9threads.com
what’s the story with social media?Fashion, beauty, retail businesses speak out on going digital.9threads social media survey results
p h o t o g r a p h y b y c l e o s u l l i v a nDECEMBER 2010
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Situation overview
T oday’s social media climate can be summarized in one simple phrase: it’s THE place for businesses to see and be seen. There’s no arguing the facts. At the time
of this publication, Facebook has over 500 million active users with daily growth across all demographics; 50% of them log in daily to connect with friends, the news and their favorite brands. Twitter boasts 190 million registered users with about 370,000 new users each day.
Beyond vertical growth, the social media landscape is also quickly expanding. Market-specific social media platforms, countless blogs, website forums, video and file sharing outlets offer limitless choices to share and be heard. It’s no wonder that some businesses find it challenging and time consuming to keep audiences engaged in this rapidly changing medium.
Social media is not a fad. It’s here to stay. People can access Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other outlets on computers, iPods, mobile phones, iPads and net books. Social media is everywhere. Is your company prepared to keep up?
Survey overview
D uring September 2010, 9Threads conducted a market survey to discover how business in the fashion, beauty and retail (FBR) industry use social media. Those
within the 9Threads publications’ databases were invited to participate. Of 347 respondents from the Footwear Plus database, the majority of respondents were retailers, with a smattering of wholesalers and manufacturers. The Earnshaw’s database turned out 371 respondents, including a close mix of retailers and manufacturers with few wholesalers.
The survey, completed online, included 14 questions, comprised of a mix of multiple choice and check box options. Questions were designed to gain insight into the breadth and depth of current social media initiatives with emphasis on online marketing budgets, outlets used, content, audience engagement and management.
executive Summary
T his social media survey provided compelling insights into how FBR companies are currently utilizing
social media. On average, 70% of those surveyed engage in some form of social media. All companies surveyed recognized the need for online marketing, but the data shows that they have been slow to move dollars to digital options. This may be because the surest path to achieving return on investment in the digital world is littered with obstacles and detours. Many companies, especially small- and mid-size businesses, lack time, resources or expertise required to consistently create content and deploy strategic, successful online initiatives.
Does your business fall into this category? Clearly, you’re not alone. Though the two survey audiences were slightly different with varying numbers of retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers, common themes emerged in the data.
Survey SimilaritieS:
*Majority of participants allocate less than 10% of their marketing budgets to online efforts.
* Majority of participants only plan to increase their budget for online advertising by less than 10%, if at all. However, the majority of all participants want to increase their online presence in the future.
*Both audiences admit they lack strategic planning and only some of the content is planned in advance. About 30% of both audiences improvise or create posts with little or no preparation.
* Facebook is overwhelmingly the most used social media platform for both audiences, but majority post content less than 4 times a month.
*About 30% of both audiences do not currently use social media to promote their business.
Survey differenceS:
*The two audiences differed in annual revenue. Earnshaw’s participants included smaller companies with gross revenue of up to $500,000. Most of the Footwear Plus participants grossed $1 million to $50 million a year.
*Footwear Plus participants utilize Twitter more than Earnshaw’s participants. On average, they post 1 to 2 times a week. However, they get limited retweets.
* About 57% of Footwear Plus participants have a dedicated staff for social media initiatives, while 61% of Earnshaw’s participants do not have a dedicated staff. This fact is likely directly related to the size of the company (i.e. the smaller the company, the less likely the chance of hiring a dedicated resource for social media).
WHITE-PAPEROVERVIEW
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online marketing
T oday’s fashion, beauty and retail marketers are
recognizing the value of online marketing, but are moving
much slower to the game than many other industries. This
is ironic, considering those in the FBR category are often the most
likely to embrace change, especially season to season.
Shifting marketing dollars to online initiatives, whether social,
mobile or digital ad campaigns, allows businesses to target
marketing messages to specific audiences and measure, through
highly intensive data analysis, the effectiveness of the efforts.
Marketers can track patterns of behavior that uncover valuable
insight about where their buyers are coming from and what
specific factors compel purchase.
With the right strategy, online marketing also offers the
opportunity to track what consumers think and what else
interests them. Incorporating email marketing into a campaign
to drive consumers to social media can be easily tracked from
clicks and opens. From this audience interaction, it can allow the
marketer to evaluate message effectiveness and optimize both
content and placement as necessary.
In the social media realm, marketers have come to find that
the return is practically limitless. Creating lasting connections
with the audiences and engaging them in conversations can be
accomplished with minimal cost. It’s important to note, however,
that these types of initiatives require constant attention and
long-term commitment. Marketers must transition their approach
from a short-term campaign mentality to a slow, steady content
distribution strategy that has audiences clamoring for more.
More and more businesses are joining forces with content experts
and digital marketing firms with the industry expertise to develop
breakthrough messaging and the strategic savvy to know where
and how to deploy it.
SUR-VEY RE-SULTS
0-10% (44%)
10-25% (13%)
25-50% (6%)
50+ (3%)
Not at All (33%)
0-10% (70%)
10-25% (21%)
25-50% (5%)
50+ (3%)
FOOTWEAR PLUS
FOOTWEAR PLUS
earnshaw’s
Approximately what percentage of your marketing budget do you allocate to online advertising? (Includes banner ads, social media, etc.)
By how much do you plan to increase your online advertising budget in 2011? (Includes banner ads, social media, etc.)
0-10% (62%)
10-25% (24%)
25-50% (6%)
50-75% (5%)
75%+ (3%)
earnshaw’s
0-10% (39%)
10-25% (21%)
25-50% (6%)
50+ (2%)
Not at All (32%)
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OMimportance of planning
The majority of the survey participants use
social media for business, yet only half have
a strategic plan. As with any marketing
initiative, a plan is essential to streamline
execution and maximize investment. Without
a strategic social media plan, marketers
risk posting too much or not enough. Often
the posts don’t include the right blend of
interesting education and sales promotion. If
audiences are turned off by communication,
they are likely to ignore any future online
marketing attempts. Ideally, the goal is to
engage and inform audiences without overtly
pushing the sale. By planning ahead and
thinking strategically, marketers can employ
all the right social media platforms, using
the content on each to weave a story that
inspires audiences to share with others and,
ultimately, buy the products.
Remember, social media is only beneficial to
business if it’s properly planned in advance,
allowing flexibility for timely, impromptu
posts. Planning and strategizing takes time,
talent and experience. A skilled content
management firm with experience in the
FBR industry can help maximize posts and
keep audiences engaged without bowling
them over with too much information.
Social Media outletSIt comes as no surprise that Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn,
and blogs were the most used platforms by survey participants.
Facebook was by far the most popular choice, likely due to user
popularity, ease of implementation and its ability to house different
forms of media (images, videos, etc.). According to Facebook, there
are over 900 million pages, groups, events and community pages
for its members to interact with. How can marketers ensure that
their posts stand out on news and Twitter feeds? Thoughtful, timely
posts with conversation sparking content are essential to capturing
audience attention and compelling them to act.
Twitter is the most underutilized, but the fastest growing social
media platform. It appears that many of the businesses surveyed
have a Twitter page but rarely update it. For many companies,
Twitter is secondary to Facebook and for good reason: Tweets are
limited to 140 characters, providing a challenge to those with a
longer story to tell.
With over 100 million posts a day, a tactical approach to Twitter is
necessary. An experienced content development firm Tweets on
behalf of the brand with purpose. Each of the 140 characters is
valuable real estate with which to educate or encourage retweeting.
Twitter can also be used to further promote parallel messaging on
Facebook, increasing frequency and reach among quality audiences.
Businesses should look to an experienced social media strategist to
determine if Twitter is a must-have platform within a larger social
media plan and, if so, how it can most effectively be used.
Do you currently use social media to promote your business?
FOOTWEAR PLUS earnshaw’s
earnshaw’sFOOTWEAR PLUS
Yes (73%)
No (27%)
Do you have a strategic plan in place for your social media efforts?
Which social media platforms do you currently use?
FOOTWEAR PLUS
earnshaw’s
Yes, some of our content is planned in advance. (48%)
No, we just shoot from the hip. (39%)
Yes, all of our content is planned in advace. (11%)
N/A (2%)
Yes, some of our content is planned in advance. (54%)
No, we just shoot from the hip. (28%)
Yes, all of our content is planned in advace. (16%)
N/A (2%)
FacebookFacebook
TwitterTwitter
Business Blog
Business Blog
YouTube
YouTube
Yelp
YelpFoursquare
FoursquareBlog
Giggle Guide
OtherOther
0 20 40 60 80 100
earnshaw’s
Images
Events
Giveaways/contests
Video
Interactive polls/apps, etc.
Sales
News
Other
0 20 40 60 80 100
Yes (64%)
No (36%)
What type of content do you post on social media platforms?
footwear plus
0 20 40 60 80 100
Images
Events
Links to pages or articles related to your business
Links to pages or articles related to your business
Giveaways/contests
Video
Interactive polls/apps, etc.
Coupons
Other
0 20 40 60 80 100
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The survey shows that participants post a decent mix of text,
images, events, links, promotions and video. The ideal content
mix is enlightening, entertaining and educational, with a few
promotional posts thrown in for good measure. It is best to not
push products on the consumers, but instead engage audience in
a conversation. Once a relationship is established with content
that piques the interest, a natural bond is formed that inherently
leads to continued trust and respect for the brand.
All content must be carefully developed to reinforce the position
of the brand, while still being of value to the audience. If budget
doesn’t allow for ten videos, don’t attempt to skimp on production
quality; doing so may cheapen the perception of the brand.
Instead, produce two high-quality, brand appropriate videos that
can be posted across multiple digital platforms to expand reach.
Budget-conscious marketers also encourage fans and followers to
assist in building a content library by posting their own product-
related images and video.
The right content developer can assist with creating high-quality
images, video and posts that are appropriate to brand position
and voice. If you’re seeking an agency to assist with your social
media initiatives, be sure to choose one with both industry and
digital marketing expertise.
For instance, 9Threads clients benefit from the trend knowledge
we’ve gained through our continued immersion in footwear and
fashion. We also staff photographers, videographers and writers
who have deep-seated experience in the category. Once the
content is readied for distribution, our strategic marketing team
steps in to help clients determine where and when to place the
content for the greatest return on investment.
EngagEmEntSurvey participants who have fans/followers actively retweeting
or commenting on their content is mixed between weekly and less
than 4 times a month. If a good majority of the posts on Facebook
or Twitter do not encourage or intrigue fans/followers to retweet
or comment, it’s important to rethink the content. This one-sided
conversation approach is no different than making a simple
announcement on the company website.
Social media is “social” by nature and should be viewed as a way to
interact with audiences, deepening the connection with the brand.
Additionally, every retweet or comment presents an opportunity to
attract new fans/followers because the interaction appears on news
and Twitter feeds. Engaging the fan/follower base in this way helps
businesses spread the word by transforming loyal customers into
advocates. This viral activity, in turn, helps grow the following base
with no media investment.
FOOTWEAR PLUS
How often do you post content on Facebook?
How often do you post content on Twitter?How often do fans/followers actively comment on, or retweet, your content?
FOOTWEAR PLUS
FOOTWEAR PLUS
earnshaw’s
earnshaw’s
1-2x/week (35%)
3-5x/week (15%)
Less than 4x/month (36%)
5-10x/week (11%)
N/A (4%)
1-2x/week (31%)
3-5x/week (16%)
Less than 4x/month (34%)
5-10x/week (13%)
N/A (6%)
1-2x/week (26%)
Less than 4x/month (17%)
3-5x/week (13%)
5-10x/week (12%)
N/A (33%)
1-2x/week (20%)
Less than 4x/month (18%)
3-5x/week (14%)
5-10x/week (10%)
N/A (38%)
earnshaw’s
1-2x/week (24%)
3-5x/week (15%)
Less than 4x/month (36%)
5-10x/week (13%)
N/A (12%)
1-2x/week (26%)
5-10x/week (16%)
Less than 4x/month (22%)
3-5x/week (16%)
N/A (20%)
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OMSocial Media ManageMent
Social media is relatively new for our survey
participants. As such, many do not have
a staff exclusively dedicated to managing
social media. The responsibility typically
falls on the shoulders of staff members who
already have their hands full with core job
duties. While this solution may be necessary
for a short time, it doesn’t lend itself to the
proper attention required of an effective
social media campaign.
Still, almost all participants plan to
expand the frequency of their posts or
use new platforms to their social media
campaigns. For those businesses that are
already struggling to keep up with their
current social media pages, who will be
able to be responsible for new efforts? This
is especially problematic for social media
platforms such as blogs that require lengthy,
time-consuming entries.
More and more, FBR businesses see the
value of the outsourcing model for the
development and management of their
social media initiatives. In this way, they not
only take added stress of their employees
desks, but they also have access to a team
of experts that can effectively execute the
initiative. An experienced digital agency can
offer various levels of social media services,
ranging from training and consultation
for DIY efforts to all-inclusive content
development, posting and monitoring. Be
sure to choose the level of service that suits
your content needs, your resource limitations
and your marketing budget.
ConClusionEffective social media is a powerful way to educate and engage
audiences, promote products, attract new customers and, most
importantly, build strong relationships that lead to brand affinity
and advocacy. Businesses in the FBR industry understand how
important it is to stay on top of emerging trends. Marketing is no
different…and our survey participants agreed. Yet while most see
the need for social media, they are not prepared or have the time to
effectively execute successful, engaging initiatives.
For businesses struggling with the same challenges, outsourcing
online marketing efforts to an experienced firm is almost always
the ideal solution. Smart marketers are beginning to see the value
in these arrangements, pulling dollars from more traditional efforts
like direct mail or print to help pay for social media post writing
and page management. This approach allows the company to have
a team of designers, writers and experienced strategic marketers
working toward sales goals instead of just one or two staff members.
If you’re seeking an appropriate social media partner, do your
research. Beware of marketing firms with little or no FBR
expertise. Choose content developers (writers, photographers and
videographers) who are fluent in your business to expedite the
learning curve and ensure that social media communications are
on-point and on-brand. Be sure to keep in mind that great content
goes to waste if it’s not placed correctly. Look for a firm with
digital marketing expertise to recommend the content distribution
strategies that will achieve the most online impressions for your
investment. Only in this way can you ensure that your foray into this
emerging field will reach its full potential!
Do you have dedicated staff in place to update your social media initiatives and respond to comments?
Yes (39%)
No (61%)
Yes (57%)
No (43%)
FOOTWEAR PLUS earnshaw’s
earnshaw’sFOOTWEAR PLUS
If yes, how many people manage your social media efforts?
Do you have plans to expand your social media presence in the future by posting more frequently or adding more platforms?
FOOTWEAR PLUS earnshaw’s
1-2 (45%)
3-5 (4%)
N/A (51%)
Yes (79%)
No (21%)
Yes (69%)
No (31%)
1-2 (54%)
3-5 (8%)
5-10 (2%)
10+ (1%)
N/A (36%)
