Own an eCommerce store?
Today, you’ll learn how to grow your store with content marketing.
We’ll cover the three pillars of effective content for eCommerce: content, promotion, and optimization.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a plan.
Let’s get started!
Editor’s note: This article comes from years of experience helping clients sell more using high-converting content. If you’re interested in more sales at your eCommerce store, send us a message.
Pillar one: Create great content
It sounds obvious, but the first part of a successful eCommerce content marketing strategy is creating great content.
But, what is great content?
A lot of marketers focus on writing what search engines want. But I believe in creating for humans first and computers second.
You’ll need to start with understanding your ideal customer. What do they want?
Consider the medium—I focus on written content, like this article, but “content” can mean anything. Video, podcasts, infographics, and even printed media are all examples I’ve seen work well.
Next, think about the subject matter. What user needs will your content meet for potential customers?
Once you’ve planned for your customers, it’s time to think a bit about search engines. Search engines like Google want to share content people like, so focus on writing for people first. But a little search engine optimization (SEO) can help.
I recommend targeting a keyword and using basic SEO best practices that don’t interfere with what your customers want.
With those basics covered, you’re on your way to great content.
Learn more:
- The 3 Persona Types You Must Understand to Sell More
- Buyer Motives: 3 Key Triggers You Must Learn to Sell More
- 5 Most Effective Types of eCommerce Content Marketing
Pillar two: Promote your content effectively
The problem with only creating content is that almost nobody will see it. The internet is exploding with content nobody reads—millions of articles have already been published today.
But with pillar two, you’ll be the exception.
Effective promotion can be different for every business since it varies by industry, brand, resources, and more.
But I believe 99% of eCommerce stores will benefit from these tactics:
- Follow basic on-page SEO best practices, like internal links and alt-text for images.
- Share on social media if you have an engaged audience there.
- Share via email if you have an engaged audience there.
And some stores will benefit from some of these methods some of the time:
- Create highly shareable content or shareable pieces of the original content.
- Run paid ads to promote the content (often much cheaper than sales-focused ads).
- Share with relevant authorities or influencers.
Whatever you do, don’t leave promotion to chance. While nothing will work perfectly the first time around, the worst action you can take is hoping a piece will do well without any promotion.
Learn more:
- eCommerce SEO 101: A Beginner’s Guide to More Sales
- How to Write the Perfect SEO Product Description [+ Template]
- 9 Tips to Rank Better and Sell More with Internal Links
Pillar three: Experiment and optimize
If you’re moving forward with the first two pillars, you’re leagues ahead of other eCommerce stores.
But if you want to keep growing, you can’t count on the same content and promotion strategies. The fuel you need to grow comes from consistent improvement.
From the beginning, consider any content or promotion strategy as an experiment. Decide (ahead of time) what kind of results you want to see and when you expect to see them. Then measure and adjust based on that guideline.
If you see results, keep going until the plan doesn’t work. Even if it feels boring to publish a buying guide or competitor comparison every week, keep going until you stop seeing results.
But if your plan isn’t working, then you’ll need to pivot to a different tactic. There are two types of pivots—micro and macro.
For example, if you’re not getting sales through influencer marketing, a micro pivot could be using a different kind of influencer. A macro pivot might be a different strategy altogether, like focusing instead on a video campaign.
Experimentation can be difficult and usually frustrating (at least initially), but it’s well worth the effort because you’ll never stop improving.
Learn more:
- How Long Does SEO Take to Work? Here’s the Real Answer
- The 3 eCommerce KPIs You Need to Know for a Profitable Store
A “shortcut” to better eCommerce content marketing
There’s a lot to learn if you’re just starting content marketing. The trial-and-error method can certainly work, but it takes time that you might not have as you grow your store.
There’s a shortcut to faster results—getting insights from someone who’s done it before. If you’re looking for a partner who’s learned from years of experience, consider working with us.