It's That Time of Year Again
By mid-November, you need to have your marketing strategy for the holiday period well underway! The biggest shopping season of the year is already ending one day at a time. It won't be long until it's all over for another year. Use the time left to optimize your online business and to make every last conversion.
We have interesting reading for anyone trying to do this: Facebook has come along with their dedicated Seasonal Shopping Guide, full of statistics and case studies to help you create the optimum social networking strategy for your business. The 6 key trends have been pinpointed by Facebook as central to success during this season.
#1 Be Prepared! Shopping in Advance Is Becoming Increasingly Popular
According to a global study, 43% of people are making their Christmas purchases before the tree is up! Statistics suggest that before the end of November, many people have planned and purchases their end-of-year shopping. Indeed, the ‘Black Week’ phenomenon has spread and buyers are jumping on the trend earlier and earlier. In 2018 by Monday, December 3rd 50% of shoppers had completed their holiday purchases. Retailers need to be ready, and ready earlier than ever.
#2 Bad Shopping Experiences Will Not Be Tolerated.
The huge rise in smartphone usage has meant shoppers have the ability to engage with several brands, produces and outlets before making their buying decisions. On the flip side, this abundance of choice means that 70% of consumers would easily take their business elsewhere if they felt their shopping experience wasn’t satisfactory. Interestingly, 85% of shoppers globally have reported encountering problems while online shopping, so whilst mobile has enticed many businesses online, there is still a long way to go.
#3 Window Shopping through Facebook Stories
Flicking through stories on Instagram and Facebook has become the real pastime for many smartphone users. This is something that all businesses want to be part of. Great marketers use social media to create their own brand stories. By sharing interesting content across multiple channels they create compelling narratives that engage and build connections with customers. Some companies also use influencer endorsements to enhance these narratives.
69% of people use Stories to discover new products or services whilst 62% of people become more interested in a product they already knew after seeing it advertised in Stories. This is all part of an effective multi-channel approach to digital marketing. The best online businesses use multiple channels and multiple formats (video, text, pictures) to create compelling stories and engage customers.
#4 So Do Bricks & Mortar Stores Still Exist?
Yes, they do, and the reasons for this go beyond mere supply-and-demand. According to Emarketer's study on eCommerce, being able to physically see products is still the main reason for this trend to continue, but that 42% of US shoppers preferred to shop in store for the holiday ambiance, and 27% used it as a reason to get together with friends and family during the holiday period. The holidays seem to strengthen the role of the bricks and mortar store, especially where attention is paid to fairy lights and baubles!
#5 Major Shopping Events Are Growing Globally
Localized shopping events are growing in global popularity, regardless of where they began. Black Friday grew by 15% between 2017 and 2018, and 11:11 or Single’s Day, a shopping event that began in China has grown 25% globally in the same period. It is worth taking note of what traditions are gaining popularity both at home and abroad, and ensuring your brand is ahead of the trend before the holiday peaks hit.
#6 Customer Loyalty Comes from Customer Communication
Customers are 65% more likely to trust an online shop they can message on Facebook and receive an answer from. A whopping tenfold increase in Facebook Messenger use by businesses means that many shop owners are using messenger tools to create clear and direct lines of chat with prospective and current customers. There are other choices such as Intercom that can also perform these services. Regardless of which is used, ensuring that a business has a well-connected messenger service that customers can easily contact is becoming increasingly important. In order to build a strong and trustworthy brand, this service needs to be well run and maintain a high answer rate.
As the holidays approach, key trends are essential to ensure your business is well prepared for the opportunities that are just around the corner. The most wonderful time of the year presents with it countless chances to win new customers, launch new products and present your brand in the way you want it to be seen. Facebook has given us some great trends to keep abreast of - now it's over to you - what will your customers be buying this Christmas
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