Social Media Marketing

The hype surrounding the launch of Google+ went into overdrive a few months ago when it debuted to a select group of beta testers. But now that the service has been opened to the public, a new report claims that the social networking site has suffered a staggering loss of roughly 60 percent of its traffic.

Wal-Mart is launching a Facebook app that customizes marketing for each of its nearly 3,600 U.S. stores, allowing tailored communications about local deals, events or limited-distribution products. Eventually, Wal-Mart also hopes to use the My Local Walmart app to grow its site-to-store e-commerce program and evolve it into an individualized marketing program.

Facebook, Twitter, iPads — Burberry knows its customers love the digital experience, so the upscale apparel retailer leveraged multiple touchpoints by streaming its London fashion show on Facebook, YouTube and its own website; tweeting backstage pictures during the show; and featuring iPads in-store to give customers an exclusive view of its new collection.

Which retailers had the biggest increase in Facebook 
fans between August 2010 and August 2011? What’s 
the secret to their success? Read on ...

Listen in as Chris Smith, vice president of e-commerce and catalog for Jockey International, discusses how the cross-channel apparel retailer has found success using the Google +1 button.

Sears is leveraging social media to literally give consumers exactly what they want by letting them vote for which items will be featured on its online local ad. Sears is giving customers the chance to be heard and choose which offers they want to see in the next online local ad through its Local Ad Faceoff application on its Facebook page.

The fashion design house of Oscar de la Renta has emerged as one of the leaders in social media marketing within the fashion industry and, though best known for $4,000 cocktail dresses, plans to be a leader in social media commerce as well. "We expect Facebook will become a major channel of e-commerce," says CEO Alex Bolen, in a wide-ranging interview with Lauren Indvik for Mashable.

Wal-Mart Labs Senior Vice President of Global E-Commerce Anand Rajaraman took the stage at Ad Age Digital in San Francisco to explain why exactly the world's largest retailer would buy a social media startup.

Retail Online Integration is pleased to present the Retail Marketing Virtual Conference & Expo - Fall 2011 on Sept. 27. Don't miss this free, informative one-day virtual event with leading retailers discussing a wide variety of retail marketing topics.

Apparel retailer H&M is utilizing social media by running a contest on Facebook in conjunction with the launch of its new 1970s Chic clothing collection. In the promotion, fans are encouraged to upload a photo of him or herself dressed in 1970s fashion. After uploading the image, the user can add a filter to the photo to give it a vintage look and share it on his or her Facebook wall.