Do you know all the ways Facebook can help build your retail store traffic both online and in-person? Facebook has been the leading social media network for years, and the recent changes are showing retailers everywhere there has never been a better time to become a fan! Be sure you are making the most of all this social media giant has to offer with these easy yet highly effective tips and strategies.
Post More Videos With Ease!
While adding videos to your newsfeed has been an option for Facebook users for over five years now, video posts have been growing in popularity. Starting in 2020, Facebook began offering video templates that help you add your photos and audio or an uploaded video for you to post explainer or “how-to” videos and showcase your products and store. You can use this tool to create a video showing customers how to find your store, introducing your audience to your product categories, or sharing the layout of your store with shoppers who like to plan ahead. To use this tool, upload images and add your voice recording, upload a video, or use a text script with professional stock photos and music. The promotional options are endless!
Add a COVID-19 Tag & Messenger Module
Policies for COVID-19 are constantly changing, but one thing is certain. A large number of shoppers will be hesitant to come inside a store that is not clear about cleaning procedures and mask requirements. Attract this audience by putting minds at ease as well as showing concern for those struggling with severe complications with a COVID-19 tag on your business posts and a link at the top of your business page to your updated policies and procedures in Messenger.
Offer Gift Cards
Another new thing Facebook is letting businesses do is to sell gift cards. This is an excellent way to build your in-store traffic! Everyone loves to receive a gift card that allows them a chance to browse at their leisure for toys and other items they will appreciate. Plus, you can add an incentive to purchase your gift cards that benefit a great cause like St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital that offers leading treatment options for children with life-threatening illnesses as well as family support, the Robin Hood Foundation helps homeless individuals and families get back on their feet, or another equally amazing charity of your choosing that tugs at your heart.
The key to a successful gift card campaign is to promote your gift cards and Facebook page in general with ideas like these for the following audiences:
- Facebook Followers - Create an explainer video and engaging posts with images and hashtags.
- In-Store Shoppers - Use monitors to play promotional videos that mention your Facebook gift cards, how to find your business on Facebook, and how to use the gift cards in your store.
- Road Traffic - Place yard signs and banners outside your store that read “Purchase a Gift Card on Facebook. You can also use icons for “purchase”, “gift cards”, and “Facebook” to make your sign more trendy, easy to read while driving, visually appealing, and a breeze to remember. If you elect to donate a percentage of the gift card amount to a charity, be sure to include that on the sign as well.
- Website Visitors - Place banners with hyperlinks on your website and add an explainer video and a blog article that contains over 750 words plus a Facebook page link and a professional stock image that attracts the eye.
Business Suite
If you are not using Facebook Page Insights and Facebook Audience Insights to learn about your demographics and your Facebook engagement history, you’re missing out on a marketing goldmine! These two Insights tools allow you to gain an incredibly valuable understanding of your audience’s preferences and online habits as they relate to your products and brand. This includes the best time of day to post, which posts are getting the best reach and engagement, and the type of post that is attracting the most response. Moreover, with Facebook’s business suite, you can view comments, set up a standard personal reply to various comments, and, best of all, schedule daily posts for Facebook and Instagram in one location for future dates.
Deciding on the Products to Promote
As shown in the above tips and strategies, Facebook is still leading the way with advanced business tools that can drive in-store retail traffic like no other social media platform! The only question left is which items to promote. At License 2 Play, we make stocking your inventory with the most popular toys, gifts, games, and novelty items on the market easy by doing the research for you. Simply register your retail store with us online, and enjoy your shopping experience knowing you are purchasing the hottest sellers around!