How 3 Big Clothing Retailers Stitch Together Their Content Strategies

Retail stores are big players in the branded content market. They’re creating blogs, producing videos, posting photos, and promoting everything on their social media accounts.

Three retailers, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, and Eddie Bauer, are putting out a multitude of content on a daily basis, targeted to consumers. This content goes head to head with traditional blogs, and in some cases, is created by professional writers with a background in the various niches.

Here are the strategies that these three retailers use to strengthen sales and the brand loyalty.

Macy’s M Blog

On the Macy’s website resides the M Blog, which is updated multiple times per day and covers food, fashion, beauty, family, and the store’s news.

Launched in October 2011, the site contains stories on diet foods (with recipes), the history of the Converse Hightop, and lighting tricks for the home. In branded content fashion, Macy’s suggests its own products for each story with links to its webstore to buy them.

The staff on the site includes Tonya Mann, who has written for In Style, Allure, and Real Simple, Aimee Chesire of The Dish, and Kim LaSpada, who worked in editorial for Quick & Simple magazine. Users can register to be apart of the M Blog community as well.

The blog is promoted on the Macy’s Twitter account and Facebook page.

Nordstrom’s The Thread

Nordstrom’s has its own fashion blog called The Thread, which has an upscale look and resembles a Tumblr setup. One story is posted per day, along with at least one high quality photo. Recent posts include one on Miss Wu by Jason Wu, a fashion line for women.

There are photos, an explanation of the clothes and their functions,  a link to the collection’s lookbook, and an accompanying promotional video. Guest bloggers from Wedding Chicks Jocey Canrinus and Amy Squires wrote a post on their personal style. There are photos of handbags, accessories, shoes, and clothes, as well as links to buy the items on Nordstrom’s webstore.

The Thread isn’t the only blog from Nordstorm’s, either: There’s also Beauty 24/7, which is about makeup and skincare products, The Wedding Suite blog for brides to be, Men’s Shop Daily for men, and the BP. Fashion Blog for teens. 

Eddie Bauer’s Live Your Adventure

Unlike Nordstrom’s and Macy’s, Eddie Bauer’s Live Your Adventure Blog focuses more on the content rather than the products. Multiple times a week, authors profile different people who go on adventurous journeys in the wilderness.

According to the company, its goal is to provide “a daily shot of adrenaline with epic stories and powerful images from the trips, travels and explorations of Eddie Bauer’s world-class team of guides, athletes and adventurers.”

The photos are taken by Jake Norton, an in-house photographer, and show scenes from around the world. It’s divided into four categories: Expeditions, athletes, snow, and kayak.

One recent post was by mountain climber Peter Whittaker and detailed his trip to Mount Rainier, the tallest and most glaciated peak in Washington. In December, Caroline George wrote about her adventure in the Alps.

The blog is the focus of the Eddie Bauer Facebook page and also includes the high quality photos and videos from Live Your Adventure.