Social media has revolutionised the way we live our lives. Day-to-day conversations are now held online. It has even led to businesses adapting the way that they contact and develop relationships with their customers, especially when it comes to online sales. But this includes business meetings, telephone calls through Skype and instant messaging. It has the ability to connect people worldwide within seconds. A decade ago, this concept would’ve been unheard of. You wouldn’t have even met 99% of the people that you can in the modern day.
In order to be successful in the modern world, it’s almost a necessity for retailers to use and take advantage of the social media world that they can freely use. Such as trying to gain a large following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ etc. This doesn’t just boost company following and loyalty but also income. As it has the ability for free promotion on these websites, which cuts out the usual costs of printing in papers, magazines and billboards. Having the ability of free digital distribution is the most vital piece of equipment in any business’ toolkit. The following six tips will help develop your online prowess and help you keep a relevant and interesting business profile:
Captivate your audience
Don’t miss out on all of the fun that happens within social communities. Social media has a much more relaxed approach than other traditional forms of marketing. It’s not a watered-down process, so you’re talking straight to the customer instead of having content shown to everyone. In order to stand out and become an interesting page to follow, you must be funny, creative with your products and interesting. Use images of your products on your social media platforms for passive promotion, yet the suggestion of alternate advertising is a good idea. Showing your products differently in a more quirky light will please customers and possibly create a sale. Changing the way your company displays products can also make you more attractive to potential customers. Also, sharing images of the team behind the company will allow customers to see a personal side of the company, which is something that is always favoured by those on social media.
Sharing is caring
Getting your audience to share your page and its posts’ with their friends increases your online visibility. The most common social media platforms to do this are Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter. It was reported that on average, the Like and Share Buttons are viewed across almost 10 million websites daily
Consequently, retailers should try to adapt to these sites, as the surge of popularity should be utilised to the full. This can be done by adding social media share buttons to product pages. This increases the chances of shares on those platforms. Using share buttons is a must for greater online exposure. They instantly display your inventory to hundreds, thousands and potentially millions of potential customers. The best part is being able to connect with multiple audiences through social sharing for completely free.
Returning Customers are the most loyal, so give them a reason to come back
Research carried out in the past year discovered that 34% of Facebook users consider themselves to be more dedicated to the retail brands that they are often engaged with on social media platforms. Whilst 46% of Twitter users reported holding greater loyalty to brands they follow. Giving your fans a reward for following you on social media sites can spur repeat purchases. If social engagement is the key to encouraging more brand loyalty, be sure to let your followers know how much you value their allegiance and loyalty.
Rewarding them with incentives that suit their consumer needs for your brand. Such as the opportunity to “claims offers” through Facebook or using Twitter to send out an exclusive discount code through a Tweet will raise the potential re-occurrence of customer purchases. In a world where many fast forward through their TV adverts, the short and sweet nature of Twitter is a brilliant way to capture the audience on the go. Incentives can be either big or small, depending on your choice of reward and company stature. But impactful fan promotions will help foster the relationship between your brand and the customer. Eventually leading to more online sales.
Talk about it before someone else does
Research carried out in the survey also showed that 53% of consumers’ opinions are influenced by comments they read on Facebook and Twitter from their friends and family. Social customer service is a must for any company hoping to lead a successful social media campaign. Appointing an employee dedicated to the arrangement and creation of social media posts for your sites can change the way your brand is perceived by the audience. It allows your company to be ready and responsive when a customer posts on your Facebook with a complaint. Or if they Tweet you a question. It shows the audience that you are interested in what they have to say and gives them an added level of trust in your brand if you often show compassion for their cause.
Retweeting on Twitter, as well as favouriting and responding to tweets are all fool-proof ways of creating a positive image. It’s important to regularly check your social media sites multiple times a day. As this will enable you to keep content relevant and post responses to customers quickly. As well as post real-time updates that inform your customers of issues, answer any questions they may have and also address their problems. Always remember that social posts should be relevant, informative and valuable – ignoring a customer or getting into a slanging match will only result in negative feedback, loss of potential customers and possibly account suspension depending on the severity.
Give them what they’re asking for
Since the sharing functionality on social media sites increases your online visibility, be sure that you’re doing your part to turn those likes into sales. The ‘wish list’ format made popular by Pinterest is one of the biggest modern trends in social media. This is due to shoppers being able to display their chosen items to thousands of other users with a single click. Many websites also have this feature, which makes it abundantly easier for shoppers to find what they liked during a previous visit and drives for more online sales.
Think above and beyond a traditional advert
Social advertising is a definite must in order to gain visibility beyond your competition. More than 500 million people view Facebook ads, both on and off Facebook. Facebook ads often target the most relevant products/services to their audiences. This can be based on geographical location, interests and personal preferences that are associated with each individual Facebook profile. The ads can also be posted on Instagram, allowing you to target more potential customers. ComScore has reported that Facebook ads reach 75% of internet users on multiple occasions every month. Thus, creating a great way to build a targeted, loyal fan base on your Facebook page and for the overall brand.
Encouraging users who have already “Liked” your page to select the “Get Notifications” option in the drop-down menu is vital. As this will guarantee that all of your posts reach your audience without the possibility of them missing something that could generate a sale. According to Facebook, this feature will help people and companies alike in keeping up with one another. Giving the customer the ability to also keep up with friends and things that they have an interest in and care about most. Furthermore, capturing new audiences in the social media world is an incredibly easy way to increase ROI (return on investment) and drive online sales.
Recap:
1) Captivate your audience
Be funny, topical, creative and interesting with your social engagement.
2) Sharing is caring
Placing social sharing buttons on your website and on each individual product page will make it easier for shoppers to share items with friends. Do this via email, Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Pinterest and more.
3) Returning customers are the most loyal, so give them a reason to come back
Be sure to reward your social fans and followers to encourage brand loyalty and spur repeat purchases from consumers.
4) Talk about it before someone else does
Appointing a social media employee is a good idea, if not do it yourself. Participating in conversations that are happening on social sites is key. As they will directly influence how your brand is perceived.
5) Give them what they’re asking for
Integrating social media sites will make it easier for shoppers to find the perfect gift. Whether that is for a birthday, Christmas or a general present for their friends and family.
6) Think above and beyond a traditional advert.
Advertising through social media will gain exposure beyond that of your competitors.
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