Social media networks are an effective way to connect with customers, improve the customer experience, and get the word out on special offerings or events your business has taking place during the holidays.
If you’ve not yet used social networking to get out your holiday messages, then this is the year to start! Adobe reports that 36 percent of consumers will use social media this year to help with their holiday gift purchasing decisions. Tap into this online market and get your piece of holiday cheer this year—here are a few tips to get started.
Get the Word Out
Social media is an effective type of word-of-mouth advertising, and platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest make it especially easy for users to learn about new specials or activities and share with friends.
Images are Critical
The holidays are a visual feast with bright colors and beautiful settings, and the images in your campaign should attract and keep the attention of consumers. Emphasize your focus on the image and keep your message brief to capture the consumer’s attention while not overwhelming them.
According to Practical eCommerce, images generate more feedback from consumers than any other content type. The Country Outfitters’ November campaign, for example, in which they posted a picture of a pair of boots on the barn floor, generated 28,000 Likes.
Social media sites such as Pinterest and Instagram are more image-driven than Facebook and Twitter so they may better fit your product and marketing style. You can use very little text on Pinterest to highlight a particular product, especially when it is a lifestyle type of image. Consumers like to see how you your products are being used by the everyday, average person.
When using Pinterest to display your campaign images, encourage viewers to select their favorite items and Pin them to their own boards. Ask them to visit your site and make comments on products. All of this keeps consumers engaged with your products and company.
Tap Into the Mobile Market
Advertising opportunities continue to grow through technology made possible by smartphones and tablets. A survey by Baynote on holiday buying habits showed that nearly 25 percent of smartphone and tablet users made a purchase after seeing an ad on their mobile device. Many of those buyers made their purchase on the spot from their mobile devise, while others waited to complete the transaction from their desktop.
Social Media—Subtle or Direct
Your social media campaigns are about relationship-building and providing something useful to the consumer. Use the word-of-mouth nature of social networking to build up your followers and use your website marketing to convert them into paying customers.
By creating a clever campaign to engage people, you can reach thousands of consumers quickly. Fierce Mobile Retail makes note of the current Macy’s Black Friday campaign on Twitter and Facebook where users were asked to use the hashtag #MacysBelieve to submit a photo of themselves sending Santa a letter at Macy’s. The prize is a chance to appear in an upcoming TV ad.
What does this mean for the customer experience?
People are tuned in to what their networks of friends are saying. People are sharing their shopping experiences. They’re sharing the deals they come across. Coupons, sales, and most importantly, their customer experience and how retailers, both brick and mortar and online are performing. By being online, engaged in social networks, your organization can facilitate the ability for customers to share and begin these type of conversations.
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