Page 10 - Adnews Magazine Sep-Oct 2020

Succeeding This Holiday Season on Social
As the holiday season descends upon us, Smartly.io shares why social media advertising is going to play a vital role in a brand's marketing mix as they seek to maximise sales in the changing landscape.
This year has seen rapid accel- eration towards digital with much of the world moving online amid the COVID-19 pandemic. To succeed in this new normal, brands need to be front and centre where their customers are — on social media.
This holiday season, more than 70% of consumers plan to do more than half of their holiday shop- ping digitally and 50% of consum- ers say they will spend the same or more on holiday shopping than last year. So how can brands leverage social media as a tool to boost sales?
The state of social
Social media has transformed how people connect with one another and how they engage with their favourite brands. It has helped play a pivotal role in forging long-lasting customer relationships for brands that may have gone unseen in the physical world. This year has proven it has never been more important for brands to understand the dynamic relationship they have with their consumers across social media.
Recently, the social media advertising platform Smartly.io asked consumers globally what they like to see on social media and how social advertising impacts the way they view brands. The report found that 61% of consumers use social media to connect with friends and family.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more consumers are now increas- ingly likely to engage with advertising they see on social media than previously. Close to half (48%) of consumers stated the pandemic has made them more open to engage with ads from brands on social media.
Globally, 51% of consumers say social media ads have spurred them to make a purchase online. However, it is important for those ads to reflect societal norms and the times the world is living in.
Half of Australian consumers surveyed said they expect brands to show social distancing and public health messaging in their advertis- ing. Money is less of an object for some Australians, with 51% admitting they have no spending limit for purchasing items from social media ads. This presents new opportunities for brands of all price points to garner the attention of their target audience. In addition, 28% of consumers in Australia would be most open to purchase clothing and