Research shows that Australian businesses cannot afford to
stay out of the online conversation, however only 66% of retailers said they
have a social media strategy. So what’s stopping you?
The most common issue our clients have is a lack of both
time and an understanding of how social media can work for their business.
However, with the right management and effort, social media has proved that it
can increase customer satisfaction, brand preference and drive sales. In fact,
40% of social media users have purchased items online or in-store after sharing
or ‘liking’ them on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. So, how can you use social
media to grow your business?
First of all, it is important to understand the social media
networks that are most suitable for retailers.
Facebook is a
large social network and is fantastic for retail businesses in terms of brand
exposure and customer communication. It is a great place to engage existing
customers and offer sales and promotions. Facebook advertising is a major
benefit of the network as it allows you to direct traffic to your Facebook page
or website. Why should you be on Facebook? If Facebook were a country its
population would be the 3rd largest in the world, and in August 2014
there were 13,400,000 Australians on Facebook!
Instagram is a
photo sharing network that allows businesses to post images instantaneously ‘on
the line’ (ahh the Internship).
Pinterest is an
online collaging resource for sharing inspiration and bookmarking links. It is
the perfect place to display your product range, engage viewers through high
quality images and give them free reign to browse and examine potential
purchases.
YouTube is a
video-sharing website popular for user-generated content, video clips, vlogging
and tutorials.
Linkedin is a
professional networking site which allows businesses to connect with other
like-minded business, as well as acting as a recruitment device.
Twitter enables
businesses to send text-based posts of up to 140 characters, allowing them to
quickly respond to customers. It also allows you to provide a link, which can
drive website traffic.
All these social media platforms not only also provide
retailers with a wealth of information about their customers, it also allows
businesses to easily measure ROI, both of which is extremely difficult through
traditional media.
