Native Commerce is more than just a publisher-first monetization vehicle — done right, Native Commerce can also be considered a user-first approach to generating revenue on your site. By providing a convenient way for users to purchase the products they are already reading about and want to buy, you can create a better relationship with your users, generate more revenue, and keep people on your site. That being said, it’s important to focus on certain concepts the user experience well and truly at the fore.

Since editorial content, in some shape or form, is the obvious focal point of any content site, what is the best way to approach the editorial process within a Native Commerce experience? The short answer: keep doing what you’re doing. If you have built your brand “the right way,” then you have already created a loyal audience who will want to buy the kind of products you want to sell because you’re a proven source of quality content .

Here are a few key concepts that guide the user experience in Native Commerce:

  • Transparency — When directly promoting a product or service through editorial content, whether it is being sold through your own store or through another party, it’s vital to be forthright with the fact that you are making money from sales. How you choose to do this is up to you, and while it isn’t necessary to use popular labels like “Sponsored Post,” including “[Deal],” “Sale —” or similar ensure that intentions are completely clear…it never hurts to be over-the-top when it comes to honesty! Trust is a valuable commodity, and being upfront with your audience will pay dividends — in revenue, loyalty and engagement.
  • Consistency — It’s not only important to maintain the same promotional standards for your Native Commerce content, but also to ensure it is consistent with your brand voice and identity. Cookie-cutter ad copy won’t fly, and neither will products that you wouldn’t generally recommend. If you operate a website dedicated to the outdoors and you have the chance to sell some new hiking boots, don’t just drop in a cookie-cutter feature list — describe the boots in the context of your users’ lives and why outdoor enthusiasts will love the product.
  • Convenience — Now that you’ve clearly communicated that certain content is advertorial and kept all messaging and branding consistent, it’s time to make sure that if a user wants to buy something, they can do so intuitively with ease. Make it easy to click through from within an article, and utilize both your main navigation menu and sidebar(s) to link to your site and collect email subscribers. Luckily this isn’t too hard — the fewer steps you put in the process, the less work there is for both you AND the user.

Creating great content for Native Commerce is no different than creating great content in general. That’s the beauty of Native Commerce — it’s an organic, natural way to generate more revenue. If you have any questions about how to best incorporate Native Commerce into your business, feel free to leave a comment below or send us an email.