increase profits with online presence - clicks and clients

I recently stumbled upon an article written by The Wall Street Journal. The article discusses how a controversial item of clothing caused an uproar on Gucci’s social media accounts. As a result of their social media influence taking a significant hit, their sales numbers and profits followed with the first quarterly drop since 2016. This reaffirms the idea that in this day and age social media and profits are connected. While this means you can boost your product and attain a wider array of impressions, it can also mean that one mistake can destroy a company’s reputation. Here are a few ways to maintain an effective social media presence without ruffling any feathers.

Relevancy

  • What does this mean?: Keep up with things that are happening now. A brand that posts something not as new and fresh can seem socially inept.
  • Example: A smaller company, Penguin Shop, recently posted about the Toronto Film Festival. They used a popular event to promote their own products.

Consistency

  • What does this mean?: It’s alright if you don’t have all of the socials out there, but it is absolutely necessary to consistently post on the ones you do have. It allows a constant interaction between the brand and the consumer. It also makes for a fantastic way to promote new products/services.
  • Example: Hydro Flask, a popular water bottle company, has a twitter account where they have amassed 25.1K followers. On their twitter account, they have 10 tweets just within this month of September. So far, they have promoted different merchandise, hosted giveaways, as well as tweeted about a recent interview with their CEO.

Awareness

  • What does this mean?: Take your online reputation very seriously. As I mentioned before, all it took for Gucci to lose profits was have one article of clothing that was deemed inappropriate. Consider who is viewing your social media account, what you are using your social media account for, as well as if you are hurting any opinions in the process.
  • Example: Converse recently announced their Converse Renew Denim collection. The shoes within this collection would use upcycled denim from a sustainable fashion brand. Not only has Converse promoted a new product, they have advocated for sustainability. This welcomes a potentially new market of people who are dedicated to purchasing environmentally friendly products.

Management

  • What does this mean?: Many people think that a post is all it takes to build an online rapport with your consumers. This is very incorrect and can actually be detrimental to your business. It can come across as arrogant or as if you don’t care for the opinions of your consumers. It is always a good idea to respond to comments, answer questions, use emojis to positively dictate how you feel about a comment and much more.
  • Example: Aerie, a brand under American Eagle, recently did a couple of videos with Aly Raisman. Under the majority of the comments they liked or commented back. This may not seem significant, but it offers a connection with the consumer.

There are many other aspects to upkeep an online presence, but the ones I mentioned were just the basics. It is good to know the rules of social media presence, and I hope you will utilize them for your brand or company.