Social media heavily influence visitors to online businesses on Black Friday. Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide a once-in-a-lifetime chance for retailers to boost sales in the run-up to Christmas.
Black Friday dates back to the 1950s, first observed in the United States after Thanksgiving. The businesses were able to bring their bank accounts ‘in the black’ due to the increased sales generated on this huge shopping day, thus the term. Cyber Monday, on the other hand, has a more recent history: it was first conducted in 2005 to boost online transactions, which were not as popular as they are now. Given that 80 per cent of Black Friday transactions are now conducted online, the distinction between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is no longer as apparent.
Social media as the new e-commerce platform
In the run-up to Christmas, more and more companies and advertisers invest in social media to promote themselves. According to recent statistics, brand advertising spending on social media rose by 12% between 2015 and 2017.
During this time, advertisers are especially interested in increasing traffic to their online businesses and connecting with customers before, during, and after their transactions through various channels.
What you need to do
- Use Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp to their full potential
Many e-commerce companies are already doing this. And guess what? It’s wildly successful. SMS campaigns are already known to be successful during the Black Friday weekend, so why not go a step further and go the Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp route as well?
You may certainly use the SMS method. But implementing the technique to other platforms like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp can only be beneficial in the end.
- Ensure that your site is mobile-friendly and optimised
Statistics have shown that people are now making more purchases online on their mobiles than on any other medium throughout the last few years.
This only means that most of your visitors to your websites are coming from mobile. Ready your website for a good mobile experience and optimise everything from the ground up to ensure that anyone who visits your website has an excellent experience.
- Prepare content ahead of time by planning and scheduling it
It’s usually a good idea to start early, organise your campaign, and develop and schedule your social media postings well in advance when planning a Black Friday or Cyber Monday campaign.
This is an obvious thing to do, but not many people realise how important this is. No matter how hectic things become, you’ll be able to create consistent and original material.
- Flash sales at an hourly interval
Flash sales can be a fascinating technique, especially when considering applying it to social media.
Consider all the opportunities you get for social media Stories and posts for your sales throughout the weekend. Stickers in stories like countdown timers and reminders can be an advantage to lure in and capitalise on new customers. Every sale could mean you can engage with your audience in various ways, including gaining interest before the sale begins, maintaining attention throughout the sale, and enticing the next one.
Final word
Remember that while discounts and offers are a significant part of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, customers still appreciate the whole customer experience, and your presence on social media is a large factor in that. If you need further assistance with preparing your social media marketing, why not contact Warrington Web Design today?
