Content marketing is projected to become a $300 billion industry by the end of 2019, but it can be a low-cost way to reach consumers across the purchase funnel. It is a powerful tool in the overall marketing toolkit, working alongside paid and owned tactics to tell great stories about your products and services. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach to content marketing, which is an always-evolving discipline. Depending on your industry, your audiences and your goals, you’ll need to consider different tactics for getting the most out of your content marketing. We’ve gathered a few content marketing tips for the retail, CPG, finance and travel verticals below. Also make sure to check out our previous articles on content marketing tips here and here.
Retail content marketing tips
Content marketing can help retail brands lower paid traffic customer acquisition costs (CACs) by creating “warm traffic” to remarket to later, using tactics like blogging. The key is to track this traffic and related metrics on platforms such as Google Analytics, which can monitor behavior and acquisition on your website, and marketing automation tools like Marketo to track email and gated assets like whitepapers. With the fragmentation of the digital space, it pays for retail marketers to look at the big picture of where and with what content their consumers are engaging to see how they can adapt their stories across channels over time.
Future trends to consider incorporating into a retail content marketing strategy include a mobile-first approach, whereby you optimize smartphone experiences with, for instance, online/in-app to in-store offers, and leveraging voice systems like Alexa, onto which you can upload a “skill” you can market your products around.
CPG content marketing tips
CPG brands have the challenging task of marketing sometimes mundane products like razors and shampoo to consumers. The CPG companies that have won are the ones that create powerful narratives around their brands and products—think Ben and Jerry’s, which has infused its social views into its content, and Starbucks, whose powerful marketing of drinks like the pumpkin spice latte has become iconic. Video content marketing can be especially helpful for CPGs looking to tell resonant stories across channels. Sharing your values as Ben and Jerry’s has done is also a way to get millennials—the most influential group of buyers today—to tune in as they are more likely than their parents’ generation to show loyalty to brands that do good.
Finance content marketing tips
Probably the vertical with the least amount of creative freedom to play with when it comes to content marketing, companies that can give consumers quick answers, convenience and personalized solutions will win the day. Think retirement savings calculators, tools for paying off debt and checklists for when you’re about to buy a home. You can make your financial brand the go-to hub for information about major life decisions and planning needs, which will guarantee repeat visits.
Clearly articulating the value of each of your products and services—which, let’s face it, can be confusing for different consumers—and how they compare to competitors is another way to use content marketing as a financial company. You don’t have to just use the written word for this; remember that content marketing encompasses many formats, such as animated videos which can work wonders for distilling complex information to viewers. The key to keep in mind is to become a consultative resource rather than focusing on pushing your products and services at every turn.
Travel content marketing tips
Travel is an interesting—and challenging—vertical in that the aim is to get consumers out of their homes and to actual destinations, and the deciding factors are often price- and schedule-based. It’s almost the opposite of the CPG recommendations above; travelers want to hear less about your business and its values and more about the (literal) places you’ll take them. Here, more show than tell helps. Consider how Instagram has stoked wanderlust in the platform’s users—gorgeous pictures paired with compelling stories about the place.
Discovering the inspiration for the trip, whether it be business or pleasure, is imperative, followed by then providing relevant recommendations related to food and activities. You can also partner with businesses in these areas to build support for each other in bringing visitors to the destination and driving business.
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