Black Friday Social Media

Every year Black Friday looks a little different. For years and years the nationally infamous shopping holiday has been pushing up its start times. In years past, the store would open up at their normal operating hours (ex. 9/10/11 AM), but in the more recent years, stores have begun opening up earlier and earlier, some even opening on Thanksgiving night (or even afternoon). This year, stores are opening up even earlier, with the help of social media! Black Friday has since evolved into a month-long shopping event, fueled by the growth of social commerce and online shopping. According to Sprout Social’s Advanced Social Listening tool, there was a 21% increase in total Black Friday mentions on social from 2020 to 2021 (Sprout Social, 2022). Meaning, late night retailer websites and social media shops have erradicated line camp-outs (okay, not fully erradicated but they have fully put a dent in the amount of people who have gone out). 

There are quite a few different types of social media campaigns that are published surrounding the holiday. There are giveaways and contests, loyalty programs, community-inspired campaigns, and omnichannel campaigns, to name of few (Smith, A. 2022). In my opinion, the types of campagins that attract the most attention are the ones that use influencers. It is so much easier to relate and actually express interest in a retailer when you see a really person reviewing and showing off the product. In addition, the engagement and reach that come from using influencers is unbeatable, especially the ones that resonate with your audience and vibe. 

Social Media is also a great way to generate online sales around Black Friday. “Social is a fixture in the customer journey and has a direct impact on purchasing history” (Sprout Social, 2021). Social Media is a great place for consumers to find new brands, products, services and companies to follow. According to Sprout Social’s Index, about “90% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand they follow on social media” (Schieren, M. 2021). They are more likley to chose the brand that they follow over a competitor, visit stores more often, and do other things that will help drive sales.

Building a successful social media campaign surrounding a brand and the sales they are putting together is something all brands should be doing. It is very evident that social media has taken off and in turn helped a lot of companies grow. In my opinion, Black Friday is absolutely a holiday (even if it’s only an American holiday!) that needs to have a social media campaign built around it. The numbers (mentioned above) do not lie! Social media loves Black Friday and Black Friday loves social media! 

 

Sources: 

Schieren, Matilda. “5 Simple Ways to Increase Online Sales through Social Media.” Sprout Social, 2 June 2022, https://sproutsocial.com/insights/increase-social-media-sales/.

Smith, Aubree. “How to Create a Black Friday Marketing Strategy for Social Media.” Sprout Social, 1 Nov. 2022, https://sproutsocial.com/insights/black-friday-social-media-strategy/.

“Social Media Listening: What You Need to Know to Get Started.” Sprout Social, 12 Sept. 2022, https://sproutsocial.com/social-listening/.

“The Sprout Social Index, Edition XVII: Accelerate.” Sprout Social, 14 June 2021, https://sproutsocial.com/insights/data/index-accelerate/.