How to use content marketing to appeal to an eco-conscious consumer
Trying to win over an eco-conscious consumer with your product’s content marketing? Find out how you can reach and teach your target audience with the right ideas and content plan.
the eco-conscious consumer
Content marketing is super important for the research heavy eco-conscious consumer. Green consumers care about where their products come from. They want to know about fuel miles, the chain of manufacture and how detrimental your product is to the earth and the people. Oh, and they can smell greenwash a mile off, so don’t even go there!
But if you present a case for a product that fulfills their requirements and does so with minimum impact, The eco-conscious consumer will pay a higher price point for your product. And if it works and remains true to your claims, they will recommend your product to anyone and everyone who will listen.
The eco-conscious consumer characteristic is also found in customers who are staunchly into their Australian made products, and/or veganism, social justice or feminism.
If you want to appeal to an eco-conscious consumer, this is your content marketing platform:
- A medium length website that has a little bit of personality, but also a lot of facts
- Video and podcast material- especially information about the products ethos, motivations and what causes it supports with profits.
- Blogging- about the behind the scenes, about activism in action, and about the things your product is trying to change.
- Social media- bringing the community together is a must for eco-conscious consumer products. You need to ensure you have a social media presence (at least one) so that your customers can gather to you.
- Events- while not technically content, bringing the consumer audience together to hear about what you are doing and the things they care about will definitely help your product grow.
- Zines, lo-fi brochures and creative photography- grabbing the essence of resistance and public protest can really help you reach out to your audience. Think outside the box and make it super targeted with the distribution spots.
- Postcards and posters- these are the guys who love picking up the cards that look cool and groovy, so have fun. The posters add the wider spread of info, and help assuage the guilt of those who aren’t that into mass printing.
- Writepapers and in-depth reports- demonstrating your knowledge while you educate the audience is a fantastic way to win the green heart. Especially if you have done it off your own bat for the good of the community.
When will you find the Eco-conscious consumer?
The green customer is well away from fringe life and is infiltrating Gen X and Gen Y consumer groups who have the money to vote for the world they want through their purchase power. This is a group that spans all kinds of relationship styles, ethnicity, gender and sexuality.
The common bond is being hyper aware of the impact their purchasers have on the society in which they live. This means higher levels of education (self education or formalised), a tendency to be left as opposed to right on the political spectrum, and with a comfortable level of income.
This level of income doesn’t necessarily mean rich, though there are plenty of eco-chic people within this group. It simply means the green customer will consider their purchases carefully and will buy what they need if it is worth it.
The benefits of the Green customer:
- The eco-conscious consumer will tend to be very community orientated and as such, are active with word of mouth, will often share insights and ideas at events, and enjoy being a part of strong social media groups.
- Eco-conscious consumer will happily shout from the roof tops about the sorts of products and businesses that do the right thing by the planet, and are incredibly loyal.
- They care less about price points and more about the quality of your product in relation to the things they care about.
The negatives:
- This is a group who often know more information than you think. So make sure your claims of green or social justice aren’t cancelled out by something else along the manufacture and supply chain. They will know about it!
- Eco-conscious consumers are well-versed in their choices and can be pedantic. They want to know the ins and outs of a product and a high level of detail. If you offer them sales copy, they’ll run a mile.
- You need to be careful about how you display your content marketing. Remember, talking to people about being resource wise on reams and reams of un-recycled paper using high gloss inks isn’t going to win you any favours here!
How well you know your customers is really important. Does this guy sound like a customer to your business?