How to motivate your customers to post your products on social media in 2021.

Customers’ opinions carry a lot of weight for online consumers. Today, the ability to share those opinions and experiences through reviews and social media posts can make or break a business. Almost half (47%) of global internet users post reviews of products, companies, and services each month (GlobalWebIndex, 2019), 89% check online reviews as part of their online purchase journey, and 49% consider positive reviews to be one of their top three purchase influences (Trustpilot, 2020). All of this necessitates that brands make every effort to ensure their customers have positive experiences and memorable, share-worthy ones. 

Prioritizing the customer experience is an investment in your business, and a great product is the foundation. Still, to turn customers into brand advocates, you must create a moment that impresses them enough that they want others to share their experience. Fortunately, packaging presents the means to achieve this goal. Creating a singular experience by complementing your products with decorative, custom eCommerce packaging components encourages customers to share pictures, videos, and recommendations on social media – leading to increased sales and brand recognition.

The Power of the Review

Social media is a stepping stone along the customer shopping journey. Users often learn about new brands, products, and services from people they follow and rely on for valuable information. 54% of social media users will use these platforms to research products, and 71% are more likely to make purchases based on social media referrals. The key to capitalizing on this trend is creating positive, informative content about your business readily available on social media. 

Our comprehensive eCommerce packaging study, conducted by Package Insight, shows that 71% of respondents reported being more likely to recommend a brand that packages its items with branded tissue paper than traditional void fill materials. These participants also demonstrated a better recall of the brand and the product after 90 days when the package included decorative tissue paper. What this proved was that utilizing branded tissue paper prints in eCommerce packaging elevates the entire experience. One small but essential design choice can create a level of enthusiasm and satisfaction among customers, making them more likely to share their sentiments with friends and followers. With 85% of consumers saying they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations – that can go a long way.

Better Presentation = Better Visual Aids

Written reviews are undoubtedly helpful for online shoppers researching brands and products, but for many, visuals are a crucial element of a valuable review. One of the obvious drawbacks of eCommerce is that it doesn’t allow consumers to interact with a product physically. Technology developments, such as 3D imaging and virtual try-on, are closing the gap between traditional and digital commerce more and more each day. As those conveniences become standard, the importance of photos and video in online reviews grows. 

‍

New data from a Bazaarvoice study entitled “A picture’s worth a thousand purchases” revealed that visual and social user-generated content drives online retail purchases, with two-thirds of shoppers preferring real customer photos from brands on social media over professional shots. Incidentally, our study found that 2 out of 3 respondents were more likely to share a photo or video of a product packaged with branded tissue paper on social media. That means satisfied customers will not only be self-motivated to advertise your brand to their social media audience, but businesses can then share this valuable content (with proper permission and credit) to amplify their brand’s reach and reputation further.

Food for Thought

The emotions and outcomes attached to the unboxing experience are not exclusive to eCommerce. Food, for example, has consistently been one of the most popular categories of content shared across social media platforms; in fact, 7 in 10 millennials are known to share pictures of their food on social media before eating it. But this generation of consumers is also more likely to try visually appealing foods, so the more unique or aesthetically pleasing the dish, the higher the shareability factor. Smart brands take it a step further by ensuring the dish’s presentation features their brand – whether they stamp their logo on a burger bun or use custom-branded food papers.

‍

Seaman Paper’s EcoLite – our PFAS-free, grease-resistant paper – is available in stock and custom printing so you can always showcase your brand identity without compromising safety or sustainability, as other grease-resistant papers do.

Summary

Your customers are your unofficial street team. From product unboxing to amateur food photography, consumers are more likely to share photos and videos of what they're buying and eating when it's presented with custom packaging.
Maximize organic and meaningful word-of-mouth marketing for your brand by customizing food grade and decorative tissue paper. To learn more about the many benefits of utilizing premium, customized packaging materials, download our full study with Package InSight.