In January last year, Mint published an article on how Flipkart Stories broke the biggest story in the start-up eco-system. The news shared on Twitter; the microblogging platform read ‘Sachin Bansal will be the executive chairman and Binny Bansal will be the new CEO of Flipkart.’ On Flipkart Stories the news didn’t feel like a press release with images and quotes from the founders on the transition. Flipkart’s Content Strategy has many layers to it, and Flipkart Stories is a small piece of the entire puzzle.
With more than 50% Indians who purchase online browsing to read content in form of reviews and recommendations. Flipkart has made content an integral part of its product. Flipkart’s Content Strategy team today comprises of corporate communication veterans like Senjam Raj Sekhar (previously global head of communications at Vedanta Group) and Bejoy Bijoy Venugopal (previously travel editor of Yahoo! Bengaluru).
Understanding Flipkart’s Content Strategy
For an e-commerce brand, it’s important that they have content that covers customers journey starting from discovery to final purchase. If usage has to translate into retention, then they need to focus on the top-of-the-funnel. Flipkart’s Content Strategy has them covered when it comes to content that can be consumed at each stage of the funnel.
But a holistic content strategy also has to address other stakeholders including sellers, investors, and media. Flipkart Seller Hub along with Flipkart Stories address stories and issues concerning sellers. For investors and media, Flipkart Stories covers the latest news and developments.
We have used the Help-Hub-Hero Content Marketing Framework for understanding how Flipkart brings good content to life. The model might not be an accurate depiction of the brands content strategy but nevertheless, gives you a broad view of the brands content initiatives.
Helping to Buy
With over 100 million users visiting the site every day Flipkart has to help consumers to make smarter buying decisions. On a passive level, recommendation, product comparison, and reviews help to a large extent. Reviews curated from users address questions from prospective buyers but don’t always offer an unbiased opinion on the product. Flipkart has been using machine learning to address bias and fake reviews to address the problem. Also, to differentiate its help content Flipkart has buyers guide for large appliances as consumers are skeptical when it comes to buying big-ticket products online. For instance, buyers guide for washing machine has insights into the top five things that you have to keep in mind, deciding on the capacity, types of washing machines, washing programs and more.
Building Stories
With Flipkart Stories the brand has a direct channel with its audience and stakeholders to share its stories. As Flipkart grew as a brand, it found increasingly difficult to influence its narrative. Being a startup, you are subjected to more scrutiny than public-listed companies. Flipkart Stories today has a direct communication channel to respond to criticism and media speculation. Alibaba also has a similar approach with its communication channel Alizila.
We will tell our own stories. This will be the platform to tell our side of the story. The story of the people who sell on Flipkart, customers, employees, everyone. Everything we have to communicate will be done through this platform. There will be journalistic rigour to it. This is why we have a team of journalists writing the stories. They are free to travel wherever they have to and tell good stories.
– Senjam Raj Sekhar, Head of Corporate Communications at Flipkart
Flipkart Stories today has an interesting mix of stories like the one on how the brand worked with Happy Mcgarrybowen to launch the popular ‘No kidding, No Worries’ ad films with kids or highlighting the stories of women sellers on the platform.
Content to Check Out
Flipkart has two content initiatives to drive content discovery before actual purchase. Flipkart has partnered with Digit to launch a gadget guide named ‘FlipTech.’ FlipTech covers latest gadgets from cameras to laptops along with reviews, how to videos, spotlight, and polls in which users can participate. Another initiative Hobby Hub revolves around the community and cultivates their likes, interests, and hobbies.
Studying the customer buying patterns, we observed that more than 50% buyers believe in background research before finalising on a product and this trend is across all categories. With these two new features, Flipkart aims to offer an end-to-end shopping experience right from discovering content to check out.
– Adarsh Menon, VP – Electronics, Flipkart
Flipkart has also partnered with leading content creators like TVF, Scoop Whoop, Filmfare, and Ping (a leading multi-channel network). The partnership allows the brand to reach an audience outside of its network and especially Millennials who are early adopters of many new products. The initiatives are part of Flipkart’s Content to Commerce program. The brand has partnered with TVF to launch a series of videos under the title ‘From Papa with Love’ for Big Billion Days.
Big Billion Days & Social
Flipkart also creates direct response and quirky content for its events like Big Billion Days, Only on Flipkart (Exclusive Products), Perfect Buy (to push the sale of large appliances) and other initiatives to drive purchase on the platform.
Exclusive range of smartphones for every budget, only on #TheBigBillionDays! #AbMehengaaiGiregi pic.twitter.com/Yp5VzuX0jv
— Flipkart (@Flipkart) September 16, 2017
Besides dedicated presence for Flipkart on social media. Flipkart also has twitter handles for Flipkart Fashion, Flipkart Sellers Hub, Tech at Flipkart, Flipkart Stories, Life At Flipkart, Flipkart Ads and Flipkart Design. In most cases, Flipkart Stories continues to be the hub for the content hosted and shared on social platforms. Flipkart Fashion and Sellers Hub create unique and engaging content for its audience. Flipkart has been very effective when it comes to using social media as a key distribution channel.
We haven’t covered Flipkart’s Content Strategy for Jabong, Myntra, eBay, and PhonePe as they are independent units have been given the flexibility to develop their own content strategy. If you like this article also read more stories from our Inside series on Airbnb, GE, Netflix, Moz, and New York Times.
