With Twitter garnering more negative press this year, that'll likely result in fewer advertisers using the platform in their holiday marketing campaigns. But that could be a mistake - according to research published by Twitter, almost 70% of Twitter shoppers (people who've bought products as a result of Twitter exposure in previous holiday shopping periods) consistently engage on Twitter during the holidays to connect and share, while 84% of Twitter shoppers use the platform to look for deals, read product reviews, and find gift ideas.
So how can brands capitalize on this interest to drive better response with their Christmas tweet campaigns. Twitter's provided three tips.
1. Post Multiple Content Types to Boost Attention
Twitter's data shows that while households that engage with Promoted Tweets are fewer than the total households reached via promoted campaigns, in aggregate, households exposed to paid media without engaging still account for 87% of incremental sales. That means that even if you're not seeing direct response to your tweet campaigns, the value of exposure alone can be significant.
To tap into this, Twitter recommends that brands try various ad formats.
"Try photos and GIFs. Post videos. Or create Tweet carousels that show off multiple products at once. Strike a balance between attracting engaged households and reaching the masses. And no matter the format, feature your logo on every image or video frame."
Shop Target by 6pm for free same-day pickup at the store.https://t.co/8PfNfYZQEM
- Target (@Target) December 22, 2015
2. Create a Sense of Urgency
It comes as little surprise that Twitter's research found that limited-time sales, discounts and exclusive offers generate the biggest sales lift in holiday campaigns. We all want to get the best deal, and adding that level of exclusivity for your Twitter audience can be a great way to drive response - but also, to keep those users coming back to your Twitter profile to keep track of future offers.
On this element, Twitter says that brands should highlight strong calls to action with clear deadlines to up the urgency of their offers.
It's the last Saturday before Christmas! Blitz through your list w/ our Huge Holiday Sale. http://t.co/ZwOCh12CHq pic.twitter.com/HiRPri9ZkL
- JCPenney (@jcpenney) December 20, 2014
3. Boost Exposure with Varying Creative Elements
Twitter's research shows that Twitter audiences are far more likely to act on an ad after seeing it multiple times.
"Toys"R"Us saw a 1.8X sales lift among audiences who encountered an ad nine times, as compared to audiences who only saw it once over a 10-week period."
This is a commonly known psychological principle whereby people feel more of a preference for things due to familiarity - seeing a brand name everywhere makes us feel like they're more trustworthy and reputable, and thus, increases the likelihood of us doing business with them.
Of course, you can overdo this also - flooding audiences with repeated ads can also have negative impacts.
To avoid this, Twitter suggests that brands rotate creative messages 3-5 times per week to boost exposure without repeating yourself.
"You can also get more mileage from your ads by exploring different types of targeting (Look-Alike and Event Targeting are great examples). This will help you maximize reach across your most likely customers."
Some fairly straight-forward yet important tips to boost Twitter engagement over the holiday period. And that period is fast approaching - according to Xmas Clock, there are now only 88 days to go till Santa packs his sleigh. Time to get moving on those seasonal campaigns.