Tag Archives: Instagram

Blogging Is A Great Marketing Tool. But Social Media Helps Content Speak For Itself

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There are millions of blogs on the internet, so how else can you communicate your message with the consumer? Once you’ve created credible and intriguing content, then social media channels offer a way to ensure consumers are talking about your brand. Egger (2014) explains that social media sharing offers the consumer a way to ‘express your favourable view’ and even ‘share the contents of a blog with your followers.’ It is important to note that for blogs to add value to a brand, then they must remain social and the content should be converted by the consumer into something that creates further discussion. Chiles (2015) further supports this notion as he conveys that social media engagement is ‘the transmission of information between contacts in a process of involvement’. The key message from Chiles (2015) is that social media provides the consumer with an involvement, and therefore it is important content exposed to them is perceived as relevant and useful.

The theory of involvement and social media is consolidated with Chaffey’s six channels model (Chaffey, 2010). Audience participation and customer feedback are crucial elements of communicating with consumers. A fashion brand therefore, can communicate through Twitter activity, Facebook live posts, and Snapchat stories. This creates an involvement with the consumer as they can comment on what they are seeing, or involve a friend and spread the word.

 

 

In terms of using initiatives to enhance a fashion brands social media strategy; the simple steps that are essential are sustaining a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat account. This is the most powerful marketing tool and relating back to Chaffey’s model, these initiatives can help create other aspects such as online partnership through sponsorships or even opt-in email through links posted on social media (Nussey, 2004).

The challenge is ultimately to ‘direct, shape and focus on how customers see you’ (Kotler & Pfoertsch, 2006). This means content and the platform chosen, dictate how the consumer will perceive the brand. Caballar (2016) evaluates the different platforms available for sharing content on social media. The following graphic details the findings of her survey asking ‘Which social share buttons do you use the most?’. Are you surprised at the findings? And what would your answer be?

 

 

Instagram

Improving a fashion brands’ Instagram is a vital channel of communication with the consumers. Best practice is a perfect example of how a picture can paint a thousand words, and take on a meaning of its own. For example, the consumer sending in pictures wearing the clothing serves as a positive influence on future purchases by other consumers. Celebrity endorsements are becoming common place, but choosing the correct personnel adds great value to a marketing strategy.

Dele Alli (Tottenham and England Footballer) wearing Fresh Ego Kid Cap;

 

Marcus Rashford (Manchester United and England Footballer) in a powerful Nike marketing photo;

 

 

Snapchat

Snapchat is a marketing tool that should be maximised by fashion brands. The instant nature of the uploads and ease of reaching out to the consumer make it the number one marketing tool available today. Arthur (2016) explains that Snapchat has ‘150 million daily users’ of which ‘60% are within the 18-34 demographic’. This is a key area of the market for fashion brands as they are the segment with ‘the fastest growing spending power’. When marketing a fashion brand, the consumer is essentially interested in a luxury product and therefore targeting consumers with high levels disposable income is ideal.

 

Check out this video which explains why fashion brands should ‘capture the moment!’.

 

 

(Source: WallStreetJournal, 2015).

 

Examples of Best Practice – Fashion Brand Social Media

 

Fred Perry Instagram – Creates good discussion and volume of shares/likes

 

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Asos Customer Service Twitter – Personalisation of replies and speedy help

 

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Adidas Originals – Creative video upload to increase shares/comments

 

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10 Laws of Social Media Marketing

Check out this informative video which explains the key principles that businesses must follow to gain benefits from their social media marketing;

 

(Source: Entrepreneur, 2017)

 

Johnson (2011) interestingly purports that 50% of consumers who follow a brand on Twitter are more likely to buy from that brand. A greater benefit to this, is the reported ‘60% of followers who would recommend the brand through word of mouth marketing and social media sharing’. Therefore it is critical to ensure a strong social media presence, as in the 21st Century this is the most visible line of communication with the target market.

 

Risks of Social Media Sharing – Twitter

Business Queensland (2017) suggest there are causes for concern when using Twitter for a corporate purpose. The use of Twitter is highly advantageous, although caution must be taken once the content is shared;

  1. Spamming – Content shared on Twitter should not be ‘for the sake for it’. It should be focused, intriguing and fresh.
  2. Disappointing Audience – If content does not meet the needs of the consumer e.g. lack of colour variations in a new line, then the replies on social media are going to be negative. It is incredibly easy for a consumer to unfollow on social media so aim to segment market with blogs, tweets and Facebook uploads.
  3. Trying to force positive comment – Leave the shares and comments on Twitter unedited. If you aim to force positive comment on the brand then trust will be lost and brand not seen as honest.
  4. Brand Damage – If poor quality, poor customer service or distasteful posts go viral, then the reputation of the brand will be affected detrimentally.
  5. Maintaining and Monitoring presence – Worst thing a fashion brand could do is just leave social media presence as it is. Must be measured in terms of impact e.g. retweets, shares, comments. If the number captured are not of value to brand then how can you improve this?
  6. Unauthorised Tweets – Corporate Twitter activity must be from authorised personnel only and be compliant.

 

 

The key takeaway from this topic should be the powerful nature of social media, on a fashion brands digital marketing strategy. Simpson (2016) explains almost 60% of fashion and beauty brands have an influencer marketing strategy in place, while a further 21% plan to invest in it over the next 12 months. It is highly important therefore, to utilise this channel of communication when marketing your fashion brand!

 

 

Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Twitter for more Digital Marketing content- @JR_DIGMARK. You can also check out the #bbsdigmarket to see more fun digital marketing articles!

 

 

References

Arthur, R. (2016). 10 Fashion Brands Nailing Their Snapchat Content Strategy. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelarthur/2016/11/30/10-fashion-brands-nailing-their-snapchat-content-strategy/#122cd07c4e9e. Last accessed 16th Apr 2017.

Chaffey, D. (2010). Applying organisational capability models to assess the maturity of digital-marketing governance. Journal of Marketing Management. 26 (3), p187-196.

Chiles, D (2015). Social Media Best Practices: Engagement Netiquette. London: David Paul Chiles Publishing. p20-22.

Egger, B (2014). Social Media Strategies for Investing. Massachusetts: Adams Media. p54-57.

Johnson, J. (2011). Twitter Users Who Follow Brands Are More Likely To Buy Products. Available: http://www.blogherald.com/2011/10/20/twitter-users-who-follow-brands-are-more-likely-to-buy-products-study/. Last accessed 16th Apr 2017.

Kotler, P & Pfoertsch, W (2006). B2B Brand Management. New York: Springer. p187.

Nussey, B (2004). The Quiet Revolution in Email Marketing. New York: iUniverse. p247.

Simpson, J. (2016). Eight influencer marketing stats for fashion & beauty brands. Available: https://econsultancy.com/blog/67443-eight-influencer-marketing-stats-for-fashion-beauty-brands/. Last accessed 15h Apr 2017.

 

The importance of successfully utilising social media marketing to promote a new fashion brand

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Social media has become a huge part of everyone’s day to day life. But the use of social media can now be used to massively benefit organisations, especially new fashion brands. In recent years organisations have realised that there is no other medium that can reach so many people in such little time as social media can, whilst ‘keeping marketing costs at their lowest’ (Funk, 2011). Interestingly though, Funk (2011) explains that the channels of social media marketing are ‘not as important for selling’ but crucial for ‘listening to customers’ and ‘communicating your brand directly and personally’. The importance of listening to customers in the modern business environment is paramount, as a positive social media presence reaches out to existing and potential future customers. Often large fashion brands can seem unreachable in terms of a personal social media presence, and this is an area to exploit for smaller brands who cannot compete with the costs of global marketing campaigns. In the modern business environment customers, more than ever, can be vocal about their opinions and experiences with a brand. For a fashion brand it is important therefore, to be transparent and create a relationship and sustainable connection with the public.

When promoting a new fashion brand on social media, the most difficult challenge is to build awareness and a positive reputation with consumers. If this reputation is negative e.g. poor quality or poor customer service, this will have a detrimental effect on potential growth and success in industry. However, Morin (2014) suggests the notion that negative reviews can be good for small businesses, and that they should be embraced not feared. Especially considering that the clothing industry involves purchases which involve different fittings and sizes, therefore customer complaints and returns are likely to occur.

Contrastingly, if the social media perception of the brand is positive then the trust and interest of the brand is enhanced perhaps even before a consumer has purchased an item of clothing themselves. Word of mouth marketing is a key tool for successfully marketing on social media, as ‘84% of consumers trust family and friends about the quality of products’ (Grinnell, 2014). Twitter and Facebook provide a platform to leave positive reviews and comments which will reach to their followers and potential new customers. The reviews and comments also provide more credibility for brands as social media followers can see they are real people, with real views representative of similar customers. With so many large fashion retailers, this aspect of marketing can help a smaller niche brand to gain a competitive advantage by being reliable and connected with their customers.

Fashion brands must consider which social media marketing strategy best suits them. It is reported that Instagram is the most popular platform for fashion brands, but this will ultimately depend on ‘usability’ and ‘how it keeps in line with the long term strategic plans (Roderick, 2016).

 

Examples of Best Practice- Facebook and Twitter

Burton’s Facebook Page- Call To Action Offers

 

Fresh Ego Kid Twitter- Personalisation

 

Risk Couture Twitter- Associated hashtags to increase visibility

Social media has the ability to reach millions of customers immediately, and research has shown that if you ‘follow a brand on Instagram you are, finances permitting, 53% more likely to shop with them’ (Rasmussen, 2016). In the current market place this is an incredibly simple but effective way to grow sales and grow the brand into a much larger business. Especially when first establishing the brand within the crowded market, reputation and market growth will be affected by how successfully the social media channels are managed.

Potential Risks

Of course, there are many risks that a new fashion brand would have to be careful of when utilising social media marketing (Robinson, 2013);

  • PR Crisis- this would damage the brand image
  • Security Breach- potential costs to ensure security
  • Offending your audience- when posting non-business material it must not offend customer base
  • Competition- clothing industry means you have to be careful not to have original designs copied
  • Legal Implications- be aware of legal boundaries and that content is publishable e.g. not copyright

 

The short video below shows the future marketing trends that organisations can expect in 2017. It provides an interesting insight into customer engagement and the huge audiences available to new fashion brands on Facebook and Snapchat.

Give it a watch!

(Source: WeeklyMarketingTips, 2017).

 

Meyers (2017) suggests that fashion brands should utilise best practice to ensure that their social media marketing strategy is a success. The key points presented are that brands must ‘tailor’ their message, ‘be yourself’ and to ‘tell a story about the customers lifestyle (or the one they wish they had)’. This simple theory helps to create a strategy that will help to establish a fashion brand to its customers. By tailoring the message, this allows for the brand to be easily communicated with potential customers but also creates a risk-averse approach which does not attempt to do anything other than positively advertise the brand. By representing the brand in a positive and innovative way on social media, it is possible to create a trust with the consumer and therefore would be more likely to create a long lasting relationship.

 

Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Twitter- @JR_DIGMARK

 

References

Funk, T (2011). Social Media Playbook For Businesses. London: Praeger. p15-22.

Grinnell, B. (2014). 4 Benefits of Word-of-Mouth Marketing. Available: http://www.twolegit.com/4-benefits-word-mouth-marketing/. Last accessed 22nd Feb 2017.

Meyers, S. (2017). 6 Social Media Tricks of Fashion Brands. Available: http://www.inc.com/stephanie-meyers/6-social-media-tricks-fashion-brands.html. Last accessed 22nd Feb 2017.

Morin, A. (2014). Why Negative Reviews Can Be Good For Business. Available: http://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/05/06/why-negative-reviews-can-be-good-for-business/#52ed09d63b27. Last accessed 22nd Feb 2017.

Rasmussen, T. (2016). how important is social media in building a fashion brand and business?. Available: https://i-d.vice.com/en_gb/article/how-important-is-social-media-in-building-a-fashion-brand-and-business. Last accessed 22nd Feb 2017.

Robinson, C. (2013). The Risks Associated with Social Media Marketing. Available: http://www.business2community.com/social-media/risks-associated-social-media-marketing-0617722#wGz0rXXUYbstvypq.97. Last accessed 22nd Feb 2017.

Roderick, L. (2016). How fashion brands are taking Instagram from gimmick to strategic. Available: https://www.marketingweek.com/2016/02/17/how-fashion-brands-are-taking-instagram-from-gimmick-to-strategic/. Last accessed 22nd Feb 2017.