Social Media Marketing

Direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) businesses that previously relied heavily on Facebook as an advertising channel are now starting to realize the perils that resulted from privacy policy changes instituted by Apple. These changes have upended the digital advertising strategy for hundreds of thousands of businesses and have forced these companies to find a new path to their…

Nearly a quarter of Americans have started saving for the holidays already. At the same time, inflation concerns are real. Gartner reported that over 40 percent of consumers believe companies are hiking prices to increase profits, and 65 percent will likely pull back spending in one area they’ve traditionally purchased in. However, brands can still…

In episode 368 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Brendan Lokes, brand media manager at Carhartt, a manufacturer of premium clothing and workwear known for exceptional durability, comfort, quality and fit. Lokes discusses why Carhartt has formed a partnership with Snapchat and Bitmoji (0:48), how the brand listened to customer demand for Carhartt…

Walmart made news recently when Reuters broke that it may be “exploring” the influencer space. In case you missed it: The retail giant indicated that it may launch a platform to use social media influencers to help it (and its 100,000 third-party sellers) promote goods and services online when it filed trademarks for “Walmart Creator” and…

If you're familiar with TikTok, you've most likely seen the hashtag #Tiktokmademebuyit. Truth is, people can find anything from books to clothing to makeup thanks to retail brands’ ever-expanding presence on TikTok. This social platform is certainly driving sales for retailers, whether it's from an influencer wearing something from the back of their closet or…

Gen Z is becoming one of the most powerful generations in terms of consumer purchasing power, and the young shoppers are already the economy’s leading tastemakers. Therefore, it’s no surprise that retailers are competing for their attention. But how can they stand out? Retailers can begin to command Gen Z’s dollars by understanding the nuances…

Global social media use has exploded during the pandemic, with platforms like TikTok (38 percent growth from 2019-2021, according to Statista) and Pinterest (32 percent growth) leading the way. People are using social media to engage with friends and family, as well as to learn about brands, products and services. In fact, social media is…

The time of crazed customers huddled around front doors waiting for midnight is over. In the post-pandemic world, shopper habits have shifted. Black Friday 2021 saw 88 million Americans shopping online, with nearly 43 percent of Black Friday purchases made on mobile devices. Retail sales during 2021’s November-December holiday season grew 14.1 percent year-over-year to $886.7…

Demand for authenticity and representation from brands has caused the traditional influencer marketing model — which centered on brand-sponsored content from high-profile social media users — to decrease in its ability to engage and build trust amongst consumers. And with consumer spending starting to decrease as prices continue to climb, retail brands wanting to maintain customer loyalty…

It looks like Back to School 2022 will finally mark a return to the return-to-school shopping habits experienced pre-pandemic. Despite the return to in-person learning in the physical classroom, data from Mintel, a global market intelligence agency, found that parents and students will still be depending on digital channels for their back-to-school shopping customer journey.…