Research has found an increase in the number of consumers looking to friends, family and influencers for recommendations. We are now more likely than ever to make a purchase, and to trust a recommendation from someone we know online or information we have found ourselves, than from push-marketing methods.
Typical push-marketing methods such as banner ads, TV commercials and promoted online content are being trusted less and less by consumers. Instead, people are looking to sources they can trust for reliable information.
Consumers are becoming irritated by traditional marketing and actively follow, source and click through links from friends and influencers on social media, leading to purchases that push advertising has not encouraged.
Believing that trusted sources would only recommend something they have tried and tested, it’s a relationship ideal for brands to market through; a stylised, relevant photo from an influencer and a consumer who trusts and buys into their self-made brand.
So, what does this mean for your business?
The rapid adoption of mobile devices and huge data plans has drastically changed the way we consume online information. With Google, Instagram and Twitter at our fingertips more often than ever before, discovering brands has never been so seamless.
Being savvy and setting up an omni-channel PR and marketing strategy will see brand loyalty and customer retention increase drastically. Consumers aren’t just exposed to a brand on one platform, they’ll follow them on Instagram, Twitter, watch YouTube videos of bloggers reviewing the products, and directly shop through an influencer’s Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest photo. There are ample opportunities for you to get your brand seen. I’m not just talking about fashion brands either, VIP blogger press trips have seen Jet2’s revenue increase by 38%.
What’s next?
Planning, scheduling and sticking to a social media strategy will enable you to build an omni-channel approach to getting your business seen online. It’s rarely about a direct sale on social, but instead providing useful, informative and engaging content. Managing social media for our clients, we see a huge increase in profile views, website click throughs and a rise in users when we manage and report on client’s social. Regular interaction with followers and ensuring all content like blog posts and news coverage is shared across all channels keeps posting consistent and reminds people that you’re still there.
When we start working with a new client we spend time researching into their services, finding out their values, tone of voice and what their customers want to hear about. We plan content around this, as well as what is trending, making sure that anything we post, who we follow and who we reply to always fit the client’s core brand values and speaks the same message across all channels.
Think you need some help? Get in touch and our social media expert Sophie can help you work out what your business needs and how we can make the most out of your social channels for your company.
