[Content Marketing] 9 Wanted Points for Shopping Guide Articles

With the popularity of video and social media, although the habits of readers have changed a lot from the past, I still believe that the influence of words cannot be ignored. Compared with the short-term strong exposure of advertising, a good article marketing is more likely to realize the realization of traffic and content, so that the long-tail effect will go farther. The ideal shopping guide should not be a salesperson who pushes products and creates pressure, but rather is a kind and knowledgeable consultant who understands the needs of customers and guides them to find suitable products.

A simple and powerful title

The title is the portal for reading, which is equivalent to the appearance of the product. If a thing does not sell well, even if the content is great, there are many fewer opportunities for people to contact. For people to read your article, the title must be interesting first. There are many ways to subscript, and the sensational title is always tempting to take the bait, and the penetration is strong and powerful. The heart-wrenching title is like a confidant and an old friend, which resonates emotionally.

No matter what sect or skill, the biggest principle is to be related to the content, and never sell dog meat. The next step is to simplify. The simpler and refined the text, the more lasting flavor it can extract. It is better to cut into the key points precisely if it is long and comprehensive. Try not to state more than two selling points in the same sentence.

Recommended reference book: Selling by a single line of words (this book is a bit old and not popular, but it is one of my enlightenment books. It is short in length but very clear in logic, and it also has examples, which is suitable as an introductory reference book).

2. Solve practical problems

Reality often forces people to react. With oil and electricity prices rising, people want to save money. When there are concerns about food safety, protecting health has become a must. The role of the article into the current situation is to state the impact of the problem and propose a solution , which is linked to the commodity here. Commodities appearing in such articles should preferably have credibility or actual verification, such as obtaining agency certification, medical research reports, credible measured data, etc., and the effect will be better.

Example: Eggs are the perfect cheap food for bodybuilders

3. Appeal to Emotional Needs

People are accustomed to pinning their desires on the things they want, such as wanting to return to youth, wanting to look more tasteful, what themes or colors must be collected...and so on. Unlike reality, emotional needs can be more difficult to describe. Such guidance is usually to lock on a common group, and after in-depth understanding of their ideas, find the connection point between the product and the object, with the concept of focus marketing. It is best to have personal experience in editing this kind of article, and feel it from the actual experience, stand firm and walk for a long time, otherwise the sweet spot will not be reached, and the content may not be appropriate enough.

Example: Smooth and soft skin without taking off makeup, one swipe seems to be 5 years younger

4. Featured and recommended curators

The product itself does not speak, but the characteristics of the product can be highlighted through the content of the article. Articles selected by editors or contest votes indicate that the information has been screened, and the essence left behind through word of mouth and user experience, has the feeling of removing the rubbish and saving the essence. Modern people pursue efficiency. When looking for unfamiliar products, they usually like to read such curatorial articles, saving the time of searching for information and comparative analysis .

Common themed packages such as "Ranking List", "Must Buy", "Voting" or "Best ○○TOP10", "Strictly Selected ○○" are all available. Benefit depends on credibility, and there are ways to further increase credibility:

1. Recommended by professionals or institutions in the field
2. Items are backed by actual usage reviews
3. Voting Process and Results of the Open Competition

Example: Top 10 of the 2020 Japan's Favorite Biscuits and Snacks List

Five, PK melee comparison

Consumers want the things they buy to be the best value and the highest rated. When shopping, when many products are displayed at the same time, you can only look at them one by one, or compare them back and forth. The advantage of a comparative essay is that it lists the advantages and disadvantages of each, so that everyone can get what they need, and who wins or loses depends on individual needs. A common practice, such as the comparison table commonly used in weekly magazines or forums, lists the comparison results of each item. Comparing essays should be kept objective and should not make people feel that they have a pre-set position in order to guide them effectively.

Example: There are hundreds of sunscreen products, how to choose? Super cruel product PK competition is coming!

6. The most accurate out of the box

The experience narrative that has been actually experienced is often more convincing than the advertising text written purely for promotion, because the user experience is the reason. There are practical examples to follow that can drastically reduce people's distrust of things. The reason why the unboxing text is considered to be more credible is that it has detailed pictures and text descriptions, making the discussion a gathering place for "real users" . Unlike celebrity testimonials, commodities that rely too much on unboxing articles narrated by celebrities or experts often give people the suspicion of commercial motives, and the effect will be compromised. Articles based on their own experience will be more credible.

For example: iPhone charging knowledge lazy bag - Avier PD charger, fast charging cable out-of-the-box measurement

7. Catch up on current affairs topics

Trending topics reflect the events that people are most concerned about at the moment. Creating issues is harder and more expensive than coordinating issues. Sometimes racking our brains to come up with breaking points is often counterproductive, because events need to be reacted by the market before they can become a topic. The advantage of cooperating with topics is that the flow of information itself is much stronger than your own propaganda. As long as you successfully jump into the pool of topics, you will be easily found and paid attention to. Risk is the uncertainty of the development of the event itself, and it is unpredictable whether the news will be positive or negative. There is also flashiness, and the topic may become cold after a few minutes of speculation. So the key is to choose a suitable topic and find a unique entry point , "such as the extension of XX news events", "about XX you didn't expect"... etc., and then bring it into the marketing of the product.

Example: Is the tea you drink safe after the poison starch incident?

8. Numbers can speak

As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and many times a thousand words are not as persuasive as a number. A number represents a market-proven outcome of something. It is not only a piece of data, but also the best tool to make people remember. To emphasize how good a product is, it is better to put forward sales data or praise statistics. To express the success of an event, you can look at the number of participants or website traffic. Articles based on numbers are often used in the release of statistical results, such as market research reports, membership or sales analysis reports, which can be used to guide related products, endorse the data, and use products as specific countermeasures. In addition, the magic of numbers can also be seen in the title. Numbers imply the concept of empirical and statistical concepts. Of course, specific numbers are more convincing than sampling. According to statistics, if there are numbers in the title, you can get a higher CTR. I did see this in the suggestions of website SEO tools. It can be seen that no matter the content or the title, the blessing of numbers can indeed enhance the value of the article.

For example: see how Bomi’s creative attack, how old brands “play” young people

Nine, make up for the door

No matter what kind of marketing content, in the end, there must be a clear call to action in order to achieve the goal of shopping guide. For the audience who read the article, exclusive discounts, gifts, membership bonuses or after-sales promises are given. This part is based on the nature of the product itself or the marketing strategy. It can be written directly to provide an order path, or it can be received through a relay webpage or social platform. You are the exclusive channel for some products. Directly guiding purchases can not only increase sales opportunities but also track results. Some products have many competing products or many channels, and giving the audience a clear channel can ensure that the last mile of the road will not fall into the fields of outsiders.

Summarize

The purpose of shopping guide articles is successful marketing. Or go back to the beginning, clearly identify your target audience and choose the appropriate communication method. Once the article itself has a high degree of connection with the object, and the content is readable, the commercial flavor of advertising will not be so heavy. And a good article can tell a story for the product. Instead of guiding consumers to understand the product, it is better to guide the consumer to know what they need and what problems your product can solve. Design, typography and creativity are all part of an expression, but the more important part is the content itself.