Content and Commerce: Better Together

See how B2B content and commerce can work together to bridge existing gaps in the ecommerce landscape.

Businesses—especially in the B2B sector—know that a seamless blend of engaging content and efficient ecommerce functionality can significantly enhance the customer experience and drive sales. However, the current digital landscape presents several gaps that need addressing to achieve this integration effectively.

Gaps in the Current Ecommerce Landscape

The traditional ecommerce landscape often falls short in providing a rich, cohesive experience for users. Those gaps include:

• Lack of integrated content: Many ecommerce platforms focus primarily on transactions, neglecting the importance of engaging content that educates and informs potential buyers.
• Disjointed user experience: Users frequently encounter clumsy and fragmented experiences, where content and ecommerce elements do not seamlessly blend.
• Poor analytics and tracking: There is often a lack of robust analytics and tracking mechanisms to measure the impact of content on ecommerce activities, leading to missed opportunities for optimization.
• Inadequate personalization: Ecommerce platforms often fail to provide personalized experiences that consider the user’s profile, product preferences and contextual details like pricing and shipping options.
• Poor toolset resilience and sophistication: A wholesome digital experience platform that can deliver both engaging content AND modern ecommerce functionality is something of a unicorn.

The retail and consumer-facing sectors offer some of the best examples of overcoming these gaps. But, when it comes to digital experience that serve a business-to-business audience, the shortcomings can be quite glaring.

The Missing Piece in B2B Digital Experiences

B2B digital experiences often lack a strong, rich and meaningful focus on the right content to effectively support their ecommerce efforts. Unlike B2C, where emotional engagement and storytelling can drive purchases, B2B buyers also have a higher demand for informative, detailed and relevant content. This includes product specifications, use cases, whitepapers and customer testimonials that validate the product’s value proposition.

Dynamic Digital Marketing Tools

Modern digital experience managers crave dynamic digital marketing tools that allow them to create and manage content effortlessly. However, they are often restricted by the limitations of traditional ecommerce platforms, which are not designed to handle sophisticated marketing campaigns. This results in a subpar user experience where content and marketing triggers do not flow naturally in and out of the purchasing process.

Establishing Wholesome Analytics

Another critical aspect missing in many current ecommerce platforms is the ability to establish comprehensive analytics and track the impact and attribution of content that drives purchases. Without a clear understanding of which content pieces are influencing buying decisions, businesses cannot optimize their strategies effectively. This disjointed approach to analytics prevents companies from realizing the full potential of their content marketing efforts.

Contextualizing and Personalizing B2B Ecommerce

B2B ecommerce needs to be contextualized with a profound understanding of the user and the product catalog. This involves bringing forward relevant details such as pricing, shipping options, and product specifications in a way that is tailored to the user’s needs. For example, a returning customer should see details such as personalized product recommendations, pricing based on their contract with you or availability in their geographic location.

System Integrations and Well-Built User Interfaces

Ordering in B2B environments can often be streamlined through system integrations, but it is the purchasing decisions that require a well-built user interface. A user-friendly interface that provides all necessary information in an accessible and appealing manner can significantly enhance the buyer’s journey. Integrating content that addresses common pain points and questions can further facilitate informed purchasing decisions.

Providing a Pleasing and Helpful Business Tool

One of the most overlooked aspects of B2B ecommerce is providing a pleasing and helpful tool for purchasing partners. These partners are not just looking to you for a place to make transactions; they seek a platform that supports the need to be efficient when they do their job. This often means your website is an integral part of their daily work routine. The experience needs to expedite decision-making with valuable insights and easy access to information. A well-designed B2B ecommerce platform should offer an intuitive interface, rich content and robust support for a smooth and satisfying purchasing experience.

Data Security and Regulatory Compliance

In the midst of integrating content and ecommerce, data security and regulatory compliance paramount. Businesses must verify that data, from product knowledge to high-resolution images and detailed specifications, is accurate and up to date. Account data and order information must be secure. Both the application and the infrastructure need to be robust and dependable. This not only builds trust with customers but also helps you avoid costly blunders.

The Role of Sitefinity and Znode

This is where platforms like Sitefinity and Znode come into play. Progress Sitefinity, with its powerful content management capabilities, allows businesses to create, manage and optimize content effortlessly. Znode pairs elegantly with Sitefinity to offer robust ecommerce functionalities that elevate the B2B shopping, purchasing and order management. Together, these two platforms provide a holistic solution that bridges the gaps in the current ecommerce landscape.

With Sitefinity and Znode, businesses can create personalized and engaging digital experiences that drive conversions. Integrated analytics within Sitefinity Insight enable comprehensive tracking and measurement of content impact, allowing for continuous optimization of marketing strategies. Moreover, their flexible and scalable architecture allows businesses to adapt to changing market demands and customer expectations.

Want to see content and commerce come to life? Watch the recording of our Sitefinity + Znode webinar now and discover insights we couldn’t fit into the blog.

Or get a demo that will open your eyes to new B2B content and commerce experiences—just get in touch.