EP20 – How to Create Content like REI.com | Joe Crosby, REI.com

Joe Crosby manages the content and media team at REI, the nation's largest outdoor retailer.  Founded in 1938, Lloyd and Mary Anderson started the company in the Seattle area and along with other locals formed a co-op of about 23 people who came together to crowdsource and share the procurement of outdoor equipment,  and they have maintained this co-op to the present day.

As a third-party retailer, REI sells a lot of other brands' products, and they are thriving even during a time when we see many third-party retailers struggling.  A big part of this is due to their superior content marketing.

In this episode, we talked with Joe to break down the framework he uses when developing content, REI's metrics for success and what he would do if put in charge of a content strategy for a $5-10M brand.

“We're trying to build an audience of advocates for the outdoors first and foremost” - Joe Crosby

Some topics that were discussed include:

• The exact framework REI uses to choose the right content to produce
• Focusing on content that specifically builds "values-based" alignment with customers
• Tacking the success of campaigns using a hybrid of traditional "Media" metrics like views and impressions AND retail metrics like ad performance and ROAS
• How to build a content machine for a $5-$10M brand

Subscribe to The Commerce Lab premium newsletter:

We recently launched our *NEW* weekly premium newsletter, The Commerce Lab.

The newsletter is an extension of this podcast that deconstructs the operations and strategies that have worked for today's top brands (that have grown to where you want to be), into actionable guides you and your team can implement.

Our goal with the newsletter: help brand operators, like you, stay ahead of the curve.

(NOTE: We will eventually turn this into a paid newsletter, but early subscribers will get grandfathered in for free. Sign up here: https://bluestout.com/thecommercelab.)