How to use technology to prepare for Black Friday

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Here are some of the ways in which you can use social and media intelligence to get ahead of Black Friday:

1. Utilise relevant hashtags and keywords

   Businesses should make it easy for their target audience to discover their Black Friday promotions by incorporating relevant hashtags and keywords. By using eye-catching hashtags and terms like "Black Friday deals", "special discounts" or "holiday shopping", businesses can attract attention and drive engagement. This way, when people search for these terms, their content should be among the top results.

2. Analyse historical data

   It is imperative to learn from past Black Friday trends and optimise one’s strategy by analysing historical data. Meltwater's advanced analytics provide insights into consumer behaviour, allowing businesses to identify patterns, preferences, areas for improvement, as well as pre-empt conversations.

3. Improve negative sentiments from previous years

   Black Friday may come with its fair share of challenges, including negative sentiments from customers. A social and media monitoring tool enables businesses to monitor and address negative feedback from previous years, helping them proactively manage reputation and customer satisfaction. By learning from past issues, businesses can build trust and credibility among customers.

4. Manage crisis with spike detection

   Time is of the essence during Black Friday, and any crisis can have an immediate impact on a business. Having a spike detection feature will alert businesses to sudden changes in online conversations, enabling them to swiftly address and mitigate any potential crisis situation. In addition, instant real-time dashboard updates can help assess the severity of any issue, differentiating between minor problems and full-blown crises.

5. Monitor competitors

   Businesses can leverage social and media monitoring in order to gain a competitive advantage by monitoring historical conversations about what competitors have done in previous years. Using social media management tools, businesses can jump into conversations where competitors have been mentioned or where they may be falling short. This offers a chance to highlight USPs and capture potential customers' attention.

6. Identify audience needs and wants

   Understanding audiences is crucial for successful Black Friday campaigns. Consumer intelligence solutions provide real-time insights into consumer conversations, enabling businesses to identify their audience's needs and wants, and tailor their offers accordingly.

7. Control the narrative

   In a crowded marketplace, it's essential to maintain a positive brand image. Leveraging insights from social and media intelligence can help businesses stay on top of online conversations, allowing them to actively participate and guide the narrative surrounding their brand during the Black Friday frenzy.

   In addition, brands should utilise influencer marketing tools to find, contact, and collaborate with authentic brand ambassadors and influencers who align with their brand values and products.

8. Track brand performance

   Measure the impact of your Black Friday campaigns by tracking sentiment analysis, engagement, reach, mentions, and the distinction between organic and paid mentions. These insights provide a comprehensive view of how a Black Friday campaign is performing and where improvements can be made.

Read more about strategies that will help you prepare for Black Friday as well as how Meltwater can help your organisation leverage data-driven insights in their latest blog on How To Prepare for Black Friday To Generate More Sales.