Converting Followers into Customers: Today’s Marketing Tip
Engine Overview
- Social media is a tool that can be used to convert customers
- Understanding your target demographic in the area is crucial
- Customers who follow or engage are more likely to convert
- Learn to balance informational and emotional
Deep Dive
Social media follows a stigma that often leads to a common misconception. This misconception is that it is primarily used for engaging followers and increasing brand awareness. Now, you may understand that social media can be used as a tool for advertising because let’s be honest, we’ve all seen an ad or two on social media. Still, how can you use these massive resources to your advantage beyond the engagements, ads, and empty follows?
Recently, the American Marketing Association (AMA), conducted a Journal of Marketing Study which examined the impact of social media on engagements and sales. According to the article by AMA, the type of post will return different results.
They break-down three different post types. First, the common strategy of attempting to force engagement by asking a question, or running a contest. You know, the typical like, comment, and share to win. Again, we’ve all seen it. The second type of post they discuss is, providing product information. This one typically includes a link, video, or photo displaying a product relevant to the information contained. Finally, they mention an emotional post. These stimulate specified emotions within the users that see them.
Let’s circle-back to their study. They found that forcing engagements often did not yield significant conversions over time. Rather, utilizing a mixed strategy of both informational posts and emotional posts yields the greatest results.
When attempting to sell a product, utilize an informational approach. Teach your followers about what gaps the product will be able to fill in their lives, and why filling those gaps with your product versus the competitions is the right choice.
When attempting to generate followers and obtain engagements, an emotional approach may be the best option. However, you must understand your readers at a high level because what stimulates an emotional response from one demographic, may not yield the same results for another. Often, emotional approaches can be as easy as posting a customer testimonial, showcasing a customer journey, or displaying how your product or services can impact someone’s life positively.
An Important Note!
It is important to note that within the study conducted by the AMA, they did find variances in the customers produced from each strategy.
Customers converted via method of engagement alone yielded an elasticity of .137. While customers converted via informational or sales means yielded an elasticity of .353.
Therefore, customers converted via engagement might just prove to be more loyal overtime, and less likely to run to the competition when you have to raise product prices.
Our Two Cents...
In our experience, this is entirely accurate. In the St. Cloud, Minnesota area, we’ve ran thousands of social media advertisements. While performing digital marketing in St. Cloud ran many contests in attempt to convert customers and grow our following. Although we were able to receive some engagements and followers, these followers never converted into customers.
It wasn’t until utilized a strategy of stimulating emotions while simultaneously promoted sales which saw the most results. We often shied away from showcasing the product directly, but rather showcasing what the product provides in an emotional way.
Recently, I worked with a furniture company. Focusing on the emotion of family growth saw the most results, and generated the most loyal customers.
Remember, if your business is struggling online, we’re always here to help! Fill out our free marketing consultation to get started.
What This Means.
TEST! Run some tests on your own, and see what your followers respond to. I always recommend to do some research.
Check out your competition. What are they doing? What’s working for them? More importantly, who is engaging with them? How old are they? Where are they from? Fill in as many blanks as possible, and this will help you better understand who your business should be trying to reach online.
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