Social media apps house millions of posts every second of the day for the world to observe and engage with and, in addition to entertaining us, they can be an essential tool for businesses to connect with consumers and inspire more sales.

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“It is important to meet customers where they are,” advised Carole Cross, founder and CEO of Mobile Marketing. “This is especially important for social media. For the floor covering industry, this is primarily Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. These apps help customers visualize how their homes can look, learn more about products and services and opens a two-way communication tool between the retailer and customer.”

Having active, frequently updated social media channels can strengthen a dealer’s online presence and establish a connection with potential customers even when the storefront is not open.

“Social media is a non-invasive way to stay connected to the consumer when they are in a stress-free mindset,” said Shannon Vogel, founder of Reach Social. “Social media management will help make the process of connecting and staying connected to the consumer easier and more efficient for the retailer.”

Finding the right channels

With so many social media avenues available, the best platform to use can be specific to each business.

“It depends upon who your target audience is,” said Chad Ogden, president of QFloors. “We assume that Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest are very effective for targeting residential markets. If your target is more commercial, builder or multi-family housing, Linkedin or YouTube might be more effective. Rather than just defaulting to whatever social media platform you are being sold, you should carefully consider who your customer is, and where they might be spending time.”

David Geipel, vice president of sales and marketing for Mobile Marketing, explained how different social media channels serve different purposes. “Facebook is still the number one channel on social media to drive retail. Second, is Instagram to help you reach a younger demographic, and it’s driven by great visuals, room scenes and recent projects. Third is Pinterest for its ability to showcase projects and inspire designs by retailers,” he said.

“People use social media primarily for connection, as well as sharing and viewing content,” Cross shared. “Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest are the best social media channels for a retailer to help attract meaningful connections with consumers.”

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Vogel offered that Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn are great ways to stay connected to the consumer. “Creating great content on those sites plus using the advanced targeting options on social advertising will allow you to find new potential customers and deliver a great message about who you are and what you can do to make the consumers life easier.”

And, Vogel added, as the social media landscape continues to grow, new opportunities are emerging to reach consumers. “Retailers that dedicate more time to their social media can attract new audiences on YouTube, Pinterest and even TikTok.”

“Social media apps are the number one platform to connect with your customers and stay relevant.” –David Geipel, Mobile Marketing