Valentine’s Day ideas: Themed content your readers will love
Posted 11 months ago by Skimlinks
Valentine’s Day is a key eCommerce opportunity and one we encourage our publishers to engage with: According to data from the NRF, Valentine’s Day spending in the US reached nearly $26 billion in 2023, up +8.8% from $23.9 billion in 2022. The wants and needs of our loved ones change, so readers always need advice about where to buy their special gifts. With this opportunity in mind, we’ve put together some top commerce content ideas, to create articles your readers will love and enhance commerce revenue generation this year.
The ever-reliable Gift Guide
Gift guides are everywhere and it is easy to see why they are the backbone of publishers’ commerce content. Curate a list of products you believe in, state why you believe in them, and watch as people begin their shopping journeys. The only real change has been to ensure your gift guide is offering that little bit extra. Include price comparisons, vary the brands you write about to keep your readers’ budgets in mind and think outside of the box. For Valentine’s Day, that can mean thinking about the people that hate the holiday too. Take these fantastic posts from GQ for both men and women: they have all kinds of different products included and they offer something different from what’s already out there.
What to buy him
Valentine’s Day is often thought of as a one-way holiday and looking at heterosexual couples it is easy to see why. One estimate says men spend 65% more than women on V-Day. However, women are spending on men too, and with the rise of the “pink dollar”, there’s room for Valentine’s Day commerce content to cater to everyone. This post from Good Housekeeping offers a great alternative to standard candy and flower content.
Help people make the holiday personal to them
It’s easy to see why people go generic on V-Day. People lead very busy lives, which leaves less time for them to invest in gift hunting. Personalization is key to a meaningful gift: with many UK consumers seeking out more ethically sourced, personalized offerings. Take a look at this Cosmopolitan article for inspiration: It is packed with unique products that offer something personalized to everyone. Experiences are also becoming increasingly popular on Valentine’s Day: the NRF reports that nearly half of millennials have given an experience as a gift, and 83% are interested in giving one in the future.
Spice things up for Valentine’s
Valentine’s Day is the holiday of love. In our network each year, we see that sex toys are always a top-performing product category. So putting the two together is a winning combination when creating Valentine’s Day commerce content. This Inside Hook piece focuses on items for couples, while Cosmopolitan focuses on gifts good enough that you might do some self-gifting.
Themed content can be helpful, humorous, and everything in between. And if you monetize the content with affiliate links, it is a great opportunity to get rewarded for the shopping journeys you inspire. To get started on your Valentine’s Day content head to our merchant pages and start perusing who you’ll write about this year. In the meanwhile, here are some top-performing merchants you might want to consider!
Top 5 Merchants to Feature
Sephora
From makeup must-haves to skincare saviors, a beauty gift to treat your loved ones for Valentine’s Day will never go amiss. If partners prefer vegan, cruelty-free, or conscious beauty, there is a vast collection of brands and products available at Sephora. Even though skincare and makeup are mainly marketed toward women, men can enjoy them too! Why not plan an at-home spa day both partners can enjoy together for Valentine’s Day?
Access Sephora’s Affiliate Program here.
Bondara
Sharing love, affection, and admiration is the epitome of Valentine’s Day and sometimes that means spicing things up in the bedroom! Bondara is a renowned leader in sexual happiness with multiple ETO awards showcasing its efficacy as a brand, high customer satisfaction and diversity, and catering to heterosexual couples and the LGBTQ+ community. Also, Members receive a 5% discount whilst new customers can get 20% off their first order when they sign-up!
Access Bondara’s Affiliate Program here.
Not On The High Street (NOTHS)
There’s nothing quite as romantic as creating a unique gift that can’t be found anywhere else for your loved ones. Personalized gifts are sweet gestures as it shows the effort and thought behind a gift. From photo gifts to mugs, blankets, bags, apparel, and everything in between, NOTHS showcases an array of gifts that can be personalized to your liking. If you would like to try something different in 2023 and up your game, create a personalized gift!
Access Not On The High Street’s Affiliate Program here.
NET-A-PORTER
Spoil your loved ones with a luxury gift or, spoil yourself! NET-A-PORTER is a female-founded fashion platform with a global reach that offers a mix of luxury, streetwear, and avant-garde pieces from Designers – Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Jacquemus to name a few. Take advantage of NET-A-PORTER’s winter sale, offering up to 70% off selected items, and surprise your loved one with a luxury gift they will not expect!
Access NET-A-PORTER’s Affiliate Program here.
Hotel Chocolat
Chocolate, the feel-good food that stimulates endorphins and serotonins, is always a very popular gift for Valentine’s Day. From creamy truffles to handmade pralines, and chocolate coffee to Salted Caramel Liqueur, there’s a little bit of something for everyone or even just for yourself to enjoy! Spoil yourself as well as your loved ones for Valentine’s Day.
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