Holiday Sales: Let Customers’ Buying Habits Shape Your Marketing Strategy
DIY Sprocket Solutions
We talk a lot about social media marketing and the way that marketers should work to create and maintain effective campaigns. This holiday season, let’s switch the lens to the buyer. What research are consumers doing across social media to investigate products before they buy? How can you take the decision making process of customers surrounding their purchasing and translate that into a successful social media marketing campaign? The secret to a fruitful holiday season for your business is tracing back the patterns that customers make before they buy and updating your social media strategy accordingly.
So, how do people buy on social media? First and foremost, people find products through advertisements. This includes newsfeed ads, email marketing, ads set into blog articles and more. If you haven’t already, now would be the time to start planning and creating your holiday ads. The best way to get your ads in front of customers is to put the ads right in front of the consumers’ faces. This means right on their Facebook or Instagram feed, in their email inbox, and more. Wherever your target audience is online is where you should be promoting your ads.
Once potential customers see a product they are interested in purchasing, they begin their research. People are looking up product reviews, searching YouTube for influencers who have already tried the products, and researching the company through their social media and website presence. When ordering online, people want to be sure that the company is legitimate and that the products are worth ordering.
What this means for you is that you have to take an inventory of your company’s online presence before you start rolling out your holiday ads. Go through and check all online outlets for reviews on your company and products. Search Facebook, Yelp, generated review sites, YouTube and more. Where is your business listed online? Each and every one of those sites should be evaluated. Respond to reviews, both negative and positive, and remember that potential customers are reading your words when deciding whether or not to buy.
When it comes to influencers who have written reviews on your product or recorded video reviews, you should use these reviews as genuine feedback. How can your products, sales, or services be improved? If you’ve made improvements or fixed issues, mention that in your responses. Be involved in your business’ online presence. People are researching your actual business; they are looking up your website and social media pages to see where they are really ordering from. Making sure that your website is up to date and that your social media pages are complete and active is imperative to successfully selling online.
Follow the trail that consumers are leaving for you. When it comes to marketing for the holidays, make sure that your online storefronts are strong. Having successful ad campaigns, keeping track of your online reviews, and updating your overall internet presence is a strong start to a lucrative holiday season. What are your thoughts on tracking buying habits to shape marketing approaches? Comment below!
Breanne Bannon
Breanne is a Content Writer, Social Media Marketeer, and Sales Associate for Sprocket Websites.
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