Content marketing can be a major game changer for your ecommerce business, helping you to attract and convert more customers across the funnel.
Not sure how to get started with creating content? This blog post will illustrate ten ways that ecommerce businesses can use content marketing, complete with real-world examples.
So if you don't know where to start, use this guide as a taste of how successful brands use ecommerce content marketing to connect with their audiences.
What is ecommerce content marketing?
Content marketing in ecommerce is the process of creating and distributing content to attract, engage, and convert customers.
The ultimate goal of ecommerce content marketing is to drive sales. But it can also build brand awareness, generate leads, and even create loyalty and advocacy among customers.
Content marketing for ecommerce can take many different forms. Some of the most common forms include blog posts, product pages, emails, videos, and social media posts.
Done well, ecommerce content marketing can be an effective way to grow your online store.
How can ecommerce brands benefit from content marketing?
Ecommerce brands can benefit from adding content marketing to their marketing strategy in a number of ways. Perhaps most importantly, content marketing can help ecommerce sites build trust and credibility with their target audiences. By producing high-quality, helpful content, ecommerce companies can establish themselves as thought leaders in their industries and earn the trust of potential customers.
Beyond building trust, content marketing can also help ecommerce brands boost their SEO efforts and drive traffic to their websites through organic search.
Finally, content marketing can also help ecommerce stores increase their conversion rates. It can do so by providing potential customers with the information they need to make their purchase decisions.
9 ways to get started with content marketing for ecommerce
There are many ways for an ecommerce site to reach its target audience through content marketing efforts. First, review these nine ways successful ecommerce websites use content. Then figure out how this medium fits into your digital marketing strategy.
1. Create helpful guides and resources on your blog
One way to get started with ecommerce content marketing is to create helpful guides and resources. This valuable content can be used to educate your audience about the topics they care about. By providing useful information, you can build trust and credibility with your audience, which can ultimately lead to more sales.
One brand that has its blog strategy on lock is travel backpack brand Tortuga. Tortuga publishes travel tips, packing lists, and travel gear recommendations on its blog to increase brand awareness through search engine optimization (SEO).
Just check out this Thailand packing list. It provides helpful tips for travelers heading to Thailand and naturally integrates the brand's product as a luggage recommendation.
Also worth mentioning, Tortuga's CTA to sign up for their email list is another valuable resource: a carry on packing list. That helps the brand earn subscribers and convert potential customers later on.
Once you have finished writing, you can get more out of your blog content by promoting it through social media, email marketing, and other channels.
2. Write informational pages for your products
Informational pages on your website are a must for any ecommerce business. They provide detailed information for your customers that might be too much for a product page. They help convince customers who are on the fence to buy. And they can also add to your SEO efforts.
Some examples of informational pages you could create for your ecommerce website include:
A "How to Use" page for your products
A breakdown of the science behind your products
A glossary of words and terms related to your industry or products
For example, healthcare brand ForHers has an info page on how its prescriptions work. And sustainable home brand etee has an FAQs page that includes use instructions for its unique products like reusable food wraps.
3. Film product walkthroughs
Product walkthroughs are an excellent way to showcase the features and benefits of your products. By filming a short video that walks viewers through the product, you can give them a feel for how it works and what it can do. This is especially helpful for products with many features that might be hard to understand from reading a product description and looking at static pictures.
When filming product walkthroughs, highlight the product's key features and how they can be used. You can also include a call-to-action at the end of the video to encourage viewers to learn more or purchase the product.
For example, outdoors brand Gregory Mountain Products publishes product walkthroughs on YouTube to help customers understand the products better.
4. Produce tutorial videos relevant to your products
Tutorial videos are a perfect way to show your audience how they can incorporate your products into their daily life. They can be tutorial videos to solve a problem, like how to organize your home office. Or they can be tutorial videos for inspiration, like how to style a button-up shirt for spring.
Beauty retailer Sephora connects to its audience by sharing a fall makeup tutorial featuring products sold on the brand's website.
By producing high-quality, helpful content, ecommerce companies can establish themselves as thought leaders in their industries and earn the trust of potential customers.
These types of videos can be great for SEO. So don't forget to optimize your videos for SEO by including relevant keywords in the title, description, and tags.
5. Share user-generated content (UGC)
User-generated content (or UGC) is content created by a brand's users rather than by the company itself. This includes, for example, comments and reviews left by users on websites or images and videos uploaded to social media platforms. It's a powerful tool for ecommerce brands as a form of social proof. So it can build trust and confidence in your products.
UGC feels more authentic than studio-crafted content. So it can be easier for your audience to connect to it. UGC is also incredibly cost-efficient because you just reuse what your customers are already creating.
You can encourage customers to share content on social media with specific hashtags or in product reviews.
Then, you can use that content across marketing channels in organic social media posts, emails, paid ads, or on your website.
Apparel brand Reformation has relied on UGC for its social media content and email marketing campaigns for years.
When using UGC, be sure to ask for permission from the customer first and give credit when you share it.
6. Live stream on social media
Live streaming lets you connect with your audience in real time and give them a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.
Plus, this social media marketing tactic is a great way to build anticipation for upcoming products and events.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few ideas:
Stream a product launch on Facebook Live or Instagram Live.
Show your followers a behind-the-scenes look at the making of your products.
Host a virtual event relevant to your industry.
Host a Q&A session with a member of your team or an expert in your industry.
For example, activewear brand Outdoor Voices ran live exercise sessions on Instagram during the pandemic.
7. Launch an email newsletter worth subscribing to
A well-crafted email newsletter is one of the most direct and effective ways to reach your target audience. By regularly sending subscribers quality content, you can stay top of mind and nurture prospective customers through the marketing funnel.
To launch a successful email newsletter, start by building a list of subscribers. You can do this by running targeted ads, offering a freebie in exchange for an email address, or using a pop-up on your website.
In terms of content, you'll want a mix of promotional and non-promotional content so your subscribers don't feel like they're constantly being sold to. For example, maybe you promote helpful blog content you've created or repurpose some of that content in email form.
Create flows to automate marketing based on customer behavior like browse and cart abandonment.
Here are several email marketing examples to get inspired.
8. Establish an influencer marketing program
Influencer marketing might not be the first thing you think of when someone says "content marketing," but it's a powerful avenue for content that shouldn't be ignored.
Partners in your influencer marketing program connect to your audience through their content, whether that's blog posts or social media posts.
To create a successful influencer marketing program, the key is to partner with influencers who are a good fit for your brand. This means finding influencers who share your values and who will be able to authentically promote your products or services to their followers.
There are a few different ways to identify potential influencers for your brand. One way is to use social media listening tools to see who is talking about your ecommerce brand or your competitors. You can also search for relevant influencers in your industry using platforms like Aspire or Klear.
Whatever content your influencer partners create can be used in other marketing campaigns. And influencer-created content is often cheaper than studio shoots. So you spend less overall and get more bang for your buck.
Check out these 5 examples of influencer marketing that drove real results.
9. Include SMS marketing in your content marketing strategy
Text message marketing is the perfect supplement to your email marketing efforts. But it has some added benefits.
90% of text messages are opened within three minutes, while 27% of emails from retail brands are ever opened at all. So you're more likely to reach your customers by text.
And you can connect to text subscribers at a more personal level. Your message appears right alongside texts from their closest friends and family. That's a powerful position to be in.
You can use SMS marketing for recovering abandoned carts, building customer relationships, and even customer service.
Like with any marketing channel, you'll want to add plenty of non-promotional content into the mix.
Check out how these brands do SMS marketing right.
Get started with content marketing for ecommerce
These ecommerce content marketing examples are just the beginning. It's time for you to create a winning content strategy of your own.
Start with one or two channels at a time. Then you can develop a strategy for each channel effectively without spreading budget too thin.
So what are you waiting for? Get started creating and promoting content that will help your ecommerce business attract new customers and grow sales.
If you want to add SMS to your content strategy, Emotive can take your text message marketing to the next level. It's a powerful, easy-to-use SMS marketing platform that helps you engage your audience at every stage of the buyer's journey.
With Emotive, you can create and send SMS campaigns, communicate about order logistics, and engage in two-way conversations for a seamless customer experience.
Learn more about Emotive and sign up for a demo.