E-commerce is a brutally competitive sphere. There are thousands of companies competing for the same customers, not to mention the giants such as Amazon, Target, and Zappos who already have a chunk of the space fully covered.

It can seem like an impossible task to make a name for yourself in the e-commerce world unless you have an established brand or an unlimited budget, but that’s not true.

Your e-commerce company can make an effective stand against the competition with the right content marketing strategy. But how do you know if your company is killing it in the content marketing world?

The first step is to see what your competitors are doing and how they’re doing it well. In this blog, we’re taking a look at some of the e-commerce brands that are using their content marketing most successfully.

REI

REI is a huge and successful retailer. Their name is synonymous with outdoor gear and the active lifestyle. In fact, they have such a massive community of outdoor enthusiasts that they’ve even managed to make a dent against a giant like Amazon. The question is how?

Their content marketing game is incredible, and it all starts on their website with their Expert Advice section. This section is PACKED with content on everything they sell from camping to hiking, cycling, travel, and more. It’s here where shoppers can gain tips about everything from hiking in cold weather to cleaning your bike and choosing the right rainwear.

The best part is that selling is second. Their first goal is to provide helpful information and to demonstrate their expertise on everything to do with exploring the outdoors.

And their excellent content continues on their social media platforms where they share videos of their various marketing initiatives and encourage their social media users to get involved.

In their social media, they invited their customers to become a part of the REI community.

Things they do well:

• A detailed blog that sets them up as an expert in their space.
• Interactive social media posting that draws in customers to take part.
• Focused on helping customers first and selling second.

PATAGONIA

Patagonia is another outdoor brand that is killing it in the content marketing game. In fact, recently, they’ve made a ton of waves online with their content marketing. When President Trump came out with his plan to reduce the size of two public lands, Patagonia took a hard stand on their website and social media speaking out against the decision, and they gained an incredible amount of support.

But staying on top of current events is only one thing that Patagonia does well. They also have a popular blog called, The Cleanest Line, which shares stories about the environment and where the company stands on political issues.

Then, there’s the fact that the company has a partnership with Dirtbag Diaries, a podcast about the outdoors. Finally, the company has even produced a few short films that tackle environmental issues including The Refuge.