5 Ways Retailers Can Use Social Media for Black Friday

In 2012, Black Friday weekend hit a record of $59.1 billion, up from the previous year of $52.4 billion. Shoppers will be smarter than ever. This annual tradition has made them wiser, savvier and more empowered than ever before. They have a budget, a shopping list and they will be watching what others are sharing on social networks like Instagram. They will avoid lines and avoid the mass; last year, 139 million people visited online stores for the weekend. Retailers will need to step up and evolve with their customers. Here are 5 reasons why retailers should use social media for Black Friday to increase sales.

1. Social Media TV Displays Near the Lines

Long lines make customers restless, point blank. Personally, I've left stores because I felt 45 minutes in line for a few products is just not worth it. Use products like TrueLoyal for your social media TV displays. Tell your customers to share tweets/pictures of themselves with a unique hashtag in line or what they're excited about for the chance to show up on your TV display near the line or in the store. This increases free PR for you as well! Keep them occupied and use hashtags to instantly create a community dialogue between your restless in-store buyers and those who are connected to them. TrueLoyal's grid example of #nordstormrack and here are 6 ideas to use TrueLoyal for events.

2. Hashtag Campaigns

Word of mouth is the most powerful type of advertising. Hype up your campaign and get your fans to rave about the deals you have going on. They will surely influence their friends and family about adding you to that shopping list. Think about it, if you saw your favorite niece sharing posts about #hellokitty wouldn't you add that to your black friday list?

3. Hashtag Contests

Gifts that keep on giving are the best buys. Start a contest that will excite customers and give them prizes for simply sharing their shopping experience (like an extra 10% off their purchase for best photo). Create a fun and unique weekly contest that will keep your brand in their sight and in their mind. Why should your customers choose you over your competitors?

4. Social Hub on Your Website

Want to capture your online shopper's attention as well with all your deals, but find it difficult to update your site during the busiest day of the year? You can use social hubs to link all your social network updates and embed it onto your website. That way all of your website visitors/online shoppers can still be updated with all your news/deals in real-time.

5. Display Customer Testimonials

Your customers will be sharing their purchases they make on Black Friday on their social networks. Those tweets/pictures are great testimonials that can draw more foot traffic to your store, which means more new customers. By following and sharing the content they posted onto your website/ FB page/ or TV displays, you now have a tangible relationship with customers + leverage for drawing in new customers. Again, you could use TrueLoyal to display their feedback and testimonials. This is Kaplan's way of displaying their students' accomplishments, an awesome testament for those aspiring to get higher education.

How are you planning to utilize social media for Black Friday? Have any other ideas we're missing on here? Let us know in the comments below!-ZenVP of Sales