The landscape of content marketing is shifting. Consumers expect more interactive and engaging content from their favourite brands as the practice becomes more common.
With people’s attention spans shrinking, uninspired advertising and time-consuming content are no longer effective ways to get noticed and establish a long-term relationship. According to a few studies and reports, more than eighty per cent of buyers now prefer interactive, visual content that can be accessed on-demand.
Expectations shift toward flashy and quick product presentations using rich content such as videos. On the other hand, consumers don’t just want to watch a video passively; they want to be able to interact with it. They want a seamless purchasing experience, which is why shoppable content and media is gaining popularity.
What Is Shoppable Content?
With online shoppers increasingly supporting e-commerce, brands must now bridge the gap between browsing and purchasing. This is where visual content comes into play to capture customers’ imaginations and attention.
Shoppable content, which uses a storytelling format to engage customers, is now being used by retailers. Retailers are attempting to bridge the browse-to-buy gap by using images, reviews, and product recommendations to support the story.
Many e-commerce websites employ shoppable content to enhance the digital shopping experience and effectively communicate the product story. Shoppable content accelerates conversions regardless of how easy it is to shop at your online store or how good your return policy is. This significantly improves the customer’s digital experience, which is one of the most critical factors in influencing purchase decisions.
Types Of Shoppable Content
The five types of shoppable content used by retailers to promote their products are listed below:
Visual Storytelling
Many of the world’s most well-known clothing retailers use visual storytelling to connect with their customers. Their collections are displayed against a backdrop of exotic scenery, which helps to convey the storey behind each product. The shoppable content is genuine, and it brings the brand’s identity to life on the screen.
Video Marketing
Customers can shop for products directly from videos, which convey the essence of the product or service. Many clothing retailers use shoppable content to provide customers with a pleasant viewing experience that encourages them to buy right away.
User Generated Content (UGC)
Websites are increasingly incorporating user-generated content (UGC) to boost conversions and customer engagement. On the website, actual customer images are used to entice potential buyers to experience the joy of purchasing the product. Because the pictures are from happy customers, they elevate the brand image to a new level, resulting in increased conversions and sales.
Editorials
Insider reviews, style edits, and seasonal trend reports are all used in the fashion retail industry to attract and engage customers. By providing customers with content that they are interested in and that reflects their lifestyle, this type of content helps build a stronger bond with them.
Shoppable Images
Many brands collaborate with social media influencers to reach out to their audiences. Customers are enticed to purchase the items during their next visit to the online store because the brand’s products are featured in blogs. Because shoppable images are frequently paired with engaging blog content, they help to boost conversion rates.
Creating Effective Shoppable Content To Connect & Convert
The advantages of shoppable social media are undeniable. To improve the digital experience, increase traffic to e-commerce sites, and keep customers engaged, businesses must first create the content they want and quickly provide an enriching experience across all channels.
Brands are looking at technologies like digital experience platforms (DXP), digital asset management (DAM), and product information management (PIM) to help them manage the complexities and requirements of creating a solid shoppable experience.
These technologies are critical in reducing the time it takes to create shoppable content. Previously, businesses were forced to reinvent their e-commerce sites’ backends. This is a difficult task because many brands and retailers manage product information and digital assets in multiple silos inside and outside their organization, limiting their ability to control product content and everything associated with it.
Combining PIM and DAM is a good start, but creating shoppable content necessitates a collaborative creation process in order to successfully craft and deliver content that converts.
While product content will continue to evolve to support touchpoints and manage a compelling digital experience, businesses will be responsible for making it relevant, engaging, and enticing. Brands can reduce shopper defection and provide the most relevant shopping experience possible by optimizing the shoppable content process.
Conclusion
Shoppable content is a fantastic innovation for both brands and customers. On the one hand, brands can improve the product research experience by making their products more accessible.
On the other hand, customers can find products more quickly and be inspired by the content. If you’re using this new-age content marketing strategy, shoppable content can be an excellent idea for omnichannel marketing. Modern businesses must invest in this tactic to gain a competitive advantage.
