Opinion: How to drive sales through social media marketing during the festive season

Arvind Nair, Mirum India shares tips and tricks for brands and agencies to drive leads, sales, and commerce through social media marketing, enabling them to be a part of the consumers' shopping list.

Social media is no longer just about trends; it's the new way of building brands and driving commerce. In a post-pandemic era, as digital marketing takes the center stage, social media/commerce becomes the key growth and discovery medium. A recent survey by PayPal revealed that India is already the leading Asian market for social commerce and is projected to become a $100 billion vertical of e-commerce by 2025.

A key attribute to this growth is the ability to go regional and personalize along with the accessibility of the internet and smartphones across all Tier cities. Facebook’s Festive Marketing Guide also highlights the shift towards online shopping, with 1.2x people adapting it in April 2021 vs pre-pandemic. Similarly, regional social platforms such as ShareChat, Moj, and Josh have developed their strong foothold in the niche market with their vernacular content which further boosts the use of social commerce.

1. Where is my audience?

The audience on social media is opting in, curating their feeds, and choosing what they consume. Being relevant means being able to be found by the audience. Always remember to see the insights (gender split, key cities, interests, behaviors) and the available audience (size as per platforms) before setting into a campaign. We are in a buyer first market, so the audience is aware and looking at deals, offers, more you know your audience the better benefits it gives. Remember, organic reach is an oxymoron.

Some questions to aid the thinking:

What is your TG’s demographic profile?

What life stage are they in?

What are their interests?

What media do they consume?

Where do they shop and what are the key motivators?

2. What is the role of videos?

We’ve all spent a better part of the last 2 years watching videos across each platform and in different formats. One out of three people watches videos on Facebook to connect with brands, while 88 percent said that they watch videos at least once a week on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, as stated by the IPSOS study. While every brand today is investing in a video first strategy, it’s important to position them for the right challenge which can be broadly classified into:

• Brand Story: largely to help drive awareness and discovery of the brand
• Product led: Specifically targeting the need of it and why it matters
• Promotional: Clear focus on direct selling with a festive offer

Also Read: Expert Opinion: Creative framework for brands to crack festive storytelling

A video strategy can help you at any stage in the funnel, and as data suggests, it’s one of the most impactful and effective ways.

3. Power of influence

In a recent study, it was found that the amount of trust people place in influencers is comparable to the trust placed in their friends. Shoppers like recommendations from influencers and are increasingly playing a crucial role in the discovery and purchase process. Something our team at Mirum has built over time is an effectiveness pyramid for engaging with influencers, derived from Maslow’s need hierarchy.

4. Sell from the community

Before buying something online, consumers tend to read several reviews to make sure the brand and product are trustworthy. The reviews work on building trust and reducing anxiety about buying from a brand or about investing in a product they’re not familiar with. Reviews are the opinions and experiences of other consumers just like themselves. Your existing customers can become the most effective brand advocates during the festivities. To build a UGC engagement, that helps you keep an active community, at the same time helping you use their stories to sell better.

The piece has been authored by Arvind Nair - Regional Director, Mirum India