Google has recently announced that it will be following Apple’s iOS 14.5 update and implementing its own privacy and use of information procedures for Android that will require users to opt-in before receiving marketing from brands and businesses. This also means that ad tracking on Android will be next to impossible if a user chooses not to receive personalised ads.
This is to keep in line with the emerging worldwide trend concerning users who don’t wish to be tracked for advertising when moving between apps.
Further on we will discuss the merits of personalised ads and ad tracking. As a result of these changes, users will find that the ads they receive won’t be targeted to their likes and dislikes.
Is it the end of ads? Not by a long shot.
The truth is that a holistic content marketing strategy for eCommerce is the most effective.
A lack of promotion and exposure is one of the main reasons that eCommerce sites fail. Additionally, building a community and brand interest is as important as your product. Therefore, your brand receiving worldwide recognition starts with the way you market it.
These days, even the most niche products are competing with online stores all over the world.
If you create great content, you’ve found the best way to connect with your customers. Furthermore, it gives you a real advantage over all those other stores around the world. If you’re aiming to take your online store to multiple 6 and 7 figures a month, you need to explore all forms of content marketing.
Content marketing can be time-consuming, daunting, complicated, and susceptible to temporary trends. However, its benefits, when managed well, far outweigh the negatives.
First off, let’s take a look at the Content Marketing Institute’s definition of content marketing:
“Content marketing is a marketing approach focused on creating valuable and relevant content. The goal is to attract and keep an audience — and to drive profitable customer action.”
Notice that this definition doesn’t mention any particular vehicles for content. The amazing thing about content marketing is there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Only you decide where and how to create and publish your original content.
The benefits of a good ecommerce content strategy
Higher Conversion Rates (for less!)
Content marketing costs 62% less than other traditional types of outbound marketing. And it generates over three times as many leads.
Stronger SEO
If you’re creating good, engaging content, search engines will begin to notice you. You’ll receive higher search engine rankings and more traffic to your site.
More varied customer acquisition
People love to share. If your customers connect with your content, they’re more likely to share it. You’ll grow your following and gain new customers from these important recommendations.
Better customer retention
All good eCommerce business owners know that customer retention is key. Keep your customers by creating engaging content about your brand and products.
Larger revenue
All these benefits lead to more revenue. Good content marketing makes for better profits and more sales for you and your business!
The 4 Secrets To An Amazing Content Strategy
There is no one right way to creating a great eCommerce content strategy.
Start with creating one or two types of content and expand your strategy from there. As a result, you’ll become more adept at knowing what your audience wants. Spreading yourself too thin early on in your content strategy can make it hard to keep the quality the same.
Here are Heavy Head’s 4 secrets to help you plan a strategy that will skyrocket your business.
1. Educate
Stand out in a crowded marketplace and give your customers free, useful content. Showcase your products in detail by creating content showing their functionality and capabilities.
Use your own website and social media to add content that educates your audience.
Does your website have a FAQ? This isn’t a filler page, but a great place to speak to your customers and convince them that you’re the brand for them.
Product guides are a perfect example of content that educates your customers. Guides can come in the form of videos on Youtube, step-by-step guides on your blog, or Instagram stories. They all lead your customers to buy again.
You’ll position yourself as not only the best option for that product but a trusted expert as well.
Boom! by Cindy Joseph
Boom by Cindy Joseph is a skincare and makeup line that puts emphasis on educating its customers. Their social media and product pages are full of how-to videos and informative posts. This form of communication helps their customers make up their mind quickly because they know exactly what they’re getting.
2. Tell stories
Do you want to focus your content marketing strategy on brand awareness? Storytelling can be an effective way of increasing your engagement.
Creating an emotional connection with your customers can build a loyal following. How you do this depends on your business and what’s most important to you.
Does your company have a creation story that your audience would want to hear more about? Do you have a strong connection with the city or region that your business is from? Do you want to celebrate the diversity or achievements of your customers?
You can use social media posts to create content that puts a spotlight on your brand story. Brands have seen success with creating short documentary films based on their story. High-quality content has the potential to reach further than your regular content. It could also bring a lot of new, engaged traffic to your site.
Everlane
Everlane is a sustainable, ethical clothing brand that has a loyal following. They weave these values into every aspect of the content they make. Their tagline “Exceptional quality. Ethical factories. Radical transparency.” seems to permeate into everything they produce.
Customers buy into these values. Then, Everlane becomes the customers’ go-to brand for maintaining their ethical standards.
3. Influence
One of the main aims of content marketing to build trust and awareness in your brand. If your customers trust your advice and opinions, you’ll have more success when you grow.
For fashion sites, style guides can be a great way to showcase your products and the latest trends. It can be a successful tactic for cross-selling and upselling too.
User-generated content builds trust through customers seeing your products in real-life situations.
Another strategy is working with influencers. You can connect with their loyal followings to boost your traffic and sales.
Pretty Little Thing
Fashion brand Pretty Little Thing collaborates with a group of brand ambassadors. They show how it’s possible to get a major boost in sales from collabs with celebrities and influencers. Their ambassadors such as Malika Haqq and Rose Bertram have millions of followers. And their followers will buy what they endorse.
4. Connect
Content marketing is all about making connections with your customers. Your eCommerce site and your social media profiles should focus on strengthening it.
Do you write regular blog posts, email newsletters, and social media content? The more you do this, the more your customers will come to rely on your regular updates and see you as an authority.
Glossier
Glossier, a beauty brand with an engaged following, knows how to connect with its audience.
Founder Emily Weiss spent years on her blog “Into The Gloss” before launching Glossier. So, creating content is how they launch new products and connects with customers.
Content Marketing - To DIY Or Not To DIY
There’s no denying that creating a content marketing for eCommerce strategy takes time. Not only getting started but also keeping up with regular updates. Finding time to write a weekly blog post or filming how-to videos can be tricky. Therefore, things get pushed to the side over other day-to-day business.
If you’re ready to commit to a regular content marketing strategy, you might have to make a decision. Create all your content in-house or outsource it.
In-house means you can use the expertise and knowledge of each of your team members. While outsourcing takes a lot of work off your hands and leaves it up to experts in their field.
Either way, creating original content is key. Whether that’s ‘behind-the-scenes’ footage or a strategised content plan.
For smaller eCommerce businesses, outsourcing can be a cheaper and more efficient option. External content creators are in touch with the latest trends. As a result, their content marketing strategies mean less work for your budding eCommerce business.
Having an outside viewpoint can also be a way to see where you’re losing potential customers. And ways that you can make your content more accessible, more useful, the better.
Why Content Marketing for eCommerce Is The Key to Quality Customer Connections
There is so much competition across the eCommerce space. Consequently, no business owner can be complacent when it comes to content marketing.
Create an emotional connection with your customers. Show them who you are, your values and how you create your products.
Showing pride in your products is enough inspiration to create content.
For B2C eCommerce, making that emotional connection with your customers is important. Consumers are allergic to faceless, unethical, big brands. Due to this, they want to know who you are, what you’re passionate about, how you run your business, and how you create your products.
Feel confident in the brand that you’ve created and you’ll show how much authority you have in your niche. Customers and sales will follow. Additionally, loyal brand champions won’t be far behind.
Have your content strategy in place and ready to take your store to the next level? – then speak to us!
