Visiting company websites has long been a practice that consumers carried out to look up information like office location and hours. Recent shifts in the use of mobile technology, social media, and online shopping have led consumers to search out more in-depth web content, though. As a result of the access consumers’ have to product and company information online, Chief Marketer explains that consumers are empowered and expect a 1:1 exchange with businesses.
When marketing in this new age of the empowered consumer, businesses should not underestimate the importance of providing relevant, clear web content. More than just providing information about the necessary features of products, web content is used to increase customer satisfaction by speaking to consumers as if the business is an expert in their industry.
Without modernized, actionable web content, businesses appear illegitimate and outdated to empowered consumers. Awesome content features tactical marketing to connect with empowered consumers such as:
Answers Pertaining to Consumer Lifestyle Questions
Gone are the days of consumers entering a store with limited knowledge about the products available to them. Today, consumers educate themselves online about their options before making a purchase. Although they research products online, few consumer browse FAQ pages online for answers to common questions about how a product meets their lifestyle needs. Instead, they turn to biased reviews or social media, opening themselves to answers offered by competitors and people without expertise.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, businesses should offer web content that anticipates and answers the questions consumers will ask. For many businesses, blogs and articles offer the opportunity to address common questions and demonstrate the business’ expertise in their field.
Case Study:
Just Sleeper, for example, is a business selling mattresses and pillows. Their clients regularly research information about finding pillows for neck pain. Anticipating this question, Just Sleeper’s homepage features an article offering a relevant response.
Detailed Descriptions of the Production Process
The new empowered consumer is clued into the fact that manufacturing processes are not created equal. Forbes suggests this drives consumers to consider a global market. At the same time, consumers don’t know everything about product production but want to know they are in control. The content on your website validates the consumer’s knowledge while adding to their ability to influence the process.
Many businesses are creating web content to describe their production process to consumers. Through their detailed descriptions, businesses include information for consumers about customization and their role in the process.
Case Study:
Offering a unique product and production process for Lanyard design, 4inLanyard features extensive web content and graphic depictions to walk consumers through their process. The business highlights for consumers the ability to customize lanyards and give input to ensure the consumer is satisfied with the results.
Buyer Guidelines Comparing Products Side by Side
At IBM, one of the secrets of marketing taught to business personnel is to appeal to the consumers’ sense of trust. Consumers seek relationship, especially with businesses that they consider transparent and straightforward (which are indicators of trustworthiness.) Many businesses’ appeal to trust by offering transparent comparisons of their products with their competitors’ products.
The comparison is an ineffective tactic when products aren’t similar or when the marketing business’ product doesn’t’ measure up. In many cases, though, the transparency exposes to consumers just how eligible and high quality a product is. Since the comparison also makes the responsible business appear as if they have nothing to hide, comparison content can prove to awesomely win over clients in a market of stiff competition.
Case Study:
In a recent, brilliant marketing campaign Sprint has set out to prove itself against competitors by offering consumers comparison content. A chart created by Sprint, for example, highlights how the service measures up to competitor AT & T’s similar offering. The comparison makes Sprint appear trustworthy and transparent while also highlighting the affordability and quality of their service.
Graphics and Stories That Are Sharable On Social Media
One of the results of customer empowerment is that customer convenience now tends to drive marketing style more than ever before. The use of long paragraphs, no matter how effective, is no longer in vogue because consumers prefer to skim short lines when researching businesses and products online. User-friendly web content also makes it easy for the empowered consumer to share content on social media, a practice fruitful for both the consumer and the business.
To create shareable web content, businesses should:
- Be concise
- Use bullet points
- Include graphics
- Leave plenty of white space
- Craft compelling stories
- Focus on the consumer, not just the product
Case Study:
Providing personal care products and a compelling message about beauty, Dove has mastered the production of web content videos that consumers love to share and support. Their videos are circulated widely online by consumers, increasing their web conversion rates and expanding their distribution base.
Relevant How-To Educational Materials
For many empowered consumers, one-stop service matters. If a business explains how to use their product, they save the consumer time and frustration. Many businesses now provide consumers with a form of web content called an “explainer video” or “product video.”
These videos usually offer advice and how-to instructions for products. Even if customers don’t actually use the videos for instructional purposes, Big Commerce suggests the videos improve company credibility and increase customer satisfaction rates. The return on investment for such videos is consequently high.
Case Study:
Laminate flooring is a popular product and a great option for empowered consumers who want to install their own flooring. Of course, the how-to of the process can be intimidating. Bullet Tools, a company selling laminate flooring, offers web content such as instructional videos to walk their clients through the process of using their product.
