30.07.2024 | BJÖRN BAYARD
The complexity of digital product sales continues to increase. This applies not only to your own channels such as an online shop or mobile app, but also to the communication channels of your retail partners.
These in turn include retailer shops, online marketplaces, social media channels, and other touchpoints. Each additional retail partner increases the manufacturer’s product presence in digital commerce and therefore also the potential for increasing sales. The prerequisite for realising this potential lies in the product content that reaches these sales channels – and this is precisely where syndication comes into play.
Why industry and retail are dependent on syndication
Syndication describes the playout of finished product content in the intended channels. In the context of data exchange between industry and retail, the following channels are particularly relevant:
- GDSN: The GDSN links the data processes between industry and retail via global and interconnected data pools. Manufacturers can publish their product data once in the GDSN, and all connected trading partners have direct access to it. This eliminates the need for time-consuming bilateral data exchange and at the same time the high quality standards of the GDSN apply, which also eliminates the need for most subsequent improvements.
- Supplier portals: Many trading partners offer their own supplier portals into which manufacturers can enter or export their product data in a quality-assured manner thanks to integrated validation rules. Manufacturers who are not (yet) connected to the GDSN, for example, benefit from this.
- Online shops and marketplaces: There is also the option of publishing product content directly to online shops or marketplaces, for example in the form of enhanced content. Manufacturers can use this to ensure that the product and brand representation is optimised on the product detail pages and thus positively influence their online sales.
Especially against the background of increasing complexity, syndication helps manufacturers control product communication more effectively via these processes.
Why industry and retail are dependent on syndication
Syndication beschreibt die Ausspielung des fertigen Product Contents in die vorgesehenen Kanäle. Im Kontext des Datenaustauschs zwischen Industrie und Handel sind das insbesondere die folgenden:
- GDSN: The GDSN links the data processes between industry and retail via global and interconnected data pools. Manufacturers can publish their product data once in the GDSN, and all connected trading partners have direct access to it. This eliminates the need for time-consuming bilateral data exchange and at the same time the high quality standards of the GDSN apply, which also eliminates the need for most subsequent improvements.
- Supplier portals: Many trading partners offer their own supplier portals into which manufacturers can enter or export their product data in a quality-assured manner thanks to integrated validation rules. Manufacturers who are not (yet) connected to the GDSN, for example, benefit from this.
- Online shops and marketplaces: There is also the option of publishing product content directly to online shops or marketplaces, for example in the form of enhanced content. Manufacturers can use this to ensure that the product and brand representation is optimised on the product detail pages and thus positively influence their online sales.
Especially against the background of increasing complexity, syndication helps manufacturers control product communication more effectively via these processes.
Business value of syndication
This results in significant advantages for both manufacturers and retailers:
1. Better efficiency
The automated syndication processes significantly reduce the manual effort involved in data exchange between industry and retail, which saves internal costs and allows resources to be utilised more efficiently.
2. Short time-to-market
The earlier a product is launched on the market, the sooner sales can be realised. Automated syndication processes support a rapid market launch. This also strengthens the brand position, making time-to-market an important competitive factor in global trade.
3. Optimal quality
The quality of the product content is decisive for the sales success of the offer. Incomplete or even incorrect information quickly leads to uncertainty and lost profits, which ultimately affects both customer and partner satisfaction and can even lead to critical reputational damage in the long term.
Business value of syndication
This results in significant advantages for both manufacturers and retailers:
1. Better efficiency
The automated syndication processes significantly reduce the manual effort involved in data exchange between industry and retail, which saves internal costs and allows resources to be utilised more efficiently.
2. Short time-to-market
The earlier a product is launched on the market, the sooner sales can be realised. Automated syndication processes support a rapid market launch. This also strengthens the brand position, making time-to-market an important competitive factor in global trade.
3. Optimal quality
The quality of the product content is decisive for the sales success of the offer. Incomplete or even incorrect information quickly leads to uncertainty and lost profits, which ultimately affects both customer and partner satisfaction and can even lead to critical reputational damage in the long term.
What to consider when implementing syndication
Syndication is an essential part of the digital value chain and the link between the creation of product content and its use in interaction with potential customers. In order to get the most out of this supply chain, however, all elements must be perfectly interlinked:
- Product Information Management (PIM)
PIM systems capture and structure product data and information as well as descriptive texts and marketing content for all possible channels. Integrated validation processes ensure the highest data quality right from the start. Thanks to the centralised and media-neutral management of product information, all subsequent systems and recipients can access and use the data.
- Digital Asset Management (DAM)
However, for product messages to be fully effective, it takes more than just product data and advertising copy: without images, videos and graphics, it is impossible today to generate the necessary attention for your product range, let alone increase interest to the point of a purchase decision. Together with the product data from the PIM, this digital content forms usable product content. Thanks to granular data management in the PIM and DAM, new product messages can be flexibly compiled and optimised for each channel.
- Channel Management
This is where the various output channels are managed. It should always be possible to flexibly integrate new communication channels here – for example, when new retail channels or social commerce channels are added.
- Syndication
Syndication is ultimately about the actual playout of the product content. Depending on the nature of the manufacturer’s channel landscape, and because the syndication market is very heterogeneous, the right technology is needed here. While some providers focus in particular on direct channels such as social commerce, solutions like BYRD provide manufacturers with comprehensive support in data exchange with retail partners and offer connections to the GDSN as well as to a growing retailer network for the effective playout of (enhanced) content. For a more detailed description of the product content syndication market, we provide you with the latest analyst report from The Group of Authors.
Each of these elements is important to the success of product marketing. In addition, the overarching data processes must be designed as efficiently as possible.
What to consider when implementing syndication
Syndication is an essential part of the digital value chain and the link between the creation of product content and its use in interaction with potential customers. In order to get the most out of this supply chain, however, all elements must be perfectly interlinked:
- Product Information Management (PIM)
PIM systems capture and structure product data and information as well as descriptive texts and marketing content for all possible channels. Integrated validation processes ensure the highest data quality right from the start. Thanks to the centralised and media-neutral management of product information, all subsequent systems and recipients can access and use the data.
- Digital Asset Management (DAM)
However, for product messages to be fully effective, it takes more than just product data and advertising copy: without images, videos and graphics, it is impossible today to generate the necessary attention for your product range, let alone increase interest to the point of a purchase decision. Together with the product data from the PIM, this digital content forms usable product content. Thanks to granular data management in the PIM and DAM, new product messages can be flexibly compiled and optimised for each channel.
- Channel Management
This is where the various output channels are managed. It should always be possible to flexibly integrate new communication channels here – for example, when new retail channels or social commerce channels are added.
- Syndication
Syndication is ultimately about the actual playout of the product content. Depending on the nature of the manufacturer’s channel landscape, and because the syndication market is very heterogeneous, the right technology is needed here. While some providers focus in particular on direct channels such as social commerce, solutions like BYRD provide manufacturers with comprehensive support in data exchange with retail partners and offer connections to the GDSN as well as to a growing retailer network for the effective playout of (enhanced) content. For a more detailed description of the product content syndication market, we provide you with the latest analyst report from The Group of Authors.
Each of these elements is important to the success of product marketing. In addition, the overarching data processes must be designed as efficiently as possible. End-to-end product content life cycle platforms such as BYRD map this entire value chain in a comprehensive solution and thus avoid complex integration projects and possible media and process disruptions right from the start.
End-to-end product content life cycle platforms such as BYRD map this entire value chain in a comprehensive solution and thus avoid complex integration projects and possible media and process disruptions right from the start.
This avoids complex integration projects and possible media and process disruptions right from the start.
Would you like to find out more about syndication?
Best regards – Ihr Björn Bayard