Pinterest isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s been rocking the visual content scene since its closed beta in 2010. It has over 70 million users (as of July 2013), with average of 14 minutes per session.
- In fashion and retail, 18 percent of content engagement on Pinterest is driven by brands, 82 percentby community
- 70 percent of brand engagement on Pinterest is generated by users, not brands
- Pinterest pins that include prices receive 36 percent more likes than those that do not
- Pinterest accounts for 25 percent of retail referral traffic
Then came, Wanelo, (also known as Want Need Love), in 2010.
- Over 7 million products are saved 8 million times a day
- Over 10 million users, up from 1 million in November 2012
- Wanelo users spend an average of 50 minutes per day on the site
- Products from over 200,000 stores, including major retailers to small independent shops
Yes, neither of these two channels are new per say. But they are still hot – for both brands and consumers. And if you’re still unsure, just check out how Nordstrom has expanded it’s use as of the past couple months – especially on Wanelo.
Wanelo, known for being a channel for younger females, has expanded the social commerce territory. It allows for brands to have another way to cross promote their products, and allow for direct purchase. Why is this better?
Let’s say I find the pair of black booties that I want for this Fall. However, there’s no link to the product, or if there is, it’s just going to a blog post. That’s not very helpful. Nor do I want to go to your site and search through pages of shoes to find the pair, and see that it’s already sold out. Make it easier for the consumer by being able to discover, fall in love, and purchase within a few clicks or swipes of a finger.
So let’s break it down further…
Pinterest Fashion Consumer Habits:
- Search easier
- Find what your friends love
- Discover and plan your dream style and fashion wardrobe
- Admire others, and follow influencers and brands
To learn more about Wanelo consumer habits and where your brand should focus, check out my full post on Startup Fashion.
Stat Sources: Social Commerce Blog, Expanded Ramblings, Digiday
Image via Just Ard
Instagram has become a playground for consumers, influencers, and brands alike. It’s a perfect storyboard for visualizing your brand, your daily life, and the passion points individuals have. It allows one to engage with others through a visual digital scope – and I for one love it myself. Sometimes it’s easier to capture a picture that tells more than words could describe. And it doesn’t hurt that people are more likely to share an image that grasps their attention than an article they just skim. So your brand has decided to join the land of images, but now what?
Instead of me continuing to tell you how awesome it is, and how it can benefit your brand, let’s break it down into an actionable checklist you can take away and reference as you move forward…
What you need to get started:
- A strategy that folds up under your social content strategy overall and works with your other social channels
- About a dozen or so photos to get started with with a cadence on how you’ll distribute
- A profile photo and quick summary bio (including a link to where you’d like to drive your instagram audience – is your website? blog?)
- Cross promotion across your other social channels, so people know your brand exists on instagram
Quick tactics that help your brand get embraced by the instagram community:
- Research hashtags being used by your audience, competitive brands, and those with the passion points you are trying to reach
- Unlike Twitter where hashtags are kept at a minimum, it’s ok to use a few more here (especially in the beginning when you’re still trying to gain traction)
- Keep note of daily and weekly hashtags that occur that are connected to your brand and campaigns (ex. #throwbackthursday, #traveltuesday, #fashionfriday)
- Like and comment on consumer / influencer photos
- Reply to comments on your photos
- Avoid filters and make your photos professional and appealing (photos that include the color blue, are more likely to be looked at and liked).
The ways you can use instagram:
- Give sneaks peeks into new product lines
- Show event photos
- Behind the scenes action
- Tell a story around a campaign
- Allow an influencer to take over your instagram account for a day
- Have a contest and do a fun giveaway
- Integrate within your website and blog for more exposure of the content
The things you may not know, but should:
- The ultimate compliment on instagram is a regram of another’s photo
- As a brand you may want to ask permission first and you can through direct message if you prefer to do it privately
- Links in comments are not clickable, so make sure to put the most important one you’re driving to in your bio
- If you’re trying to sell retail through your instagram, consider style tools that help youmonetize your brand on instagram
Bonus:
- My number one tip for almost all social channels – be human. Have fun. And see where the community takes you.
Note – I focused mostly on images here, but videos are a great way to use your Instagram account too. Sprinkle them in, but don’t make them every post, as Instagram is definitely more of a photo channel first and foremost. Have questions on how to get started or optimize your instagram as you move forward? Reach out in the comments below!
p.s. I instagram everyday because I’m a bit of an #instageek.
Image source: Nordstrom Instagram
]]>Linking online and offline, seems easy, but not always the case. It’s taking different sets of behaviors and figuring out how they work together. People have very unique mobile and social behaviors, and they not only by device, but also by channel. For example, a primary behavior on Pinterest is dreaming and planning. People plan their future homes, their weddings, the arrival of a new baby, or a summer vacation. Others dream about what that wedding will be like when they arrive their one day. And others are inspired by the dreams and planning of other Pinterest users and influencers. Those dreams and plans can become a reality when you walk into a store like Nordstrom and you see those sparkly heels for your Big Day. The bride-to-be is walking into the store to be inspired in person. She may also be on a mission and searching for something particular. And a store like Nordstrom, can help her search, and/or help her “discover” more than she had thought she could find or imagine. It connects her online inspiration, with her in person discovery.
Recently, Nordstrom helped their audience connect with the products they “want” and “need” from their mobile behaviors to their in-store behaviors through Wanelo. They are are integrating social TV displays within their physical stores. This will allow the younger audience (mostly female) to be inspired and discover along with other fellow fans – what is most loved and wanted by others. Along with Pinterest, and sites like Polyvore, Wanelo allows for unbelievable engagement with products as well as referral traffic to sites and points of purchase. And if Nordstrom’s 1.2 million followers on Wanelo, wasn’t enough proof, check out these stats:
- Wanelo went from 1M to 10M users in 2013
- With 200,000 product uploads, Nordstrom had 30 million product saves by consumers
- There was an average of 343 saves per Nordstrom product
I am sure the in-store integration will not only increase the awareness and engagement for Nordstrom, but bring the awareness of Wanelo itself for other brands through the offline audiences. Fashion brands, take note - social shopping apps like Wanelo are a gold mine for style trendsetters and fashionistas alike. And this isn’t to say that other brands can’t excel. When it comes to home decor, it’s a similar playing field (with a lot less players). Get after it.
Sources: Racked.com; Buzzfeed.com; Techcrunch.com
This post was originally written for socialnomics, and can also be found here
Do you have blog for your brand? I know, you’ve got a lot to do. But blogging is really important for reasons ranging from SEO to customers relationships. When it comes to choosing a a platform for your blog, you may want to go with WordPress, which definitely has it’s advantages. Or you may be considering tumblr.
A lot of brands ask about the benefits and “is tumblr a good blogging platform for a MY brand?” Here’s one way to look at it.
- Do you want a blog that people are excited to engage with?
- Do you want a community that is hungry for your visual content?
- Do you want a blog that people “re-blog” today, tomorrow, and even 6 months from now?
- Do you want a blog that allows fun features like polls?
- Do you want a blog that you can post to on the go?
If you said yes to even a couple of the above questions, then tumblr may be the blogging platform for your brand.
tumblr is not just a blog, but an online community of people who are creating, curating, consuming, and sharing content every minute of every day. Consumers are there for one reason – to find and consume content they are interested in. So why not be where your consumers already are?
tumblr is extremely effective for visual friendly brands such as those in the fashion industry. Brands like Nordstrom, Club Monaco and others have taken full advantage – including letting it be another path to purchase for their brand lovers. Furthermore, influencers in the fashion industry realize it’s another place that an audience will love to check out brand collaborations.
To read more on the benefits of tumblr and why the advantages could be right for your brand, check out my full post on Startup Fashion!
Image via Omarukai
We, as consumers (and definitely marketers) have our crushes, our flirtations, and sometimes we commit to a brand we truly love. I’m currently having a major brand crush on Sole Society. Why? A few simple reasons:
1. They have a great affordable fashion line
Sole Society is known for “affordable fashion” – making it attainable for most women who adore looking great, but not breaking their bank to do so. The brand offers up items that are both on trend, but also classic. They partner with style inspirations like Julianne Hough to design their lines. And as of late, obtained Andrea Wasserman as CEO. I knew I liked her when she replied to me on Instagram, but the fact that she came from Nordstrom (my other major crush), demonstrates her ability to choose working for brands that put the consumers first. And that brings me to my next two points…
2. They market themselves with style
Sole Society can be found on most channels, which allow for visual content to be at the forefront. They’re avid posters on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. My favorite is when I am able to get an inside look into what shoes they have yet to even put on their website or in stores. Getting an inside peek at the new colors, designs, and lines for the upcoming season is a brand lover’s dream. We feel like we have been let in on a secret that others don’t know about. Marketers, take note – this is a great tactic to get your consumers to come back for more!
Additionally, Julianne Hough who has her line on Sole Society gives sneak peeks through her Instagram channel too. Although she can afford shoes much more expensive, it’s great to see a strong, stylish female partnering with a brand the average female can afford and feel like she’s wearing high class style. And tying an influencer with a fun-loving spirit like Julianne to a fun-loving brand like Sole Society is a perfect strategy to get consumers to turn their heads at the brand – creating both awareness and consideration.
To read my 3rd reason for totally crushing on Sole Society (and it’s major) check out my full original post on Marketing on the Rocks!
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