You might compete against giants such as Amazon, Target, New Egg, or other established players depending on your niche. You may be competing with all of them. Sometimes it can seem impossible to win.
Even if your product is excellent or your brand is well-known, it’s not possible to compete with the big retailers.
Content marketing is a secret weapon many ecommerce sellers use to win the David-vs.-Goliath battle. This is a great way to create a niche and develop loyal customers.
It can transform your store from a struggling one into an online success story if done well.
Content is the Power of Content
Content marketing can be applied to almost any B2B or B2C industry. It all starts with a simple idea. What if a company published its content and had the freedom to promote its products without having to pay the price or compete with buying ads? Rent Attention when you can Buy It?
Content marketing has become more strategic and sophisticated than publishing product ads with articles. However, the fundamental reasons content marketing is so practical have remained relatively unchanged.
Unlike sponsorships and ads, content marketing offers many tremendous benefits that can work for ecommerce brands.
Content marketing can be used to:
You can target and attract a specific audience through the content you post
Create and nurture a community
Potential customers with the ability to inform, entertain and delight
Include your customers in the company and let them own your brand
Increase your SEO footprint
Let’s look at seven online retailers that use content marketing to their advantage against Amazon and other mega-retailers.
#1: The I
REI is one of the most successful and prominent retailers in the world. They are synonymous with outdoor gear, lifestyle, and style. They are still the underdog on the internet.
You can find many of their products on Amazon, and they have a smaller footprint online. How can they remain relevant online?
They stay true to their niche, use content to build a large community of outdoor enthusiasts, bring these people to their site, and keep them coming back.
The site has many articles about outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, biking, canoeing, and snowboarding. The REI website has everything you need to know about outdoor activities.
Although they have a business interest in selling products, their strategy is not to sell any goods. Instead, they want to create value and attract the right people. Then, you can worry about marketing. It’s secondary to their content, but it is essential.
They focus on content-first social media and building trust with their followers rather than selling products.
This Valentine’s Day post features a unique twist with colossal engagement and participation.
This is a crucial aspect of content marketing: cultivating a community. Customers will be more inclined to purchase from you if they feel connected and trust you rather than looking for better deals elsewhere.
People value relationships, and they can have a significant impact on purchasing behavior.
Lessons from REI:
Your customer is more important than your product.
To build authority with a specific audience, use your niche
Search can be used to connect with your audience
Your content should be connected to more than just selling stuff. Make it about identity, lifestyle, and values.
#2: Herschel Supply
This premium brand understands that customers don’t buy products because they are the most expensive or most accessible to find but because of the value they provide.
It’s all about aesthetics, looks, and emotions. They turn customers into advocates. This is why people buy Nike shoes twice as often as their knock-offs. They have moved beyond selling products and services to marketing ideas and concepts.
This is branding. Herschel Supply has perfected this art.
They use their content to help buyers soon-to-be. These values are incorporated into the product they sell, making it part of the experience.
Because Herschel offers a complete experience and lifestyle, customers won’t shop around or buy from other brands. They can compete with Amazon and seize a piece of the market.