How to attract sales using better information content ~
Content Is Still The Solution

The needs of internet users are not being met by the sales driven content provided by most e-tailers.

Over 80% of people find information on the internet through search engines. These searchers are looking to solve a problem that they have at that point in time. They are looking to heal an ailment; find a gift for a girlfriend’s birthday; find a destination for their next holiday etc.

An incongruity exists between consumers and e-tailers needs. Consumers often don’t know the exact product that will provide the best solution for their needs. Whilst e-tailers focus the majority of their content around the benefits of their products without advocating the underlying problem and solution that their products can address.

This often results in a loose-loose situation, where searchers are disappointed that they can’t find relevant information and e-tailers are not satisfied with their sales results.

Before you can sell your product, you need to demonstrate the solution that your products can provide. The best way to do this is to create devoted information content pages on your web site that describe problems that your products are used to solve. (Solve in this context means assistance for a particular problem, it does not necessarily mean a cure).

We have used a variety of information pages with our Gillett’s Jewellers web site. For example many young men are daunted by the prospect of purchasing an engagement ring for their fiancé and don’t know where to start. To meet this need we provide two information pages on our site called ‘Things to look for in an engagement ring’ and ‘What to look for when buying diamonds’.

Initially we produced these and other information pages in order to answer our customers’ common questions about jewellery. Though over the years we have found that those jewellery fact pages have consistently ranked very well in search engines; have attracted thousands of visitors to our site; and have attracted visitors who would not otherwise have visited our site.

We have found that by demonstrating our expertise in the jewellery industry through information pages, visitors often feel more comfortable with our business as the information pages help to establish trust and credibility. Many of those people subsequently browse our web site products and ultimately purchase from us. The trust and credibility that is built also encourages visitors to return to the site in the future.

Opportunities to capitalize on the benefits of information pages may also arise from time to time due to news or world events. For example Gillett’s Jewellers started receiving many enquiries about pink diamonds shortly after Ben Affleck gave Jennifer Lopez a pink diamond engagement ring. Pink diamonds are however very expensive and are priced out of reach of many people. Rather than missing the opportunity, we created an information page on our web site about pink diamonds and pink sapphires. The page demonstrates the benefits of choosing the far more affordable pink sapphire instead of a pink diamond.

The benefits that devoted information pages offer include:

1. Attracting a wider audience: Information pages can attract people to your web site who may not otherwise have searched for your products nor visited your web site. They may also attract a larger audience than specific product pages will.
2. Trust and credibility: Information pages help to establish your business as experts in your field. They build trust and enhance the credibility of your business.
3. Better search engine ranking: Information pages will often rank better in search engines than product pages do.
4. Long term: Information pages may be more permanent than transient product pages and may provide ongoing traffic over a longer period of time.
5. Taking the next step: Once a solution is demonstrated, people are better empowered to take steps towards implementing that solution, possibly including purchasing your product.

Once you demonstrate your industry expertise through the information pages from a neutral standpoint, you can then use the information pages to highlight relevant products that you offer.

It is important though not to mix overt sales pitches amongst your information page content. If sales pitches about the benefits of your specific products are added the trust, credibility and confidence in your expertise may be diminished.

It is better to simply refer to products that you offer and link to those product pages on your web site. The product pages can then articulate the benefits of each product.

It is also best to restrict each information page to one primary topic. The content is then easier to absorb.

What information pages could you add to your web site?

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Sharon Wild
Strategy & Marketing Director of e-JAZ, Sharon has been involved in the e-commerce community for several years. She successfully manages Australia's largest online jewellery store, Gillett's Jewellers.

Sharon can be contacted via email on sharon@e-jaz.com.au