How To Know Which Social Media Site Is Best For You
It’s no surprise, consumers are changing the way they shop. Now, more than ever, shoppers are searching online and then heading to the actual brick and mortar store to buy. Therefore, the information you put online is more important than ever. You have to be found online daily with unique photos, fun quotes and engaging questions. First, determine which social media site is right for your business. Marketing experts say it’s best to focus on no more than 3, but how do you know which 3? Here’s some demographic information I gleaned from SocialMedia Today to help you decide.
Which social media site does your shopper visit?
Facebook is the most widely used social media site, especially in the resale industry. Currently, there are 1.9 billion (yes, with a “b”) unique monthly users. Demographics are 83% of online women and 75% of online men. More than 9 out of 10 US Millennials (ages 18-34) are regular Facebook users. Plus, Generation X (ages 35-49) loves Facebook when it comes to their smart phones. Interestingly, 75% of users spend 20 minutes or more on Facebook every day. It’s viewed almost everywhere…at work, home, on a phone or on a desktop. Contrary to popular opinion, there is no “best” day or time to post. Use their analytics to figure out the best time for your shop. Make sure your cover image is 820 x 312, your profile photo is 170 x 170, your link image size is 1230 x 627 and a shared image should be 1200 x 630. Read 8 Facebook failures you don’t want to make before you dive in.
Twitter is strongest among 18 to 29 year olds. It’s popularity is slightly greater among males over females. Interestingly, over half of Twitter users never post any updates. Users only spend an average of 2.7 minutes on Twitter per day. Twitter is also used everywhere and at all times, but more often during down times such as lunch or breaks. A photo that is either square or landscape in format should always be used.
Pinterest is a social media site dominated by women and its followers are fairly evenly distributed between the generations. They tend to have a middle to higher income average. You’ll find the highest activity on Pinterest is in the evening. Shoppers referred by Pinterest are 10% more likely to make a purchase on eCommerce than users of other social sites. Thumbnail photos placed on your boards should be 222 x 150. Your regular pin can be 600 x any dimension.
Instagram is extremely popular and the fastest growing site. Predominately female, over 90% of Instagram users are under the age of 35. They also tend to live in urban areas. About half of US adult Instagram users access it daily and over half of them use it to follow brands. Square images on Instagram need to be 1080 x 1080. Vertical images need to be 1080 x 1350 and horizontal images need to be 1080 x 566.
LinkedIn is a very different type of social media site. It has always been strongest among men and with the more affluent. Interestingly, LinkedIn users are slightly less likely to use other social networks. Run timely articles about your products and industry to appeal to its users.
Excellent photos are vital to your success on social media. These are 2 fun, easy apps I really enjoy using to make my photos more interesting.
PicMonkey is free to use and offers a myriad of options from adding filters, to text to frames. They even let you touch up such things as wrinkles and skin tones (something I’m particularly fond of). PicMonkey Royale is only $33 a year and I think it’s well worth the price to get the added features.
Canva is also free and provides a lot of different design options from Facebook cover photos to posters to invitations. They also supply excellent tutorials on how to use the Canva service.
If you run out of ideas for posting every day, consider showing some other sides of your business.
Post a photo of:
- The employee of the week
- How you start your day
- Your shop’s surroundings
- A satisfied customer
- Your window display
- A holiday memory
- A DIY tip
- A recipe for a holiday treat
- Something you’re thankful for
- A fun gift idea
- Unique holiday decorations
- A funny story or customer experience
Make sure your website is up-to-date and choose the correct social media outlet based on your target market. Here are my suggestions:
Children’s Consignment
Young Women’s Clothing Consignment
Snapchat/Twitter
Women’s Upscale Clothing Consignment
Furniture Consignment
Men’s Consignment
5 sure fire ways to beef up your shop’s brand identity
Build your shop’s brand identity
The terms “Brand” and “Branding” are widely used in marketing. To “brand” means to set your product apart by putting your identifying mark on it. According to Entrepreneur, your brand is derived from “who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.” Here are 5 easy steps to build your shop’s brand identity.
Defining your brand
To define your store’s special brand, Entrepreneur asks you to answer these important questions:
What Is your store’s mission?
Can you list specific benefits and features of your store?
What do your current and potential shoppers already think about your store?
Can you list qualities you want them to associate with your store?
1.) Your logo
Your brand foundation is your logo. You need a solid, easy-to-read image that can be instantly recognized as you. Whether it’s your name in a particular typeface and color or an actual design image, make sure you use it consistently. Remember, this is the first impression a shopper may have of you so splash it across everything.
2.) Your profile photo on social media
Although obvious, some shop’s forget that your profile photo is the picture that appears in a Facebook news feed comment, a reply or a retweet. Your profile picture should always be your logo. However, sizes vary for profile photos. What works for Facebook may not work for Pinterest, Instagram or other media sites. If your name and/or logo is a different shape or ratio than the standard size, consider recreating it into a square format. Never cut off any text or part of your logo design.
3.) Talk the talk
Much of this week’s newsletter ideas came from Facebook Marketing for Small Business by Christina Sullivan. She encourages businesses to be “crystal clear” when communicating their brand identity. Consistency is key. If you want to be known as the expert in consignment, resale or antiques then you need to communicate it. If you want to be viewed as a trend maker or the friendliest shop in town, then make that clear in every piece of advertising that goes out of your store. Choose your purpose. Then, come up with a slogan or tagline for your shop that matches.
4.) Your cover photos
Looking for a great way to communicate who you are and what you sell? Take advantage of the larger space on your Facebook and Twitter Cover Photos. Don’t be afraid to change it up. If you’re looking for customers to return time and time again, you have to give them something new and different. Use bold images and graphics. Make sure the typeface remains consistent through all of your headlines and subheads. As followers scroll through your Twitter and Facebook feeds, they should get a consistent feel for your business and your brand identity not only by what they read, but also by what they see.
5.) Don’t let your boards be boring
Pinterest is also an area where you can easily build your brand. Create different boards that convey your message. A board titled, “Be In The Know” can be used to give history lessons on fashion, furniture or art. A board that features employees, owners and other staff can build your brand awareness as the friendliest place to shop. By remaining consistent you can answer all of the questions that define your brand.
Pinterest ideas for small business Saturday
Use these great Pinterest ideas for Shop Small day
The holiday madness has begun. Black Friday is coming and Small Business Saturday hits the day after. Where do you turn? Well, Pinterest of course. There are some great last minute Pinterest ideas that you might use for Shop Small Saturday. No matter what you choose to do, be sure to blanket your social media and email list with the news!
Rearrange your store inventory
Pinterest suggests changing things up a bit. It’s the art of discovery. Create something unexpected and exciting that invites both new and repeat customers to search your merchandise more intently. Create layers of displays using the walls and ceilings. If possible, build seasonal scenes using items from your shop. Remember, good lighting is essential.
Host an in-store event
You will always generate more traffic into your store with an event. Since the time is near, consider an event that requires very little preparation such as offering Christmas cookies and punch; collecting canned goods and tying the donation to a store discount or bundling a giveaway package of store items and having a drawing. If you have an “expert,” consider offering a quick and easy Christmas package wrapping course. By all means, gather as many email addresses as possible for future promotions. Stage your event near a rack for impulse buying so shoppers can add to their purchases.
Tell your shop’s story on Pinterest
Of course, Pinterest ideas for holiday marketing definitely includes using Pinterest. Creating Pinterest boards for your business can be done fairly quickly. Sign up for your business Pinterest account. They suggest, “Start by adding Pins to your boards around the inspiration behind your business – what made you start your company? Add Pins around your values or show off the people and things that make your business special.”