24 Juicy Tips for Ecommerce Content Marketing

FOR ECOMMERCECONTENT MARKETING

PRESENTS

F R O M � I N B O U N D � M A R K E T I N G � P R O S

good � to � t he

l ast �drop !poss i bly

t h e � l owes tha ng i ng � f ru i t !

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?YOU NEED A REASON,

CONTENT

INTERESTING CONTENT IS A

TOP 3 REASONPEOPLE FOLLOW BRANDS

ON SOCIAL MEDIA

OF CONSUMERSPREFER GETTINGTO KNOW A COMPANYVIA ARTICLES THAN ADS

70%

BUILD A STRONG RELATIONSHIPWITH YOUR AUDIENCE


CONTENT

INTERESTING CONTENT IS A

TOP 3 REASONPEOPLE FOLLOW BRANDS

ON SOCIAL MEDIA

OF CONSUMERSPREFER GETTINGTO KNOW A COMPANYVIA ARTICLES THAN ADS

70%

BUILD A STRONG RELATIONSHIPWITH YOUR AUDIENCE

Rand Fishkin taught me that content isn't for

direct signups – it's to create loyalty, branding

and familiarity.

LEO WIDRICHCO-FOUNDER, BUFFER

As long as people see content as a means to an end (getting higher rankings and distracting

people so you sell more stu�) instead of part of the end itself (building strong relationshipsand an enduring audience who will ALWAYS

buy your stu�) it'll stay crappy.

IAN LURIECEO, PORTENT

FRUIT BLOGFRUIT BLOG

OF CONSUMERSWILL PAY MOREFOR A BETTERCUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

86%

WELCOME! NOT SURE WHAT YOU

WANT? HEAD OVER TO

FRUIT BLOG, AND WE’LL SHOW YOU

THE BENEFITS OF EACH

FRUIT!


INTEGRATE IT AS PART OFA GREAT USER EXPERIENCE



86%


WANT? HEAD OVER TO



FRUIT!



Experience is never divorced from commerce, so as long as your

ecommerce site feels more like a gift shop and less like Walmart…

you’re on the right track.

RYAN DEISSFOUNDER & CEO,

DIGITALMARKETER.COM

Consider the user journey as they structure their content and site

experience. In my experience, we are usually called on to accommodate

many di�erent buying stages.

DJ FRANCISVP OF CONTENT STRATEGY,IMAGINATION PUBLISHING



86%


WANT? HEAD OVER TO



FRUIT!



To most ecommerce sites, content feels almost like a distraction. They're there to sell products, and can't make a good, data-verified connection between content and sales. So content gets shunted o� to the blog, separated from the products, which of course reduces the impact, and makes it seem more like a distraction.

IAN LURIECEO, PORTENT

INFO-GRAPHICS

ADSNEWS OPINIONS

PAG

E V

IEW

S

DATA

SOCIALLISTENING

ENGAGEMENTHOW DO I STAY

HEALTHY?

HOW’RE YOUFEELING TODAY,MRS HUDSON?

GREAT! MY LITTLEGRANDSON IS

LEARNING HOWTO WALK!

GET TOKNOW THEM

WHO ARE YOUWRITING FOR, EXACTLY?

YOU HAVE TO BE SUPER SPECIFIC.



INFO-GRAPHICS

ADSNEWS OPINIONS

PAG

E V

IEW

S

DATA

SOCIALLISTENING

ENGAGEMENTHOW DO I STAY

HEALTHY?

HOW’RE YOUFEELING TODAY,MRS HUDSON?

GREAT! MY LITTLEGRANDSON IS

LEARNING HOWTO WALK!

GET TOKNOW THEM

Get to know your shoppers through data, social listening and engagement via real conversations. The data will let you know how well types of content are performing.

Social listening will give you an idea of what your customers are looking to see

from you. Engagement opens dialog and actually empowers consumers to feel they

are a part of your business.

CARMELLA LANNIBLOGGER, THE VEGAN E-COMMERCE GIRL

Choose who you want to reach, and find out everything you can

about them. Their problems and desires. The topics that relate to those problems and

desires. The language they use when searching Google and

social media for those topics. Who else is serving the needs

of these people, both with content and with products

and services.

BRIAN CLARKCEO, COPYBLOGGER MEDIA



DECIDE WHATYOU WANTTHEM TO FEEL KEYWORDS

YOUNG

ENERGETICOPTIMISTIC

KEYWORDS

OF CONSUMERS FEELMORE POSITIVE ABOUT

A COMPANY AFTER READINGCUSTOM CONTENT ON ITS SITE

60%



DECIDE WHATYOU WANTTHEM TO FEEL KEYWORDS

YOUNG

ENERGETICOPTIMISTIC

KEYWORDS

OF CONSUMERS FEELMORE POSITIVE ABOUT

A COMPANY AFTER READINGCUSTOM CONTENT ON ITS SITE

60%

Make sure you have a really well thought out positioning statement.

This should summarize very succinctly the sets of feelings that you want to

engender among your target customer. Having this will not only

position you in the customer's mind,it will help you focus your e�orts.

PAUL MAYCEO, BUZZSTREAM

IDENTIFYENTERTAININGOR HELPFULTOPICS

ANNOYINGORANGE

FRUITNINJA

BANANASIN PYJAMAS



IDENTIFYENTERTAININGOR HELPFULTOPICS

ANNOYINGORANGE

FRUITNINJA

BANANASIN PYJAMASThink about the broad set of topics

that may be helpful (or entertaining) to your potential shoppers. Don’t be salesy. Just share stu� that relates to them.

Once you’re getting that attention, you’re hoping to squeeze the

social, search and email benefits from it, making all of your

marketing gradually more e�ective.

ANDY CRESTODINAWEB STRATEGIST AND CO-FOUNDER,

ORBIT MEDIA



FIGURE OUT INTERESTING CONTENTTHAT HELPS SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS

FEELING HOT? HERE ARE 24 FRUIT DRINKS THAT’LL COOL YOU DOWN!

BLOGLINK





BLOGLINK

Create content that sells the

lifestyle around your products,

not just the products

themselves.

MARKMACDONALDGROWTH TEAM &

CONTENT MANAGER,SHOPIFY

Every customer really only wants two things from your

content: (1) Help overcoming something

negative; (2) Help achieving something positive. And,

really, that’s what all products do as well.

DANIEL BURSTEINDIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL CONTENT,

MECLABS

The best content is not about products but rather is a focus on the problems that

buyers face.

DAVIDMEERMAN SCOTT

MARKETING &SALES STRATEGIST,WEBINKNOW.COM





BLOGLINK

Sell around a vertical. If you’re REI, it’s outdoor and sporting gear. Petco is

about pets. What content will help solve your customers’ problems, answer their

questions, inspire them to try new things, tell stories around their interests?

Experiment, learn what resonates, and develop a content strategy from there.

REBECCA LIEBDIGITAL ADVERTISING & MEDIA ANALYST,

ALTIMETER GROUP

Start producing content that is useful and interesting to your target audience. Give them a

reason to come to your website. To find influencers, you can use a tool like SEOmoz's FollowerWonk

– or even Twitter search.

DHARMESH SHAHCTO, HUBSPOT



DON’T PUMPCONTENT,PUMP OUTPASSION

YOU CAN START ANYWHERE, BUT YOU GOTTA

FIGURE OUT YOUR PROCESS.

WHATYOU

KNOWWELL

WHATYOULOVE

PASSION

DON’T PUMPCONTENT,PUMP OUTPASSION



WHATYOU

KNOWWELL

WHATYOULOVE

PASSIONOnly write about what comes from passion. Sure, you are not going to outrank Mr. Humungo. But slowly but surely you will

build a local and relevant audience and in the end it is not about attracting 1 million people, it is about attracting

the 1,000 that are in your area that want to give you money.

AVINASH KAUSHIKDIGITAL MARKETING EVANGELIST,

GOOGLE

MOTIVATION!

MOREBANANA!

GET CONTENTCREATORSINVESTED INCONTENTCREATION



MOTIVATION!

MOREBANANA!

GET CONTENTCREATORSINVESTED INCONTENTCREATION



If you can go to people and say, look, you've told us about the time

constraints of your job, we know you're hesitant to commit to anything, but here is an editorial calendar that

takes into account your time limitations, and here's the kind of

support we can o�er you during the process... and here is WHY we want you to create this content... then you have a solid business case that also seems manageable to the individual.

KRISTINA HALVORSONCEO, BRAIN TRAFFIC



HERE’S WHY TIM’S APPLES

ARE THE HEALTHIEST:

START BYGUESTPOSTING



HERE’S WHY TIM’S APPLES

ARE THE HEALTHIEST:

START BYGUESTPOSTING

Start by guest posting - not by writing your own blog. Put

your best free content on the blogs your prospects are

already reading. Don’t try to beat those influential blogs; partner with them. They’re

looking for epic content, and you’re looking for prospects; so be uber-businessy about it

and ‘synergize’.

JOANNA WIEBEFOUNDER, COPYHACKERS.COM


FIGURE OUT YOUR PROCESS.INCLUDESOCIALPROOF

WHY EVERYONE LOVESTIM’S APPLES:

GREAT!

REVIEW:

THE BESTVIDEO:

LOVE IT!


FIGURE OUT YOUR PROCESS.INCLUDESOCIALPROOF


GREAT!

REVIEW:

THE BESTVIDEO:

LOVE IT!

Content marketing delivered by the brand must be complemented by

content generated by brand or product advocates. Brands that

emulate, if not duplicate, the best aspects of social networks not only activate a self-sustaining model of content marketing, but they can

become more trusted in the process.

KIERAN TAYLORCMO, BLUCARAT


FIGURE OUT YOUR PROCESS.WRITE IN ATWO-STEP PROCESS

06:30AM

RESEARCH: 1 HRPRIORITY: BREAK THE “BLANK PAGE” SYNDROME!

03:00PM

EDIT AND WRITEPRIORITY: FOCUS ON DETAILS


FIGURE OUT YOUR PROCESS.WRITE IN ATWO-STEP PROCESS

06:30AM

RESEARCH: 1 HRPRIORITY: BREAK THE “BLANK PAGE” SYNDROME!

03:00PM

EDIT AND WRITEPRIORITY: FOCUS ON DETAILS

The first step is the sourcing process. I find lots of research studies on a topic. Write a few sub-headings and basically make a big mess in a word document.

I intentionally jot down lots of things that don't flow well. I do this for around an hour or so. Then I go and do other tasks. Then in the afternoon, I get back to the post. The great thing is that my brain has by then normally made sense of all the di�erent sections. I then edit and write the actual content in a concise form. In

this second phase I'm very focused on the actual wording, the flow and ordering all the research I've collected. I then publish that post next thing in the

morning after doing a few final tweaks, like adding images, and so on.

LEO WIDRICHCO-FOUNDER, BUFFER

WHY DO I

NEED TO EAT

FRUITS? I LIKEVEGGIES

AND FRUITS.

WRITE IN YOURAUDIENCE’SLANGUAGE

THERE ARE

STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCEYOU SHOULD AIM FOR.

WHY DO I

NEED TO EAT

FRUITS? I LIKEVEGGIES

AND FRUITS.

WRITE IN YOURAUDIENCE’SLANGUAGE

THERE ARE


What we call SEO copywriting is actually reflecting the language of the audience back at them (when done correctly). This has been the secret to e�ective copywriting in

general for decades before search engines. The key is to quit worry

about gaming an algorithm (that's getting more "person like" all the

time) and focus on the language of the audience in order to connect

with them, first and foremost.

BRIAN CLARKCEO, COPYBLOGGER MEDIA

TRYLONG-FORMWRITING

LIK

ELIH

OO

D O

F SU

CC

ESS

500

WORD COUNT

800

THERE ARE


TRYLONG-FORMWRITING

LIK

ELIH

OO

D O

F SU

CC

ESS

500

WORD COUNT

800

THERE ARE


Long-form stu� definitely works. But not for complex stu� – it is usually consumer-focused and impulse-buy. It is not against

best-practice. It is actually in a long and battle-tested tradition of direct response copywriting. The stu� has

been around for many decades with people like Eugene Schwartz.

I wouldn't use it for expensiveB2B stu� though.

TIM ASHCEO, SITETUNERS

CHAIR OF CONVERSION CONFERENCE

THERE ARE


USE VISUALSWITH RESTRAINT

HIERARCHY OF DISTRACTION / VISUAL ATTENTION

VISUALTEXT MOTION

ORANGE

THERE ARE


USE VISUALSWITH RESTRAINT

HIERARCHY OF DISTRACTION / VISUAL ATTENTION

VISUALTEXT MOTION

ORANGE

People misunderstand the power of visuals. Basically they distract the visitor and make it hard for them to prioritize. There is a hierarchy and stu� at the higher

levels will prevent the visitor on focusing on more subtle stu� at the lower levels. So cut back on the motion and the window-dressing – boring works.

TIM ASHCEO, SITETUNERS

CHAIR OF CONVERSION CONFERENCE

THERE ARE


BREAK DOWN COMPLEX ISSUESAND VISUALLY DEMONSTRATECONCEPTS WITH INFOGRAPHICS

THERE ARE


BREAK DOWN COMPLEX ISSUESAND VISUALLY DEMONSTRATECONCEPTS WITH INFOGRAPHICS

I love infographics IF – and only if – they're done well. I think infographics have been abused and have gotten a bad rap as a result. But when we're

analyzing data from thousands of advertisers and looking at billions in spend, charts are boring. Infographics can really help break down

complex issues and visually demonstrate concepts if they're done right.

LARRY KIMCTO, WORDSTREAM INC.

PEOPLE ARE BUSY SO YOU HAVE TO

REACH OUT TO THEM.

KEEP THECONVERSATIONGOING THROUGHRELEVANTSOCIAL CHANNELS.

REWARDPROFILECREATION,NEWSLETTERSIGNUPS ANDFOLLOWS.

PUSH THECONTENT ATTHEIR FOLLOWERSTHROUGHOUTREACH AND ADS.

BLOG LINK

USE THOSEKEYWORDSTO BUILDCO-RELEVANTCONTENT IDEAS.

CONTENT

LOOK AT THEWORD CLOUD OFALL THE FOLLOWERSOF THE BIGGESTPLAYER.

FOLLOWERWONK

HEALTHTASTE

WEATHER

FIND PROMOTABLETOPICS

MIKE KINGINBOUND MARKETER, IPULLRANK.COM


REACH OUT TO THEM.APPLY THE 5 PRINCIPLESFOR CONTENT PROMOTION

PAUL MAYCEO, BUZZSTREAM

PLAN SEGMENT LEVERAGE ENGAGE AUTOMATE

SPEND AT LEASTAS MUCH TIMEPLANNING ASYOU DO ONTHE ACTUALPROMOTION

FRUIT LOVERSFINDINGCONTACTINFO

COLLECTINGMETRICSCITRUS FANS

HEALTH-CONSCIOUS

PEEPS

BROADEN THELIST OF PEOPLEYOU REACHOUT TO BYSEGMENTINGYOUR “CONTENTMARKET”

LEVERAGEEASIER TOACQUIRE LINKSTO HELP GETTHE MOREDIFFICULT ONES

ENGAGEIN YOURCOMMUNITYPRIOR TOOUTREACH

AUTOMATELOW-VALUETASKS


REACH OUT TO THEM.BUILD AFAN BASE

Strategically, I believe that start-ups should be building permission assets – groups of people who are excited to hear what they have to

say (tactically, I'm a big fan of email marketing).

WILL CRITCHLOWCO-FOUNDER, DISTILLED

ACTIVITY

CONTENTPRODUCTION

COMMUNITYMANAGEMENT

CHANNEL

FAN BASE

SEARCH

SOCIAL

CAN’T WAIT FOR MORE NEWS!


REACH OUT TO THEM.PERFORMEMAILMARKETING

EMAIL

MARKETING:

CAMPAIGN

ANALYSIS,

METRICS,

BEST

PRACTICES

CONTENT


REACH OUT TO THEM.PERFORMEMAILMARKETING

EMAIL

MARKETING:

CAMPAIGN

ANALYSIS,

METRICS,

BEST

PRACTICES

CONTENT

I. Love. Email marketing!If you are not thinking about the

transformative nature of mobile on email consumption and engagement,

you are making a BIG MISTAKE.

AVINASH KAUSHIKDIGITAL MARKETING EVANGELIST, GOOGLE

YOU NEED TO MEASURETHE EFFECTS OF YOUR WORK

OR YOU'RE FOOLING YOURSELF.

OBSERVE THEHIERARCHY OF METRICS

BETTER MORE DUBIOUS

DOLLARSIN THE DOOR(CUSTOMERS)

LEADS(PROXY FOR FUTURE

CUSTOMERS)

METRICS FORMEASUREMENT

VISITORS(PROXY FOR

FUTURE LEADS)

I’M BUYING! I’M CONSIDERING! I’M AWARE!



OBSERVE THEHIERARCHY OF METRICS

BETTER MORE DUBIOUS

DOLLARSIN THE DOOR(CUSTOMERS)

LEADS(PROXY FOR FUTURE

CUSTOMERS)

METRICS FORMEASUREMENT

VISITORS(PROXY FOR

FUTURE LEADS)

I’M BUYING! I’M CONSIDERING! I’M AWARE!

The motivation behind measurement is to figure out what is working and what is not. Most of the time, we measure things

that we think are indicative of the thing we actually want. Because often, it's hard to measure the thing we actually want.

DHARMESH SHAHCTO, HUBSPOT



FOCUSON KEY METRICS1:VIEWS

SHARES

SIGNUPS

EMAIL LEADS

AUTOMATETHE PROCESS2:

METRICS

AUTOMATE A CUSTOM REPORT WITH ONLYSPECIFIC METRICS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT



FOCUSON KEY METRICS1:VIEWS

SHARES

SIGNUPS

EMAIL LEADS

AUTOMATETHE PROCESS2:

METRICS

AUTOMATE A CUSTOM REPORT WITH ONLYSPECIFIC METRICS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT

Aside from forensic data dives, webmasters should only spend their time monitoring key performance indicators (metrics on 'roids) that they care

about. So for one webmaster, this might be just the basics. For another, they might be a brick and mortar who only cares about tra�c from their sales

regions, let's just say. That will require a custom report using some advanced(ish) metrics. But all too often, marketers don't automate this

process and do the same repetitive tasks week after week, month after month.

ANNIE CUSHINGFOUNDER, ANNIELYTICS

MONITORDWELL TIME


GREAT!

REVIEW:

THE BESTVIDEO:

LOVE IT!

*BACK*

DWELLTIME

IS THERE A DWELL TIMETHAT LEADS TO HIGHER

CONVERSION RATE?

ANY CORRELATIONTO SOCIAL SHARING? DOES PAGE SPEED CAUSE HIGHER

OR LOWER DWELL TIME?

IN SOME CASES, DOES DWELL TIME CAUSE ME TO MAKE MORE REPEAT VISITS (AND MONEY)?



MONITORDWELL TIME


GREAT!

REVIEW:

THE BESTVIDEO:

LOVE IT!

*BACK*

DWELLTIME

IS THERE A DWELL TIMETHAT LEADS TO HIGHER

CONVERSION RATE?

ANY CORRELATIONTO SOCIAL SHARING? DOES PAGE SPEED CAUSE HIGHER

OR LOWER DWELL TIME?

IN SOME CASES, DOES DWELL TIME CAUSE ME TO MAKE MORE REPEAT VISITS (AND MONEY)?



For sites like my blog a very large percentage of people will just come to read the latest post or one post to solve a specific problem. Dwell time tells you

what that engagement looks like because all web analytics tools stink (natively) at capturing time for single page view visits. I use the data to figure

out what content is causing people stay and read.

AVINASH KAUSHIKDIGITAL MARKETING EVANGELIST, GOOGLE

THE BEST PART OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT

YOU GET TO GET BETTER AT IT.JUST KEEP DOINGOVER AND OVER

FIGURE OUTWHAT YOUWANT TO

FOCUS ON.

SET ASIDEWRITINGTIME FORYOURSELFHONOR IT.

DO IT.ASK FOR

FEEDBACK.

MAKE ANEDITORIALCALENDAR

FORYOURSELF.

RESEARCH

ANALYTICS

I WROTETHIS!


YOU GET TO GET BETTER AT IT.JUST KEEP DOINGOVER AND OVER

FIGURE OUTWHAT YOUWANT TO

FOCUS ON.

SET ASIDEWRITINGTIME FORYOURSELFHONOR IT.

DO IT.ASK FOR

FEEDBACK.

MAKE ANEDITORIALCALENDAR

FORYOURSELF.

RESEARCH

ANALYTICS

I WROTETHIS!

Remember high school English? That's where you learned how to write (or, you were supposed to—heh). And you learned from doing it over and over again.

KRISTINA HALVORSONCEO, BRAIN TRAFFIC

REWORKCONTENT

FOCUS HEAVILYON DESIGN

THINK ABOUTCHANNELS

INCORPORATEFEEDBACK EXPLICITLY

EMPATHIZE

DEFINE

IDEATE

PROTOTYPE

TEST

HERE’S WHY TIM’S APPLES ARE THE HEALTHIEST:

PHOTO:THEY TASTE GREAT!

REVIEW:BEST APPLES I’VE EVER TASTED!

VIDEO: WATCH MY BABY DAUGHTER EAT THE APPLES!

TIM’S APPLESKEYNOTE

VIDEOS BLOGPOSTS

EMAILS SLIDE DECKS


SPECIAL THANKS TO @JONY FOR HIS FEEDBACK!

EGO-BAITS WORK!


YOU GET TO GET BETTER AT IT.

REWORKCONTENT

FOCUS HEAVILYON DESIGN

THINK ABOUTCHANNELS

INCORPORATEFEEDBACK EXPLICITLY

EMPATHIZE

DEFINE

IDEATE

PROTOTYPE

TEST


PHOTO:THEY TASTE GREAT!

REVIEW:BEST APPLES I’VE EVER TASTED!

VIDEO: WATCH MY BABY DAUGHTER EAT THE APPLES!

TIM’S APPLESKEYNOTE

VIDEOS BLOGPOSTS

EMAILS SLIDE DECKS


SPECIAL THANKS TO @JONY FOR HIS FEEDBACK!

EGO-BAITS WORK!


YOU GET TO GET BETTER AT IT.

I think that I've been too guilty of always moving onto the next thing rather than seeing all the di�erent ways that a piece can be repurposed.

WILL CRITCHLOWCO-FOUNDER, DISTILLED

REFERRALCANDY.COM

word-of-mouth referral campaigns can work to enhance

your inbound marketing efforts!

Drop by

to learn how!

www.referralcandy.com

http://ogcontent.com/ecommerce-content-marketing/

http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2014/05/28/content-marketing-ama

http://www.inboundwriter.com/content-marketing/infographic-the-anatomy-of-content-marketing-2/http://www.technicallymarketing.com/index.php/2013/05/10/the-importance-of-the-customer-experience-10-important-stats-for-2013/

SourceS:

CRafTED BY

art direction inspired by: Maëlle Cheval

www.referralcandy.com