For years, retail executives have debated the business impact of social media. Although Facebook, Twitter and other sites are valuable engagement channels, it has been relatively unclear whether social networks generate sales.
But new research from Experian Marketing Services indicates that social media sites account for nearly 8% of all traffic to retail web sites. As a result, more merchants are promoting their presence across these sites, and encouraging consumers to follow and interact with their brands.
The report, titled: 2014 Digital Marketer: Benchmark And Trend Report, outlines key industry benchmarks, technology trends and consumer insights. Findings within the report confirm the growing importance of cross-channel marketing. However, there is a distinct focus on the value of social media on e-Commerce sales results.
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After measuring the downstream of traffic from Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest, Experian concluded that Amazon garnered the most traffic from social media sites.
The top five retail sites visited from Facebook include:
- Amazon.com
- Walmart
- Zulily
- Target
- Beyond the Rack
The top five retail sites visited from Pinterest include:
- Amazon.com
- Target
- Zulily
- Walmart
- Nordstrom
Email has become the most popular vehicle for retailers to promote their social presence, with 96% of marketers currently using the channel. Specifically, Pinterest has seen the greatest year-over-year increase in promotion, with 64% of retailers promoting their company’s Pinterest accounts. YouTube accounts were promoted by 50% of the respondents, a 5% year-over-year increase. Instagram wasn’t promoted at all in 2012, but now 39% of respondents promote their Instagram presence via email.
“While search still dominates, social media is becoming a significant source of traffic across the Internet as consumers increasingly use sites like Facebook, Pinterest or YouTube more as discovery platforms,” said Bill Tancer, General Manager of Global Research at Experian Marketing Services. “Many of today’s marketers are leveraging the power of social communities to increase customer engagement and expand their brand’s reach. For retailers, all eyes are on Pinterest.”
Click here to download a free copy of the full report.
