As a retailer, having a social media presence used to be an awesome bonus that put you ahead of your lacking competitors. Nowadays, it is a must, and you are way behind if you are not a on the social media train.
A lot of the time, it is also not enough to simply have a social media presence- it needs to be a strong one. Retail companies need to be thoroughly involved on several platforms, not just Facebook. Facebook is definitely a must, but it needs to coincide with Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, as well as Snapchat and Pinterest if applicable.
Both Retailers and Customers Benefit
People love feeling involved. When a company like Target or Best Buy replies to someone’s tweet on Twitter, it makes that person feel special. This is also a great way for a company to build brand loyalty. Customers are way more likely to shop, and continue to shop, from a business whom they feel a connection to.
Social media is also a great way to announce sales. When retailers announce flash sales or a day of free shipping on social media, it grabs the attention of their most loyal customers and increases their sales. This also goes for announcements like new products, special events, condolences for a public tragedy, important company changes, etc.
How Can it Benefit Product Manufacturers?
Social media is the perfect tool for product manufacturers for one huge reason: free feedback. Whether it is a good opinion or a bad one, people will let you know via Facebook, Twitter, or any other platform they can for no charge. Go to your Facebook newsfeed and click on any retailer’s sponsored post (there are most likely several to choose from) and you will see hundreds of people commenting on how much they love or hate that product and why. This is a great way to improve your products and really make the customers understand that you are listening to them and trying to implement their suggestions as a manufacturer.
This blog post was written by Stephanie Trudell, our Brand Ambassador Intern here at Retailbound. You can reach Stephanie at StephanieTrudell.Retailbound@gmail.com
