Yes, we know, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet…but just take a look at your local store displays, and you’d think it was Christmas already. Holiday marketing season 2014 is in full swing, and those who don’t take advantage of every last second of it will be left behind.
Of course your B2C business will be running online holiday specials and promotions to persuade consumers to make that purchase now, but the thought of trying to come up with almost 2 months’ worth of engaging holiday marketing content to support those sales can be daunting, to say the least. Won’t readers eventually get sick of all the hype?
Not if you come prepared with a content marketing strategy to keep them interested – and coming back for more.
We’ve put together a list of 5 B2C content marketing ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Creating blog posts, infographics, and even longer-form content such as eBooks around these ideas will be just the thing to attract traffic to your site and convince them to buy this holiday season.
1. Gift Buying Guides:
This is an idea with almost endless possibilities. Post lists of gift ideas to fit any theme, from gifts for men, gifts for women, and gifts for kids of different ages, to categories like gifts for nature lovers, or gifts for the friend who has everything. You could classify gifts by price, or even focus on last minute gift ideas. Your guide won’t be seen as blatant self-promotion, but rather as a helpful list of suggestions for the harried holiday shopper. In fact, these guides are so helpful that consumers actively seek them out online during the holidays – so you can bet on a boost in search engine traffic from them, as well.
2. Decision Guides:
A decision guide leans more heavily towards the educational than a gift buying guide. This type of marketing content would be ideal for a B2C company that specializes in one particular type of product, rather than various different kinds of items. For example, a shoe company could create a decision guide that educates readers about which pair of shoes to choose for the gift recipient’s particular interests as far as exercise and sports, as well as their unique foot type. This could be done through a series of questions and answers or even a flowchart. Having found the perfect, customized match for a recipient’s precise needs, a consumer is much more likely to go ahead and make the purchase.
3. Seasonal Tips:
With the holidays come fall and winter weather – and everyone appreciates helpful reminders and fresh ideas about how to prepare and make the most of the change in the seasons. From recipes for warm comfort foods to cozy craft how-to’s, and from winterization tips to new ideas for indoor activities, you’re sure to be able to come up with plenty of ideas to fit your company’s personality.
Does your business sell jewelry? Give winter fashion tips that showcase necklaces and earrings. Do you sell power tools? How about tips on winterizing your equipment? Valuable tips like these will not only keep visitors coming back for more – it will encourage them to share the information with friends, as well.
4. Introduce New Products:
The holiday season is the perfect time of year to introduce any new products you’ve got in the works. Gift givers are all looking for that unique, new item that will make their gift stand out from others, and a new product is just the thing to get them excited about buying from you. With 3 whole months to build the buzz, you can afford to take the time to tease the product release first, and then make a real splash when it becomes available.
Creating a countdown or sending intriguing messages leading up to the release will keep consumers checking back for more information often.
A holiday content marketing strategy that included each of the above four ideas would be one that attracted traffic from both search engines and social media, held those visitors’ attention and interest, inspired them to come back for more AND share with their friends, and finally make those all-important purchases.
What more could you ask for in the ideal holiday content marketing strategy?
If you’d like help crafting a customized holiday online marketing strategy for your B2C business, we here at Zen Media would love to help! Fill out our online contact form today, and we’ll get in touch to discuss what exactly you would like to achieve this holiday season.
