Alternative lifestyle blog tries to convert readers into shoppers
Citizens of America’s other 49 states might not be aware that Florida has its own lifestyle. But it apparently does, and Bealls Department Stores Inc. is spreading the word.
In April the multi-channel retailer, which operates more than 70 department stores throughout Florida, unveiled a blog that it hopes will increase traffic to its e-commerce site and consequently raise sales figures. The company describes the blog as being “dedicated to the ‘Florida Lifestyle’ with updates on fashion, celebrity, gossip, advice and Florida living.”
“We wanted to test a new medium to enable our customers to interact with our brand on a different level than just purchasing,” says Gwen Bennett, vice president of advertising and e-commerce. “We wanted to share our Florida style expertise and develop a community that shares our passion for Florida.”
The company, readers and customers post to the blog daily. “We use it to post fun messages that relate to the styles we sell,” Bennett explains. “If we see celebrities wearing styles similar to what we carry, for example, we create a link to our e-commerce site that shows our version of the trend.”
Bealls Department Stores’ investment in the blog to date amounts to zero. Rather than incorporate blog technology into its e-commerce site, BeallsFlorida.com, it elected to get its feet wet via Blogspot.com, a free blog provider. The Bealls blog is located at FlaEtc.Blogspot.com. The company is promoting the blog with links from its e-commerce site and relying on organic search from search engines.
“It’s too early to tell if this will be a long-term success, but we are happy with the blog and are having fun with it,” Bennett says. “We’re looking for ways to make it a significant traffic driver to our site as well as ways to improve the content and visibility.”
For the company, the bottom line is successfully communicating with customers and potential customers. “We’re building a community that enjoys talking about the same things,” Bennett adds, “and hopefully will generate some sales.”
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