Why content-led commerce should be a top priority for brands this festive season

People are simply not interested in being “sold to”. Consumers today want to do their own product research at their own pace, before they give you their money.

Rather than allowing brands to dictate their choices, customers increasingly trust their own analysis and evaluation. And this is why content marketing and content-led commerce should be every brand’s top focus.

Relevant and in trend content provides your target audience with all the information and arguments they need to make before the final purchase. Further Customers love interacting with brands across various channels, from social media to email, chat, and phone calls. It's crucial to provide an omni-channel experience, where customers can seamlessly transition between these channels while maintaining context. It ensures that customers can effortlessly transition between various communication and transaction channels, be it web, mobile, social media, email, or phone, without losing the context of their interactions. 

Brands can leverage technology and personalisation to their benefit to a great deal. Gen Z are digital native and not only do they want but also expect innovative and disruptive technology from brands. Already deeply embedded in our digital world, from tailored streaming recommendations to bespoke shopping insights and adaptive learning modules, personalization has become a cornerstone of today’s content practices.

If your priority is to sell your products to your customer, they will see right through that and be less likely to engage with your content. When creating content, be sure to give them something of value that they can use in making their purchasing decisions.

One major way that businesses are now gaining a competitive advantage in digital is by providing a seamless customer journey that establishes a lasting relationship with the customer. Delivering this consistent cross-channel experience involves synchronizing personal data and shopping carts across all touchpoints. But to really engage with them, you’ll need to offer valuable content like how to videos, tips & tricks, and inspirational pieces.

Being super aware of what’s are people interested in, listening to, watching, and removing the bias from only thinking in the category you operate in, and be quick with your judgement and go for it, speed remains crucial, cancelling FOMO out of the equation completely and move on to the next, as a fast fashion brand alongside rotation of SKUs, rotation of both ideas and execution also has to remain paramount. 

Another widely used but rarely strategized lever for content and commerce intersection is influencer marketing. Transparency is key - Influencers who are honest with their base, about pay, their insecurities, struggles, journey should be a key demographic for brands too. 

If you see Libas’s Instagram page you will see we don’t work with very big influencers unless a special campaign is launched then also it’s important for us to make sure the creator has a certain flavour to their content which is real. 

Consumers crave genuineness. Gone are the days of staged endorsements. The future demands transparency, authenticity, and social impact from influencers. Brands partnering with individuals who align with their values and champion causes they care about will resonate more deeply with audiences. A study by Edelman found that 73% of consumers trust influencers who support causes they care about, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in building trust.

Perfectly imperfect content is the new wave on social media, and it’s become a growing influencer marketing trend too and brands who are fast movers will benefit hugely out of this catch up.

Creators are shifting away from the flawless curated feed aesthetic and choosing to share less filtered and more in-the-moment content. UGC creators have become just as valuable as traditional influencer partnerships to drive sales and traffic. UGC is typically seen as more trustworthy than branded advertising and can help build great credibility of a brand’s product, it’s like a digital WOM. With no need for tons of followers or the obligation to show their face, UGC will help brands build a bank of UGC content year-round at great cost efficiency.

This article is penned by Nisha Khatri, Head of Marketing, Libas.

Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.