Marketing Spotlight – H&M Uses Google+
Despite all odds against them, H&M is successfully using Google+ to reach their target audience across the globe. Users of Google+, which I’ve often ratted on for falling short of marketer (and user) expectations, have typically been males interested in science and technology. This is the complete opposite of H&M’s target audience, females and more stylish males.
Surprisingly, H&M has found its niche on Google+, obtaining 543,540 followers. On top of this, viewers are engaged with the content posted, commenting, sharing, and “+-ing” on it.
What has H&M done to draw Google+ users to their page? Post content users can’t find on other social media outlets. Many businesses think they can get away with posting the same content across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc and see Google+ as just another outlet. This strategy couldn’t be any worse. Each tool has slightly different audiences that use the media for different uses.
On H&M’s Google+ page, posts give followers exclusive photos of their latest collections and announcements of when new clothing arrives in their stores. Their Facebook page posts fashion articles, media announcements (see us on this design show), and suggested looks of the season. So, to get users coming to their Google+ page, H&M provided their followers content they couldn’t get anywhere else.
Users can also browse their photo galleries, seeing current and past fashion releases.
H&M also provides general information about themselves and general guidelines for users:
H&M does a great job of differentiating their page, both from a design and a content standpoint. The end result is engaged followers who enjoy the brand and will translate to happy customers.
A few things other businesses can learn from H&M:
1. Give users content that they want and can’t find anywhere else. Don’t just shoot out the same content across all social media outlets. Realize that Google+ is a different beast than everything else, so you may need to incentivize visits.
2. Create a design appropriate for your brand. H&M used clean, fashion-forward images and logos. Use something that resonates with your image.
3. Engage your visitors. Respond to them. Offer photos, videos, questions, and tips.
4. Don’t be afraid. H&M knew the problems of Google+, but still went forward. Without taking this risk, they wouldn’t have half a million people interacting with their brand.
-Bryan Nagy
