Latest benchmarking figures have found use of internet giant's social networking tools has grown considerably over the past three months

Latest benchmarking figures have found use of internet giant's social networking tools has grown considerably over the past three months

The latest Social Media Benchmark results from eDigitalResearch has found that retailer use of Google+ has grown considerably over the past few months, with All Saints claiming the number one spot in the league table after adding over 600,000 new followers since April 2012.

Building out customer engagement strategies

Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, have long proved their worth to retailers as a marketing, communication and engagement tool, according to the online market researcher. With new and emerging social media sites, such as Google+ springing up throughout 2012, it said retailers are beginning to branch out their efforts in order to engage with a much wider online audience.

The Social Media Benchmark has been documenting the growth of retailers on social media sites for the past two years, and has consistently found that those who invested in the channels early continue to dominate the league tables today. Retailers looking to make the most of users from across new platforms should ensure that they have an active presence from the offset and can continue to build on this going forward, eDigitalResearch advised.

Refocusing on end-user engagement

The latest study also suggested that retailers are beginning to refocus their efforts back towards user engagement, with interactive features such as in-built games, rather than focusing on sales and Facebook stores, as several high profile retailers, including ASOS, close their Facebook commerce avenues. Unlike Facebook stores, there appears to be a real desire from users to interact with games from within their social media accounts, and therefore ‘gamification’ of content is a great way to create additional engagement around a brand.

Derek Eccleston, head of research at eDigitalResearch, commented: “Social media is a great tool for retailers and brands alike. It’s the first step in creating a community around your brand, engaging with customers and harnessing insight from what they have to say. 

"Our own consumer behaviour studies in recent months have shown that it has become increasingly clear that the majority of consumers don’t want to make a purchase through their Facebook account, and would rather visit a retailers website direct. Therefore, retailers need to refocus their efforts on working to engage users and create a community of advocates for a brand, and including interactive features, such as games, helps towards achieving this.”

The research firm also also measured retailers ‘talking about’ numbers for their Facebook pages, a Facebook measurement that takes into account user activity and interactions with brands, such as wall posts, comments and sharing pages. Results in the past have suggested that numbers often correspond with follower numbers. However, this time around, retailers Net-A-Porter, Marks & Spencer and Tesco all have a higher than average talking about number, demonstrating the positive impact that regular brand activity can have on social media strategies.

For a copy of the Social Media Benchmark, including the full league tables and insight, please complete the following short registration survey:

https://ecustomeropinions.com/survey/survey.php?sid=754163019.