Once upon a time, you had to use a phone book to find a business's contact details. Mercifully, those days are behind us. As social media has worked its way into every aspect of our lives, we as a culture have come to expect that our favorite brands — from "Big Gay Ice Cream" trucks to national airlines and fashion houses — are easily accessible on the most popular social networks.
However, it's no longer enough to simply interact. Consumers are increasingly hungry for promotions, exclusive discounts and giveaways. In fact, recent data suggests that most people who follow brands on Facebook and Twitter both expect and want to receive c oupons from these brands.
According to an Ad Age/Ipsos Observer survey of 1,000 participants regarding digital consumption habits, 65% of consumers want the brands they follow to offer coupons. Compare this figure to the percentage of respondents who said they wanted enhanced customer service (42%) and you begin to get a clearer picture of the landscape.
Certainly the Ad Age numbers indicate that the demand for promotions exists, but how effective are Twitter and Facebook promotions in practice? Do they really increase engagement or sales? While no conclusive studies have been done on this exact topic, substantial anecdotal evidence suggests that they do.
Examples to Learn From
A recent Facebook case study highlighting a campaign by Healthy Choice, shows positive results.
Targeting healthy eating-related keywords on Facebook's ad platform, Healthy Choice created a promotion that exploited the viral nature of soci al sharing. The frozen food brand...
