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6 Ecommerce Content Marketing Examples That Went Viral

Julia McCoy

Thursday, 13th Jul 2023

The business of search marketing is brutal. Because of cutthroat competition, 90.63% of web pages don’t even get a single visitor from Google.

So how do you join the other 9.37% and finally find success in your marketing campaigns?

Successful e-commerce content marketing campaigns can transform your business from being just another online store into a thriving brand with loyal customers.

In this blog post, we’ll show you six inspiring ecommerce content marketing examples and show you how to run your campaigns that convert.

We’ll discuss how to craft engaging content, optimize your website for SEO, leverage social media platforms, and utilize paid advertising effectively.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a thorough understanding of what makes a successful ecommerce content marketing campaign.

What Makes a Successful Content Marketing Campaign?

The success of your content marketing efforts starts with understanding your target audience and tailoring your message to their needs.

Creating an effective content strategy involves recognizing your target demographic, solving their problems, and delivering your solution at the right moment in the right setting.

This means going beyond generic sales pitches or product descriptions. Tell stories that connect emotionally with your potential customers.

To maximize reach and engagement rates for these tailored messages, you’ll want to identify where (and when) potential customers spend most of their online time.

Videos can increase conversion rates by 80% according to Unbounce’s research.
Blogs drive up website traffic while infographics can boost social shares.
Email newsletters keep subscribers informed about the latest offers or news from your brand.

A great content marketing strategy involves knowing what resonates with different segments of your audience base, creating compelling content around those insights, choosing appropriate channels/timing for distribution, diversifying content formats based on the platform preferences of your existing customers, and maintaining consistency over time.

Screenshot from Wall Street Mojo

6 Viral E-commerce Content Marketing Examples

What do successful content marketing campaigns look like? Take a look at these examples to see how large, national companies approach content.

Dove

One shining example of successful content marketing is the “Dove Real Beauty Sketches” where the brand featured real women, not models, and an FBI-trained sketch artist to show how we see ourselves versus how others see us.

The stark contrast between these sketches revealed that women often have harsher views of their looks compared to others’ perceptions. The message was clear and compelling — real beauty is more than what we see in the mirror; it’s about self-acceptance and recognizing the natural qualities that define us uniquely.

What made “Dove Real Beauty Sketches” so successful? Let me break it down:

Emotional Engagement: The campaign tugged at heartstrings by addressing common insecurities many feel about their appearance.

Relatability: By featuring everyday people instead of models or celebrities, viewers could easily relate.

Strong Message: Dove challenged societal norms regarding beauty standards — a bold move that sparked conversations both online and offline.

Shareability: The video encouraged sharing because it wasn’t just advertising; it offered value through meaningful messages relevant beyond Dove’s customer base.

Brand Alignment: This approach fits perfectly with Dove’s ongoing mission to inspire confidence among women — an authentic strategy for building trust and brand loyalty.

By creating such poignant content, Dove didn’t just promote products but started movements influencing positive social change that transcends traditional marketing.

Airbnb

Another case of great content marketing strategy is Airbnb’s #BelongAnywhere campaign which encouraged users to share their unique travel experiences using the hashtag, resulting in thousands of authentic stories that showcased Airbnb’s value proposition.

Airbnb’s #BelongAnywhere campaign demonstrates the power of a simple yet universal idea. The campaign revolves around Airbnb’s core philosophy that travelers should feel at home no matter where they are in the world — emphasizing inclusivity, diversity, and the unique experiences offered through staying with local hosts.

Here’s why #BelongAnywhere shines as one of our exceptional e-commerce content marketing examples:

Human Connection: At its heart, this campaign focuses on real stories from hosts and guests to highlight genuine connections made through shared spaces.

Universal Appeal: “Belonging” is a concept everyone understands; by tapping into this sentiment, Airbnb reached out across cultures and demographics.

Visual Storytelling: With compelling imagery showing diverse destinations and happy guests worldwide, Airbnb created visually appealing content that was easy to digest — and share.

Community Focus: By leveraging user-generated content such as testimonials and travel stories, Airbnb showed how its customers were integral parts of a global community.

Brand Mission Alignment: This strategy seamlessly aligns with what Airbnb stands for — a world where anyone can belong anywhere — which helped solidify their brand identity.

The #BelongAnywhere narrative isn’t just about finding accommodation; it represents belongingness transcending physical space.

Old Spice

Finally, Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign is a humorous ad that quickly went viral thanks to its clever script and memorable character.

What makes these content marketing tactics special?

Dove appealed to emotions and addressed societal issues around beauty standards.
Airbnb leveraged user-generated content for authenticity.
Old Spice used humor to make their brand unforgettable.
Dove leveraged the visual storytelling power of YouTube.
Airbnb took advantage of social media platforms where people naturally share travel experiences.
Old Spice broadcasted commercials during primetime television spots when they knew their audience would be watching.

All three brands maintained consistency in messaging across all channels, reinforcing brand identity at every touchpoint. This consistency builds trust with audiences over time.

Here are a few more e-commerce content marketing examples to inspire you:

Patagonia

This outdoor retailer has made a name for itself not just through its high-quality products but also through its compelling storytelling.

Instead of focusing solely on promoting their latest products or offering tips on outdoor activities – which one might expect from an e-commerce brand in the outdoor industry – Patagonia’s blog covers topics like conservation, nature, and culture surrounding outdoor adventuring. This story-focused approach is part of what makes Patagonia’s e-commerce content marketing strategy so successful.

By creating compelling content around subjects that matter to their customers, they foster deeper connections with them—strengthening brand loyalty and awareness along the way.

Lush

The video channel of this cruelty-free, vegan beauty brand is what truly shines as an example of a great content marketing strategy.

Lush videos brim with targeted, engaging content ranging from whimsical animated shorts to informative “how it’s made” videos on their most popular products. This blend of entertainment and education resonates strongly with potential customers who want more than just product pages – they crave stories behind the products too.

And these aren’t just any videos; each piece of visual content is carefully curated to align with Lush’s core values and ethos while also showcasing its latest products in action.

BarkBox

Every dog lover’s favorite subscription box brand, BarkBox, has truly mastered the art of e-commerce content marketing. BarkBox’s secret sauce lies in its dedicated content hub which serves as a one-stop destination for all things canine-related, from news on fresh and trending products to fun blogs that cater to the interests of dog lovers. They understand the customer journey well and tailor their blog posts accordingly.

In addition to user-generated testimonials, partnering with industry influencers helps amplify their reach further.

Elements of a Viral Content Marketing Ad

Creating a viral content marketing campaign requires a combination of creativity, strategic planning, and the ability to resonate with your target audience. While there is no guaranteed formula for virality, here are some elements that can increase your chances:

Compelling and Shareable Content

Create content that is highly engaging, unique, and share-worthy. It could be in the form of videos, blog articles, infographics, memes, or interactive experiences. Your content should evoke emotions, provide value, or entertain the audience.

Emotional Appeal

Tap into the emotions of your target audience. Content that triggers positive emotions like humor, joy, inspiration, or surprise tends to have a higher chance of going viral. It could be through customer stories, relatable scenarios, or uplifting messages.

Unique and Memorable Concept

Develop a unique concept or angle that stands out from the crowd. Whether it’s a creative product demonstration, a catchy slogan, or an innovative campaign idea, it should grab attention and leave a lasting impression.

Trends and Pop Culture

Stay updated on current trends, memes, or pop culture references that resonate with your target audience. Incorporate these elements into your content to make it more relatable and shareable.

User-Generated Content

Encourage your audience to participate and contribute to the campaign. User-generated content (UGC) can generate a sense of community and authenticity. Run contests, challenges, or campaigns where users can create and share their own content related to your brand or products.

Influencer Collaboration

Collaborate with influencers or social media personalities who have a large following and align with your brand. Their endorsement or participation in your campaign can help amplify your message and reach a wider audience.

Seeding and Distribution

Develop a strategy to seed your top-performing content across relevant platforms and channels. Leverage social media, online communities, blogs, and media outlets to spread the word. Engage with influencers, use paid advertising, and leverage your existing customer base to maximize reach.

Call-to-Action and Brand Integration

Ensure that your content includes a clear call-to-action (CTA) that encourages viewers to engage with your brand or make a purchase. Seamlessly integrate your brand into the content without being overly promotional.

Social Sharing

Make it easy for users to share your content with the e-commerce world by incorporating social sharing buttons and providing clear instructions. Optimize the content for different platforms and devices to maximize accessibility and shareability.

Positive feelings are an important element of viral content

How to Run Successful E-commerce Content Marketing Campaigns

To succeed in your content marketing efforts, you must first gain an in-depth understanding of your target audience’s needs, wants, and pain points. Once you uncover their desires and struggles, creating compelling content for them becomes easy.

Step 1: Conduct thorough market research. Use tools like Google Analytics or social media insights to gather data about your existing customers.

Step 2: Create buyer personas. These are fictional representations of your ideal customers based on the data you’ve collected.

Step 3: Identify the type of content that resonates with your audience. This could include blog posts, videos, infographics, case studies, webinars, or podcasts — whatever format they prefer.

Step 4: Develop a clear and concise message for each piece of content. Your messaging should align with your brand’s values and goals while also addressing the needs of your customer personas.

Before creating content, you should plan out when and where each piece will be published and organize them on an editorial calendar. This ensures consistent delivery of high-quality material over time.

For more deeper insights, read our guide on creating a successful content marketing strategy.

Screenshot from HubSpot

Crafting Engaging Content for Successful Content Marketing Campaigns

Creating content that captures the attention of your target market is an essential component of any effective content promotion.

Choose the right format. The first step in crafting compelling content is choosing a format that matches your audience. If you’re an e-commerce brand that markets to young people, you should probably invest more in producing short videos than writing eBooks.

Most e-commerce brands mix it up with a combination of blog posts, videos, infographics, and interactive quizzes to cater to the needs of different segments of their audience.

Tell engaging stories. Now let’s talk about storytelling. A well-told story can engage an audience like nothing else. It helps humanize e-commerce brands and create emotional connections with customers.

Airbnb’s “Stories” is a perfect example of creating top-performing content through storytelling. It allows Airbnb hosts to share their extraordinary encounters with vacationers from around the world.

Craft catchy headlines. Your headlines matter too. They’re often the first thing people see, so make sure they’re catchy enough to grab attention but also accurately represent what’s inside.

Now that you’ve created amazing content, it’s time to get the word out.

Make your content easy to share. Social sharing buttons are a must-have for any piece of online content as they allow readers to easily share your work on their social networks — like having a personal army of content promoters.

Keep it fresh. Freshness also matters when it comes to SEO rankings, so updating old posts with new information can help keep things relevant for search engines as well as readers. Give your content a little makeover every now and then.

Showcase your audience’s creations. User-generated content (UGC) not only provides free material for you but also builds trust among consumers since UGC tends to be viewed as more authentic than branded messages. By sharing UGC on your e-commerce websites, you let your own customers do the talking for you.

Social Media Marketing for eCommerce

Social media can be a powerful digital marketing tool for promoting e-commerce businesses. It’s the perfect medium to interact with your consumers directly.

But here’s the secret sauce: You need to know how to use it effectively.

Identify who your desired crowd is on each channel. Different demographics flock to different platforms, so tailor your strategy accordingly.
Create content that grabs attention and keeps your audience hooked to your e-commerce site. Think informative blog posts, eye-catching images, and interactive videos.
Showcase your products in a way that makes people go “Wow.” Use high-quality images and write descriptive captions that speak to them deeply.

Remember, don’t just sell. Tell a story.

User-generated content is the perfect content type for social media — it’s a trust-building superpower. Encourage customers to share their experiences using hashtags or tagging you in their posts.

Keep your branding consistent across all social media platforms, from your tone of voice to your visuals and messaging.

Try Paid Advertising

Paid advertising can help e-commerce sites increase the visibility of their product pages on search engines, build brand awareness, and hopefully increase sales and enhance brand loyalty.

Let’s dive into some of the most effective types of paid advertising for online stores:

Pay-Per-Click (PPC): With the PPC model, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. Google AdWords is a popular platform for PPC campaigns.
Social media ads: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer robust ad targeting options to reach potential customers based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Influencer marketing: Partnering with influencers who have an engaged following can help boost your brand visibility and credibility. Influencers’ rates can vary widely based on their reach, engagement, and industry. You can pay a flat fee, cost per post, or affiliate/revenue sharing.

A well-executed paid campaign should be paired with effective landing pages. These pages are like a VIP lounge for your visitors, providing them with what was promised in the ad copy and converting them into leads or customers.

But remember, while paid advertising can amplify your reach quickly, it should never replace your organic efforts like SEO or social media marketing. Instead, they should work hand in hand to ensure your business’s success.

Conclusion

The success of Dove, Airbnb, Old Spice, Patagonia, Lush, and BarkBox underscores the immense power of content marketing that resonates on a human level. These initiatives went beyond mere advertising — they crafted stories and experiences that spoke directly to core emotions and values, thereby creating lasting impressions on their audiences.

This is where BrandWell can step in as an indispensable tool for businesses looking to craft similarly impactful e-commerce marketing campaigns.

BrandWell can help brand marketers brainstorm a multitude of ideas quickly, unearth unique angles, and write creative narratives tailored to their audience. Its generative AI suite can turn these concepts into polished scripts ready for distribution across various marketing platforms.

For any brand aiming to cut through the noise of online commerce with meaningful storytelling, using BrandWell can be a game-changer. It can help you create meaningful messages that build stronger connections with customers, fostering brand loyalty and ultimately driving sales.

Written by Julia McCoy

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