3/22/2018 Social Media’s Evolving Role in Retail: Commerce, Product Testing – WWD

http://wwd.com/business-news/marketing-promotion/social-medias-evolving-retail-role-1202633632/ 1/5

Social Media’s Evolving Role inRetail: Commerce, Product TestingAs social networks advance in features, so do consumer expectationsof retailers in the space.

BUSINESS / MARKETING AND PROMOTION

By Elizabeth Doupnik on March 22, 2018

If there’s one thing that social media is not, it’s stagnant. As the

platforms continue to innervate and expand, so do consumers’

expectations of retailers and brands in the space — namely, the

ability to discover new items and purchase directly from a

brand’s page.

And though conversions remain low thus far, Robert Glazer,

founder and managing director of Acceleration Partners, a firm

focused on affiliate marketing with customers like Adidas,

Target and Warby Parker, predicts that this is set to change

shortly. Here, Glazer discusses the ongoing evolution of social

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media’s role in retail and how fashion companies can ready

themselves for the next series of updates and refreshed con-

sumer behavior.

WWD: What have been the biggest changes in retail as a result of

social media?

Robert Glazer: Digital continues to have a big influence on

consumers — their habits, preferences and priorities continue

to quickly evolve with the changing social media landscape. As

digital and in-store experiences have blurred, retailers have

become very forward-thinking, and embracing new possibilities

and innovations to engage their customers.

As social media matures, retailers are not only looking to build

their brand and engage new customers but are also leveraging

the channel to drive performance — leads or sales. Retailers are

turning to micro-influencers that align with their brand on In-

stagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Pinterest to target the right

audience, create personalized content and reach ROI

goals. These micro-influencers have a highly engaged group of

followers. What’s more, retailers have access to demographic

and behavioral data, which allows them to better understand

and reach their customers.

WWD: So far, social commerce has remained obtuse for retailers.

What needs to change to make social media a thriving

marketplace?

R.G.: The continued development of purpose-driven digital

solutions will help retailers drive performance and accelerate

shoppable social media. Chat bots allow retailers to connect

with customers and ask what they are searching that leads to an

interactive shopping experience, resulting in sales. As

Millennials are increasingly using chat bots, brands are

designing them to specifically enhance their brand voice and

send personalized messages directly to users.

Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook Stories have led to the

popularity of ephemeral content. With ephemeral content being

more authentic and allowing you to connect with users in real-

time, brands are taking advantage of consumer FOMO to draw

faster buying responses. With Stories, shoppable content allows

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brands to create whole new narrative-driven elements for e-

commerce marketing campaigns that connect with consumers

and capitalizes on a sense of urgency to make a purchase.

WWD: Which brands are merging marketing efforts in physical

and online presences well?

R.G.: Warby Parker allows people to order products online, try

them on at home, and choose the ones they want. They have

also opened small physical locations.

Another example is Amazon, who made a major move last year

in spreading its physical presence with the purchase of Whole

Foods, thereby seeking to reinvent the retail-customer

experience and boosting Amazon’s bricks-and-mortar presence.

Even brands like Walmart and Target are integrating online and

offline so that customers can buy online and pick up in store.

Brands are constantly looking at incentives to drive online sales

while also drawing shoppers to respective physical locations

through discounts on purchases, free or heavily discounted add-

on items, and superior in-store customer service.

WWD: How can brands move the needle from passive social

followers to active spenders?

R.G.: Instagram is an effective platform for building awareness

and deepening engagement with followers. Many retailers have

effectively leveraged the channel to drive performance by

converting followers into active spenders via giveaways,

discount codes, or free downloads.

Another effective strategy is the rise of branded video content.

More brands are making the transition to shoppable video.

Marketers and brands are approaching consumers where they’re

most easily found — on mobile and social media. The result is

greater brand spend on creative storytelling methods across

different channels that engage with consumers as individuals,

not as a homogenous demographics. 

WWD: How do you predict the collision of social media and

retail to evolve in the next 12-24 months?

 

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3/22/2018 Social Media’s Evolving Role in Retail: Commerce, Product Testing – WWD

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R.G.: Influencer marketing will continue to grow and consumers

want authenticity and advice from real experts whom they trust

and value. Brands will focus on building meaningful, long-term

relationships with key influencer partners and leverage the

channel to drive performance. Video will continue to be an

effective tool for growing followers and driving sales. High-

quality content and storytelling is a must-have.

Retailers will look to create high-quality content to understand

consumers’ mind-sets, and keep them engaged and informed

about products. Augmented reality will help retailers to project

their products into consumers’ homes to preview how they look

before they buy.

More from WWD:

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2018

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