Follow proven social media marketing practices to end the year with strong sales. Photo credit: Phillip Taylor
‘Tis the season for holiday marketing campaigns, and advice for marketing relations professionals is as common as Christmas trees.
Social media marketing may be the differentiator this holiday season, according to MarketLive. Almost one-third of shoppers surveyed said they have made purchases as a direct result of interactions on social media, a MarketLive survey reported. Revenues generated through social media increased almost 15 percent in the second quarter this year compared to the same period last year, and social media will influence half of holiday shoppers this year.
What Marketers are Budgeting
An Offerpop survey of digital marketers reveals important insights and best practices, saidMairead Ridge, the company’s senior manager of marketing. The survey indicates that marketers are taking advantage of:
Monetizing social platforms. More companies are taking advantage of Facebook’s buy button, Twitter’s buy button, and Twitter’s commerce partnerships with Amazon, American Express and CardSpring to increase direct sales through social media networks.
Facebook. Although other networks are becoming more popular, 92 percent of marketers surveyed plan to allot most of their budget to Facebook over the holidays. Ridge recommends investing heavily in the proven platform and allocating less spending for other networks.
Instagram. About three-fourths of marketers said Instagram is the “breakout network” of the year. Most plan on investing in the network this year. Consider Instagram hashtag campaigns and using video in campaigns, contests, and social incentives on the network.
User-generated content. More than three-fourths of marketers planned to use more user-generated content this year. User-generated content is 20 percent more influential than other types of media. A winning tactic is to curate consumer photos, videos, and reviews and share them across social channels and your website.
“The holidays present a colossal opportunity for social media to deliver strong ROI and close out the year with strong sales,” Ridge concluded. “Holiday marketing efforts should include an investment in the power of social media to increase commerce and strengthen brand reach.”
More Tips for Successful Social Media Marketing Campaigns
More tips for holiday marketing campaigns came from Kelly Shepsko in a Business 2 Community article.
Brand your social media. Just as you decorate your home for the holidays, embellish your social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms with seasonal photos to get in the holiday spirit.
Hold contests and giveaways. Contests and giveaways are always popular but, depending on your industry, prospects may be more active on social media this time of year.
Support charity. A campaign that supports your favorite charity fits in well with the season since the holidays are traditionally a popular time to give to charity. Hold a campaign to ask your social media followers to make donations.
Advertise. As your personal mailbox proves, the holidays are a good time to advertise, though the competition is fierce. Target your audience to increase your social media following heading into next year.
Be trendy. Watch for trending holiday hashtags. To promote your content, be aware of popular holiday conversations and “hashtag hijack” when you post.
Encourage sharing. Ask followers about their favorite holiday traditions to encourage social media conversation. Or ask “this vs. that” holiday-themed questions that ask followers to pick one of two options such as: “Do you prefer apple pie or pumpkin pie for your holiday dinner?”
Share holiday tips and tricks. Share content that’s helpful and relevant. Holiday baking recipes and tips for do-it-yourself home decorating projects are popular.
Give a behind-the-scenes look. Post exclusive photos of your company’s holiday decorations, parties or events to show your company culture and put a human face to your organization. Consider using Instagram and Vine videos.
Measure. Track your campaign to keep tabs on website traffic, leads, number of followers, amount of engagement and especially ROI. That will enable you to find what worked and help you improve the next campaign.
Bottom Line: As more customers use social media for shopping, social media marketing campaign are more important than ever for successful holiday shopping seasons. Embracing proven social media practices will help you close out the year with strong sales.
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