Commerce-related Content

Commerce-related content often powers a content monetization strategy.

Examples of commerce content include:

• Curated recommendations around a particular theme, such as a holiday gift guide or a top 10 list
• Product reviews such as a camera review or a beauty haul
• Style guides, DIY posts, and other instructional content where products are featured
• Giveaways and sponsored competitions

Many publishers are already utilizing commerce content in their writing and are seen as a valued resource by their readers. The rise in social shopping and online retail has created a consumer passion for this kind of engaging content.

As more and more people look to the web to make their purchasing decisions — often turning to content sites for advice — publishers are seizing the opportunity to harness their influence and effectively monetize content they’re already providing to their readers.

Time and time again we have seen that when content about products is optimized to match users’ interests and preferences, conversions and sales grow dramatically.

Commerce content in practice

There are two main types of commerce-related content:

Timely content – articles about sales, product launches, coupon codes, etc. In other words, content that is highly valuable for a limited period of time, after which it no longer has value to a reader. Such pieces tend to be easier and quicker to write, but expire quickly.
Examples:

• January 2014 Sales – Best on the high street by Housetohome
• Dealzmodo by Gizmodo

Timeless content – buying guides, Top 10/Best Of articles, product reviews etc. These tend to take longer to research and write, but can be valuable to readers for an extended period of time, especially if editors refresh the content to stay current and update product links to ensure they continue to direct users to in-stock products. These articles usually benefit from inbound search traffic over time.
Examples:

• Great Duffel Bags For All Budgets by Gear Patrol
• 6 iPhone Accessories Every Man Needs by The Gentleman’s Journal

Both of these content types can be monetized effectively. Timely content can be optimized with sale or coupon information which drives commission-generating sales. Timeless content can be optimized over time to benefit from high-intent search traffic.

The most successful commerce-related content publishers have strategies that balance the two. Not only is this a good approach to monetization, it provides a good user experience. You want to give your readers a reason to come back to your site again and again and quality content is important.

For more information about commerce content, download our Best Practice Guide with additional tips on how to best implement a commerce-related content strategy.