This July offers plenty of content topics thanks to Independence Day and the Summer Olympics in Paris. But even less apparent ideas — must-have items, humor, giveaways, junk food — can make for compelling content.
Content marketing involves creating, publishing, and promoting articles, videos, and podcasts to attract, engage, and retain customers. It is crucial for search engine optimization, social media marketing, and more.
Unfortunately, coming up with new content topics month in and month out can be a task. What follows are five ideas for July 2024.
Summer Product Tutorials
In many ways, July in the Northern Hemisphere is summer itself.
Celebrations such as U.S. Independence Day on July 4, with picnics, parades, fireworks displays, and community events, make us all feel like summer has arrived.
The weather calls us outdoors, making July an excellent time to publish summer product tutorials, showing shoppers how to use your business’s items to work or play in the sun.
The Home Depot sells products to build raised garden beds, as explained in this tutorial.
Consider The Home Depot. The company’s ecommerce site has a do-it-yourself project section, complete with video tutorials explaining a project and the products. Examples include the building of garden beds, playground equipment, and more.
This concept could work for many products.
Must-have Items
Not every product needs a tutorial. Knowing how to use Velcro from The Home Depot in a garden project might be helpful, but instructions are not required for everyday items.
Mr. Porter addresses why its sneakers are a must-have.
Take shoes, for example. Content marketers could try a “must-have” article or video, such as the article from clothier Mr. Porter, “5 Must-Have Sneakers For Stepping Out In Style This Summer.”
A must-have article puts an editorial spin on product recommendations. The Mr. Porter article starts with a brief introduction, making the case for summertime sneakers.
“Summer dressing is all about fun and experimentation. It’s about trying new things and breaking out of the style comfort zone we’ve been stuck in through winter.”
Each of the five recommendations includes vivid descriptions and photography, emphasizing the shoe’s design elements and versatility. That’s critical, given that the prices are upwards of $990 a pair.
Must-have content is useful for organic search rankings, social media posts, and email newsletters.
Here are hypothetical examples:
- “10 Must-have Tools for the Perfect BBQ,”
- “5 Must-have Hats for Summer Sun,”
- “10 Must-have Dresses for Stylish Summer Soirees.”
International Joke Day
July 1, 2024, is International Joke Day. This pseudo-holiday reminds us to celebrate humor and laughter. It encourages folks to share jokes, puns, and funny stories with friends, family, and even strangers.
Tell a few jokes on July 1.
Jokes are prime, entertainment-focused content marketing. Consider assembling jokes endemic to your industry or products. Then publish them in a blog post, newsletters, and social media.
Jokes are an exception to avoiding AI-generated content. Here are five ChatGPT-produced jokes (with minor edits) for this article.
- In our store, we sell emotions — mainly frustration and impatience.
- I tried to buy a camouflage shirt online but couldn’t find it.
- I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. I’ll let you know which comes first.
- I bought a belt online. It was a waist of money.
- Why don’t online shoppers get lost? They follow their carts.
National Give Something Away Day
The goal of ecommerce content marketing is to sell products. But too much selling can be counterproductive. An exception could be National Give Something Away Day on July 15, 2024, when marketers can combine charity giving with a sales promotion.
Use National Give Something Away Day for charitable giving.
Here is the idea.
- Identify a charity that makes sense for your business.
- Connect with the charity for a sales-based contribution, such as 5% of revenue on July 15.
- Interview folks at the charity about their work and impact.
- Produce an article, video, or podcast of the interview.
- Run ads and public-relations campaigns to promote the event.
Junk Food Day
Content can promote junk food or discourage it.
National Junk Food Day on July 21, 2024, allows content marketers to praise the fun of junk food or the opposite, healthy eating.
Content about healthy eating and lifestyles could include:
- Power equipment retailer’s newsletter: “Healthy Lunchbox Tips for Construction Pros.”
- Kitchen shop’s blog: “From Junk to Joy: Transform Meals with Healthy Ingredients.”
- Apparel brand’s podcast: “Dress for Success: 10 Nutritious Tips for a Busy Lifestyle.”
Conversely, content marketing could praise the temporary enjoyment of junk food. Here are more examples.
- Power equipment retailer: “Break Time Bliss. 35 Junk Food Picks for Hardworking Builders.”
- Kitchen shop’s blog: “15 Forbidden Meals for National Junk Food Day.”
- Apparel brand’s podcast: “Stylish Snacks for National Junk Food Day.”
