marketplace. So, I think it demonstrates that how investing in high-quality content can make a tangible impact on sales performance and help brands stand out in the crowded marketplace.

Rachel Andrea Go: I think that’s a really salient point because, in beauty especially, consumers are so visual. Like they want to see, is this product sticky? Is it, you know, what’s the consistency? What’s the texture? And so that’s really smart to kind of leverage that visual type of shopping better on Amazon.

So, speaking about kind of product listings and, you know, we just spoke about organic versus paid, what are some common mistakes that you’ve noticed Amazon sellers make when it comes to advertising or their listings or anything like that how they sell?

Ritika Jain: So, we are talking about the mistakes that the sellers generally make, right? So, yeah, as I said, they generally make frequent changes to their campaigns by adding or deleting the keywords which are not working by setting the bids without taking the, you know, previous data or the competitive bits or the competition in the market. Also, sometimes they target the wrong audience and they feel that advertising is not working for them, which also, to help, you know—which also generates the wrong clicks for them. However, they are not able to analyze this thing.

And also, I have come across with a few of them, like, the few sellers who doesn’t optimize for the placement. So, what they think—some sellers, what they think [is] like, okay, they should rank on the first position or second position, third position — that’s it, right? But that is not the correct strategy for advertising. Advertising is something—putting the, you know, ads in front of the audience from where you are getting the right clicks and getting conversions. So even if you are not ranking in the first or second position by spending a whole lot of, you know, budget into that, if you are, you know, getting conversion from the product detail page or the “add to cart” page or the front page or whatever, you should invest in that. So, analyzing the placement is the key factor that I think one should consider while advertising, not just ranking first or second. 

Surprisingly, I will say, like, just I mean—I have worked with the brands, you know? Like, they were ranking high, but they were not getting the conversion on that, but they are getting the conversion with the help of this, you know, product targeting, competitive targeting, and, you know, strategizing in that way. So, it worked a lot for them and even the cost per conversion, you know, and the ROS is quite higher for those placement ads compared to the first and second position. So there, the brand should leverage that position, you know, invest more in that instead of just, you know, being—you know, like, taking into consideration that, “Okay, I’m not ranking at first or second,” you know? Yeah.

New ways to stand out on Amazon

Rachel Andrea Go: Yeah, absolutely. So, what do you think are some of the most interesting changes that Amazon has made recently?

Ritika Jain: Okay, Amazon is continuously evolving and making a lot of changes these days, right? So, I mean, there are a lot of—many things to tell. But yeah, in short, I will just, you know, describe few of things. So, in the recent years, Amazon has been making significant strides towards sustainability with initiatives such as climate place commitment to be net zero by, you know, 2040 and the launch of program like Amazon Day to reduce packaging waste. So, the sellers or, you know, even the buyers might have noticed that they have put the icon, like a “climate page friendly: and everything on the product detail pages to enhance that kind of thing. So that is one of the things that Amazon has made—I mean, introduced recently. 

Also, in terms of Amazon advertising, you know, Amazon has introduced a lot of new features and tools recently. So, this include[s] innovations in sponsored ads, video ads, and audience targeting; also, the recent integration of Twitch advertising and livestream and, you know, and so on. I think the audience must be familiar or, if they might not be, then there’s Twitch advertising and the video stream as well; that should be leveraged by brands, right? 

And also, Amazon is continuously investing in improving the customer experience. That is what they are doing since starting, right? So, they have taken the initiative of faster delivery—I mean, delivering faster, and also they have expanded their product selection and enhancement, both online and in store.

Also, recently, they—for the small business owner, they’re also producing increased emphasis on supporting third-party sellers with initiatives of a program such as Amazon Small Business Accelerator program, and they have also provided some tools to help these sellers to manage their businesses more efficiently. Other than this is global expansion. So, like, earlier, the—Amazon is in like, I mean “.com,” “.in,” or “.co.uk,” or “.eu,” right? But nowadays, Amazon has expanded in multiple reasons, including, you know, Saudi Arabia, Africa, South America, etc. So, I will say overall, these changes reflect Amazon’s ongoing evaluation and commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer centricity.

The rise of social selling and advertising

Rachel Andrea Go: Can you tell us more about how Twitch advertising works on Amazon and, like, video, like streaming and all of that? 

Ritika Jain: Yeah, yeah. So, for Twitch advertising, you should have, like—there’s a DSP, right? So, I mean, there is—a DSP is a demand sign platform. With the help of that, the Amazon sellers can do Twitch advertising. So, obviously, that I won’t recommend for every seller or who are just starting it out, but who have at least, you know, gained some market traction on Amazon already. I think they should use this kind of DSP or demand not only Twitch but all third-party website as well for marketing their product and driving it to the Amazon. So these are for the sellers who, I will say that, who already have a minimum budget of spending for advertising of dollar 10,000, right? So for that, I will suggest that, “Okay, like, now you can go to DSP or the two advertising.” But before the small sellers, like, this—they should first focus on the Amazon platform as well leverage that, and then go out and do all those things.

Rachel Andrea Go: Great advice. So, thinking back on 2023, what do you think had the biggest impact on eCommerce that’s going to last through the years pretty much?

Ritika Jain: All right. So, I think for 2023, social commerce, right? So, there’s a rise of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram as a shopping destination, which has [a] huge impact in the year of 2023, right? So, like, you all know that, you know, TikTok emerged as a powerful tool for brands to engage with the consumers and drive sales through innovative and entertaining content. So, the platform short-form video format that enabled brands to showcase, you know, products in creative ways which have reached a wide audience for potential customers. Also, influential marketing on TikTok’s also gained traction with influencers collaborating with brands to promote products among their followers.

Overall, [the] TikTok rise in popularity reshaped the eCommerce landscape by providing new avenues for brands to connect with consumers and drive conversions in a dynamic and engaging manner. So, many Amazon sellers have also used, you know, that TikTok platform for driving external traffic to their store, and which has given a significant result to them as well. So obviously, TikTok is one of the major factor[s] which have enhanced in the 2023, but not only TikTok some, you know, like Facebook shops as well and Instagram as well — they are also driving traffic. Or Google ads as well, they are also driving traffic.

Embrace technology and expand your online presence

Rachel Andrea Go: So, my last question is, what is your advice to merchants this 2024?

Ritika Jain: All right. So, my advice for eCommerce merchants in 2024 centers on adaptation, innovation, and customer centricity. So, obviously, there are a few points to consider which I think I should share, yeah? First is, they have to embrace emerging technologies. So, everyone has to stay ahead of the curve by leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and machine learning, which can enhance the shopping experience of the buyers. So, these technologies can help personalize interactions, streamline operations, and drive sales. So, yeah. First of all is embracing new technologies, which I have mentioned right now. 

Another is prioritizing mobile commerce. So, with the—as we all know that there’s a continuous rise of smartphone uses, which have prioritized mobile optimization to cater to the growing number of mobile softwares. So, ensuring that the website and the checkout process are mobile friendly, one has to provide a seamless experience across all devices to the buyers. Third is, you know, the sustainability. So with increasing—I mean, everybody is getting aware about the environmental issues and sustainability in business practices. So, it is crucial that we should include some eco-friendly or maybe packaging or, you know, product or sourcing, ethically sourced product. So, implementing this type of environmentally-friendly processes throughout your supply chain could also have a good impact on your business.

And like I told earlier as well, this building your presence in multiple marketplaces and investing in omnichannel marketing. So, what you have to do for that is sellers have to build a presence on multiple marketplaces, including Amazon. So with the Amazon-focused audience or non-Amazon-focused audience as well, I will say that you have to make sure that you are building your presence everywhere, whether it is Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Mercado, Cdiscount, or reason-specific platforms, right? So, with the help of globalization, everybody is able to sell their product, you know, here and there, without restrictions. So, they are—one must think out of the boundary and should make their presence in these marketplaces. Sellers must, you know, think globally instead of just locally.

Also, sellers have to take a holistic approach by marketing—to marketing by integrating various channels like I mentioned — you know, TikTok and other social media as well — by using the email automation, by using search engines, and also the offline channels. So, creating a seamless experience for customers across all touch points to increase engagement and driving conversions is equally important. So, I think by following these strategies, eCommerce merchants can position themselves for success in 2024 and beyond.