Fashion – Such a complex concept! Described by some as a form of expression without the use of words or a way of telling a story through clothing, fashion has an enormous influence in the modern society and this is noticeable in almost all aspects of our lives. Christene Barberich, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Refinery29, describes fashion as:
“I know practically, fashion is art, it’s commerce, it functions, it expresses. But I also can’t mistake the simple gut reaction I have when I see something I love, that really knocks me out. It’s like out of the blue, finding something special that you’ve lost. You know that feeling: ‘Oh Jesus, THERE it is!’ And then, somehow you find a way to make it your own, and once it is [your own], you’re just a little bit more yourself than you were before you found it? That’s the fashion to me. Collecting beautiful little pieces of yourself over time.”
Having such a sophisticated function in people’s lives, no wonder this industry has immense potential and impact nowadays. It has progressed a lot over the years and has been conquering many business environments, including the online one. According to Statista, fashion eCommerce websites account for roughly 20% of the total fashion retail sales in the USA and is expected to increase to $787.5 billion by 2022.
The online environment is extremely competitive and the fashion sector is no exception. The main factors that determined eCommerce success in this industry were, until recently, transparent and competitive pricing, acceptance of payment methods, return policies and fast delivery. These represent the main pillars for fashion web stores, however, there is a very important element that can set you apart from your competitors: content marketing.
Let’s take a look at effective ways on how to create the best fashion content marketing!
Why Content Matters in Fashion & Style eCommerce?
Content is what defines your brand, what allows your customers to interact with you and what ultimately build their trust and loyalty. Shoppers expect a real-time and personalized experience when they engage with a style brand. The purpose of content is to keep the users inspired, entertained, informed, to build brand awareness and influence purchasing decisions. Content marketing in the fashion industry is a major aspect to consider.
How do you get there? By using all of the available and effective methods such as videos, copy, images, fashion social media and personalized email marketing.
Here are some interesting statistics about the importance of content:
- 40% of YouTube users educate themselves on a product before purchasing it.
- 73% of American adults are more likely to buy a product after watching an online video that explains the product or service.
- 58% of consumers consider companies more trustworthy if they produce video content.
- Videos on product pages contribute to 127% increase in pages visited per shopping session.
- Beauty content attracts over 582 million views across top 100 channels on YouTube.
- Infographics can increase web traffic by up to 12%.
- 32% of marketers say visual images are the most important form of content for their business, with blogging in second (27%.)
- 80% of marketers agree that the email is the most important channel for real-time personalization.
7 Cool Ideas for Creating an Engaging Fashion & Style Content
- Digital Catalogs
Digital catalogs offer an alternative to the traditional printed ones, providing an interactive digital experience, highly appreciated by consumers. Although fashion magazine content and printed catalogs are still very popular and used, the digital version is a powerful selling tool which communicates your identity and brand personality. Many people prefer browsing through a catalog where they can see a wide array of products instead of looking through the categories on your website. Consider building a digital catalog and make sure the quality of the images are top-notch, the content is engaging and the benefits of your products are listed visibly.
- Don’t be afraid to stand out
Creating a unique fashion eCommerce website is what will solidify your brand and increase the number of visitors and customers on your online store. Studying your competitors is a must here, but doing it better than them is the key to success. The fashion industry can be very flexible and there are plenty of methods to help you become a remarkable player in the online environment. Focus on engaging your shoppers, provide them with sufficient information and artistic content, create marketing materials that make them feel special and happy to be your clients. Be bold, be unique and offer your customers an extraordinary experience!
- Invest in photography
In such a visual and artistic industry, the way you display your products and content is everything. High-quality custom photos are definitely worth investing in. These can improve your conversion rates as a perfect photo can make the difference between a scroll and a sale. The higher the quality of the image, the better the optimization of the page. Add relevant images of your products, including people wearing your product, consider 360° view images and don’t forget to focus on videos as well!
- Social selling & customer-generated content
User-generated content is branded content that is to be posted to social media channels and produced by someone outside of your company. Fashion social media content raises awareness, credibility, and engagement. People tend to trust more products that have been used and reviewed by other people which give their honest opinion about it. Many customers are twice as likely to share user-generated content with their family and friends. Learn the specific ways of how to re-post and share this type of content based on the social media channel you want to use, set up goals, ask for a specific content from your audience (being direct and specific is key), focus on the community aspect and collaborate.
- Clickable & engaging elements
Interactive elements are extremely important and efficient as they turn a passive user into an active one, making him/her take some sort of action on a page, instead of just looking at it. Amongst the clickable and engaging elements we can name social sharing, price toggling, forms to fill in, quizzes, product collections, lookbooks, call to action buttons (to link directly to the shopping page), “how to style it” section, customer reviews. Adding more interactive elements on your pages means more chances of conversion.
- Promotions & offers are content as well
Creating content marketing in the fashion industry is of utmost importance for your website. Promotional content has the purpose of informing your customers about products, promoting them and ultimately turn your visitors into shoppers. The content has to be appealing, showing the benefits of your products and making the users want to buy them. You need to pay attention not to come across as too pushy for the sale. Promotions and offers need to attract new customers, engage and re-engage existing clients and increase the customer lifetime value. Offers are usually limited by time, they have to be unique and create excitement. You have to give the users the opportunity to share this information with others, so social media sharing and call to action buttons are recommended. Nowadays, a solid fashion social media strategy is extremely important because users tend to promote your content with their families and friends. Promotions and offers usually have to stand out on the site, amongst the first thing that the customers see (for example animated banners, colorful sections and so on). Some of the most common offers are the following: free shipping, loyalty points, quantity discounts, buy one get one for free, percentage based discounts, coupons and vouchers, first-time visitors discounts and the list can continue. Find the best deals that your audience expects and prepare to sell more of your products!
- Mobile-first
Shopping on mobile has become the new trends, most users use their phones to buy online. Having a mobile responsive website is without a doubt a major thing you should consider. Here are some of the most important aspects of mobile shopping experiences: speed and performance, the simplicity of pages and forms, reduced number of clicks, easy checkout page, trust marks, no account buying process, and content responsiveness. Images and layout need to align nicely on the page, browsing through the site have to be a seamless and pleasant experience for your customers.
- Video marketing for the win!
Video marketing is believed to bring a good ROI to businesses, so the focus on publishing video content has increased simply because they are versatile and profitable as a marketing tool. Adding a video to your product page can increase conversion by 80%. It also builds trust between the consumers because it shows what your product can do, it ignites emotions and engages the user. A video can capture a wide range of users, bringing more attention to your products and increase your brand visibility. Your videos have to be short, good quality and straight to the point. Make sure you include relevant videos in your email marketing campaigns.
The fashion industry is extremely complex and flexible, especially when it comes to eCommerce and its great possibilities. A fashion and style web store can use a lot of tricks and tips to improve traffic and attract more customers. The opportunities are almost endless, but creating a captivating content still remains one of the most important aspects of building a solid customer database.
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