There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to publishing product data to retailer sites.
Retailers are constantly updating their product experiences because they want to differentiate from everyone else. So they update their product requirements every day, multiple times a day.
This means companies must publish and synchronize product data across all their selling platforms, or risk decreased consumer sales and loyalty due to poor experiences.
Rob Gonzalez, co-founder and CMO of Salsify, weighs in on syndication.
“As a brand, you want to care about merchandising optimally for each retailer. You want to care about telling your brand story in a way that works with the retailer strategy — that works for the demographics that shop on that retailer — and that means one-size-fits-all does not work for you, does not work for the retailer, is fundamentally broken, and a new approach is required.”
Plain and simple, product manufacturers and brands that want to succeed on the digital shelf need a data syndication strategy.
What Is Product Data Syndication?
Product content takes a journey on the digital shelf, reaching many different touchpoints.
Touchpoints are the places where you publish your content, which could include:
- A retailer that sells your product;
- Social commerce platforms like Instagram or Facebook; and
- Ecommerce, or other platforms.
Each digital shelf touchpoint has different publishing requirements, and the way they accept content also differs. Data syndication allows you to map product content to meet these retailer’s product requirements.
Why Product Data Syndication and Strategy Are Important
Digital consumers expect to have all the information they need at their fingertips, so solid product content is critical for your company’s digital success.
According to the 2021 Salsify Consumer Research Report, 31% of consumers named “not enough information or details provided” as their primary reason for not buying an online product.
Syndication can help prevent the abandoned shopping cart. But first, you must create a data syndication strategy.
Source: Salsify YouTube
Brands must integrate — at minimum — a consumer-focused product data and content plan supported by synchronization.
The consumer product experience is now more than the surface content on the site page. To improve your product strategy, identify the gaps between products with the basic, requisite details and those with exemplary shopping experiences.
Next, set up a workflow and select the technology that will help you close these gaps and optimize product content and syndication across all your major selling platforms.
Syndication Checklist
Before you can successfully syndicate your content, ask yourself the following:
- Am I familiar with my stored content?
- Do I know all of the touchpoint requirements?
- Does my product content meet key retailer requirements?
- Are my product pages complete?
- Are they stored in a consistent format?
Building content before syndicating will help simplify the process. For example, it’s difficult to deliver content to most retailers without GTINs or UPCs. You’ll want to ensure that your content is as ready as possible.
Invest in Data Syndication Tools
The right data syndication tools will:
- Empower brands to manage channel-specific versions of their product content;
- Validate content readiness against the unique requirements of every channel; and
- Continuously optimize product content to drive engaging product experiences across all of their commerce channels.
Data syndication tools are key to successful syndication.
Take our comprehensive Syndication Certification program to learn about everything from syndication to touchpoints.
