eModeration white paper alert: How fashion retailers use social media

Our latest white paper has just been published and (like our other white papers and guides)  is free to download from the publications section of the website. How fashion retailers use social media explores how both high street and luxury label fashion brands are turning to social media to nurture and develop communities around their brands.

Fashion: the social media opportunity

Social media represents a fantastic opportunity for fashion brands. It’s a perfect medium for providing a direct and tailored customer service (@ASOS_HeretoHelp is just one branded Twitter account that has thrived in this area).

Brands can use social media as a way to gain a deeper level of insight into what their customers want (shaving some costs off that R&D budget).

Using social media, fashion retailers can shape their marketing efforts to the individual, rather than spend significant amounts on traditional marketing alone, which may not be as successful at engaging the whole target audience.

Fashion bloggers have helped bridge the gap between retailer and consumer, showing retailers what can be achieved with community building and engagement through social channels, and in return major brands (such as Vogue) have developed strong ties with the most successful bloggers, using their reach and influence to extend their own online communities.

Issues presented by social media

You don’t have to search for long to see brands getting into hot water via social media (as Kenneth Coles and Celeb Boutique know to their cost). Yes, it’s a brilliant platform for retailers to develop communities, but it’s very important to set guidelines in place for staff to avoid these mistakes, and training should be given in how to minimise reputational damage if they happen.

Our new guide goes into detail about how fashion brands can use social media to promote and develop their brands, and provides detailed guidelines on how retailers can develop and manage a social fashion community.