Social media can build brand awareness and loyalty. In a Sprout Social Q1 2017 survey of 1,000 consumers, 62 percent said they are likely to purchase from a brand they follow on social media. Moreover, survey respondents were more likely to follow a brand on social media before they purchase from it.
Social media can help keep your brand top of mind so that consumers will consider it when they are ready to buy.
In this article, I’ll offer four tips to help your company increase brand awareness and build loyalty via social media.
Go Beyond Products and Services
Selling a good product or service isn’t always enough for prospects. Many of them value honesty, transparency, and authenticity from the companies they buy from, such as:
- Emphasizing company values and culture;
- Being up front and honest about business practices;
- Sharing sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes info on products and services;
- Publishing meaningful content;
- Getting involved in the community.
CustomInk, a U.S.-based online apparel company, uses Instagram to showcase employees who participated in a 5K run to raise awareness about water conservation.
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Retailer Stash Tea knows tea lovers are passionate about the process of tea making and offers Instagram followers a peek into the company’s tea-lab processes.
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ThinkGeek, a computer retailer, hosted a trivia night at a local music venue and posted photos of it on Instagram.
Consider Co-marketing
Researching your target audience’s demographics, likes, and behaviors can uncover other organizations to potentially work with on marketing campaigns. HubSpot’s post on finding the right co-marketing partner can help get started.
With co-marketing, both brands obtain additional reach and exposure, and (ideally) greater results than a standalone campaign. Here are two examples.
Astley Clarke, a retail jeweler, used Instagram stories to announce a giveaway collaboration with apparel retailer Hunza G.
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Retailers Sole Society, Public, and Society 6 teamed up to create #howisummer social media promotion.
Emphasize Social Customer Care
While chatbots and live chat are popular for retailers, do not overlook customer care via social channels. Consumers on social media expect fast responses to their queries, including their complaints.
Consider soliciting feedback similar to the survey below from Loft, a women’s apparel company. After engaging shoppers via live chat, Loft asks where those shoppers would have reached out if chat were not available. Social media was a survey option.
After engaging shoppers via live chat, Loft asks where shoppers would have reached out if chat were not available.
Experiment with Social Profiles
Testing and experimenting with the features of each social media platform is fun. For ecommerce retailers, Facebook can be a favorite due to the many tab options on a page, such as email sign-up forms, offers, shopping, and the ability to drive traffic to a website.
Example of a Shop tab on the DharmaCrafts’ Facebook page.
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Jewelry retailer Vrai & Oro’s integrated an email sign-up form on its Facebook page.
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For time-sensitive promotions, consider using Instagram stories to spark engagement and drive traffic to your website.
Deborah Lippmann, a cosmetics retailer, uses an Instagram story to feature a timely add-on promotion.