Simply Translate is specialised in providing translations for online business. We therefor frequently subjects relating to translations and being successful in running an online business.

After writing this past Tuesday on retention marketing methods, I realized that some of you readers would not know much about this term or how it can affect your business. You might even think it does not apply to your store, and be tempted to stop reading. Don’t! Regardless of your trade, customer retention is a valuable concept to learn and consider, especially when planning and budgeting marketing drives. Today I will go into more detail of how retention marketing became so important, and what it means for your business.

Retention marketing is getting on importance

Until recently, customer retention marketing was seen as second in importance to acquisition marketing. The budgeting was virtually nonexistent, retention-focused roles were few and far between, and there was no discussion in the public forum around the subject. Most company retention programs were relegated to loyalty programs, discounts, and automated mass messages – generic approaches, with no option to tailor the approach to the individual client.

The evolution is here

There are several reasons why the focus on retention marketing has grown; For one, we are in a culture where customer choice has reached a zenith, while attention spans are at an all-time low. The rise of the smartphone and mobile internet have created a world where you are just a click away from your customer – if you know how to reach them.

Consumers have gotten smart to traditional modes of marketing, and in response, native advertising continues to grow, in order to reach people in an organic fashion. Customers now demand a greater personalized experience, catered to their needs; if you do not provide a customer-centric experience, you will not keep business.

Do not stay behind…

More recent observations of the industry have revealed retention marketing gaining ground rapidly. Companies are increasingly allotting resources to this sector, with good reason: a recent Retention Science study shows 70 percent of marketers say their Retention Marketing is average at best, with room for improvement.

It all adds up

Monetarily, customer retention makes sense. According to Gartner Group, 80 percent of your company’s future revenue will come from just 20 percent of your existing customers. At Adobe, they found that for every 1 percent of shoppers who returned for a subsequent visit, overall revenue increased by 10 percent. Ostensibly, you could double your revenue by simply keeping 10 percent of your customers. This surely must be more than enough monetary incentive to pique your interest in retention marketing!

Customer acquisition vs. customer retention

There are still companies not yet onboard with such a retention-focused approach, and who continue to throw money into acquisition marketing. Even Adobe, which realized how valuable their returning customers are, still spends up to 80 percent of their digital marketing budget on this. Why? For one, a single-time shopper can create a very tempting return on investment (ROI). ROI translates to how much you spent on marketing versus how many customers made a purchase.

Retention marketing represents a much more complicated equation; factoring in how much a customer spends over months and years with you can make the effectiveness of a campaign harder to calculate.

The secret of getting repeat customers

The key part of customer retention to focus on is customization – getting to know your customers, and what they like. The best way to figure this out is through analysis of customer buying patterns over time. This is a huge undertaking, and until recently smaller companies did not have the resources to attempt this in-house.

However, as this area of marketing has grown, so has the demand for affordable third-party services offering data analytics. With a variety of vendors offering outsourcing solutions, or even the tools at your fingertips, even small companies can use customer data to build their campaigns – effectively leveling the playing field with giants like Amazon. Look at tools and brands such as Google Analytics, InsightSquared, Canopy Labs, Tranzlogic, Qualtrics, or even your Net Promoter Score to help your business.

Find out what your customers need

As technology and the internet continue to change and impact business, so too will your relationship with customers. Although they might only be a touchscreen button away, when the entire world is accessible to them, the trick is making sure they keep coming back to click on your store.

Embrace the technology and analytical tools available to create personalized options for your customers. The sooner you find out what your customers want, the more effective your campaigns will be in keeping them.

Happy New Year! Unfortunately, after the champagne is drunk, retailers realize that January is a harsh month. People have spent a load of money on Christmas gifts, and are not eager to spend additionally in the new year. Acquiring new customers during this month is hard and expensive, so you, web store owners, must think creatively. The answer?

Customer retention. Studies show retaining customers is far more cost effective than spending to acquire new ones – luckily for you, as most of your budget has probably gone to Christmas marketing. Let me sketch it out for you:

Imagine two online stores. One retains 90 percent of its customers each year, and the other 80 percent. Now imagine that they both add new customers at the rate of 20 percent per year; this results in no growth for Store B, but 10 percent net growth for A. If growth rates remain steady, in seven years, store A will virtually double in customer size, while store B will remain plateaued. All else being equal, simply retaining that extra 10 percent puts store A on a path to grow immensely without changing anything else.

Clearly the advantages compound over time, and often in unexpected ways. The smallest of changes in customer retention can create huge changes felt throughout the business, that multiply over time. Do not underestimate the effect retention has on long-term growth and profits.

Reasons to step up your retention marketing:

  • Prevention of client loss: businesses average 20 percent loss by simply failing to attend to customer relations.
  • Cheaper alternative than acquiring new customers.
  • Long term ROI.

Interested? Here are a few ideas to keep customers coming back this January:

#1 Exceed expectations

Figure out what the limit of your customer service is, and make a guarantee that you will always exceed. For example, you might guarantee a response within 36 hours, but in reality the timing is more like 12-24 hours. Always keep this level of service – customers will remember the one time they are disappointed, and cite that as reason to walk away.

#2 Sell and then sell again

So many people do a great job of creating the initial sale, and then drop interest in the consumer immediately – sometimes as soon as money is passed over. In reality, the sale has only just begun once someone has made an initial purchase decision. To avoid buyer’s remorse, you have to allay consumer’s fears as well as remind them they have made the right decision. Demonstrate by your actions that they chose correctly, putting them in a place for you to sell to again and again.

#3 Courtesy system

Treating your colleagues pleasantly and politely can build a business. Treat workmates with respect, and speak to them as you would a customer. This creates an atmosphere that nurtures and retains trained workers, but also creates workers who treat your customers as they have been treated – and retains them as well.

#4 Bring back the “lost sheep”

There is no point in sending mass emails to attract new customers when 25-60 percent of your dormant customers would respond to a message written in the right way, specifically tuned to them. Remind them of your business, find out why they are no longer customers, and overcome their fears by demonstrating how much you still value them. This will result in satisfied, loyal customers.

#5 A complaint is a gift

96 percent of customers do not complain, but simply walk away. While they might be too shy or uninterested to tell you why, they will certainly tell their friends. A system for unearthing complaints is the lifeblood for your company. Changing processes, like return policies or checkout methods, in reaction to customer complaints is the surest way to hook lifelong customers.

#6 Utilize surprise reciprocity

Studies show reciprocity is even more powerful when it comes out of nowhere. Give your customers a surprise bonus or gift certificate, without even making a purchase. The fact that it came out of nowhere will leave a greater impression on them.

#7 Choose your words carefully

Not all words are created equal. Certain persuasive words encourage customers to buy more; in particular, free, new, and instantly. Customers who hear these will enjoy their purchases more than they would otherwise.

While I have only gone in depth on the seven strategies above, additional options include:

  • Blogs
  • Loyalty Programs
  • Personal Touches
  • Questionnaires and Surveys
  • Social Media and Social Proof
  • Labeled Customers
  • Product or Service Integrity

As you can see, there are tons of options available for your business. The biggest outcome from all customer retention work is that you get to know your clients even more over time – which makes it even easier to create custom emails specifically tuned to your audience. Good luck and have a great start to 2016!

At Simply Translate, we see 2015 as the year of our breakthrough. With SEOshop as launching partner we have proved ourselves to be a leading player in the field of specialized translations for online businesses. Our product has been extensively tested throughout the year by numerous web shop owners and this has resulted in a product that is perfectly tailored to the needs of the end user. The very high number of repeat customers proves that we flourish through the international success of our customers. Curious about the results? Check out the infographic below.

simply-translate-chart

Next year we will be working on even more exciting features. From January, our launching partner SEOshop will continue under the name Lightspeed, meaning that we as a partner will operate in several countries. We will also connect quite a few other e-commerce platforms to our software. Questions about when your platform will be connected? Please do not hesitate to contact us.

We wish everyone a healthy 2016 with great international success!

As the New Year approaches, so does New Year’s resolutions. It is a great time to analyze your productivity over the last year. If you are your own boss, or work remotely from home, you may find it difficult to delegate your time appropriately. If you are not 100% satisfied with your performance over 2015, take heart – this gives you lots of room for improvement!

Here are some tips that could change your life in 2016. The next year will be your year! Ensure that your business is more successful than ever thanks to improved productivity and time management skills.

#1 Learn from past mistakes

  • Too many business owners spend time thinking about mistakes they made or things that went wrong. Do not waste time looking back; instead, focus on the future and how you can avoid making these same missteps.
  • Successful business owners are able to turn failures into success. By learning from these mistakes and lost opportunities, you gain valuable experience.

#2 Do not be afraid

Here is an exercise to try. Use your answers to these questions to inspire you to action in 2016:

  1. Think how the opinion of other people limits you and your creativity. How many times did you hold your tongue or not act because you were afraid what others would think?
  2. Have you thought what would you do if you were not afraid to fail?
  3. How would your life look differently today if you spoke up or took action in the past?

#3 Delegate

  • If you are hiring other people, there are many tasks you should delegate in order to find more time for your own work. According to great entrepreneur and investor Richard Branson, delegating tasks to right people is the secret to his success.
  • Afraid to delegate tasks and projects? Start small: begin by telling your employees to take over easy tasks. When you see they can handle it, you will be less afraid to assign projects over time.

#4 Surround yourself with inspiring people

  • Spending time with people who inspire you can help you become more productive. Thanks to them, you learn a lot, get more creative, and become less afraid to dream big.
  • Meeting somebody that you appreciate? Curious about somebody’s way to success? Want to know their secret to being more productive? Ask! Find out what motivates him or her, and his/her driving force. Listening to success stories and tips helps you and your business.

#5 Plan where you want to be in 2017

  • Think of where you want to be exactly one year from now. Take into account your dreams, goals and the future of your business. Then ask yourself: do I do everything to be there the next year? What do I need to do differently?
  • Ask it regularly to make sure you are on track. It will work as productivity booster as long as you stay honest with yourself.

These are just a few ways to boost your productivity in the new year. As you settle into 2016 and find other tips and tricks, I would love to hear how these and other hacks have boosted your productivity and business success. Feel free to comment below – and have a happy New Year’s!

Until recently, our concept of celebrity influence was almost exclusively tied to the silver screen or huge record deals. With the advent of social media, the new generation of Brad Pitts are more likely to be popular bloggers or vloggers (video bloggers). These influencers are pairing up with brands more often to create promotional content and drive sales – a tactic which can especially help small web store owners.

Why include social media influencers in your marketing?

Very simply: influencers are social media mavens, and they know what they are doing. Their entire success relies on his or her being able to influence peers into wanting the same things she or he has posted, so you can trust that they have a firm grasp on how to use their social media channels. Including a blogger with a large audience can help bring in new eyes to your store goods, especially if you sell to consumers aged 12-32. Additionally, native advertising – placing products and services in an organic, rather than artificial, setting – works. One study found that purchase intention among consumers is 53 percent higher for native ads than traditional marketing.

In short? A social media influencer could be just the spice your shop needs. To help you, I have prepared specific tips on attracting new customers via social media influencers.

#1 Choose the right person!

  • Do not run head on towards the first influencer you hear about. Spend some time first thinking about the target audience you want to hit: who is your audience currently? Do you want to expand in age, gender, or another demographic? Once you have that in mind, look for an influencer who matches both your brand (e.g., fashion blogger, technology vlogger, etc.) and is popular among your demographic.
  • Spend a little time following your choice on social media: how often do they post? How many likes do they get? Which platforms are they most active and popular on? Do they have active followers who comment, or is it mainly passive likes?
  • Still having trouble picking an influencer? There are several companies who can help match you through their networks.

#2 Contact potential influencers

  • After you have a few people in mind, contact them. Make sure to start off strong: you want to build a relationship with them. Introduce them to your brand, explain why you think they are the right fit for your company/product, ask which products they like. Engage with them through social media channels, and create a rapport. Get to know them before you make a deal.

#3 Time to make a deal

  • Be very clear in your expectations, as well as what you are offering. This includes number and frequency of posts, which platform(s) they will use, and what your idea of potential success looks like. Be sure to share these with your influencer, as they have the best insight into their audience and can tell you how feasible your goals are.
  • This also includes reimbursement: smaller stores often give product or services for free in exchange for posts, while larger stores generally pay.
  • Do not forget customer service: decide who will answer follower questions on posts!

#4 Track your results

  • Make sure you keep a record of how well each post does. Did followers react? What was their response? Were there conversions? If you are unhappy with the results, share your concerns with the influencer. If nothing seems to change in subsequent posts, consider finding a new channel, or maybe even influencer, for your products.

Whether you are just starting out looking for a social media influencer, or you wanted a refresher course, it is going to take some time to nail down the right person. Do not let one or two misfortunes with an influencer turn you away; do your due diligence, communicate your goals, and you will find a successful partnership.

It may seem self-evident, but social media is in our lives in a big way. Every year, more people are posting, tweeting, pinning, and snapchatting – which means that brands need to keep up to stay in touch with customers. Although social media is the best medium to do this, it can hurt a brand’s image if they make mistakes. Read up on safe strategies below, and see what fits your online business.

#1 Social Media as a Search Engine

As I wrote previously, 88 percent of online shoppers admit to reading online reviews before making a purchase. More people are using social media to find reviews about a product or service instead of simply buying. They treat these channels as search engines.

As an online store owner, you should inform customers via social media about products details. This can be physical (images, specifications, product description), price discounts, or encouragement to write reviews on Facebook or Google. Also, make sure that your products are easily findable. For example, on Pinterest, owners can connect Pinterest accounts with their web stores, helping users easily find their website to buy a specific product.

#2 2016, the Year of Buy Buttons?

Buy buttons, placed on social media sites over a year ago, have not yet been commonly used by the public – yet. However, as social media is becoming not just “social” but commercial, all the big sites are covering their pages in these buttons. Buttons make it simple for people to switch from browsing a platform to buying from it. Soon, buy buttons will be available on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram in multiple countries.

Although few customers seem to be interested in social media buy buttons, retailers expect to see a 34 percent increase in revenues from social media – including from these buttons. Adding a button may be a good idea for online store owners, but it may take some time before your customers get used to and use them on a regular basis.

#3 Live Streaming Apps

Live streaming applications will only get bigger, and brands using them will reach a wider, younger audience – close to 100 million active users on Snapchat alone! Some brands already winning at this strategy include McDonald’s, Rebecca Minkoff, and Acura. They use Snapchat to give sneak peeks behind the scenes, at upcoming releases, or a few minutes with a brand spokesperson (in McDonald’s case, that includes several star athletes).

You do not need a LeBron James to do the same for your business. With Snapchat, Vine, or Twitter-owned Periscope, use your channel to show your own behind the scene moments, answer customer questions, show new products, or give tutorials. Do not be afraid to interact with your customers individually, too!

#4 More Engagement on Social Media

For all the activity of customers on social media, brands have not picked up nearly as quickly. Data shows that as of 2015, only 1 in 8 customers get answers to their social media message to a brand within 3 days, while the volume of social media messages sent globally to brands increased over 21% between 2014 and 2015. In 2016, you can expect even greater volume and activity on social media – you have to make sure you know how to handle it, and answer customers on time.

#5 Social Media Brand Ambassadors

2015 saw the increasing popularity of bloggers and vloggers, especially those active on Instagram, YouTube or Snapchat. Most likely they will continue attracting huge audiences next year.
This is great news for your online store, as you can use popular users as brand ambassadors. Thanks to the massive number of followers these users have, your brand can easily gain in popularity. Stay tuned – I’ll be covering this more next post.

Spend some time on social media, and try some different strategies. If one does not succeed, I have a whole list of others that you can try. It might take a little time to figure out what your customers want, and where you can engage them, but the main thing is to engage. Trust me – your audience will appreciate your participation on the channels they use!

For a business that was impossible until the internet, ecommerce is one of the most rapidly changing industries – even from the beginning of ecommerce! No longer do you need an entire team to get your website designed, coded, and online. Now, anyone with an internet connection can start their online store. Due to this saturation in the market, shops are evolving their techniques to interest and keep customers.

If you want to stay competitive in 2016, here are the trends you should know:

Keep it Personal

In 2016, a personalized shopping experience is not longer a treat; it is expected. To continue meeting the needs of customers, web store owners have to maximize the use of customer data. I recommend:

  • sending your customers offers with products or services based on their previous purchases or searches,
  • creating a reward program tailored at specific customers or purchases,
  • connecting with your audience over social media, and responding to their questions or comments,
  • sending personalized emails.

Faster and More Flexible Delivery

With the launch of Amazon Prime in the UK, and same-day delivery services being offered in the US, retailers are understanding that “I want this and I want it now” is the common mindset behind purchases online. 2016 will bring more ecommerce shops offering faster dispatches of orders, with the larger ones setting up infrastructure similar to Amazon. Consider offering same-day shipments if your shop is set up for it, or testing the option out for a limited time to see how your customers respond.

Mobile Optimization

As I have said before, 2015 was the first year search queries on mobiles surpassed those on desktops. 2016 is poised to be the year smartphone revenue overtakes desktop, so you must make sure your site is mobile friendly! If you have the resources, create an app for even greater ease.

Create a Content-Rich Experience

If your shop is competing in a crowded market, you may find yourself trying to differentiate from other retailers. A great way to do this is to invest more in the user experience. It is no longer good enough to say you sell something; customers want detailed descriptions, context relevant specifics, social proof (i.e., photos of satisfied customers with said item, previous customer reviews, metrics on how many others have bought this experience or are currently looking at it), videos, and other super-rich experiences.

Social Media Channels for Customer Service

As I have written previously, 42 percent of customers expect a company to answer within 60 minutes to their complaints on social media. As a web store owner, you should be available online, as customers expect faster answers. For an example, take the response time on Twitter: the average time for a brand to respond on Twitter shortened from 8 hours 37 minutes in 2014, to 5 hours and 27 minutes in 2015.

Pop-ups and Interruption Merchandising

A universally reviled advertising method in the 1990s, the pop-up window is making a comeback. Typically, it opens as a customer enters your site, and offers to sign them up for the newsletter or promotional email list. If you choose this option, a great addition is an incentive (a discount, or crediting their account) for signing up for the newsletter.

Online Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs will be more popular thanks to new ways of being able to reward customers. As people pay with mobile coupons or eWallets more often, it becomes easier to gift points online, and for them to keep track of what bonuses they receive from different companies. Data from a loyalty program can come in handy when you are personalizing emails, sales, and special offers.

2016 is also likely to see the rise of online coalition programs, or partnerships between different businesses for special offers. Some examples of this I have already seen range from entire trips to a haul of items. Participating in a coalition with dissimilar online shops is a great idea for finding new audiences.

Social commerce

Social media will continue to be the biggest influence on ecommerce, and brands that have higher engagement on social media will benefit. As almost 80 percent of millennials use social media, they are expected to be the ones driving sales via these channels.

Note: having social media accounts is not enough for your business. You need ‘buy buttons’ enabled, and engage with online customers. Engaging with social media influencers like popular bloggers or video bloggers is another fantastic promotional idea.

I hope you pick and choose through these trends to find the ones that work for you. Do not be afraid to start implementing them now: it is never a bad thing to be ahead of the curve, and your sales can only increase with improvements for your customer!

Historically, New Year’s has been a bringer of changes. Although often we focus on the personal, equally important for businesses is new trends in content marketing. In 2016, internet users will consume even more digital content than previous years, so it is important to get on top of the trend forecasting now – and get ready for the new year!

There will be even more content created

Compared to previous years, businesses in 2016 will create even more content – not just business to consumer (B2C), but business to business (B2B) as well. The high number of smartphone owners with internet connection make mobile content an increasingly important focus for business owners – but also means that consumers and other businesses online are receiving larger amounts of information at a more constant rate. At this peak information overload, it will be even more difficult to get the attention of your preferred audience. The answer? High quality, personalized content.

Video is the future!

The amount of video that now crosses IP networks monthly is staggering. It would take an individual 5 million years to watch just one month’s traffic – and that amount is only increasing. Thanks to wireless connection and internet speed increases, people have more access to video while on the go. Combined with a written content market that continues to become oversaturated and increasingly impatient users, the demand for high quality visual communication is sky rocketing. Cisco research states that video will account for 80 percent of internet traffic in 2019, up from 67 percent in 2014.

Online videos are no longer simply for entertainment purposes, either. They are also an important source of information, as well as a prevalent form of advertisement. As I have previously written, using videos in your customer service can be a great alternative to traditional assistance, and I am sure that you have noticed an ad before a YouTube video. The three biggest search engines – Google, Yahoo, and Bing – are even getting into the game, and testing video ads in search results.

Personalize your content

The best way to stay ahead of your competition in 2016 is personalizing your content for users. Online business owners should get to know their customers by reading social media where their customers are active. Use these posts to find out if they have any issues with your product, but moreover to see what their interests are apart from your business. Analyze their and your competitors’ social media and blog posts from the past, and use these to create content tailored specifically for them. Targeting and audience segmentation is key for this step.

More content publishing opportunities?

2016 will surprise us with fresh opportunities for content publishing. Interactive content will emerge, as consumers are already more accustomed to individualized results in the digital world. This will switch to personalized content, and a demand that content shifts to users prompts. The unveiling of Oculus Rift and other virtual reality headsets may be the first realistic step in the direction of consumer directed content.

Other mediums we already know may shift how they operate. Twitter is building a new product that will allow users to write tweets longer than their trademark 140 characters, allowing long form content to be shared. Facebook is experimenting with allowing articles to be published straight to their “Instant Articles” platform, rather than being shared in various newsfeeds. Google is soon introducing their own version as well, so expect new content publishing platforms to spread across various social mediums.

Get ready for 2016

Although 2016 will be another record year in terms of content marketing and consumption, you should not be nervous going into the new year. Instead, use this year as a chance to outdo your previous years. Try to create visual aids or ads that add to your online business. Do not use an algorithm for publishing – make it original.

Most of all, do not neglect your audience: use your resources and listen to your customers, so you can present them content tailored to their needs. If you do these things, you will stand out from the crowd – and more importantly, you will stand out from your competitors.

Happy New Year’s!

The difference between consumer terms is slight at best, and it is easy to get confused when you are deciding which is appropriate. Even native English speakers would have a hard time telling you the definitive rules with which to choose between, say, client and customer. However, choosing the correct term is important, and can be picked depending on the type of business you operate, the relationship you have with the people you serve, and the goal that you want to achieve.

Do you have a customer or a client?

As I wrote in my previous post, the difference between these terms is huge. You can read up on that topic at the above link; but as a quick reminder, a client buys professional services from a business or individual (e.g., translators have clients), while a customer buys goods or services from a business (online shops have customers).

What about a consumer?

Consumers are usually thought of as the end user – the person who actually uses the goods or services purchased. For example, a mother who buys the diapers may be the customer, but it is the baby who uses them that is the consumer. Consumer can be used in place of both customer and client.

Keep in mind that it is a more impersonal term, and is often used in relation to technological products and services. You might want to use this at a board meeting, but not in direct communications.

Okay, I get that. Can you explain patron?

Patron is not used as often as the previous examples. The Oxford Dictionary describes a patron as a person who gives financial or other support to a person, organization, or cause, such as person who takes an honorary position at a charity. In addition, the word ‘patron’ can be used for customers, especially regular ones. For example, you can be a patron of a restaurant, theater, shop, or even the library.

Businesses will use the term patron to enhance the ongoing financial relationship between their operation, such as the opera or the ballet, and their public. However, this is a dated term, and increasingly less likely to be used.

Brilliant. Now, let’s talk member.

Member describes a person who belongs or subscribes to a particular group. This can mean subscribing to the ideas of a group, like a political party, or paying a membership fee in order to reap the benefits of membership, like a Rotary Club or Costco. Patron and member can often be used interchangeably, and the choice purely depends on the specific organization.

Keep in mind that a member can also be a customer, client, or consumer. For instance, the membership cards used by retail stores or other organizations. Their clients and customers may have special privileges, discounts, or reward programs only accessible through signing up for the membership. A great example of this is beauty chain Sephora. Signing up for their membership program is simple, and the more you spend, the more benefits you receive – encouraging members to become repeat customers!

That was a lot! Should we talk about users?

User is one of the easier terms we will discuss. It refers to a person who owns or operates something, especially a computer or other machine. As of late, it is mainly used to describe consumers of computer apps, programs, and other technological devices.

I would not encourage using this term unless you are strictly a technology-based company, or discussing the user experience for your online store. This is a much more detached term, similar to consumer, in that you would not use this in communication with your preferred audience.

When in doubt, ask someone.

The term you choose for people who buy goods or services can significantly change a written text. However, the good news is that it is relatively simple to figure out which is most beneficial for your business. Armed with the above information, you can easily enhance the relationship you have with your public!

Would you like to join our freelance Translator Community? Click here to apply.

As the world becomes more thoroughly Instagrammed and Twittered, it becomes more difficult to imagine an online business that does not utilize social media to their advantage. There is more to these channels than trying to get likes: if used correctly, you can strengthen brand loyalty, increase post-purchase customer satisfaction, create a brand identity, and find new customers. As a bonus, you may find inspiration for future marketing pushes, or find brands or individuals with whom you would like to align.

This study by Invesp shows that one of the main reasons why consumers follow brands on social media is to learn about products and services (e.g. 56% Facebook, 47% Twitter, 56% Pinterest). Getting more followers in social media can help expose your products or services to a larger audience. If you are active on the social media channels your customers use the most, you ensure that you will stay in their minds when it comes time to purchase. The same is true for their needs post-purchase: if you are actively responding to questions and issues, they will be more likely to recommend your products to friends and followers, as well as become repeat customers.

To get you started, I have put together a list of some easy and useful social media recommendations for your online shop:

#1 Boost post-purchase sharing

Encourage your customers to share that they buy your products with their online communities via share buttons. According to Nielsen’s research, customers trust friends and family above all other forms of advertising. 81 percent of US consumers indicated that posts from their friends influenced their purchase decision. You can also thank customers for posting photos, linking, sharing, reposting, etc. Every share help win you new customers!

#2 Use the #hashtag

Create a branded hashtag, and indicate your customers can use it in social media posts. You can also stay timely by making branded holiday hashtags, or incorporating one into a contest.

#3 Get online!

Go where your customers are, and see what they are saying! Get online, and be available for support and problem solving. According to research, 42 percent of consumers who complain on social media expect to get an answer within 60 minutes. Furthermore, 57 percent expect the same response time at night/weekends. If you know you are not able to respond, implement chat on your website.

#4 Listen to your customers

Ask your customers for feedback, and pay attention to what they say. Invite them to fill in a survey on your service, either via email or on social media. You can create custom surveys through Survey Monkey, Surveys for Facebook, or Qualtrics.

#5 Use educational videos

Do not forget a key tool in your communication box – videos! These are great for giving your customers a face and personality behind your business. Besides showing off new products or behind-the-scenes looks at your shop, you can use videos for customer support. For example, if there is a difficulty some of your customers have run into, you can proactively offer your remaining customers support by making and promoting an instructional video. Other video ideas might arise from comments in social media by your followers.

Being active in social media channels not only increases your brand awareness, but also helps strengthen brand loyalty, and gives you greater ability to respond and accurately judge customer satisfaction with products and service. The more you know and respond to the needs of your customers, the happier they are to promote and share you with their followers!

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