5 Drivers to Retail Social Media Success

1. Invest in an "always on" strategy. Many large retail brands showed significant declines in posting on Facebook last year, including during the holidays. Brands on the 2013 top 10, including Wal-Mart, T.J. Maxx and Best Buy, posted 60 percent, 48 percent, and 43 percent less, respectively, on Facebook compared to the same period in 2013. Although the temptation might be to post fewer "big" posts, this strategy goes against the benefits that brands (e.g., Macy's, Amazon.com, HomeGoods) are reaping with an "always on" strategy across social media. As a result, Wal-Mart declined 86 percent in engagement last holiday season, and T.J. Maxx lost 25 percent of total actions (post-level likes, shares and comments).