It seems these days we can’t live without Social Media. Where ever you look someone is taking a pic for Facebook, tweeting about where they just ate lunch or searching for the latest embarrassing home video on YouTube. (Thank goodness I got through my childhood before all of this!) In its infancy, Social Media was just a people thing, but now it’s a business thing too. So, how do we use Social Media in online retail? Just keep reading!
Image Credit: whatleydude
1. Set out Social Media objectives
The problem that many businesses face, is rushing into things. Yes, it is important to be active in the Social Media space, but if you don’t know the reason for you activities, how can you measure if they are working? So… First things first, decide what you’d like to get out of your Social Media efforts. Is it reach and awareness that you are going for, driving sales, or would you like to engage with less people but at a deeper level? This doesn’t mean you have to choose one or the other, you may have many objectives. It’s just important to identify them at the start to allow for a focussed approach and measurable results. You can always refine and reshape your objectives as you go, but ensure that you have them to begin with!
2. Identify the Social Media platforms that will work best for you
With so many different platforms out there it can be quite confusing to know where to start. A good way to put it is: fish where the fish are. Consider who you want to talk to and choose your channels based on where your audience is active. Depending on your brand objectives, you may use different platforms for different objectives e.g. Facebook for community building, Twitter for real-time engagement and your blog for more in-depth and insightful content. The key, however, is that even though you may be using each platform for a different objective, all of your activities should all work together to support your holistic social media strategy. For more inspiration on how to choose your platforms take a look at this, very helpful, article .
3. Keep a healthy balance to your communication
People need a reason to engage with you. Although you may be using Social Media as a marketing tool, it should not be your only focus. Remember that you’re also trying to build a community of engaged users. We all love to hear about a great sale/special and brand related info, but if that is all we ever hear it starts to feel like that horrible thing we like to call... SPAM. A good way to keep your balance is to create regular brand content “slots” e.g. Feature Fridays where you feature your top weekly special. This will give consistency to your marketing communication while keeping a healthy balance with non-brand specific engagement.
4. Test and optimise your content
Don’t be afraid to try different types of content. The beauty of Social Media is that it’s always changing and you should change with it. If you’re unsure about an idea, put it out there and keep an eye on the engagement. You will quickly be able to see whether it was well received or if it just fell flat by the level of engagement it received.
5. Respond to and nurture your community
Consumers have the power to participate in and add to your brand online. They can give their approval with the simple click of the “like” button or broadcast their opinions in a few seconds. Don’t be scared of this – embrace it and join in. If a consumer has a complaint, don’t ignore it - respond quickly and efficiently. It’ll make them happy and reassured that you are actually engaging with them rather than just pushing messaging. Same goes for users that are engaging with your brand on good terms, acknowledge them and encourage further conversation. Social Media gives you the opportunity to speak to your customers on a different level – remove the marketing speak and talk to them like a friend. Reward the users that always engage, empower them and make them feel like you really want them to be a part of your community. (Disclaimer: this does not mean you need to become a creepy stalker kind of brand, but rather just aware, engaged and interested.)
Bonus tip: Integrate Social Media into all aspects of your online presence
Your Social Media activities should not stand in isolation, but rather live in sweet harmony with all of your marketing objectives. This doesn’t only mean having Social Media Chicklets on your website (which goes without saying), but also incorporated it into offline activities. Whenever possible you should include your social media channels into your other marketing communication. Just like you would use social media to drive traffic in store, you should use in store to drive to online, thus creating a wonderful circle of Social Media integration love...
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