Rich Content: What Is It & How Can It Help You Sell More?

Rich content refers to all types of interactive and multimedia elements published on a website designed to attract and engage users. These elements give extra information on a topic, often in ways that plain text can’t.

You may usually notice rich content in e-commerce, where it provides more detailed product info that goes beyond the basic descriptions. It’s used to show potential customers something special – often extraordinary – to convince them to buy.

The best thing is that in most cases even the best-written description can’t match what rich content can do – and therefore…

So, what types of rich content can you find on websites?

Rich Content Type #1: Video

Videos can provide valuable information about service or products in an easy, entertaining and engaging way. They are often used for tutorials or product presentations, and can also be part of webinars or storytelling. Video content tends to make users spend more time on a website, which sends a clear signal to search engines that the given page is worth being shown to other users – more insights on video in a moment.

Rich Content Type #2: Images & Infographics

Sharp images and useful information presented in a graphic form can make your website content much more appealing. Images help visualize information, making it easier for users to digest and even memorize. Infographics are especially useful for presenting complex data in a clear and simple way.

Rich Content Type #3: Interactive Elements

Surveys, quizzes, calculators, and interactive charts can significantly boost user engagement. They positively affect dwell time, reducing bounce rates, which is a common characteristic shared with videos.

See the example related to the engagement metrics mentioned earlier. Instead of looking at bounce rates, try calculating the conversion rate on your website:

We’ve already given you a hint – rich content and SEO are closely linked. Google wants content to be useful and valuable to users.

This means that…

How can rich content help your website rank better in search engines?

Benefit no 1: Increased User Engagement

Rich content attracts and keeps users on your website because it holds their interest for longer. Multimedia makes the content more appealing, encouraging users to click, drag, and play with those elements. This extended engagement signals to search engines that your visitors appreciate the content published on your pages, potentially improving your website’s search ranking.

Benefit no 2: Improved Behavioral Metrics

Algorithms prioritize metrics like dwell time, low bounce rates, and increased interactions. Rich content contributes to higher user engagement, inviting them to explore more pages and interact with interactive elements, thereby improving these metrics.

Benefit no 3: More Backlinks

To acquire organic backlinks from other websites, prioritize creating rich content. This includes valuable infographics, informative videos, and creative multimedia presentations, which are types of content often shared and referenced by others. By building these links, you work on your website’s credibility and authority in search engine rankings.

We’ve talked about rich content as a potential part of SEO strategies – now let’s shift gears a bit. Rich multimedia content is also important to paid advertising Specialists, often referred to as rich media. Many campaigns show that rich content leads to higher user engagement compared to standard content.

Take a look at a brief comparison of these formats for SEM activities:

It’s pretty easy to find statistics about rich content from various case studies and online research. Rich content has a measurable impact on user behavior and business outcomes for companies that decide to implement it on their websites. Here are some notable findings:

• 57% of consumers believe that watching product-related videos increases their confidence in making purchasing decisions.
• Ads using rich media have a CTR of approximately 1.12%, compared to just 0.32% for standard banners.
• Engagement rates for display ads with rich media can reach as high as 16.85%, whereas standard display ads only engage around 2.14% of users.
• Based on case study data, incorporating video content can reduce bounce rates by more than 30%.

What do properly designed and effectively implemented content pieces that offer more than just good descriptions look like? See some examples of rich content from brands and websites that do this incredibly well.

Rich Content on Samsung’s Website

Source: Samsung

The electronics industry offers intriguing examples of rich content. Samsung vividly presents its smartphone features, using visual demonstrations. For instance, the image below is a frame from a video showcasing the latest model’s innovative functionalities. They also provide immersive close-ups for a detailed view of the phone’s design and full-screen graphics detailing its technical specifications.

Source: Samsung

It’s best if you visit Samsung’s flagship page yourself to see how they present the products using rich content.

Rich Content on H&M’s Website

How about an example from a different industry? This time, we’re talking about clothing – and once again, a major player in the industry demonstrates what else can be said about their products. On H&M’s website, you can find a rich, aesthetically pleasing care guide section for clothes, full of valuable information and multimedia elements.

Source: H&M

Source: H&M

Rich Content on Notino’s Website

Do you love smelling good and have specific scent preferences, but don’t want to browse through dozens of perfumes online? Notino has a solution – they have added a tool that suggests which perfume to buy next based on your favorite ingredients or other perfumes you like.

It’s a great example of interactive rich content that helps users decide and make purchases based on their preferences.

Source: Notino

Rich Content on Nivea’s Webiste

Valuable rich content in the cosmetics industry doesn’t have to be complex or limited to product selection. Nivea takes a simple and useful approach by listing key product features in brief bullet points, explaining the benefits and how to use them.

Source: Nivea

Now you know that rich content is your golden ticket to engaging your users. However, creating and implementing isn’t always a walk in the park. What are the main issues you may come across while creating rich content for your website?

Costs and Resources

Producing high-quality videos, animations, and interactive infographics requires significant time and money. You also need skilled professionals: a great writer who is amazing at creating the best product descriptions might not necessarily be an expert in video editing. Investing in the right tools and specialists is often necessary.

Technical Issues

Content compatibility, page loading speed, and in general technical SEO are crucial if you care for excellent UX. Rich content often uses large files that can slow down your website and affect user experience. It’s far from being helpful when an impressive animated presentation takes too long to load.

Accessibility

Accessibility is essential for user experience. People with disabilities are part of every target audience, including yours. Interactive elements won’t necessarily help users with navigation difficulties. In the same way, blind or hearing-impaired users might not fully experience multimedia content. However, focusing on website accessibility can help you find solutions to these challenges.

Rich content can make your offerings – no matter if they are products or services – significantly more appealing. When written words aren’t enough, multimedia, interactive widgets, and other creative solutions can enhance your message. This shows that nowadays content marketing is more than just copywriting. There are many possibilities for both paid campaigns and organic traffic, as long as resources, technical aspects, and accessibility are considered.

Want to make your website content more engaging for your prospects? Need to make sure your pages meet accessibility standards? Reach out to us! Our specialists in content audits and product page analysis can help you find solutions that will captivate your audience and boost sales.