Small businesses can benefit the most from social media marketing over the holiday season as advertising on social platforms is far less expensive than traditional methods, such as radio, billboards, and television.
And social media converts. A staggering 3 in 4 shoppers base their purchasing decisions on social media posts and ads, while 15 percent made a purchase directly via a social media link.
While there are a lot of channels to choose from, you don’t have to advertise on all of them to make an impact. If you have a limited marketing budget, your best bet is to stick with Facebook and Pinterest as US shoppers are the most likely to turn to these channels for ideas and inspiration.
Here, we’re going to discuss a few ways you can market your products on Facebook and Pinterest to capture your fair share of the expected $682 billion season.
Facebook’s Dynamic Ads and Carousel Ads
With nearly 2 billion users, Facebook ranks supreme among social media platforms. But it’s not just the vast number of users the social media giant has acquired that makes Facebook an ideal marketing landscape, it’s the data.
Businesses can tap into the infinite gold mine of Facebook user data to create ad campaigns catered to specific subsets of their target audience for specific points in their purchasing journey.
For example, with Facebook’s Dynamic Ads, small businesses can automate their marketing campaigns to display product ads where they’re most likely to get clicks. Just upload your product catalog and choose a product template and Facebook will place ads based on a user’s previous search behavior.
Facebook’s Carousel ads may be a great option, too, as businesses can display up to 10 images or videos within a single ad. You could create the ideal holiday shopping list, each item with a direct link to purchase.
Holiday wish lists with Pinterest
Pinterest offers users a visually stunning way to organize their lives, from home decorating ideas and recipes to creating wish lists. People aren’t logging in for inspiration alone, however; shopping is the second most cited reason for signing in after viewing photos – over half of users visit Pinterest with the intent to shop, while the vast majority (over 90 percent) use the social site to plan their purchases.
While businesses can create “pinnable” content that links directly to their site, companies can take marketing a step further with Pinterest’s Buyable Pins. Buyable Pins allow users to purchase products without ever having to leave the app, reducing purchasing friction and upping sales. Users can create their holiday shopping list in advance and purchase the items directly from Pinterest when they’re ready.
Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Pinterest, provide businesses with the opportunity to create an enjoyable shopping experience during the frantic holiday months, from screen-shopping (aka digital window-shopping) to gift wrap.
Unlike traditional forms of advertising that merely blast a plea to purchase viewers are likely to tune out, social media allows a company to target individuals on a personal level and guide them through their purchasing journey. Companies can leverage the fact when people login during November and December, they generally do so for both inspiration and the intent to cross off an item from their holiday wish list.
Another upside of social media marketing is anyone can create a campaign right from their mobile phone or desktop. However, if you want to maximize your impact on Facebook and Pinterest this holiday season, a practiced eye will serve you best.
Want your products to end up on someone’s holiday wish list? Contact Social Spice Media. Unlike traditional advertising firms who have hastily added social media management to their menu of services, we’re experts in social media marketing – it’s in our name.
