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Online and Social Media Report for Lovebird Bridal Boutique in Kingston, Ontario

ABSTRACT

This report evaluates Lovebird Bridal’s online presence through a series of analytics for various platforms. This includes their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages, and their website. It is for the one-month period from Feb 27-Mar 28, 2019. The findings suggest their Facebook is very successful; their Instagram is too, however, needs more interactions/likes; their Twitter is inactive and should remain so; their Pinterest is inactive and should not be; and finally, their website is well done and comprehensive. Overall, there is a complex level of branding that defines the Lovebird brand and experience. The report ends with three recommendations: building an online shopping opportunity, creating more sharable content, and further refining their branding across platforms.

INTRODUCTION

This report is a critical review of Lovebird Bridal Boutique’s branding and online presence. All content is in the opinion of Emma-Lee Goulding of Embracing Branding Inc. Emma-Lee is a social media strategic analyst, specializing in branding and marketing. Lovebird Bridal Boutique is a store in downtown Kingston that specializes in and sells wedding gowns, bridesmaids dresses and other wedding accessories. This report includes an analysis of their social media platforms (including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest) and website using various metrics. It also includes recommendations for improvement. Metrics involve social media analytics, branding consistency, and level of communication/interaction online. This report is intended to help identify the brand’s strengths and weaknesses across its platforms to improve, refine and maximize their online presence.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Understanding Social Media and Branding

People spend hours a day on social media; it now serves as a main artery for entertainment, communication, and even shopping. For a business, it is an important way to capture their target audience through brand awareness, recognition and loyalty. The goal is to turn viewers into customers and likes into sales. This requires the business to communicate their value and competitive advantage through effective and meaningful content. (Stanley, 2019). Simply put, if done right, “the opportunities on social are endless” (Pearson, 2014).

Online Selling Opportunities

Online platforms are now all linked. For retailers, included in this is interactive direct links to shop. Both Instagram and Facebook have shopping features integrated into posts. This feature is credited to significantly higher traffic and increased revenues for business (Wallace, 2019). There is now another level to selling online. This offers a larger reach to customers and new revenue streams.

What Competition/Inspiration Are Doing

In 2017, the wedding dress industry saw $3 billion in revenue (in the United States) (Gaille, 2018). The market is made up of mostly independent boutiques. In Kingston and area, this includes Bridal Creations & Murano’s Formalwear (immediately in Kingston), Rufina’s Bridal, Lily’s Bridal Boutique, Touch or Class and Runway Bridal. There are a few larger stores, notably David’s Bridal, with 28% market share (in the United States) (Gaille, 2018), none of which are in Kingston area. Online presence should always be true to the brand. It should also clearly communicate your business value proposition to stand apart from the competition. Do what they are doing better. Use larger companies, like David’s Bridal, as a benchmark and source of inspiration; there is a reason for their market share.

METHODOLOGY

Social Media

Socialbakers is a website that measures social media activity on different platforms. It is used mostly for research and marketing purposes.

Create a free account

Use the “Analytics” tab and add Lovebird Bridal’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram account through the “Add a New Profile” button

Use the social media icons near the menu bar to look at the results for each platform

Click on the Lovebird account that is listed for the platform

Use the “Overview” tab on the left-side list to view summary metrics

Applicable for Facebook and Instagram; Twitter did not detect results for Lovebird Bridal’s account and Lovebird Bridal’s Pinterest was not found on this program.

Metrics of Focus:

Quick facts such as page likes, response time, etc.

Integration checklist evaluating ease of contacting, linking platforms, etc.

Interactions including number of posts daily, number of interactions daily, and distribution of interactions, growth of followers, etc.

Website

This requires launching the website and observing very diligently using this article as a guide. Unfortunately, running analytics is unavailable as a website tracker is required.

Metrics of Focus:

Quick facts such as social media share, call to action, etc.

Pages overview

Integration evaluating ease of contacting, use of media, linking platforms, etc.

RESULTS

Facebook

Refer to Appendix 1.1 for successful Facebook posts.

Instagram

Refer to Appendix 1.2 for successful Instagram posts.

Twitter

*Twitter analytics not available for this time period.

*Pinterest analytics not available for this time period.

Website

DISCUSSION

Overall, Lovebird Bridal’s online presence is well done! It effectively establishes and maintains their brand. The colours, textures, theme and feel is coherent across all platforms. A notable point is the branding of LBB – standing for Lovebird Bridal or Lovebird Bride interchangeably. They are branding themselves and the experience they offer. It is a very strategic and effective way to stimulate buzz, which creates brand awareness and recognition.

The following will focus on each platform individually.

Facebook

The Facebook page is very active. Further, it is an appropriate platform for Lovebird to use because 81% of 18 to 29-year-olds and 78% of 30 to 49-year-olds use Facebook (West, 2019). Also, 62% of all Facebook users are women (West, 2019). This is the age and gender of their target market – brides.

Lovebird has 2,012 Facebook page likes. The following is the breakdown of Facebook interactions. They posted 11 times for this one-month period; there is a sum of 152 interactions; and the majority of interactions are likes (a sum of 23). This post rate is low; it is suggested to post 24-44 times per month (Ahmad, 2017). Considering the number of page likes and infrequency of posts, 233 likes and 21 shares for this period is quite good. This implies they are creating shareworthy material.

Appendix 1.1, highlighting the top 5 posts, suggests that the LBB Staff Pick posts have the most traction – and should be a frequent content top. In fact, this idea is an excellent branding point. People are familiar with the “Staff Picks” that brands like Indigo do. Customizing the familiar is a strategic branding opportunity.

The response time is one-day. They create conversation in their content by personalizing posts to include the name of their staff or brides, asking questions, tagging photographers and other local business, and using descriptive words about their products. Comments are replied to, but not consistently.

Additionally, they use hashtags. All this effort translates into SEO and connects Lovebird to other local businesses – which is important. The Facebook page includes all important integration points, such as story, phone number, website link and book now button. Lastly, there is a mix of imagery and video highlighting the Lovebird experience.

Instagram

The Instagram page is also very active. Additionally, it is an appropriate platform for Lovebird to use because 64% of 18 to 29-year-olds use Instagram (West, 2019). Also, 39% of all online females use Instagram (West, 2019). This is also the age and gender of their target market.

Lovebird has 1,711 followers. The following is the breakdown of Instagram interactions. They gained 29 total followers in this one-month period; there is a sum of 31 profile posts; there is a sum of 1,900 interactions; and the majority of interactions are likes. This post rate is average; it is suggested to post around 30 times per month, or once a day (Ahmad, 2017). The number of likes is okay, with around 45 likes per post. This is reasonably low for their number of followers. Perhaps the content is not very engaging.

Appendix 1.2, highlighting the top 5 posts, suggests that the LBB Staff Pick posts are enjoyed on Instagram too. Users seem to like to see the staff and understand the experience.

They create conversations similar to Facebook, and additionally tag the photos, use Kingston and wedding related hashtags, and add the boutique’s location. They respond to comments consistently. The level of conversation on Instagram is great. Tagging local businesses is important because it creates a community and encourages others to tag Lovebird in return. An interesting familiarity point for their Instagram is the photos of brides holding the “I said yes to the dress at Lovebird Bridal Boutique” sign. This concept is borrowed from the TLC show “Say Yes To The Dress” and is another level of engagement.

The Instagram page includes the most important integration points, including highlights, hashtags, website and message links. Lastly, there is a happy balance of original content, including the boutique space, sign images, staff picks, products, events, and borrowed content, from brides and wedding photographers.

Twitter

The Twitter page is not active. It likely isn’t a platform worth activating since only 40% of 18 to 29-year-olds and 27% of 30 to 49-year-olds use Twitter (West, 2019). Also, only 24% of all online females use it (West, 2019). These are much smaller numbers than Facebook and Instagram. They have only 238 followers anyways. Additionally, the content that Lovebird shares is very image heavy and Twitter is not an optimal platform for such.

The Pinterest page has not been active for a year. Only 34% of 18 to 29-year-olds and 26% of 30 to 49-year-olds use Pinterest (West, 2019). Also, 41% of all online females use it (West, 2019). Although these are smaller numbers than Facebook and Instagram, they do have 760 monthly viewers and 130 followers. Their content is very image heavy, which aligns with the platform. Pinterest is a large resource for wedding planning and inspiration. Given such, it would be strategic to activate this page again and post 4- 10 times a day (Ahmad, 2017).

Website

The website is beautiful, both in terms of aesthetics and presentation. It clearly defines the Lovebird brand through the use of imagery and colours. There are numerous contact points: a subscription pop-up window, a main menu “Book Now” page, a contact form at the bottom of the landing page, a “Book An Appointment” button and mail icon in the footer. These are all effective placements as the main menu is one of the first items seen and the footer is the last. These are also effective calls to action. This covers three main website must-haves, including email capture form, multiple ways to contact, and a call to action (Hamilton, 2018).

The website has social media icons that connect to their social media platforms. These are placed in the footer, as the last item the viewer sees. Additionally, there is an upcoming events section on the landing page and blog page that viewers can stay up to date on all events and happenings. The blog section has a comment option for viewers to interact. However, the last post is from 2017.

The use of media helps illustrate the Lovebird experience. The photo gallery and virtual tour are impactful. Lastly, the review section offers customer feedback and verifies the Lovebird experience. All 35 reviews are 5 stars and very positive.

CONCLUSION

Lovebird Bridal’s online presence is extensive and involved. Their brand consistency is notable. However, using the same logo and bio on all platforms would strengthen this further. The interactions on Facebook are high considering a low post rate. Content seems to be successful and shareworthy with the high share rate. Increasing the number of posts would create even further reach. For the number of Instagram followers, the like rate is low. However, the post frequency is good. This suggests that the content is mediocre. The Staff Pick posts create buzz and are successful on both Facebook and Instagram. Twitter is not active, with no sufficient reason to be. Pinterest should be active, based on its role in the wedding inspiration and planning space. Their website is very well laid out, user-friendly, and contains many contact points. However, content should be more easily shared via social media; this includes blog posts and images. Overall, the branding and social media aspects seem well understood and executed.

Lovebird has not tapped into the online selling space. They have no online shop. This could be because wedding dress shopping is an experience and best done in person. However, it is possible via shipping and return policies to purchase online – there are countless online shops. This would also open the option to use Instagram and Facebook shopping features. This would allow Lovebird to reach outside of the Kingston market and have another revenue stream through online sales. This is an area of opportunity that will be elaborated upon in the next section.

Overall, they are certainly competitive with what Bridal Creations & Murano’s Fomalwear (closest local competition in Kingston) are doing online. Bridal Creations & Murano’s Fomalwear, too, are on the same platforms. However, Lovebird exceeds their presence through esthetics, quality imagery, and level of interaction. The use of branding tactics, such as #LBB, the Staff Picks, and the Said Yes To The Dress sign pictures. These create interesting content and interactions. They are also good for SEO and overall brand recognition. Additionally, in terms of global competition, David’s Bridal, Lovebird Bridal posts similar material. This includes the Said Yes To The Dress sign pictures. However, David’s Bridal seems to have more variety of content, including general wedding images – not just dresses and accessories. Overall, Lovebird Bridal does not post away from their products. Perhaps a better variety would improve Instagram interaction and further increase Facebook interaction.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are three prioritized recommendations to maximize Lovebird’s online presence:

1) Online Shopping Opportunity

Firstly, I would recommend developing an online shopping experience. This would include making a shop on their website and using both the Facebook and Instagram shopping features. As a boutique, offering online shopping is standard today. Thus, not having one arguably makes Lovebird Bridal less competitive, especially globally. An online shop is another offering, revenue stream, and point of interest for viewers. Further, using the Facebook and Instagram shopping features connect users to the website. This drives traffic and improves SEO. The feature tags an item in the post, similar to a person, with the item name and price. It is attributed to both higher traffic and more revenue (Wallace, 2019). An online shop would extend Lovebird’s reach past Kingston, into a global market.

2) Shareable Content

Secondly, I would recommend contributing more sharable content. This includes blog posts. The last blog post is from 2017. Blogs are a way to be personable while keeping your viewers up to date and returning to your site. It is also a way to control your content and what gets shared. This should include a variety of posts including product features, expert posts, collections, LBB brides, including photos/media. Further to this, is the ease of sharing. The posts should be easily shared via integrated sharing buttons on the post. Reviews should also be sharable and linked to other platforms. All shared content improves SEO. Additionally, the general social media buttons should be present in a header (at the top of the website), in addition to the footer. The more obvious, the better.

3) Refining Branding

Lastly, and of least priority, I would recommend further refining the branding across all platforms by using a consistent bio and the same logo. Their story would be stronger if it was the same everywhere. Additionally, the same logo should be used on every social media platform. These details make the brand more recognizable and increase brand recognition.

REFERENCES

Ahmad, I. (2017). How Often and When to Post on Social Media [Infographic]. [online] Social Media Today. Available at: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-often-and-when-to-post-on-social-media-infographic/510206/ [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

Gaille, B. (2019). 23 Wedding Dress Industry Statistics and Trends. [online] BrandonGaille.com. Available at: https://brandongaille.com/23-wedding-dress-industry-statistics-and-trends/ [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

Hamilton, C. (2018). 9 Website Must Haves That Your Website Needs - Small Business Trends. [online] Small Business Trends. Available at: https://smallbiztrends.com/2013/01/website-must-haves.html [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

Pearson, M. (2018). How traditional companies are using social media in unexpected ways. [online] The Globe and Mail. Available at: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-marketing/traditional-companies-use-social-media-in-unexpected-ways/article17564456/ [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

Socialbakers.com. (2019). AI-Powered Social Media & Digital Marketing Solution. [online] Available at: https://www.socialbakers.com/?utm_expid=.9K7bx648TPSoNHOC5yAvZA.0&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

Stanley, B. (2019). 7 Tips to Increase Brand Awareness Using Social Media Channels - Relevance. [online] Relevance. Available at: https://www.relevance.com/7-tips-to-increase-brand-awareness-using-social-media-channels/ [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

Wallace, T. (2019). Shopping on Instagram Results Are In: Brands Report +1,416% Traffic, +20% Revenue. [online] The BigCommerce Blog. Available at: https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/instagram-shopping/#how-to-start-using-shopping-on-instagram [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

West, C. (2019). Social media demographics to drive your brand’s online presence. [online] Sprout Social. Available at: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/new-social-media-demographics/#Pinterest [Accessed 1 Apr. 2019].

All icons are sourced from FlatIcon.

APPENDICES

Appendix 1.1

Top 5 Posts by the Number of Interactions per 1000 Fans

Appendix 1.2

Top 5 Posts by the Number of Interactions per 1000 Followers

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