Management | Technology
Digital connections
Reaching consumers via social media By Natasha Parrant
Social media is everywhere and keeps advancing and growing each day.
“Taking the people of Christchurch on the journey with us was key in a very quick follower growth for both of our accounts.
“We were very intentional with our content too to ensure we were showcasing the best What’s interesting to know is seeing how some that we had to offer, our values, our mission, Aotearoa businesses use social media to reach and our people. We had a hugely successful opening because of that.” consumers, and see how that’s changed their way of reaching a bigger audience in a positive Currently, the team focuses on videoing or challenging way? things that are happening in the area so it’s
Riverside Market social media manager, Stacey more “natural”. Tite, says the social media platforms Riverside As a result, Riverside Market has reached Market uses are Instagram and Facebook. more views, which eventually led to some Facebook videos getting thousands and On Instagram, Riverside Market focuses thousands of views. on creating content that showcases their trader’s delicious food and drinks, high-quality Stacey posted a short video of her lunch, products, and inside the huge building. On which caught a lot of attention and caused an Facebook, the company shares similar content instant increase in sales for that specific trader. but also focuses on the community aspect. “We believe this is because our community “Cantabrians have loved to be a part of the like to feel like they are a part of the Riverside Riverside Market journey and we continue to Market family and love to see content that is share our growth and celebrations with them. A relatable and authentic.” win for us is a win for Christchurch and this is Fortunately, there aren’t negatives to using very much felt on our Facebook page.” social media for Riverside Market. Social Stacey mentions Riverside Market always used media is their main source of advertisement as Instagram and Facebook to connect to their it reaches many people within seconds. consumers to show the behind-the-scenes The main pros of using these platforms are content of its building construction, including having an increase in sales, helping promote teaser content for its traders. events that are happening at Riverside Initially, the team focused on getting the Market, and helping with market research, as imagery perfect so to speak to gain a lot of sometimes the team uses polls on Instagram attention and build trust with consumers. stories to discover what the community wants in terms of promotions and events. “We did do some professional videography; however, we mainly used static images.” Using Facebook and Instagram has immensely helped Riverside Market reach a bigger audience, Stacey says. Riverside Market has 15.6 thousand followers on Instagram and 20 thousand likes on Facebook. 10 | www.canterburytoday.co.nz
“The feedback we receive from that helps to shape our future campaigns,” Stacey says. The Coffee Club director and marketing manager Andy Lucas says their company uses Facebook and Instagram, but is also on Tik Tok.
The Coffee Culture in Auckland’s Ormiston store
He has noticed more growth and a bigger following via Instagram recently. The Coffee Club currently has 10.4 thousand followers on Instagram and 29 thousand likes on Facebook. “We use social media to engage with our followers and communicate on new products, promotions, limited time only menu items, and other special events such as new store openings, store birthdays, and competitions. “We also use advertising on social media to reach customers and promote our meals and special products to them at different times.”
However, it’s still hard to determine if the number of followers translates to the paying customers in the store, Andy says. Social media has mostly impacted the business positively. A few positives Andy lists include reaching more people without a huge expense, communicating with followers quickly, reaching different demographic groups, and targeting many people with paid advertising.
The negatives of using social media are it’s easier for consumers to give unjustifiable negative feedback without proof, which can be The Coffee Club used Facebook first to connect viewed by other consumers. with consumers a decade ago when it was still There’s a lot of advertising on social new and then used Instagram, as it became media lately, which means the company’s more popular and continued to see growth. advertisements can get lost. Although the cost Social media helps the company reach more to advertise may seem reasonable, the costs people and easily communicate its products to are reflected in the return of investment (ROI), a larger audience. Andy says. CT
