As Black Friday and Cyber Monday continue to merge into a four-day shopping spree, it becomes more and more important for brands to let consumers know what promotions they will be running during the holiday season. Target has already announced the launch of its QR codes for the season’s hottest toys, and brands have been warned about consumers’ desires for mobile-optimized sites and/or apps, but what else can brands do to prepare for the holidays? Here are six social media-based tips to explore for your brand in the coming months.
Create Facebook Offers
The nature of Facebook is such that one single post can go viral in a matter of minutes. The same is true of offers posted by a brand. Facebook offers are discounts that brands offer directly through Facebook. Unlike normal posts from brands including coupon codes or sale details, offers can show up in News Feeds for people who haven’t liked the brand’s page. Once an offer is claimed by a user, it then appears in their friends’ News Feeds where they, too, can claim it. Coastal.com launched an offer for a free pair of glasses on October 9 and as of October 16, over 900,000 users have ‘claimed’ the offer. Learn more about creating a Facebook Offer here.
Deck Your Timeline with a Festive Cover Photo
Selecting the right cover image can be a battle, but because brand’s change them often, don’t be afraid of messing up or making the wrong decision. Instead, use the holidays as inspiration for a festive or themed cover photo. Target used theirs as a chance to showcase their kids costumes for Halloween and the result is cute and timely.
Banana Republic took a similar approach, highlighting the transition to fall, rather than a holiday. The result is attractive but still highlights the season’s hot fashions and trends.
Advertise Seasonal Hiring
When it comes to searching out first jobs, most teens and young adults look to their favorite retailers for employment. Why not use your social media outlets as a way to advertise the fact that you’re hiring extra help for the season? Levi’s has even created a national, week-long hiring event at their stores. By scheduling an event ahead of time, you’ll be able to plan ahead and have extra staff on hand to handle potential applicants and make sure a manager is on hand for any questions.
Offer Coupons and Exclusives through Email Newsletters
Email blasts are always a great way to share news about discounts and coupons, but it doesn’t do you much good if you don’t have a significant base to reach out to. Ensure that your Facebook fans are included on your newsletter list by offering a tab on your brand’s profile dedicated to email signups. If you’re a MailChimp user, use this tutorial to add an email signup tab to your Facebook page. If not, you can easily install a variety of email newsletter apps with just a simple Facebook search. Mentioning on your tab that fans can receive exclusive deals will help sway fans on the fence.
Offer Gift Cards through Your Brand’s Facebook Profile
Increasing the amount of things that fans/customers can do will help boost their interest and engagement in your brand’s page. Since the holiday season is a popular season for gift card purchases, why not use this to your brand’s advantage and personalize your page’s tabs to offer them. H&M and Lord and Taylor both offer gift cards through customized tabs.
Or, you can find inspiration from brands like Old Navy and create a tab that offers unique content for your fans. Apps like TabSite make it easy to do just that.
Looking for more social media inspiration? Found out how Ancestry.com is rocking on Pinterest.
