Disclosure: Searchmetrics is a Search Engine Journal partner, but this coverage has not been sponsored or paid for in any way.
A new study by Searchmetrics reveals the top performing retail stores on Facebook during the holiday season. This was determined by analyzing likes, comments, and shares for pages from the websites of nine top US department stores and three mass merchant stores
This research was conducted during the 2014 holiday season, so if you’re looking for tips on how to kill it during a prime shopping season learn from the examples set by these companies.
According to the data gathered by Searchmetrics, Sears and Walmart were the top performing retailers on Facebook at the end of 2014. Walmart generated over 40 million Facebook interactions during November and December, while Sears generated over 12 million.
Social media is a growing focus for retailers as its becoming an indispensable tool for finding information about products. Searchmetrics CTO, Marcus Tober, explains:
“It makes sense retailers are trying to generate social activity and mentions on Facebook as growing evidence shows that consumers are using social media as a key discovery tool… it is a powerful recommendation if consumers see Likes, shares and positive comments about a retailer or its products from their own Facebook friends.”
Facebook is actually second to Google as a source for finding information, according to a recent Forrester study.
As social media becomes more intwined in the purchase decision making process it’s going to be key for retailers and e-commerce sites to stay on top of their game. Check out the full list of top performing retailers on Facebook and learn from the best.
2014 Holiday Shopping Trends
Looking at the shopping trends for the 2014 holiday season, according to data from Forbes, the most discussed product categories online are exactly in line with what you’d expect after knowing who the top retailers are.
Electronics, Jewelry, and Toys & Games topped the list of online shopping trends during the holiday season — and Forbes’ data shows consumers are spending more than ever during this time of year with a 0.7% increase.
When it comes to in-store vs. online shopping, buying online appeared to be the preference as it was discussed 38 times more than in-store shopping.
One last thing worth pointing out is that the holiday shopping season is getting even longer, with many customers reporting that they start their holiday hopping after Thanksgiving. Keep that in mind as you plan your next holiday marketing campaign.
