No matter what digital platform you use to promote your business, constantly coming up with new content ideas to grab your audience’s attention can be a real challenge.
Trending content comes and goes before you hit “publish” on your latest post, so how do you effectively plan your next big marketing campaign?
If you’re confused and looking for some ideas, check out these 11 trends that can fit your retail brand.
1. Provide value to stay relevant
With every piece of content you create, you should always think “what will the audience get out of it?”
Fitbit does a great job here, post Tips and Advice Improve their physical and mental health for their followers.
Cocokind balances its aesthetic content in the beauty space with Information post A walkthrough on building a skincare routine and how to incorporate their products into your existing regime.
There are plenty of other brands out there who can distract your audience with their own content, so focusing on the value you offer will help make your brand the most important and relevant to your customers.
2. Get your customers involved
No one wants to see constant sales content from any brand. But when you have a product that needs to be promoted, how do you keep people interested and engaged?
You can leverage your existing customer base to harness the power of word-of-mouth marketing.
That’s exactly what Holiday Company does.
April 2021, holiday company Launched the screen, now in collaboration with Nordstrom and Ulta, promoting the beach vibe of the ’80s.
Clients can generate honorary posts and share their new business cards on their own social channels.
Within days of launching the pre-sale, more than 10,000 people “changed careers”, taking on roles such as “Emergency Tequila Shooting Salt Secretary” and “Catamaran Fly Fishing Specialist” (my personal role).
Vacation Inc.’s success came from capitalizing on its already growing fan base on social media.
Interesting, interactive content spreads effortlessly and quickly after brands post, letting their customers do the work and branding for them.
3. Go the extra mile on short videos
It’s no secret that video content is becoming a staple of any good content marketing campaign.
As of 2021, Wyzowl report Users spend an average of 18 hours per week watching video content across different platforms, especially shorter videos.
That’s not surprising given TikTok’s meteoric rise.
But if you don’t use such content, now is the time to start thinking about it.
Italian luxury fashion house Gucci is a great example of working with video content as a retail brand.
Gucci balances the behind-the-scenes content of the new collections with the celebrity faces wearing their creations, and continues to adapt its marketing strategy to meet the needs of a more video-conscious audience.
4. Create Really Interesting Content
We all know that the purpose of marketing is to sell more products and win more customers.
But nothing stops you from having fun while doing it!
With so much competition and an audience looking for instant gratification, entertainment content should be a top priority for any retail brand.
Nobody does it better than aviation gin.
The company relies heavily on the wit of its owner actor Ryan Reynolds, constantly using humor and sarcasm to entertain audiences.
their “alternatives” Peloton Girl ad There was an immediate connection to the audience, thanks to its cheeky overtones and reminder of why the original went viral for all the wrong reasons.
Creating interesting marketing content is one of the hardest ways.
When you do, it really pays off.
5. Highlight what matters most to your brand
In today’s consumer environment where environmental and social issues are highly concerned, the relevance of brand value has never been more important.
One of the top performers in this space is the DTC beauty brand, Jones Road.
Founded by makeup veteran Bobbi Brown, Jones Road has rapidly grown a fan base with its cruelty-free products and body-friendly content.
If you’re looking to communicate your company values more clearly, the brand’s TikTok account is a great place to find inspiration.
How-to and tutorial videos have an educational and informative purpose while weaving a narrative around self-empowerment to create an emotional connection with the audience.
The brand has also captured the attention of non-traditional audiences on its social platforms, thanks to videos targeting customers over 50 on Instagram and TikTok.
By embracing their identity and beliefs, Jones Road quickly became a preeminent brand of successful video content.
6. Use influencer partnerships to educate your audience
Working with influencers isn’t going away anytime soon.
Strategically partnering with people your customers already follow is a great way to get your brand in front of new audiences and remind existing customers of what you have to offer.
Wine expert and sommelier Amanda McCrossin’s educational TikTok content has quickly made her the go-to resource for wine lovers around the world.
From her product recommendations for different occasions to Winery Tour To keep vacationers interested, this channel is a great example of how to work with influencers to create interesting educational content that viewers want to see.
7. Join the audio bandwagon
For video-first channels like TikTok or even Instagram Reels, finding the right audio to set the tone for your content is critical.
It doesn’t take much for a voice to go viral these days.
Having a catalog of video ideas that you can shoot and publish quickly is a great way to catch these trends as soon as they appear.
Popular sounds can pop up, so if you want to use these audio clips in your own videos, you need to be prepared.
wine bottle brand wine partner Great job at this, staying up to date with all the popular TikTok and Instagram voices and using them to post your own content.
This makes them searchable within the app through these sound clips, opening up entirely new potential audiences.
8. Build trust with subject matter experts
Creating educational and informative content for your audience is one thing.
But if they’re new to your brand, how do they know they can trust what you say?
One of the best ways to build credibility here is to work with subject matter experts.
This is a common tactic in B2B marketing, but retail B2C brands are starting to have success with it as well.
Interior design brand Studio McGee uses their frequently updated blog to provide Lifestyle and Design Tips From their in-house experts and guests.
Whether it’s organizing tips and tricks or design inspiration, the company clearly shows why they’re the ones to trust when it comes to home decor.
9. Jump on a pop culture moment
Like popular voices, you never know when you’ll hit cultural awareness that you can use to promote your product.
Take beauty company Lemonhead LA, for example.
Already popular with celebrities like Beyonce and Lady Gaga, the brand cemented its status as the go-to glitter makeup company thanks to its products appearing on the first season of HBO’s “Euphoria.”
The brand continues to release Limited series Inspired by the show, the show quickly became popular with customers.
Bloomingdale’s has also found success in this approach, following on from the success of Netflix’s Bridgerton, creating a pop-up collection of Regency-inspired products.
Not sure what pop culture inspires, so keep an eye on what’s going on.
10. Step out of your comfort zone
Experimenting with a new platform or channel can be a risky move when your marketing budget is limited.
Still, for the most successful brands, it’s really worth it.
Whether starting a new social media account or adopting a completely different content format, trying something different can quickly put you ahead of the competition.
Trader Joe’s experimented with podcasting in 2018, with a five-part series expected to give customers a behind-the-scenes look at the brand and its story.
You might think that not many people would be interested in getting a deep dive into grocery store audio.
But the podcast became so successful that they continue to launch new episodes to this day.
Thinking outside the box is the hallmark of a great marketer.
But don’t forget to do your research before you come up with any such major strategic shift.
11. Go beyond single platform silos
With technology so firmly integrated into our daily lives, the retail experience is no longer strictly an online or offline experience.
Customers want and need omnichannel experiences that take them from their phone to the store and back.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of omnichannel marketing, from expanding customer reach and satisfaction to improving profits in all parts of a company.
Target is one of the best options for this type of marketing, going beyond their focus on individual channels and thinking across multiple platforms.
One of their most recent successful partnerships is with Pinterest, specifically the Pinterest Lens feature.
In the Pinterest app, users can take a photo of a product they like on their smartphone, and the Target app will show them similar products in their own collection.
While your retail brand may not have the budget and customer reach of a multi-billion dollar company like Target, the same ideas still apply.
Rather than just creating a content strategy around one marketing platform, think about how you can integrate all efforts to provide customers with a memorable and unique experience.
In summary
There are hundreds of possible options for creating engaging marketing content.
(We certainly don’t advocate that you try all of them at once!)
But with some strategic thinking, your brand can make any of these trends a success.
It’s possible to effectively promote your retail brand through content marketing, so if you’re inspired, it’s time to start developing a new content marketing plan.
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