Commerce Content Insights from ASE23 & MARCC
Early last week, two fantastic commerce content conferences took place in NYC: Affiliate Summit East 2023 and Martech Record’s MARCC conference. Reflecting on two back-to-back days of meetings, panel discussions, presentations and dinners, I’m sharing a few insights and observations into the current pulse of the commerce content industry.
Publishers do not plan to use Generative AI to write content from scratch…
A point not understated was that leading commerce content publishers do not intend to utilize ChatGPT and other LLMs to write new content. This near-ubiquitous perspective underscores themes of consumer trust and content quality that were resonant across the two days.
This position is really about what gives publishers their edge and ascribes fundamental value to their content: they produce primary source-based perspective rooted in direct product testing and real-world experience. Sacrificing this hallowed ground to automagically create “new” (read: secondary-source, regurgitated) content is a short-term strategy that has never been easier, nor had more significant consequences.
…but they are using it in various ways to enhance productivity, content performance and on-site engagement.
While publishers are eschewing broadcloth applications of LLMs for content generation, they are keenly aware of (and actively experimenting with) it’s ability to drive productivity and performance in various ways:
- Title and headline optimization. Tory Brangham of Dotdash Meredith referred to leveraging GenAI for “optimizing titles for click-through, whether you’re looking at Apple News, Google or your O&O properties.” Stephen Regenold of AllGear Digital spoke of how generative headlines like these are also often the first step in brainstorming how to position an article, or where to go with a new post or version.
- Content strategy optimization. Rashmi Singh shared how creators on Raptive’s network leverage AI-based tools to get personalized analysis and suggestions on new topic areas and keywords where they are more likely to rank in search.
- Repackaging content for different audiences and/or distribution. Sara Sheehan of Hearst Magazines talked about repackaging on-site content to optimize for different audience traffic sources, while Kara Kamenec of A360 Media was one of several publishers to talk about using AI to optimize where and how commerce content is distributed across their O&O properties as well as social.
- Improving on-site experience / engagement. A number of publishers referred to the potential of on-page chatbots to improve engagement (Tory Bragham: chatbots could help suggest a wine pairing for various recipes; Becca Maier of BuzzFeed mentioned both chatbots and AI-generated quizzes to improve reader engagement). Dave Baker noted a an AI-based refactoring of the on-page search bar used across Future’s ~20 sites the drove significant engagement improvements.
- Automating routine content updates. Among other applications at U.S. News, Amro Naddy referred to the use of AI to offload or support more tedious tasks like updating price and availability of product offers across existing content.
Trust and authenticity in content is more important than ever.
As noted above, trust and content authenticity is more important than ever for leading commerce content publishers. It is a theme that was also resonant in discussions of publisher-brand and publisher-agency relationships, and we even the organizing principle behind Mike McNerney’s MARCC conference.
From the content side, one of the most important points I heard was that trust starts with the independence of editorial perspective. While the discussion of “church and state” and the editorial-business interface is as old as publishing itself, the best publishers made one thing clear: while they put in place the structure to enable effective commerce content monetization (affiliate relationship, on-page tooling, productized commerce content capabilities, etc.), there is no pay-to-play. Jessica Henig of Reviewed / USA Today shared that brand introductions often come from the business team, but the immediate next step is for the editorial team to form their own opinion based on evaluation and testing.
In fact, some of the best commerce content starts with pure editorial point-of-view and organic content, with some of the best commercial relationships being borne out of reinvesting in what works there. This component of the topic was probably most salient in a panel discussion moderated by Albert Murillo of Vertical Scope, and the below quote by Camilla Cho of Vox Media aptly sums it up:
We have a very strict no pay-to-play, no sponsored content, no product placement on The Strategist … What we’re really doing is taking partners that we have written about, covered for a long period of time where we already have performance results and historical trends. We’re taking advantage of that to see how we can grow further because this is a merchant or retailer we’ll be continuing to cover, and so how do we grow this into a mutually-beneficial relationship for both sides. — Camilla Cho, SVP Commerce, Vox Media
While it’s important not to misuse readers trust in service of monetization goals, the topic of extending a brand’s trust into adjacent topic areas (i.e., to grow and scale a commerce business) was a key them of Jessica Spira’s panel discussion on creating high quality content that builds trust at low cost. For example, Jessica Seib of Rolling Stone talked about strategies to reach a trusted reader through similar recommendations or adjacent content online, such as products for musicians or audiophiles (think: room soundproofing), but also more generic topics or products that they may have found, through experimentation, work well with their audience.
Traffic source diversification is an increasingly-urgent priority.
While diversifying sources of high-quality, high-intent traffic has always been a key priority for publishers, there seems to be even more focus on this (perhaps out of concern for how ChatGPT adoption and Google’s changes to the SERP will change the shape of SEO traffic).
Adam Weiss of Weiss Digital Consulting hosted a panel discussion on precisely this topic. Breton Fischetti of Recurrent Ventures shared the importance of always experimenting and keeping your finger on the pulse of new sources of meaningful traffic (whether they’re real, like TikTok, or potential, like Facebook’s Threads), while continuing to diligently invest in the tried and true methods to build sustainable, SEO-independent audiences over time (e.g., building a vibrant newsletter list).
Jackie Goldstein shared the benefit of having a locationally tied, but nationally-known brand like NY Post:
When we think about our affiliate strategy we definitely take New York into account because we know that’s where the majority of our audience is. We reach one in two New Yorkers on a daily basis. So for example, if there’s a storm that’s coming, something we’re all thinking about, we try to lean into that: we might promote something we have on snowblowers or shovels. — Jackie Goldstein, NY Post
Shortly after on the same stage, Hannah Lauson and Hayley Kinne of CNN Underscored shared some of the key points of their strategy to leverage TikTok to grow their commerce business (which helped them drive ~30 million views and ~1 million likes on the platform monthly).
Sharing a few key insights from their presentation:
- A consistent voice and “show, don’t tell” format (start by showing the problem solved in 1–2 seconds, and then unpack how you go there) drove the most successful posts.
- Link in bio is still a workhorse for affiliate monetization, but it’s been important to extend that with custom landing pages, network storefront tools and very granular affiliate click tracking.
- Importantly, affiliate commissions are only one part of the revenue story. Extending CNN Underscored’s licensing and accolades program into the TikTok ecosystem have been major contributors as well.
- Developing a TikTok first audience has taken time but yielded insights into what younger shoppers want and how to become a trusted media brand to them. This has elevated the Underscored.com brand as well.
- Building out partnerships both on the affiliate network / brand / agency side and TikTok nano-to-mega creator side have helped Underscored grow both audience and monetization / effective yield.
And to sum it up, here are the key takeaways in Hannah and Hayley’s own words:
Publishers and brands are innovating to diversify performance-based monetization models.
Over the course of the two days, one of the topics I was most acutely tuned into is how publishers and brands are continuing to evolve existing and explore new monetization models tied to affiliate commerce. I picked up on five points worth sharing here:
- Flat fee arrangements between publishers and affiliate partners. Publishers shared a range of approaches to expanding beyond CPA links as affiliate demand has grown. Leilani Han shared how Wirecutter has leveraged flat fee arrangements with pre-existing, vetted partners to help level the playing field where by EPC alone, these brands wouldn’t garner the same share of voice.
- Packaging and productizing commerce content capabilities. Camilla Cho shared how coverage and exposure of vetted partners could be enhanced through evergreen content updates, newsletter placements and social placements. Lindsay Grillot shared that Ziff Davis uses “container style” deals where brands commit a certain level of investment, and they commit to swap a certain percentage of leads across their sites to guarantee a share of voice level.
- Social whitelisting. Elisabeth Chambry of Inside Hook mentioned how, while the tactic of social whitelisting (allowing a merchant brand to leverage your media brand in social posting / paid traffic) has been around for a while, it has only recently begun to drive success with a number of their partners. Mike Mallazzo of Forum Brands / Brandable brought the topic up separately in the context of areas that were ripe for experimentation with Generative AI-based optimization and arbitrage.
- Exploring a broader role for CPC relationships. Kara Kamenec mentioned how A360 has been leaning into CPC more where the dynamics of CPA are challenging (e.g., a retailer or DTC brand with a lower conversion rate or CPA-based EPC, or in categories like fashion where the return rates are high and can drive a cost / revenue net later). A few friends at leading publishers also shared in side conversations how they were starting to explore doing more with CPC.
- Extending beyond Amazon Associates with Amazon Attribution. The inimitable Jesse Lakes of Geniuslink hosted a fantastic panel discussion with Ben Faw of AdVon Commerce, Ian Brodie of Levanta, Mike Mallazzo and Douglas Mapes of Amazon Associates. In it, the panelists delved into the opportunity of selectively leveraging Amazon Attribution-based links (in partnership with brands, and in addition to or in place of Associates links) to garner better monetization and more data (even if at the possible expense of Halo / “full basket” revenues). This nuanced but relevant topic could really warrant a post on its own (+1 that idea in the comments if you want to read that!).
Overheard: a noteworthy question, zinger and rhetorical question to end on…
Best question. Asked during Albert Murillo’s panel on diversifying revenue through the affiliate channel, and really summing up the challenges related to conversion rate and EPC for all DTC brands and retailers beyond Amazon:
What CPA level would incentivize a direct connect to a brand’s program in ShareASale or Rakuten over an Amazon link?
Best zinger. Tory Brangham points out a *minor* inconsistency in Google’s approach to commerce content and Generative AI:
Google puts out all these guidelines about what they consider high quality affiliate content: you have to touch the product and test the product and show the reader the features of the product. But in their AI content, they do none of that. And so one of the questions we asked them was like: “Well, your site content doesn’t actually meet any of your own guidelines.” And they were like, “Yeah, that’s an interesting point.” — Tory Brangham, Dotdash Meredith
Best rhetorical question. Lauren Newman of Red Ventures / CNET, with characteristic deftness, points out the commerce content opportunity to an emergent DTC brand:
Who are you paying more: Facebook or publishers? — Lauren Newman
This is the trimmed down version of the short version of my notes — it was a packed two days! Hope it was helpful. Please share thoughts or feedback in the comments or via email. Until next time!
