Active Retailers on Facebook Find Black Friday Success
The more active a brand is on Facebook, the better chance consumers will "Like" it. This was the key finding from a recent study on retailers' growth on Facebook conducted by marketing agency Media Logic. The study spanned from July 2010 to September 2010, and saw over 100 retailers grow their fanbase by exceptional margins. The 10 days leading up to Black Friday weekend were no different, and retailers "liked" what they saw.
Of the 100 companies that participated in the first study, the most "liked" retailers on Facebook grew their fanbases by 10 percent in the 10 days leading up to Black Friday. How did they do it? They offered special promotions or simply asked to be liked. Retailers that didn't offer a promotion of any sort averaged only 1.8 percent growth.
Macy's Facebook page, for example, promoted special events; offered free shipping, coupons, gift guides, exclusive sneak peeks for Black Friday; and partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to donate funds to the charity. This activity helped the department store experience a 26 percent increase in "likers."
Other retailers who ran similar promotions saw comparable results. Here's a list of the top 10 retailers that saw the most Facebook "like" growth from Nov. 16 to Nov. 26:
- Burlington Coat Factory, 1106 percent
- Bed Bath & Beyond, 149 percent
- Limited Too/Justice, 63 percent
- A.C. Moore, 54 percent
- Toys"R"Us, 31 percent
- Cost Plus World Market, 30 percent
- Casual Male, 26 percent
- Macy's, 26 percent
- Bebe, 26 percent
- OfficeMax, 24 percent.
While having a bigger Facebook fanbase is a positive as it allows retailers to provide an optimal brand experience by merging physical and online worlds into a single entity, how Facebook "likes" are translating into sales has yet to be seen. However, with millions of consumers inviting brands into their intimate online space — i.e., their Facebook page — retailers have a branding and promotional opportunity like no other.
- People:
- Moore