bizbuzzcontent

  • WHAT WE DO
  • WHO WE ARE
    • MEET THE TEAM
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
You are here:   Home Blog How Retail Brands Can Use Content to Create a Great Shopping Experience

How Retail Brands Can Use Content to Create a Great Shopping Experience

September 3, 2014 by Jessica Lee Leave a Comment

I was recently invited to David Szetela’s show on Webmaster Radio: “PPC Rockstars.” His show is focused on paid media, while my specialization is on the organic side. That set us up for a nice talk about the intersection of PPC, search engine optimization and content – and how retail brands can embrace content to drive traffic and enhance the shopping experience.

I thought I’d recap the talk here in this post.

The SERP Relationship: Organic Content and Paid Content

One thing retail brands may not be thinking of is how their marketing channels can work together to drive more traffic, although I believe the habit is on the rise.

According to data I’ve been seeing, eCommerce brands in particular are starting to embrace content and the organic search channel instead of just PPC (the traditional method for retailers).

In fact, a recent study by Shop.org showed 41 percent of retailers said organic traffic was the most effective customer acquisition tactic. And, one study by Custora showed that customers coming from the organic search channel had a higher lifetime value than other acquisition channels.

And, the organic search channel and PPC have synergy. A report by Kenshoo in September 2013 showed that when a Web page was in Position 1, 60 percent of the clicks came from organic and 40 percent came from an ad from that company on the page. But, that ratio ebbs and flows … when the organic listing falls on the page, PPC picks up the slack with more clicks.

Bottom line: It’s always good to think about how you can be present in multiple ways on the search engine results page.

Using Content and SEO to Be Found

If you want to be found in organic search, you need content. And, to help the search engines better understand what the content is about, you need to optimize it.

Optimization is comprised of a great many things, but in its simplest terms, it’s about understanding the search engines and your users so your content is found at the right time.

For the purposes of this post, we’ll talk about using long-form content as part of your organic content strategy (Web pages, blog posts, etc.); this is in contrast to video, for example. Long-form content is usually appropriate for the research phase or comparison stage in a person’s shopping journey, when people are still learning about or making up their minds on a product.

As a retail brand (or any brand for that matter), the first thing you should do is ask yourself who your customers are. If you don’t have a lot of quantitative data, don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be 100 percent accurate to start, but you do need a picture of who that target customer is so you can create content for that person, or “persona.”

Question Mark

You’ll also want to do some keyword research to see what people are searching for, and you can do that in the AdWords Keyword Planner tool. Online advertisers should already be comfortable using that tool to perform that function.

Keyword research in itself can be an undertaking – but it only has to be as complex as you want. In other words, it doesn’t have to be complicated if you just want to see what variations of a term are driving more demand.

The next step is mapping useful content to those terms that people are searching for. Oftentimes you can back into this step – create the great content first, then modify some of the terms in the Web page or post to match the search demand.

When talking about “optimized” content, we’re talking about all those things that go into making a Web page more understandable by search engines. Optimization tells engines what the page is about, and can make it a candidate to match a searcher’s query on Google or Bing (or your search engine of choice).

This includes making sure the pages have Meta information, and that the Meta information clearly explains what the page is about. Remember the Meta information serves as your Web page’s snippet results on the search engine result page – so you want it to be good to entice click-throughs.

And while it’s slower going in terms of adoption, Schema markup is the next wave of optimization, helping brands have richer snippets in the SERP. As an example, think about when you see star ratings in the search results next to a listing.

Beyond the Click: How to Create a Great Experience

Once a user clicks through from the search results, how can retail brands create a better shopping experience with content?

Let’s think about product pages specifically for a moment. You want to ensure that whatever content you have on a Web page supports what the user is trying to do. So, put yourself in the shopper’s shoes, and ask: What type of information would be helpful?

A good exercise is to define the purpose of the page, even if it’s something very obvious. If the purpose of the page is to “sell pink dog sweaters,” write it down. Then, list everything that would help a shopper decide on a pink dog sweater and move them to the next step – the shopping cart.

Dog in Sweater

What content on the page would be useful to pull in? Would a buying guide be helpful? Would a video of the product help? What about multiple views of the product or reviews of the product?

I highly recommend having a blog on the site, as a blog is a great way to add useful information on a consistent basis so the search engines keep coming back to the website to index the content, and so that users keep coming back, too.

You can then pull in any relevant blog posts onto a product page that might help a shopper on his or her journey (hint: write a series of posts on choosing dog sweaters, for example).

Retail brands may want to consider a resources section of their site filled with buying guides, videos, articles and so on, and then pull in related content onto product pages as needed. Of course, this takes some technical work. So work with a developer, technical SEO and content strategist who can advise on the implementation.

Examples of brands who are embracing some of these content concepts are:

  • Overstock with their buying guides.
  • Zappos, which has some useful videos to accompany their products on product pages.
  • REI, which leverages in-depth blog posts and links to product pages where relevant.

Here’s a screenshot of Overstock’s buying guides integration:

Screenshot of Overstock Web Page

Here’s a screenshot of Zappos’ video integration:

Screenshot of Zappos Video

For more information on creating a great shopping experience through content, check out this post I wrote for Search Engine Watch.

Jessica Lee
Jessica Lee is founder and chief creative at bizbuzzcontent Inc., helping B2B and B2C businesses realize the value of quality web content to their marketing plans. Sign up for tips on content strategy and writing delivered to your inbox directly from Jessica and the bizbuzzcontent team.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Filed Under: Content Strategy

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Testimonials

Professional content agency

Jessica leads one of the most professional content agencies I’ve ever worked with. We target a very niche industry, and Jessica and her team were very thoughtful in their approach. From planning thoughtful pieces, to researching and interviewing SMEs, to brainstorming promotion strategies, Jessica and her team maintain a high degree of professionalism and efficiency.

Steven S., Senior Manager, Demand Generation, Rentlytics

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:22:53-04:00

Steven S., Senior Manager, Demand Generation, Rentlytics

Jessica leads one of the most professional content agencies I’ve ever worked with. We target a very niche industry, and Jessica and her team were very thoughtful in their approach. From planning thoughtful pieces, to researching and interviewing SMEs, to brainstorming promotion strategies, Jessica and her team maintain a high degree of professionalism and efficiency.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/professional-content-agency/

Tailor-made content strategies

Jessica dedicated her time as a pro-bono volunteer with VolunteerMatch to help us with some key content marketing needs. What impressed me most about working with Jessica was the way she tailored her approach to accommodate the needs of our nonprofit with the resource constraints of our team. Jessica developed personas, one-pagers, case studies and website content that has resulted in an increase in traffic to our site and improved our ability to communicate to our key audiences.

Bree v.F., Director of Marketing and Engagement, VolunteerMatch

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:22:20-04:00

Bree v.F., Director of Marketing and Engagement, VolunteerMatch

Jessica dedicated her time as a pro-bono volunteer with VolunteerMatch to help us with some key content marketing needs. What impressed me most about working with Jessica was the way she tailored her approach to accommodate the needs of our nonprofit with the resource constraints of our team. Jessica developed personas, one-pagers, case studies and website content that has resulted in an increase in traffic to our site and improved our ability to communicate to our key audiences.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/tailor-made-content-strategies/

Highly targeted and relevant content

I've worked with Jessica at her company bizbuzzcontent for years. It's my go-to provider whenever my team is looking for high-quality content. What differentiates bizbuzzcontent is that they not only have superior writing skills but a rare ability to completely understand our industry, our company positioning, brand voice and tone, and customers. This just makes the content highly targeted and relevant, and goes a long way in achieving our marketing goals.

Nag P., Sr. Manager, Product Marketing, Salesforce

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:22:31-04:00

Nag P., Sr. Manager, Product Marketing, Salesforce

I've worked with Jessica at her company bizbuzzcontent for years. It's my go-to provider whenever my team is looking for high-quality content. What differentiates bizbuzzcontent is that they not only have superior writing skills but a rare ability to completely understand our industry, our company positioning, brand voice and tone, and customers. This just makes the content highly targeted and relevant, and goes a long way in achieving our marketing goals.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/highly-targeted-and-relevant-content/

Compelling content that drives results

I love Jessica and the team over at bizbuzzcontent. Within just a matter of a few interactions, she was able to understand, in depth, our complex solution and business model. Since then, she's been critical to us in driving compelling, engaging content via our blogs and white papers. She's a wonderful, thoughtful person to work with, and the work she's done has been a key factor in increasing our conversion rates.

Collin S., Angel Investor and Technology Executive

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:22:41-04:00

Collin S., Angel Investor and Technology Executive

I love Jessica and the team over at bizbuzzcontent. Within just a matter of a few interactions, she was able to understand, in depth, our complex solution and business model. Since then, she's been critical to us in driving compelling, engaging content via our blogs and white papers. She's a wonderful, thoughtful person to work with, and the work she's done has been a key factor in increasing our conversion rates.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/compelling-content-that-drives-results/

Outstanding process

bizbuzzcontent helps me efficiently leverage my own subject-matter expertise to create original content on timely topics. Together, we are able to distill complex topics into client-friendly articles that I can use across multiple platforms. I especially appreciate bizzbuzz’s super-efficient process because it keeps me on track for timely production of new content. Jessica Lee is a pleasure to work with, and I rely on her to bring a strategic eye to my publication efforts.

Priya H., Partner, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:23:04-04:00

Priya H., Partner, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

bizbuzzcontent helps me efficiently leverage my own subject-matter expertise to create original content on timely topics. Together, we are able to distill complex topics into client-friendly articles that I can use across multiple platforms. I especially appreciate bizzbuzz’s super-efficient process because it keeps me on track for timely production of new content. Jessica Lee is a pleasure to work with, and I rely on her to bring a strategic eye to my publication efforts.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/outstanding-process/

Strong content values

Jessica is a great content creator, writer, reporter and partner to work with. Highly articulate with strong content values and work ethos, Jessica adds great value to all projects she works on. I would happily recommend Jessica to people who wish to scale their content marketing efforts.

Andy B., C-Level Marketing and Strategy Consultant

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:23:14-04:00

Andy B., C-Level Marketing and Strategy Consultant

Jessica is a great content creator, writer, reporter and partner to work with. Highly articulate with strong content values and work ethos, Jessica adds great value to all projects she works on. I would happily recommend Jessica to people who wish to scale their content marketing efforts.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/strong-content-values-highly-recommended/

Added value

Jessica is a guest speaker of Microsoft internal training program. She made an awesome presentation of how to create marketable web ages to Microsoft Bing Ads product team and services team. Attendees found Jessica very engaging during the presentation. Microsoft Bing Ads is eager to apply the learning in our daily works, and look forward to partnering with Jessica to bring more value to digital advertising community.

Ping J., Product Manager, Microsoft Bing Ads

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:21:44-04:00

Ping J., Product Manager, Microsoft Bing Ads

Jessica is a guest speaker of Microsoft internal training program. She made an awesome presentation of how to create marketable web ages to Microsoft Bing Ads product team and services team. Attendees found Jessica very engaging during the presentation. Microsoft Bing Ads is eager to apply the learning in our daily works, and look forward to partnering with Jessica to bring more value to digital advertising community.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/added-value/

Critical extension of the marketing team

Jessica has been instrumental in building our content strategy from ground up, educating our stakeholders and increasing our exposure across all lines of insurance. I can say with confidence that she has been a critical extension of the marketing team, always producing timely deliverable. She has always been enthusiastic about creating new formats for us and new vehicles of information to help the marketing team raise awareness and drive internal adoption. Her most impressive feat from my perspective is how quickly and seamlessly she dived into our 12 lines of insurance. The dexterity and the level of expertise she demonstrated although she had never worked with insurance B2B client was absolutely incredible.

Stephanie M., VP Marketing Communications, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:21:33-04:00

Stephanie M., VP Marketing Communications, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

Jessica has been instrumental in building our content strategy from ground up, educating our stakeholders and increasing our exposure across all lines of insurance. I can say with confidence that she has been a critical extension of the marketing team, always producing timely deliverable. She has always been enthusiastic about creating new formats for us and new vehicles of information to help the marketing team raise awareness and drive internal adoption. Her most impressive feat from my perspective is how quickly and seamlessly she dived into our 12 lines of insurance. The dexterity and the level of expertise she demonstrated although she had never worked with insurance B2B client was absolutely incredible.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/critical-extension-of-the-marketing-team/

Excellent content program

We can't imagine how we managed without bizbuzzcontent before! Working with Jessica Lee is a dream. She is very creative and understands new concepts quickly. The content creation process at bizbuzzcontent is the most efficient we have come across in our many years of working with other writers and agencies. If you want an excellent content program and a company that goes above and beyond, hire bizbuzzcontent today!

Pauline J., CEO, Group Twenty Seven

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:21:10-04:00

Pauline J., CEO, Group Twenty Seven

We can't imagine how we managed without bizbuzzcontent before! Working with Jessica Lee is a dream. She is very creative and understands new concepts quickly. The content creation process at bizbuzzcontent is the most efficient we have come across in our many years of working with other writers and agencies. If you want an excellent content program and a company that goes above and beyond, hire bizbuzzcontent today!
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/excellent-content-program/

Trusted partner for years

Jessica and her team at bizbuzzcontent have been a trusted partner for years, and have helped us with our blog, web copy and email marketing, in addition to providing lots of guidance on other content projects. The team is able to quickly get up to speed on any content project's requirements and create quality content that's on target. Over the years, they've helped us educate, drive brand awareness and website traffic. I would definitely recommend bizbuzzcontent for content services.

Ashley G., Digital Ad Management, SearchForce

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:18:31-04:00

Ashley G., Digital Ad Management, SearchForce

Jessica and her team at bizbuzzcontent have been a trusted partner for years, and have helped us with our blog, web copy and email marketing, in addition to providing lots of guidance on other content projects. The team is able to quickly get up to speed on any content project's requirements and create quality content that's on target. Over the years, they've helped us educate, drive brand awareness and website traffic. I would definitely recommend bizbuzzcontent for content services.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/trusted-partner-for-years/
0
0
bizbuzzcontent

Recent Posts

  • How to Create Article Introductions That Do Their One and Only Job
  • B2B Content Marketing in 2019: The Audience Is King
  • How to Create Headlines That Make Your Readers Want More
  • Writing Advice from Six Famous Horror Authors
  • How to Create and Market an E-Book

Wordsmith LLC

Copyright © 2023   bizbuzzcontent   All rights reserved

Copyright © 2023 · Agency Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in