Spring Fair Industry Learnings: Boost your Brand with Social Marketing in 2024

 

Alison Battisby, Founder of Avocado Social revealed some of the exciting social media marketing trends taking over retail at Spring Fair 2024. Alison is a social media expert with experience working with brands including John Lewis, Tesco, Estee Lauder, and Yves St Laurent as well as a range of UK start-ups and growing enterprises. At a packed Spring Fair Masterclass session in February, Alison shared her key learnings with our retail audience. In case you missed the session, here are your notes from the class... 

 

A New Leader in Search: Social SEO 

 

Social media has emerged as a powerful contender in the SEO marketing game! Shifting Google out of its place as the gatekeeper of search, platforms like Instagram and TikTok are becoming hotspots for discovering new products and trends. Brands can leverage the searchable nature of social media by optimising their content with relevant keywords and hashtags so that products are easily discovered by key audiences. More users are turning to social platforms for inspiration and product searches making it the perfect social marketing tool. 

 

Press Play on More Views 

 

In the world of social marketing, attention spans are dwindling and grabbing the attention of your audience with video content is key. Lengthy videos have been replaced with short, engaging clips. Whether it's sharing interesting facts, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your brand, or jumping onto the latest trend, the goal is to entertain and engage your audience authentically. Martha Brooke, a stationery company, got millions of views with a video featuring an attention-grabbing stunt on National Stationery Day. By entertaining their audience rather than just promoting products they effectively increased brand visibility and engagement. Similarly, Panti, a sustainable fashion brand, showcased their innovative packaging through captivating videos, resulting in thousands of likes and increased brand awareness. These brands show the importance of creative and engaging content in building connections and driving sales through creative storytelling. 

 

 

 

The Rise of LinkedIn 

 

With over a billion members worldwide, LinkedIn is seen as the go-to social marketing platform for professionals across industries and locations. As conferences and events move online, LinkedIn has witnessed a surge in engagement, offering brands a unique opportunity to connect with their target audience. By optimising your profile and posting engaging content regularly, you can leverage LinkedIn to expand your network, forge valuable connections and establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry. 

 

X vs. Threads

 

The social media landscape is constantly evolving and platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Threads (Meta's answer to X) are shaking up the status quo. While X has seen a decline in engagement, Threads is gaining traction as the conversation app of choice. With Zuckerberg's backing, Threads is one to watch in the social marketing space, offering brands a new place to engage with potential customers and spark meaningful conversations. 

 

Step Up Your Sales with Paid Social 

 

In an era of declining organic reach, paid social has become a necessity for brands looking to cut through the noise and reach customers effectively. By investing in targeted social ads, brands can amplify their message, drive engagement and increase sales. Through strategic targeting and compelling creative, brands like Paper Engine have seen tremendous success in leveraging paid social to reach new audiences and drive sales. The company used paid social advertising to promote their Wallace and Gromit range. By tapping into the unexpected audience of grandparents they pulled off a successful, targeted campaign.  

 

The rules of social media and successful social marketing are always changing but with innovation and adaptability, brands can thrive on these platforms. By staying ahead of the latest trends and embracing the power of social marketing, retailers can connect with their audience authentically, drive engagement and propel their business to new heights of success. We look forward to engaging with your content soon! 
 

For a better understanding of your brand’s social marketing power or to get some transformative insights, reach out to Alison and Avocado Social team - Home | Avocado Social - Social Media Strategy Consultancy  Avocado Social offer social media strategy, training, consultancy and management, for businesses of all shapes and sizes.