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Youtube UGC

Maplin plots major content drive as it looks to connect online-offline experience

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By Natalie Mortimer, N/A

October 2, 2014 | 3 min read

Maplin is preparing a major content drive that will see the electronics retailer use user-generated content, live video chat and staff-created tutorials as it looks to boost its current YouTube offering.

Speaking at the e-commerce expo in London, for whic The Drum is media partner, Michel Koch, e-commerce director UK and International, revealed that plans are afoot to release 40 new videos over the Christmas period on Maplin TV, which currently hosts 500 how-to videos, and is gearing up to equip its 1,500 staff with the technology to create their own content.

“We will introduce user-generated content, rich content so that consumers who are passionate about our products can come to the website and share their experience through video,” he remarked.

“There is more to come can and hopefully we can achieve online the richness of the experience you get in stores; so joining the dots between stores and online is clearly something that is a focus for us.”

Koch said that Maplin is preparing to use technology that will enable it to pull in content directly from brands to host on the retailer’s website, as well as a curation tool that will allow it to aggregate consumer content from social media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest.

Speaking about creating a seamless customer journey both offline and online, Koch admitted that that is a project “for a little further” in the future but said it would be about engaging with customers who cannot make it to the store.

“We already have live chat but we are looking at other options where live video will be involved. So live videos, whether that’s tutorials showcasing how to use a 3D printer, for example, where from your home you can see a video and make an appointment with someone and we can engage with customers seamlessly.”

In May Maplin released its second ever TV campaign to drive brand awareness after a recent study showed that only 3 per cent of shoppers would buy products from the store unprompted.

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