Here’s another indication that your small retailers increased their usage of social media in 2010 and intend to use it even more in 2011.
This report is just another in a long line of indicators that social media sites, primarily Facebook, are becoming more important to small retailers and it’s been said that their Facebook pages have become their local web site.
It’s also interesting to note that retailers are spending the same or less money every year on traditional media.
There are three obvious reasons why a Facebook site is so appealing to a small retailer. It’s free, it’s easy and it’s popular.
The challenge for a brand manager is to understand this trend and adjust your marketing efforts to take full advantage of your dealers and consumers online interactions.
We think you have to add the ability to post information to a dealer’s Facebook page from your ad builder. That way you reach consumers where they are, you control your brand at the local level and you help your retailers take advantage of this wonderful new cost-effective media tool.
Print is still important but the new media is catching up fast.