What are the ecommerce growth strategies beyond just ads?

Scanning through my LinkedIn feed I’m seeing more single-channel (Meta Ads) strategies than ever before. The ‘playbook for growth’ built upon ad optimisation and landing page tactics.

I’m pretty sure they’re all written by eager folks that have never built, owned, scaled or sold an ecommerce business. I have. I know the emotional wrangle that goes on when your walking into a warehouse packed full to the rafters of stock (that’s on 90 day terms). I know the feeling when that invoice becomes due. These are the day-to-day realities of ecommerce that few folks actually write about. Why? because either they’re too busy running their ecommerce business or they’re an agency/consultant pitching their playbook guaranteeing 10x growth in 90 days or less. There’s a lack of reality when it comes to selling the idea that ecommerce is just a game of scaling ads.

So… I digress. What else could you be doing to grow your ecommerce business?

Well….. here you go…

Do you launch them all? Of course not. You do get a sense for where else you could be growing your business. Your OWNED growth channels where you’re not building on rented land. Want a handed deciding what to do next? Just get in touch.

Partnerships & Affiliates

• Affiliate marketing — tap into creators, influencers, and publishers who promote you on performance-based commissions.

• Strategic brand partnerships — collaborate with complementary brands for co-marketing campaigns, bundles, or shared audiences.

• Wholesale relationships — partner with retailers or distributors to get your products into new channels.

• Ambassador programs — build loyalty-driven communities of passionate customers who promote your brand organically.

Content & SEO

• Content marketing — create articles, guides, and resources to attract organic search traffic and educate customers.

• SEO optimization — improve your website’s technical SEO, on-page content, and backlink profile to rank for buyer-intent keywords.

• User-generated content — leverage reviews, testimonials, and social media posts from customers to build credibility and social proof.

• Video marketing — tutorials, unboxings, behind-the-scenes, and product storytelling on YouTube or social channels.

Organic Social & Community

• Organic social media — build engaged audiences on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn.

• Community building — create spaces for your audience to connect (Facebook Groups, Discord, Slack communities).

• Live streaming & events — host Q&As, product demos, or online events to drive direct engagement.

Owned Channels

• Email marketing — nurture and convert subscribers with segmented, high-value campaigns.

• SMS marketing — reach your best customers directly with offers and updates.

• Loyalty programs — incentivize repeat purchases and referrals through rewards.

• Direct mail — physical mailers for re-engagement or exclusive offers to your best customers.

Product & Customer Experience

• Product innovation — launch new or improved products to excite existing customers and attract new audiences.

• Personalised experiences — tailor recommendations, bundles, or landing pages based on customer behaviour.

• Exceptional customer service — create experiences that turn customers into raving fans who share your brand organically.

• Customer education — build how-to content, FAQs, or workshops to teach customers in a way that builds confidence and reduce barriers to purchase.

PR & Authority Building

• Media coverage — pitch your brand story to journalists, bloggers, and podcasts.

• Awards & certifications — leverage industry recognition to stand out and build trust.

• Thought leadership — publish insights on trends or innovations in your niche, positioning your brand as an expert.

Retention & Referrals

• Referral programs — encourage existing customers to bring friends in exchange for discounts or perks.

• Reactivation campaigns — win back lapsed customers with tailored outreach.

• Subscription models — create recurring revenue and deeper relationships with customers.

Expansion & Diversification

• International markets — launch into new regions where demand is strong.

• New sales channels — list on marketplaces like Amazon (this is a whole bigger conversation…. but a conversation that needs to be had within every ecommerce business), Etsy, or niche platforms.

• Pop-ups & events — temporary physical retail or experiential marketing without massive ad spend.

TL;DR?

Non-ad-led growth is about building assets, your brand, content, relationships and community, that keep paying dividends long after you create them.

By focusing on partnerships, organic traffic, owned channels and customer relationships, you build a business that can grow without sacrificing profit margins to rising ad costs. It’s not a single strategy playbook. It’s not about scaling ads at some agency’s unreachable 10:1 ROAS promise that acts as a hook to get your business but never materialises…. you know the conversations all too well, I’m sure.

It’s the reality of building a growth channel portfolio where you’re not solely dependent on one route to business. Ads. One uncontrollable, expensive route to business.