Rethink your online strategy

Many retailers find it difficult to navigate social media and consider that it’s all about setting up weekly targets to achieve in terms of numbers of followers. But this is not necessarily the case. Amy Hobson, partner and social media trainer at Social B, says the most important thing for your digital strategy is to always listen to your customer target audience.

“Not everyone you come in contact with will be ready to buy from you, yet this doesn’t mean that they’re not your potential customers. They may just not be ready to hear that final message. If someone keeps telling you to buy now and you’re not ready, you just ignore it. And you don’t want that to happen.”

It’s important to listen to your audience, noticing what questions they ask all the time, and understand what they are telling you. Another point to bear in mind is that an efficient digital marketing strategy needs regular attention.

It’s not enough to update your website only when you have new products, as this has a negative impact on search engines, and it doesn’t help your audience either.

Retailers need to ensure there’s a regular flow of content, not only on the website and email marketing campaigns, but also on social media. Hobson also refers the importance of being strategic in the way you measure metrics, taking into account your unique selling point, and setting up specific goals from the start in terms of who you want to connect with, what is the right content for them, and which social media platforms they tend to use.

“The real success in social media doesn’t come from the media. It comes from social, it’s about building that conversation and your community. Community management is becoming more and more important.”

In terms of SEO (search engine optimisation), which is a great way of driving traffic into your website, there are useful tools such as Google Search Console. It allows you to know which keywords are prime and most efficient at any given time. Digital marketing should be based around three things, you need to attract your audience, engage with them and ultimately convert them into customers. Watch the recording of the live session below!