How to use social media to attract customers to your store?

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Following the rise of large shopping centers and the Internet in recent years, retailers are faced with new issues and must redouble their efforts to face fierce competition. On the web, marketplaces and other pure players (whose commercial activity is exclusively online) have gained ground and are attracting more and more loyal customers thanks to their practical side but also with their low prices. To survive these Internet giants, it is therefore essential for them to adapt and review their way of communicating. And among the tools at their disposal, we find of course social networks, which have become essential in the marketing strategy of brands.

More and more retailers are using social media to attract customers to increasingly less frequented city centres and shopping areas. While they can help increase visibility and win new customers, it is still important to use them belgium phone number list correctly, otherwise they risk generating the opposite effect to that intended.

Let’s take a look at which social media might be best suited to your business challenges and how to use them effectively to achieve your goals.

I. Which social networks should you use as a trader?
There are many social networks and each of them has its own codes and its own audience. It is essential to take into account several criteria in order to define the one (or ones) that will be best suited to your objectives . It is always better to be present on several platforms, but be careful, it is better to favor quality over quantity! Indeed, if you lack the time or skills to feed your social networks, there is no point in creating accounts that will be abandoned.

The first factor to consider is the field of activity and the products or services you offer. First of all, if you sell products/services to professionals (B2B), it might be interesting to bet on Linkedin, the professional social network that will allow you to develop your network. If you are oriented towards individuals, the number 1 social network Facebook will be essential to reach as many people as possible in your catchment area. But if there is another platform that should not be overlooked, it is Instagram. Especially if you are part of the businesses oriented towards sectors such as aesthetics, ready-to-wear, decoration, etc. Indeed, Instagram is an image-based social network and will therefore be the ideal place to share photos of your collections or your creations.

Another very important criterion to take into account is undoubtedly your customer typology. Indeed, each social network has its own target audience and attracts categories of users whose age, interests and consumption habits differ. For example, if your main target is under 30, do not hesitate to bet on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok or Snapchat. If, on the contrary, your target is older, then Facebook is the right tool.

Finally, the content you have in your possession will be decisive in making your choice. As we said previously, each social network has its own specificities. For example, if you mainly want to post photos, you will go to Facebook and Instagram. However, be careful, the photos on Instagram must be of very good quality. It will also be very important to be active in stories! However, if you want to share blog articles or other URLs, it is impossible to insert direct links in Instagram posts. The ideal is then to be active in several places and in different formats to reach as many people as possible and to vary the content that your customers will see.

II. Establish a relationship of proximity and trust
Once you have selected the social networks that seem most suitable to you, you will need to establish a publication rhythm and allocate time for managing your account. As seen previously, it is important to regularly update your social networks if you have decided to be present there.

In order for your publications to have maximum reach and interactions, you must write content that is conducive to exchanges. To do this, establish a real dialogue and involve Internet users in the life of your store, for example by having them vote for their favorite product. You will also need to respond to the comments and messages that you receive in order to establish a relationship based on transparency.

Regarding the content, play the human card as much as possible, because what makes the charm of merchants is the proximity they establish with their customers. It's up to you to transcribe them through your publications by sharing your daily life or anecdotes sprinkled with a touch of humor. In addition, Internet users love to discover "behind the scenes". To do this, you can write publications on the occasion of the arrivals of your products, the decoration of the store or even during "off" events with your employees. Do not hesitate to present your team in the form of portraits, Internet users need to be reassured and to put a face to a company/brand.

Another important point for Internet users in general is the notion of trust. Indeed, if they do not know you, there is less chance that they will visit you in store. For this, it is your duty to reassure them by giving them proof of your credibility. This is where customer reviews come in, for example! You can share positive testimonials on your Facebook page to reassure your subscribers. This practice encourages purchasing behavior by giving credibility to your company, so Internet users will not have to scour the net for information about you (because believe us, they do it more often than you think).

III. Play on exclusivity
You can use social media to communicate about the latest news in your store, while being careful not to reveal everything. The goal is to encourage Internet users to go to the store. Your social media account must be of interest to the subscriber who will follow you and they must find something for themselves when they consult it. To do this, let's look at some examples of high value-added content: