The Top 50 Fastest-Growing Facebook Cross-Channel Retailers

By The Retail Online Integration Staff

7 Best Practices for Retailers on Facebook

Looking to Facebook to help maximize your brand’s potential? Use these tips to make the most of the social media outlet:

1. Secure a vanity URL. Show consumers that your Facebook page is official and professional with a vanity URL which nixes all those extra unnecessary characters. With an address that reads http://facebook.com/[username], you’ll improve searchability and, as Facebook puts it, “streamline your brand.”

2. Engagement. Not too much, not too little. Facebook users log on to enjoy themselves, not to be bombarded with posts and pitches one after the other. While you shouldn’t be selling in every post, you also shouldn’t neglect the page. Nurture it with a happy medium that fits your audience, which could mean one post per day or one post per hour depending on your audience. Open-ended lifestyle questions, polls, trivia, photos and quotes are just some examples of posts that encourage interaction.

3. Show up. When fans leave negative feedback, post complaints or ask questions, use this as an opportunity to show that your page is a good resource for help. Devise a customer service strategy to employ on your wall, letting your fans know you’re there. Take the conversation offline by giving consumers a way to reach you for further discussion.

4. Give likers a reason to come back. Constantly reward your community for their membership. Ways to do this include insider knowledge, behind-the-scenes access, monetary or product prizes, and sales and coupons. Promotions keep fans sticking around. If you’re running a sweepstakes and are determined to build your fan base, consider paid Facebook ads to get the word out.

5. Utilize tabs. Want to showcase a new product line, two-for-one deal or upcoming happy hour? Make use of the “Events” and “Photos” tabs, or have custom tabs developed to add to your page. Be sure to link to them from your wall or other social media channels.

6. Team up with good causes. Spread brand good will and show consumers you care by partnering up with a charitable effort — either one directly related to your company or simply something you care about.

7. Socialize the shopping experience. When applicable, install e-commerce functionality right into your Facebook page. Consumers can essentially shop with friends digitally, reviewing or sharing items they’re considering for purchase.

Melissa Fiorenza is conversation manager at Media Logic. Reach Melissa at mfiorenza@mlinc.com.

Now that most Americans age 12 and over use Facebook, it comes as no surprise that retailers are flocking to the site as a way to connect with consumers online. And well they should: Studies show that consumers are using retailers' Facebook pages as online circulars. Kantar Media's web traffic analysis service Compete, for example, revealed earlier this year that one-quarter of consumers now visit a retailer or consumer product's official Facebook page at least once a month. More than half of consumers (56 percent) say they use retailers' Facebook pages to keep up to date on sales and promotions.

Facebook pages are also influencing consumers' purchasing decisions, according to Compete. In fact, more than 20 percent of consumers said that Facebook pages have been "influential" or "extremely influential" in making a purchasing decision, suggesting that posting sales, promotions and other calls to action on Facebook is a wise idea for retailers looking to drive incremental sales and boost consumer engagement on the social network.

Because of the importance Facebook marketing has to retailers today, we partnered with social media marketing agency Media Logic to create a list of the top 50 fastest-growing Facebook retailers based on year-over-year percentage growth of fans between August 2010 and August 2011. (To view the full list, click on the Related content link above.)

Media Logic has been tracking a select list of retailers' use of Facebook since July 2010. The accompanying list features brands across four retail sectors: specialty apparel; discount/department; specialty hardlines; and recreation (sports/hobby/crafts). Here are some trends Ronald Ladouceur, executive vice president of Media Logic, identified regarding retailers social media activities over the last year:

◆ Fan growth on Facebook is certainly the big story. By mid-August 2010, only 11 retailers could claim more than 1 million fans. By mid-August 2011, 34 retailers were above the 1 million mark.

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Cover Story: The Top 50 Fastest-Growing Facebook Cross-Channel Retailers