It’s no secret that consumers are inundated with information whenever they venture online. Social media platforms, blog posts, email blasts, and a seemingly endless universe of apps provide more content than humans can receive.
So where does this leave DTC brands looking to separate themselves from competitors with high-quality educational content and offerings? In a good position, if done well.
The key to success is understanding the customer. Do they want to be inspired by aspirational editorial content or need more awesome educational offerings? Both are fine, but the secret is to figure out which will resonate more with the customer.
Definition of high value content
Before offering shoppers a treasure trove of information, a brand must define what high-value content means to its customers. A fashion brand will want to offer something very different than a home improvement retailer, for example. But for most brands, high-value content is an offering that customers would consume even if it wasn’t produced by the brand.
In the case of Weber grills, for example, high-value content veers more toward the technical side. The company has a medium-sized product catalog, and its grills require a fair amount of explaining. As a result, Weber’s blog content is highly educational, with content covering barbecue techniques, recipes for the perfect grilled meats, and plenty of information designed to help customers select the right grill for their needs. Brands operating in a highly complex space may want to invest more in educational content that helps customers choose the right product or make the best use of their existing product.
In contrast, the clothing company Huckberry has a large product catalog and positions itself as a lifestyle brand. The company produces inspiring content that resonates with its customers because of its highly editorial feel. Additionally, Huckberry products are embedded in items and customers can add items to their cart with a single click from the item. Brands operating in a low-complexity space, like Huckberry, may be better off investing in inspirational content that engages the customer and keeps the brand on top.
Measuring ROI
Once a brand discovers the right mix of high-value content for its customers, the next step is to determine return on investment (ROI). Having a good attribution model is critical, says Alessandro Desantis, managing partner at e-commerce consultancy Nebulab.
“This will help brands answer the key question of how much their content is actually contributing to new customer acquisition or retention,” he says.
For content strategies that are heavily focused on acquisition, SEO marketing tools can also be used to determine if a brand’s content strategy is delivering the expected results , such as ranking in the top five or 10 search engine results for a given. keyword.
But even with the right measurement tools in place, Desantis says direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands need to keep in mind that the outcome of their content strategy may not be directly measurable or may only be measurable over a period of longer time .
Still, one thing is certain: great content has both short-term and long-term benefits. It can convince a potential customer to make a purchase and can also keep a brand top of mind for existing customers. Great content can even turn readers and customers into brand ambassadors through the power of organic conversation and social sharing.
what not to do
The benefits of well-thought-out, high-value content for a DTC retailer are clear. It can differentiate a brand from the competition and strengthen the bond existing customers already have. However, there are some mistakes that brands should avoid if they want to get the best results from their efforts.
The first is not to invest in quality. There is a lot of content available to brands, and some of it can be acquired inexpensively. Desantis says that low-quality content based solely on SEO will be fine by customers. In fact, poor quality content can backfire and damage a brand’s credibility, rather than work in its favor.
A second common misstep is content inconsistency. DTC brands can spend time and money publishing a blog, but if it’s only updated once every few months, it doesn’t provide any value to the customer. Once a brand decides to offer content, it must commit to keeping it fresh and consistently updated.
Finally, DTC brands should avoid investing in a single channel or repurposing their content. Working with an e-commerce consulting company like nebula can help brands make the most of blogs, email lists, social media and all the other channels they have the resources to invest in.
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