Content Marketing

When a term such as "information economy" is used to characterize the times that we live in, the ecommerce professional in me has to think about the role of information in ecommerce. If you have read my article about the advantages of ecommerce, you know that ecommerce scores over conventional retail in terms empowering customers with adequate information.

But can information be used as marketing tool? If I may use the term "content" to be synonymous with "information" in this context, then could content marketing be effective in ecommerce? Whichever way I think about, I am sure that content marketing can be one of the best tools to set your ecommerce business apart.

The Case for Content Marketing for Ecommerce
The more I think about it, the more obvious it gets:

• Ecommerce is about shopping for products and services...
  
• Among other factors, a customer needs information to make a purchase decision...
  
• But the information required to make the purchase decision is not restricted to product specifications...
  
• So if you could inform the consumer about using the product, its pros and cons, its substitutes, and more, the customer would be more likely to buy.

Examples of Content That Can Be Used to Market Products
If a customer is in the market for a cosmetic product, say an eye-liner, you could create an original article that addresses issues such as:

• How to use an eye-liner
  
• What kind of eyeliner coordinates with what kind of outfit?
  
• How to make eyeliner choices for different occasions.

If the article is helpful, you would have created a high degree of engagement with the customer. And an engaged customer is more likely to purchase.

Characteristics of Content That Can Help You Sell

• Try to Help, Not to Sell
  I don't know about you, but whenever I feel that someone is trying to sell me something, I turn defensive. And in this defensive posture, I do not take anything at face value. Instead, I focus on deciphering the vested interest of the seller.
  
• Be Relevant
  One of the side effects of the information economy is information overload. Instead of talking about everything, focus on the specific needs of the customer. So talk about how to coordinate the eyeliner with evening wear, not about the history of eyeliner.
  
• Be Fresh
  Once you have the customer hooked, make sure that you periodically add new content to feed their newfound hunger.
  
• Retain the Context
  Content-writers run the risk of focusing on the topic in the literal sense, and overlooking the context of ecommerce. While we need to avoid sounding like salespeople, we need to revolve around our product category. This will encourage consumers to immediately navigate to a product page as soon as they are ready to buy.
  
• Maintain Quality Standards
  You want to think of your content as part of your packaging. You know that your product descriptions and images need to be of a quality that encourages customers to buy. In the same vein, the quality of the content you disseminate is going to be seen as being indicative of the quality of your products.
  
• Interact With Your Customers
  Online behavior over the past couple of years has been driven by the rapid acceptance of social media. It is now a given that readers will be able to leave a comment and expect a timely response.

Getting Started With Content Marketing for Your Ecommerce Business
One of the quickest methods to begin content marketing would be to create a short list of the top selling products on your ecommerce website. For each product, create a couple of articles that would helpful to buyers of those products. Create a section on your website that houses such articles. Crosslink from your product pages to the relevant content, and vice versa. An incidental benefit of content marketing will be superior ecommerce SEO.