It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
You can already see the first Christmas decorations in the stores. Too early? Think again: Google's "Holiday Insights" show that the first peak of searches around Christmas and year-end gifts occurs as early as September. So the high season is no longer limited to Q4, but runs from September to January.
Moreover, it appears that 29% of Belgian shoppers in 2020 will have spread their purchases over this entire period instead of only on discount days such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday or last-minute purchases. This has created new "emerging moments" during the end-of-year period such as "Singles Day," for example.
So with this in mind, it is high time to plan a strategy to connect with (potential) customers during the busiest retail period of the year. Check out our tips below to successfully reach your target audience with your social media campaign for the fall.
Be findable and make it as easy as possible for (potential) customers
Today, it is not only the price that convinces consumers. Shoppers attach increasing importance to product availability and convenience. When considering new brands, "quality" and "delivery speed" are also increasingly important. Therefore, digital shoppers are increasingly willing to compare what companies offer and try out new brands.
According to Google, 54% of shoppers in 2020 have made purchases from a brand unknown to them and 73% of shoppers would be open to purchasing from new retailers.
Retail tip: So help existing and potential customers in their purchase decision by including the right information in all your social media channels, ad copy, product descriptions, etc. Include delivery information, expert recommendations, reviews... to make sure you're citing the key things that convince consumers to choose your brand.
Some information that is also worth double-checking so that your target group can easily find you and make a purchase:
- Opening hours: check all social media channels and update opening hours if necessary, otherwise you may have to deal with angry customers who tried to reach you offline while your shop was closed
- Product range: If you have added shoppable items to your social media channels, make sure they are still available for purchase!
- Website url
- Contact details
2. Offer an omnichannel customer experience
By using different communication channels, each person can discover your company in his/her own preferred way. You can also guide them in this by referring to your social media channels in your newsletters, for example. On social media, you can encourage them followers to read some articles on your blog. And why not refer readers with questions directly to your customer service who they can easily call or email.
Pro tip: Make full use of stories for your fall campaign - this is ideal for eliciting interaction from your target audience. Since stories disappear after 24 hours, make sure they are dynamic and engaging enough to be remembered. In addition to standard promotional offers, you can post lots of other fun things on Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories. For example:
- A guide to the ultimate end-of-year gift (e.g. 10 ideas for a gift under €20 - from your shop of course)
- Giveaways & templates (you can ask questions and then reward the most creative or correct answers)
- Sharing product reviews (to demonstrate the quality of your products and encourage others to shop with you)
- Sneak peeks and 'behind the scenes' content (of the brand new collection, for example)
3. Mobile experience
The rise of retail apps, mobile payment options and unlimited data plans has made mobile shopping more convenient than ever. This is evidenced by the number of purchases people are making on their mobile device rather than their desktop or laptop. In the past, shoppers might browse products on their phone and then switch to a computer to make the actual purchase, but an optimised mobile experience makes this extra step less necessary.
In 2019, people in the Nordics and Benelux did on average 32% of their online purchases on a mobile phone. This number rose to 45% during the pandemic, and has not declined since. A similar trend can be observed for mobile product research: 53% in 2019 versus 60% in 2021.
4. Personalise
Personalisation can do wonders to help you stand out in the glut of emails, social media posts and ads about Black Friday, Christmas and New Year.
Segment your customer base based on factors such as gender and age, or based on products they have purchased in the past. Personalise your marketing message and choose the right marketing channel for each target group. For example, send a message aimed at young people via social media, for approaching older people you work better with personalised e-mails, etc.
5. Make it easy to shop on social media
The next step to a great end-of-year campaign is to make it as easy as possible for people to shop your products or services.
Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest have all introduced major e-commerce integrations in the past year, making it easier than ever to shop on social media. On Instagram, you can now tag products (included in your Instagram Shop catalogue) directly into feed posts, Instagram Stories, IGTV videos, Reels, Guides, and Live broadcasts.
6. Automate
Customers do not only make their purchases online, this is also increasingly the place to ask all their questions, get advice and do research. Without automation, it can be challenging to meet their expectations.
Pro tip: Facebook and Instagram offer a hidden gem for automating customer service and providing quick answers to your customers. And it's FREE to use!
In automated replies, you can set up frequently asked questions, an intro message and even appointment reminders. In frequently asked questions, you can suggest questions for people to ask at the beginning of the chat.
Then, thanks to this feature, you can also automate your answers to a number of frequently asked questions such as "Where can I buy your products?", "Where is your shop?", "How long should I wait for delivery?", or "Do you offer free shipping?", just to name a few. Around the holidays, such questions may be asked more often than usual, so automating the provision of answers takes another task off your shoulders.
In addition, you can also save common responses so that they are immediately displayed when you type in a preset keyword. With just a few clicks, however, it can significantly help businesses on Facebook handle large volumes of incoming messages during their holiday social media campaign.
7. Plan ahead and analyze the results
Don't wait too long to prepare and set up your campaigns. The sooner you can test your marketing efforts, the sooner you can make the necessary adjustments to significantly improve your results. Always compare them to your predetermined marketing goals. This way you can verify what is going well and what can be improved. So a good analysis helps you discover opportunities for growth and identify where you should or can put extra effort when you draw up your action plan for next year.
Not sure how to specifically apply these tips to your year-end social media marketing plan? Feel free to stop by our office and together we'll see how we can help you. Coffee is ready and waiting.
