For pet supply and service businesses, navigating the online marketplace can seem daunting for those seeking to expand their reach, but it isn’t!
Most of your target audience already gathers on three of the internet’s most frequented platforms: TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
Harnessing the power of social media is easier than it seems. And there are other selling channels and techniques that you can use to grow your pet retail business. Here’s how.
Social Media and Boosting Your Pet Business:
1. Engage Pet Parents Where They Like To Be
Ninety-seven percent of Gen Z, 90.4% of Millennials, 77.5% of Generation X, and 48.2% of Baby Boomers are on social media. No matter what generation of pet parents you’re looking for, you will find them on social platforms.
Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, or your own mobile app or website, livestream selling is a great way to reach your target audience. By showcasing your products on your pets in real time, you give pet parents a very tangible idea of how your products can be used. As a pet business, establishing a trustworthy presence on these platforms will increase brand awareness and provide access to a vast market of potential customers.
Live selling is one of the best ways to establish brand trust with your viewers and followers. Besides, live streaming also shows your viewers a vulnerable and unfiltered side of your brand, creating a humane and trustworthy connection with them that other forms of e-commerce cannot match. And social media platforms are a communal space for pet parents to connect with brands, specialists, and each other.
Facebook is an excellent starting point for pet retailers, with nearly 250 million active US users. It provides extensive reach and another way to sell pet products via Facebook Live Shopping.
2. Harness the Viral Power of Pet Content
Pets provide us with immense emotional comfort—even through a screen. Amid the sea of online content, cute animal photos or hilarious pet videos offer a much-needed reprieve, which explains the constant viewership of some 24×7 animal streams. Using pet videos and livestreaming pets using your products, your business can comfort your viewers while boosting sales!
Showcase your pet apparel by posting behind-the-scenes shoots of your furry models. Or, create a buzz around your best-selling pet toys with videos featuring wide-eyed dogs or cats having a blast. If your store primarily sells pet food and nutrition, why not host a Facebook Live event instructing viewers on creating healthy homemade dog treats?
Besides, the right tools can turn your pet events shoppable in real time, turning viewer engagement into immediate sales. So, when you host a fun, educational live event, viewers can purchase your products as you show them!
3. Embrace Contextual Commerce
One of the key advantages of social media selling is the ability to use contextual commerce to its full extent. This strategy involves curating your products and services based on the context of the customer’s situation, their pet’s needs, or the social setting.
For instance, if your online pet store sells apparel, host a live sale featuring pets decked out in comfy pet sweaters, socks, and mittens, sitting on heating pads during the winter. You can also show your pets enjoying special winter treats. If it’s National Dog Day, host a special event selling dog-related products while celebrating our canine companions. With this kind of contextual live selling, you can feature entire attires, looks, and bundles of products, all of which your viewers can purchase in real time. You can also feature shop-the-look videos to give pet parents entire bundles they can purchase. This way, contextual commerce creates an engaging, personalized shopping experience that traditional e-commerce often fails to provide.
Platforms like CommentSold provide consistent, contextual live selling that engages users on multiple channels. Using the platform’s comprehensive analytics and reporting features, you can understand your customer’s behavior, helping you create personalized, context-driven shopping experiences for pet parents.
4. Cultivate Trust & Long-term Loyalty
Posting adorable pet videos is just the tip of the iceberg. Social platforms offer a unique opportunity to articulate your brand mission, address concerns, and stimulate conversation. They’re great platforms to educate, inform, and build trust and loyalty.
Remember, people buy from those they know, like, and trust. And customer loyalty programs aren’t the only way to build long-term trust. An active social media presence, compelling educational content, and a passion for serving customers can build credibility, ensuring repeat business.
Consider how your business can benefit pet parents through social media and include your products as part of that information. That way, you will build viewer trust and loyalty while marketing your products and brands. For example, if your mission is to provide natural foods and top-tier supplies for cats and dogs, focus your content on nutritional education. Use your extensive product knowledge to help pet owners choose the best snacks, toys, and medicines for their furry friends.
Supercharge Your Pet Business With CommentSold
For your pet brand, social media and live selling aren’t just useful; they’re indispensable. With countless opportunities to capture your target market’s attention, engage them actively, and build enduring trust, your pet business can outshine competitors using strategic social media and innovative retail technologies like live selling.
Your pet business can engage viewers like never before by showcasing multiple products in relatable and captivating ways on social media platforms like Facebook. Utilizing live selling, creating viral pet content, embracing contextual commerce, and fostering trust and loyalty, can significantly boost their reach and revenue.
