In the marketing sector today, content marketing has probably become the largest buzzword. It seems you can’t talk to a company owner who has an internet presence without bringing up the word. Every “expert” online argues to keep the content marketing confidential.
But that is the truth. What works for one company, like most marketing strategies, will not necessarily work for another. Marketing campaigns for content will also differ by sector.
So what’s content marketing exactly?
By definition, promoting a brand, product or service directly or indirectly is the method of generating and distributing digital materials online.
But that is such a wide definition. You need to take an ecommerce-specific attitude to having a good content marketing strategy as an ecommerce store.
Without an internet presence, your content strategy will not be the same as a B2B SaaS business or a local B2C retailer.
We’ve seen numerous ecommerce sites getting so caught up in their marketing plan that they’re losing sight of what drives their company. You should focus on ecommerce conversions instead of attempting to copy a competitor’s content strategy (which may or may not have a successful approach).
All you need to do is drive conversions. As an ecommerce store, that’s the ultimate way to survive.
So if you can’t link conversions to your content strategy directly or indirectly, it’s a waste of effort. That’s what inspired this guide to be created.
We would like to clarify any misconceptions about content marketing that you might have and how it operates. We’ve described a simple strategy to content marketing specifically intended for ecommerce stores.
Ecommerce Content Marketing process
Step #1: Identify your Target Audience
We understand this may sound simple, but how many people don’t know the response to this issue would surprise you. Take a moment to see if your target audience really knows.
Before any marketing campaign for content, your target audience must be crystal clear. Otherwise, the success rate will not be high and will lead to conversions.
You can’t begin marketing strategy without knowing your target audience & how to reach them.
- Age
- Gender
- Likes
- Dislikes
- Location
- Habits
These are the basics you need to understand. Identifying your startup’s target market is something you ought to have done a long time ago. But for individual campaigns and strategies, your general audience is not always the same.
Step #2: Learn their Online Habits
Remember, online distribution of digital touchpoints is all about content marketing. That’s why finding out who your audience is so essential.
You need to understand where these individuals live online. Otherwise, you will not understand how to distribute the correct material or where to do so.
You can’t assume habits. While the platform may be used by your clients, this network is intended for B2B marketing, not for B2C ecommerce stores.
Step #3: Create and Distribute Content
Once you find out which platforms are the best locations for your earlier defined target audience to distribute content, you can now begin producing content.
It’s a big mistake if you begin building the content before going through the first two steps. You may waste your time creating content that individuals are not going to end up seeing or using.
Let’s say you’re spending 90% of your funds on blogging for content advertising. But on YouTube and Instagram, your audience spends time. That’s not using your funds efficiently.
The sort of content that you produce will also rely on who you target individuals in the marketing funnel based on their level.
A consumer who has never heard of your brand or ecommerce site will be aimed differently from repeat customers who know what they are looking for and are willing to buy.
By breaking down the whole process into these three steps, content marketing for ecommerce products is simplified. But if you mix these measures in order, it’s not going to be as efficient.
Types of Ecommerce Content Marketing
Now that you know the strategy behind ecommerce sites’ content marketing, it’s time to look at some more particular kind of content that you can use for your campaigns.
Keep in mind that not all of these will apply to any campaign you run. The content will always differ and depend on who you are targeting and on the platforms on which you plan to distribute.
#1 – Blogging
I always suggest that you start blogging with your content marketing approach. While this may not be the most common strategy for ecommerce businesses, in terms of SEO, it is very useful.
You compete with dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of other products throughout the internet as an ecommerce store. You can’t count on buying all of your clients straight to your site.
Blogging must end straight through your website with CTAs. It is an approach that is easy, yet efficient.
This approach for blog posts linked to the products you sell online can definitely be imitated.
#2 – Original Photos
The biggest online selling challenge is that before they buy it, customers can’t touch and feel what you’re offering.
For this they are relying heavily on visuals. So it’s up to you to make sure you have loads of images from almost every imaginable angle of your products. For your product websites, this is essential, but you can also repurpose these pictures on other channels.
Again, this is only if you have done the right research and recognized this platform as a place to reach your target audience.
Include your blogs with pictures. Add them to your campaigns for email. Share them on other channels of social media. Continue to take pictures because you can always discover a use for them.
#3 – Video Content
The more individuals watch videos online about a product, the greater their average order value. Videos can also be repurposed across various channels. Your blog, product pages, email campaigns and profiles on social media are great places to distribute.
In addition, 90% of customers say videos help their purchasing choices. 54 percent of consumers want the brands they support to see more video content. Videos on landing websites can boost conversions by up to 80%.
Just adding the term “video” to the topic line of your email can boost your open rates by 19%.
- “How to” videos
- Brand advertisements
- Interviews
- Animations
- Product demonstrations
- Live video Broadcasts
The list of opportunities continues and continues. Video content for all ecommerce locations must be integrated into marketing strategies.
#4 – Product Buying Guides
For the same reason as blogs, product purchase guides are crucial. When individuals are looking for more data about particular products, they can be used to drive organic traffic to your ecommerce site.
The greatest distinction between item purchasing and blogging guides is that they target distinct kinds of individuals each.
Typically, blog posts are ToFu (top funnel) content since the customer is still in the product and brand awareness phase. On the other side, product purchase guides are MoFu (mean funnel) content as the customer enters the purchase process assessment phase.
Make sure you have CTAs to drive conversions in all your purchasing guides.
#5 – Customer Stories
There are many distinct formats to tell a client tale that you can use.
Case studies can be in text format, image format, videos, or blog posts. Display them on your Homepage. Create distinct client story landing pages. Share them on social media.
If you look back at the content marketing funnel we discussed previously, client narratives fall into the category of BoFu (the bottom of the funnel).
The customer is near to converting at this stage. Customer stories can be the factor driving them to finish the buying process.
Conclusion
There are many misunderstandings about marketing content and how it operates. You need to look for strategies particular to your sector as an ecommerce company.
You need to understand the process of ecommerce content marketing before you do anything.
- know your Audience
- Find a way to reach them online
- Create & distribute content on those platforms
Everything else becomes simpler when you take this strategy. Just remember that to eventually drive conversions, every content strategy you apply.
About the Author!
Jeevan Kumar is a technology enthusiast and strong believer in agile product development. He is a Senior Content Strategist of Fortunesoft IT Innovations – Magento development company.
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