Optimizing Online Stores Part 7: Social Media Marketing for Online Stores

Social media has been an important topic for years, but especially online shops often struggle to leverage the benefits of the 'participation web.' A comprehensive social media presence requires resources that small shops often do not have. However, even without an elaborate social media strategy, it's advisable not to ignore the topic of social media entirely. Studies show how many users, for example, are logged into Facebook while visiting an online shop. As a result for shop operators: the shop's content must be easy to share. With the help of Google+ and Facebook Like buttons as well as tweet functions—which can be implemented with relatively little time—users find it easier to recommend and share content. All the other possibilities of the key social media platforms have been compiled in this overview.

Facebook

The most well-known way for businesses to use Facebook is surely the Facebook fan page, which can be used in a variety of ways. Businesses can present new products, create exclusive special offers for fans, inform about discounts, and support customer loyalty by communicating with customers and prospects. Every fan page should always offer unique content and not just be a mere copy of another online marketing channel, as fans who don't feel they receive real added value will quickly lose interest. Overall, a personal approach has proven effective, encouraging user interaction. The foundation of a successful fan page is always the connection with other online presences, highlighted prominently in the online shop to draw attention to the Facebook fan page. Increasingly, companies are also promoting their Facebook presence through print media like ads or brochures.

But Facebook offers more than just fan pages. Through Facebook Advertising, businesses can target specific users within their target audience. Ads can promote a fan page, a website, or an app. There are also Sponsored Stories, where users are prominently informed when one of their contacts uses a specific app, clicks a like button on a particular page, or shares a specific domain. Since last year, Facebook also offers the possibility to set up a shop directly within the social network. The Facebook Shop can be advertised using ads and integrated into the fan page. Although F-Commerce is still largely unknown in Germany and often met with skepticism by users, it can be an effective way to utilize the reach of the social network and increase sales.

Twitter

The commercial utility of the microblogging service Twitter isn't immediately obvious to many users. One of the most famous best practice examples is the Twitter account of the manufacturer Dell, which uses it to sell outlet products and generate millions in revenue. A professionally managed Twitter account can handle support inquiries, spread news, and create special offers. However, it's important to remember the scale of successful Twitter users, the number of followers, and the employees who exclusively manage social media. Essentially, Twitter can be worthwhile, but for small online shops, the effort of maintaining a Twitter account is often too high. Whether investing in Twitter is actually worthwhile depends largely on the target audience and available resources. It may also be beneficial to look at competitors' Twitter profiles: Are the followers truly (potential) customers, or more likely competitors, partners, and journalists? If there are enough personnel and financial resources to use Twitter professionally, exclusive content, regular updates, and the use of popular hashtags are essential to help users find tweets. With regular monitoring, the actual success should also be tracked: Are links in tweets actually clicked, and do these users convert?

Company Blog

The blog is no longer just a private pastime. Especially online shops, which find limited opportunities on product and category pages to embed high-quality content and news, benefit from a company blog that reports on interesting news, promotions, industry news, and other content. A successful blog provides its visitors with unique content and should be prominently linked to relevant pages of the online shop. (See also Conversion Optimization for Online Shops.) An active blog always involves editorial work, but it usually pays off for professionally managed blogs. Blogs not only serve as information channels but also act as a basis for link marketing. Particularly since the Google Freshness Update, a blog offers high potential to publish current content that can be found in search engines.

YouTube

The video portal YouTube remains very popular. Creating your own channel with product videos and tutorials is especially suitable for manufacturers who already produce videos. The effort for professional videos is often not justifiable for small manufacturers and online shops compared to the benefits. In addition to creating your own YouTube channel, you can increase reach with Promoted Videos, which can be managed directly through the AdWords account.

Social Media for Your Online Shop

Do you need support with your social media activities? We work with you to develop a custom social media strategy and set up professional accounts in suitable social networks. Contact us!All posts of the "Optimizing Online Shops" series:

Optimizing Online Shops Part 1: On-Page SEO

Optimizing Online Shops Part 2: Content and Keyword ResearchOptimizing Online Shops Part 3: UsabilityOptimizing Online Shops Part 4: Off-Page SEOOptimizing Online Shops Part 5: Conversion Rate OptimizationOptimizing Online Shops Part 6: Optimizing Landing Pages