Charlotte retailers spend a considerable amount of time and money marketing their small businesses on social media. Is this effort paying off?
Each month, according to Nielsen, 1.5 million Charlotte area adults use Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. This equates to 72% of consumers. This reach is rather anemic compared to Charlotte radio and TV, which attracts considerably more users in a single week than these social media platforms do over 30 days.
Among local millennials, the monthly reach of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is eclipsed by the weekly reach of Charlotte radio.
The number of consumers reached by an advertising campaign, according to Nielsen, is the media consideration that has the most significant effect on increasing sales.
So, is there something intrinsically different about social media platforms that can compensate for their smaller reach among Charlotte consumers?
The report shows that engagement with social media posts by retail brands range from .031% to .67%, depending on the platform. Engagements measured include likes, comments, favorites, retweets, shares, replies, and reactions.
According to the Rival IQ report, social media engagement among retail brands was far below each platform's median rate across all business types.
If Charlotte small business owners do use social media as part of their advertising and marketing plans, then they should consider the following takeaways from the Rival IQ report:
- It's All About Giveaways: Contests and giveaways were popular hashtags across almost every industry, so brands should seek out opportunities to engage followers with contests.
- Carousels are key for Instagram: Carousels lead to high engagement across all industries, so brands should look for opportunities to combine photos into carousels. Why? Instagram carousels get re-served to users who don’t engage the first time, earning them more impressions.
More Advertising Advice For Charlotte Small Business Owners
- Local Non-Profit Drives Donations With Advertising On Charlotte Radio
- Charlotte Small Business Owners Grab A Big Slice Of Pizza Business
- Why Charlotte Mortgage Lenders And Brokers Need to Advertise Now
- Small Business Advertising In Charlotte: Target The Spenders
- Retail Boom: How Your Charlotte Small Business Can Benefit
