Clever Content Gives Retailers a Competitive Edge

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Retailers are increasingly turning to editorial content to drive customer relationships, establish the voice of their brand and encourage repeat visits.

The verdict is in – brands that use editorial content to foster a community-driven and intimate environment on their websites have a higher chance of beating out rivals and driving traffic. Speakers at the recent Women’s Wear Daily Digital Forum confirmed that selling products via an e-commerce site is no longer enough to build relationships with customers, especially for higher-end brands that demand more investment. Engaging and personalised content is becoming essential to the task of turning an e-commerce site into a return destination, and creating bigger returns as a result.

“We have seen in the last 10 years the development of distribution methods,” Troy Young, president of San Francisco-based Say Media told Luxury Daily. “It has never been more important to have a point of view as a brand and have the ability to create content.”

The internet might have drastically altered the way shoppers process information, but many retailers are still struggling to play catch-up. It’s not enough to simply post images on page – customers need a context in order to imagine how products fit into their lives. This helps explain why sites such as Pinterest, with its heavy focus on content curation, have become such major drivers of e-commerce traffic.

Some retailers have been quick to catch on to this, embracing the power of the internet to become their own publishers, rather than relying on the whims of bloggers and magazine editors. Iconic British department store Harrods recently launched online magazine The Review, to coincide with London Fashion Week. The publication, which features fashion-focused content such as designer profiles and product reviews, establishes the retailer’s voice as a fashion authority. It also allows customers to view styling tips and trends on commerce-enabled pages.

Mr. Porter drives engagement with online publication The Journal.

Net-a-Porter menswear spinoff Mr Porter is also well-versed in using content to spark dialogue with its customer base. The retailer publishes The Journal, an online magazine that addresses the sartorial tastes of its customers with feature articles and style advice. Mr Porter pairs each piece of content with a “Shop Now” button – a savvy move that helps convert engaged shoppers.

How are you using content to build an engaged customer base?

Article by Neha Kale

Neha is a writer and editor for The Media Pad, publisher of Power Retail. She has a background in business, arts and film journalism and an interest in new media and digital strategy. She is looking forward to exploring how retailers are impacted by the online space for Power Retail. Neha is a magazine junkie whose other addictions include coffee, travel and live music. She likes to run but has a long-time allergy to team sports.

2 Comments

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  • Andy Powell
  • 1st February

  Neha – thanks for this very thought-provoking article.
  It strikes me that the drive towards rich content is the digital extension of what many successful bricks & mortar retailers already do – they establish a strong context for the purchase decision as part of an immersive in-store experience. They create a strong “point of opinion” expressed through their in-store visual merchandising, point of sale support material and principally, through the knowledge and customer engagement style of their store associates. Good examples include T2 here in Australia. What we are now seeing is the translation of this winning strategy into the digital domain. The key goal in both domains is to establish a relationship based on a “dialogue” around the product (2 way, and collaborative) rather than push a product “sale ” (1 way, and transactional).

  Reply
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    • Neha Kale
    • 2nd February

    Hi Andy,
    I completely agree. It’s vital that retailers establish meaningful dialogue with customers, not just to drive purchase decisions but to foster loyalty and repeat business. Smart content that engages customers and speaks to their interests without pushing sales is the most powerful way to do this.

    Reply