Creating content for retail businesses is no longer an option. Content marketing for the retail industry is an absolute must, and Forbes, The Economist, and The Entrepreneur cite several reasons to back this argument. If you are operating within this industry, content marketing is not a matter of if but a matter of when and how. We have, therefore, put together a comprehensive guide on how to create content for your retail business in 2022.
1. Identify Your Audience
No matter what business you are in, identifying your audience is crucial. Your content can only be compelling if it is personalized to meet your audience’s needs and address their pain points and concerns. The creation of engaging and riveting content starts with the creation of accurate buyer personas. Find out who your ideal buyers are and make sure your personas are aligned with the new post-pandemic reality and covid restrictions.
2. Tailor Your Social Media Presence to Meet Your Audience
Knowing who your audience is will help you tailor your social media presence to meet them where they are. For example, millennials hang out on Facebook, whereas generation Z’s prefer to socialize on Instagram and Twitter. Each social platform has its own posting rules and etiquette, so creating one content and assuming it is a one-size-fits-all would be a mistake. Instead, you need to tailor your social media accordingly and learn to speak the language of your audience in the platform of their habit.
3. Harness the Power of Vivid Imagery
A picture is a thousand words, and when you are in the retail business, nothing will attract your audience more than a good picture. Captivating images are memorable and will go a long way towards shifting your prospects further down the sales funnel. For retail businesses where the products sold and promoted are tangible (as opposed to the financial sector, for instance), pictures are not only compelling but a necessity as well. So dare to devote part of your marketing budget towards a professional photography session and let the pictures do all the talking.
4. Start A Blog, or Two
A blog is an excellent way to reach out to your clients. No matter what type of retail business you are in, blogs attract prospective buyers to your website. The beauty of blogs is that they do all the work luring readers back to your site without being too obvious. Suppose you are in the fashion business, for example. In that case, you can write blogs about the latest fashion trends, or tips about smartly layering during the winter, or even a commentary on the latest red-carpet appearances. Your posts can be almost about anything as long as they are related to your retail. With some intelligent SEO, you can drive organic traffic to your blogs and increase your traction on your products page, further improving your leads.
6. Use Inventive Videos and How-To Tutorials
In the retail business, videos and how-to tutorials are crucial. If you are selling a product, make sure that your audience knows exactly what it is, what it does, and what makes it unique. Instead of relying on trite descriptive videos, showcase your product with inventive videos. By using clips of your videos on your social media as a teaser, you can draw your followers back to your site, where they can enjoy the video in its entirety. Once you have the customers in your own court, you can skillfully move them further down the sales funnel.
7. Share Customer Reviews
Humans are creatures who seek social proof and validation before putting their trust - and their money - in a product. If you are creating content for a retail business, you need to leverage your customers and show how your product makes their lives easier. Coupled with the art of writing persuasive content, positive customer reviews will increase your sales.
8. What About Those Influencers?
Ah! The beauty of influencers. They do all your marketing without even you trying. Influence the influencers and see your sales skyrocket. But be aware, influencer marketing is sometimes grossly overrated. If you have a couple of celebrities, socialites, and influencers endorsing your products, do not simply rest on your laurels and call it a day. Just consider it a free bonus marketing resulting from all your stellar content efforts so far. Pat yourself on the shoulder and keep up with the hard work.
9. Don’t Throw Away Old Content: Repurpose It
Your content might be a tale as old as time, but that does not mean you should throw it. If a particular piece of stellar content did wonders driving your traffic, do not discard it. Repurpose it.
10. Think Outside The Box
In the world of content marketing, everything has been said and done. Literally. So, if you want to stay ahead of the race, you need to think outside the box and step up your game. Approach your content marketing strategy from a completely different angle. First, see what your competitors are doing and then go exactly the opposite way. Dare to stand out from the crowd. It is the only way to attract your audience.
The year ahead is an exciting one, full of prospects for the retail industry and a world of opportunities for content marketing. So are you ready to hop on board?
