A successful online store is dependent on conversions. Period.
If you don’t, you are just another digital store owner who is pursuing a hobby instead of a business.
Cue, ecommerce content marketing strategy.
The average conversion rate for digital stores with compelling content is 2.9%. Websites that don’t publish compelling content achieve an average conversion rate of 2.9%, compared to a paltry 0.5%.
In which category would you like to be?
Let’s dive into content marketing in more detail.
Why Ecommerce Content Marketing?
Seth Godin’s words:
“Content marketing is all that’s left of Marketing.”
– Seth Godin
The man speaks his mind!
It’s a fact you have heard before: content is king. It’s true. There’s a reason why people shout it from the rooftops. Get active!
Engaging with potential customers can increase trust and build brand loyalty. This is powerful stuff if done right.
What’s a Content Strategy for Ecommerce,
Let’s take a closer look to understand what content marketing is and how it works.
Unfortunately, despite numerous positive comments from market leaders such as Seth Godin about content creation, many business leaders continue to ignore the value of content creation. Ecommerce entrepreneurs who have their own brands assume that advertising through paid marketing is the best way to generate sales. They also believe that they should produce the right products.
What these companies don’t know is that content marketing is the engine that drives every other marketing activity you do. Ecommerce companies can improve their brand image, increase traffic and improve their conversion rates by using the right content.
What is content marketing, you ask?
Content marketing refers to the creation of different types of content such as tutorial videos, written articles and infographics. This content is shared with a targeted audience in order to generate as many leads as possible.
Inspiration for Ecommerce Content Marketing
A content strategy for ecommerce involves identifying how to connect with your audience, elevate your brand, and use the right videos, articles, and other media. Most business leaders face the biggest challenge of deciding what their content should be.
First, you should know that written text is not the only form of content marketing. Companies can also invest in whitepapers, case studies, and eBooks. Also, consider:
- Video marketing includes live videos, Q&As, and how-to content.
- Social media is great for infographics and images that are informative
- Podcasts and audio bits – great for those who are on the go
Your target audience and their habits of online entertainment will determine the type of content you create. These techniques can help you get through the initial brainstorming stages.
Talk to your Audience
Talking to your target audience is the best way to ensure that you are producing quality content. Listen to your customers on social media and ask them about their daily challenges. To learn more about your clients’ buying journey, you can run quizzes and polls.
Take a look at the competition
Another great source of information is your competition. You can also learn from your competitors what type of content they are producing for your target audience, and then use that information to inspire your publications. Don’t just copy and paste the same content as other brands. You can also add new insight, information, or helpful insights to the mix.
Take a look at your own experiences
It’s unlikely that you would have entered business if you didn’t know a little bit about your industry. The CEO often had a problem he or she wanted solved. This is how the best companies are born. Before you invest in your ecommerce marketing, consider the mission and purpose of your online store. It is important to create brand awareness and present your venture as the solution to a problem.
What You Need Before You Create
You need to consider multiple types of content when developing an ecommerce content strategy. This can include a mix of written blog posts, videos, audio, eBooks and other great sources of entertainment.
Before you can put your plan in motion, think about what you want to accomplish with your content marketing. Long-term goals are to increase conversions. Your initial focus may be to build traffic and thought leadership.
Your content marketing strategy must move your audience through each stage of the funnel. This begins with building brand awareness via guest blogs and LinkedIn posts. Once your customer is aware of your company, then you can start to create more advanced content.
Before you begin creating:
Identify your Target Audience:
Although it may sound odd, you’d be amazed at how many companies are rushing to act without knowing their target audience. They may have an idea of the type of customer they are talking to, but that’s all.
This is often not enough. Before they can start to create, business leaders must have a clear understanding of the target audience. This includes learning as much about your target audience’s age, gender, likes and dislikes, their habits, and other details.
The target market will help you determine what you should do to make your content successful. You can create a user persona to use when you need to create new content marketing messages.
Search for the Right Platforms
Once you have a clear picture of your target audience, you can start to plan how you will connect with them. Content marketing is about connecting with your target audience through different touchpoints during the buying process.
Social media, for instance, is a great way to share content. This will help you learn more about your target audience by allowing you to monitor the conversations people have about your brand and industry. Many social media platforms also include their own analytics tools.
Social media isn’t the only option. Once you have a clear idea of the content you are creating, you might consider posting to forums or other online communities such as Reddit. To help your brand’s image, you might create guest blogs. You might also consider publishing some of your best content on a news curation website.
Create a distribution plan
We’ll be discussing some of the ways you can create engaging content that you can share with your customers. Before you start looking at examples of content marketing, you need to know how you will manage distribution.
The most successful ecommerce entrepreneurs will share articles and other content on multiple platforms simultaneously. This could include publishing on a website and sharing via email marketing. You can also showcase links on social media.
It’s important to create content, but it’s equally important to make sure you are delivering it to those who need it. It may be worthwhile to have someone from your marketing team available to share and distribute content whenever it becomes available.
Many ecommerce businesses have entire content marketing departments, each responsible for creating and promoting content.
Let’s get the ball rolling!
These are some tips to help you get started with your content ecommerce marketing campaign.
1. Avoid Distraction
Entrepreneurs fall prey to the temptation of trying to be all things to all people. You can’t master all social media platforms and all types of content.
Pick a method that you are comfortable with and stick to it. This is the only way to avoid distraction. If you want to convert, it is essential that you stay focused.
Top Tip – Ask yourself: How do I visualize communicating the benefits of my product to others? What type of content is my market most interested in?
These questions are answered and you now have something to work from.
Email marketing is a great way to market your products and services, especially if there are already a few subscribers.
This method is used by 74% to make it a success for B2C marketers. This is a great way to provide value to customers – get on board!
Email Marketing 101: Here are some things you should know
Automation is crucial. Automation is key. You can also schedule:
- Welcome emails,
- Newsletters,
- Promotional emails
You can name it!
Your copy should have an actionable purpose. Subscribers will love this! Always start from a position of service.
Customer retention is essential to an online store’s success. Repeat customers are more profitable than one-off buyers.
Email marketing is here to shine. By building a relationship with prospects, you increase the chance of them coming back to your shop.
Do you not have an email list?
This is not a problem. Start building one.
As customers check out, add a space for them to enter their email address. Make sure to check the box that allows you to email customers in the future.
A lead magnet could be created to encourage prospects to sign up for your mailing list. You could give away an e-book, cheat sheet, or webinar training in exchange for their name. In exchange for their email address and name.
Start sending emails to customers who have abandoned their cart. You can remind them of the near purchase by sending a gentle reminder. People forget sometimes, which can trigger them to return to you store to seal the deal.
Based on previous purchases, you could also recommend products to them. You may have seen the Amazon section titled “Customers who purchased this item also purchased this”. This should be repeated in your recommendation emails.
2. Get Blogging
Blogs are great for quickly getting started.
Email marketing and blogging go hand-in-hand. We’ve said it before, email marketing requires something of value. What better way to communicate with your subscribers than by writing an informative article?
Top Tip To increase engagement, add license-free imagery to your written content. Pexels and Unsplash are two of the most popular databases for these types of photos.
Perhaps videos appeal to you more? You can embed videos you have already uploaded to YouTube to help build your blog. (More on video marketing later).
Looking for inspiration for your next blog post These ideas will help you get started:
Product hacks How can you use your products creatively? Engaging with your followers by putting an innovative spin on something familiar is a great way to engage them.
Interview people that your audience admires. Find the aspects of the interviewee’s story that resonate with your customers. This is what people love!
Checklists Make a list to help people use your products or provide them with information they are interested in.
If you sell beauty products, create a checklist to help women master contouring. If you market accessories for golf, create a list that teaches golfers how to improve their swing.
These are short, punchy pieces that offer value and show that you care about your audience. People will appreciate that!
Tell your story. This will help you build rapport with readers. Have a story to share about the reasons you started your company?
People love to see the face behind the brand. You can show that you are human by empathizing with the issues of your audience. Trust is built through transparency.
How to posts. This style works like magic. These are great for communicating your brand’s story. Consider the lifestyle you want your customers to live and how your products can help them achieve it.
Ann Handley said it best: make your customers the her of all your stories’. Ann’s advice will be a blessing if you put it into practice.
Are you too busy to build your blog?
Contact guest bloggers.
Source guest bloggers if you don’t possess the writing skills or the time to create your blog.
Most of the pitches you get will be very poor. The good pitches will be well worth it.
Simply create a page on the site with the title “Want to Write for Us?”. Include any details you need as well as instructions about how writers can pitch ideas.
Top Tip If you don’t have the budget to pay your writers or are unable to pay them, let them know. Give them a brief description of how much traffic they generate and a reference under their work. Sometimes this can sweeten the deal.
3. Content writing tips
Be authentic. Be yourself.
Writing content for the internet is not like writing a high school essay. Imagine you are talking to a friend when you are struggling. What would you tell them? This question will inspire you to write your copy.
Tip No. Tip No. 2: Write when it feels most creative. Everyone works differently, which is okay. Make time to sit down and write when you have the energy.
4. SEO: What’s the Deal?
SEO is a key consideration when writing a blog post.
It is easy to optimize written content in your store for search engines.
You will eventually rank organically in search terms that customers enter into Google over time. To make this happen, however, there are a few things you need to do:
Keyword Research
This is crucial.
To get an idea of what your ideal customers are looking for, use Google Keyword Planner (which is entirely free by the way).
You should aim for keywords with high search volumes that aren’t too difficult to rank for.
Your content should always sound natural
Write for people, not robots.
SEO is important, but not at the expense of your copy.
After you have chosen a keyword, add it to your content in a way that compliments the text.
To make the most out of SEO, there are specific places where keywords should be placed:
- The title and the title tag
- A subheading
- Your first sentence in your copy
- In the last paragraph
- The meta description
- Images (the file name, alt tag)
Download the Yoast WordPress SEO plugin. It will tell you what to do to improve SEO.
TOP TIP: DO NOT ‘keyword-stuff’ your work. In other words, you deliberately use keywords to increase your rank. This is a bad idea for search engines and will result in you being penalized.
5. Host a Contest
Contests can be a great way to engage customers and attract new prospects. This is low-cost, high-converting content. What could be better? !
Your contest goal should be clear and concise. Are you looking to grow your email list, increase sales, or social media followers? ?
Next, choose the contest that will help you reach your goal. Ask participants to tweet something that uses a particular hashtag if you’re looking to increase your Twitter following.
You’re now ready to promote the contest by simply providing a prize.
6. Utilize Video
Videos are a popular choice. Did you know that 45% of people spend over an hour watching video on YouTube and Facebook every week? This is some powerful stuff.
Videos are great, no matter if you want to give helpful hints and tips for your customers or show the benefits of your products.
It is important to grab people’s attention. Without this, all your hard work won’t be worthwhile. Your introduction is crucial. Create a hook that will grab attention and attract viewers right away.
Do not be afraid to add humor and personality to your scripts. People love to laugh as much as they love learning useful information.
Top Tip YouTube videos also have to follow the same guidelines for keyword research and SEO optimization.
These are some things that you can do to increase your YouTube ranking organically.
- After your keyword, name the video file
- In the title, include the keyword
- In your video script, mention your keyword at least two times
- In the description, transcribe your video.
- In the video tags, insert your keyword and several variations.
7. Interactive Content
What are your customers having trouble with?
Make a list of all their problems (FYI, this is also an excellent exercise to generate new blog topics). Next, consider the type of interactive content that will help them solve their problems the best.
- A mobile app?
- A quiz?
- A Facebook group?
If you sell women’s clothing, for example. A quiz may be launched that will tell participants which style of dress best suits their body.
It’s easy to see the point!
This is a fun and effective way to get your audience to relate with your brand.
8. Publish an FAQ’s page
A FAQ page is an excellent resource for potential customers. It can be used to gently overcome any objections buyers may have.
Note down the questions you receive in emails every day and add them to your FAQ page.
These are some questions that you might publish your answers to to get things started:
- Which locations can you deliver?
- Shipping cost?
- When can I expect my delivery?
- Are you able to offer returns?
- Are you able to offer a guarantee?
This helps you build trust with customers. Honesty is the best policy and your prospects will appreciate it!
9. Do not be afraid to dream big
Long-form ecommerce content marketing is your friend.
As we have said, people need valuable information. Give it to them. Aim for around 1,000 words and be thorough.
Extended content is also a favorite of search engines. This shows that you have taken the time and effort to create quality content. Google is now putting user experience first, and in-depth blogs are a great way to achieve that.
10. Testimonials from Customers
Customer testimonials that shine are a magnet for customers who convert like crazy.
If you post a positive review, you are telling potential customers that others (just like you) have enjoyed your products. Without even having to write anything, you inspire confidence in your target audience!
Top Tip – email customers to see if anyone is interested in sharing their opinions on your products. As an incentive, you could offer discounts on your next order or a freebie. Keep an open mind and be open to hearing their unique stories.
11. Use infographics
If you are looking to conquer Pinterest, infographics can be a great option. This type of ecommerce content marketing can go viral. Make sure to include your logo and store name, and make it easy to share.
12. Keep it real
Create a glossary to explain terms when you sell products in an industry that uses complex jargon. In the digital marketing world, confusion phrases can include:
- Search engine optimization – SEO
- B2B- Business to Business
- B2C- consumer to business
- Call to Action- Call to Action
Simply create a tab in your store that lists the complicated terms and defines them. This is a great way to start your first store!
13. Offer a white paper
White papers (also known as ebooks) provide information to users about their industry. You will need to do some research in order to create a high-quality paper.
- Topics that your competitors are writing about
- You can find new trends in your industry
- Ask your audience questions.
Your ebook should not be considered a work-of-art. Avoid using flowery language or unnecessary jargon. You can cut your ebook if it’s not useful to customers. Simpler prose will encourage people to engage with your work.
White papers can position you as an industry expert. People will buy more from people who believe they know what they are talking about.
A white paper is essential if you want to be the best-selling store in your niche. You’ll see your brand grow in popularity and you’ll start to get tons of backlinks linking to your online shop. This is what search engines love!
Content strategists look for reliable sources of information and will often link back to your site. BOOM! A backlinking strategy is completely free!
14. Original Photos
One of the biggest problems with selling products online, is that customers cannot interact with your products. Online retailers have difficulty helping customers feel the product because they can’t touch it or view it from different angles.
Original photos make it easier for clients to understand what you offer. You can create 360-degree images depending on your camera quality and the capabilities of your website. Original photos can be used on many channels. This is the great thing about them. Your images can be posted on your website, product pages, and social media.
It is important to ensure that your photos look natural. Do not create photos that appear fake or too processed. Remember that smiling can lead to better photography.
15. Video Content
As we mentioned, it is important that your customers see your products before purchasing anything. You can offer a glimpse behind the scenes by using images. Videos tell a much more complete story.
Take a look at the positive impact video content can have on ecommerce, and other business growth strategies. You have a better chance of people buying a product if they watch more videos. Videos can be shared across multiple channels so they can be easily distributed across product pages, blogs and email campaigns as well as social media profiles.
90% consumers believe that video helps them make purchasing decisions. 54% of consumers would like to see more video content by brands they support. Landing page video can increase conversions by as much as 80%. Simply adding “video” to your subject line can increase open rates and encourage engagement.
16. Take an online course
An online course can be a fantastic way to increase the content in your sales funnel. Online courses and webinars can do more than just enhance your marketing efforts. These tools can be used to generate additional revenue and show your thought leadership to others.
Like any other effective content, online courses can only be successful if you know what your customers want. Take a look at your inbound marketing strategies and see which blogs get the most attention. Are these pieces of content asking specific questions? Are you able to build on the information you have provided and bring your content to a higher level?
There are many tools available to help you make progress once you have found the right content. There are many options, including Udemy, Kajabi and Lynda.
You can try out some online teaching tools for free to get an idea of the type of content you can create.
17. Make Product Buying Guidelines
Product buying guides are another amazing type of content that can have a significant impact on ecommerce content. They are just as important as blogs because they bring organic traffic to your site when people search for information about specific products. A product buying guide is a way to educate clients about a particular product. This is a big difference from blogging and buying guides.
You can target many different types of customers with product buying guides. This allows you to drive incredible results by focusing only on the products that customers want to purchase. Blog posts are often at the top of the funnel because consumers are still focused on brand awareness. Product buying guides, on the other hand, are located in the middle section of the funnel.
To increase conversions, ensure that product buying guides include specific CTAs. Consider the product you are selling and the needs of your customer. It will be easier to communicate with buyers by using their language. Track the results of product buying guides to determine which ones are most effective.
18. Interactive Content
Another great way to differentiate your business is to add ways to engage customers on a different level to your ecommerce marketing plan. Interactive content allows your customers to interact with you in new and exciting ways. You might offer a discount for customers who spin a wheel on your site.
These wheels are increasingly popular in ecommerce. Customers submit their email to be eligible to win. This gives you an easy and quick way to obtain contact information in order to nurture clients later.
To help customers find the right product, you might also consider including quizzes to your website. Interactive quizzes help customers feel more confident about the product they are purchasing. Answering a variety of questions will help you to show that you are the best option for your customer’s needs.
19. Test. Test. Test.
Continue to test your ecommerce content strategies to find the best ones for your audience. Don’t assume that you are doing a good job until there is data backing it up.
Which topics are most popular with your audience? What are the most effective ways to convert? Use numbers to guide your content strategy. This will save you a lot of time and help you make more money over the long-term.
20. Create Curated Content
“What’s curated content?” I hear you yell.
They are round-up posts and people love them! This is where you combine content from other people to create one knockout post.
You must give credit to the original author of the content. Otherwise, you risk falling prey to plagiarism.
This is why BuzzFeed is the success story it is today.
These are some title ideas that might inspire you to create your first piece of curated content.
- Top 10 Products that will help you achieve X
- Top 10 Quotes to Inspire You To Do X
- Top 10 stats that prove “X”
21. Repurpose Evergreen Content
You can always find relevant topics for your blog. So publish timeless content that you can reuse and add a new twist to later. This will save you so much time!
This can be extended by adding new functions to old content. You could create an ebook simply by compiling old blog posts. This is a common practice that marketers use all the time and works. This is a great way to add to your ecommerce content-marketing strategy.
22. Consider paying for content
This is not something everyone can afford, but it is possible.
You can choose from two types of paid content.
- A professional content strategist is available
- Reach out to social media influencers
How do I find a top-notch content strategist?
Professional writers will charge a fair amount. You can afford pennies, but you shouldn’t expect anything extraordinary.
Post an ad on job boards such as Indeed or ProBlogger if you are looking for top-quality talent. You can also reach out to a marketing agency. They will connect you with amazing content producers to give your campaign an edge.
So who are the ‘Influencers of Social Media?
They are people with a large following on social media.
Find influencers in your field by going to Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Send them an email.
You may need to pay them to endorse products. They should not be seen as selling. Ask them if they will take a natural photo of your product. This is a good way to convert.
23. Make a plan
Once you have a better understanding of your ecommerce content strategy, create a plan.
Here is where the editorial calendar comes in to play.
Your calendar will be one of your most valuable assets. You can plan all topics and mark when and where you want them to be published.
24. Promote Your Content
You can’t just create amazing features, you have to make sure they are promoted. Never leave it up to chance that your viewers will stumble upon your videos or blogs.
Instead, place it in front of them – that’s the best way to get the best results.
Utilize social media. Use social media to share new ecommerce content marketing pieces. If you have the money, you can run a paid campaign for more traffic.
Conclusion: Ecommerce content marketing is the way forward
You can see that ecommerce content marketing can be a great way to drive traffic to your store as well as build the authority of your brand.
This guide has a lot to offer, but that shouldn’t discourage you. This resource can be referred to as you develop and refine your ecommerce content marketing strategy.
We recommend that you complete at least three to four of these actions steps to get started. Once you feel comfortable, continue with the remaining steps.
