Community events give department store customers the feels

userby Amy Rountree

We recently explored the impact that locally relevant messaging and local community engagement has on the conversations about shopping centres. Using social listening tools, we’re now taking a look at how local events and community groups can deliver the same influence and positive sentiment for department stores.

Maybe* listened to the online conversation created about John Lewis, Selfridges, Debenhams, Harvey Nichols, and Fenwicks during the first 3 weeks of September 2019 to see how social media monitoring and social media sentiment analysis can help shape a department store’s social media strategy.

The findings

  1. Beauty brands drive the conversation
  2. Community and local events increase positive sentiment
  3. Brands are department stores’ biggest influencers

What’s being said about the department stores?

In our last post we explored the volume of content created about five of the UK’s biggest department stores and the engagement on those conversations. But social media monitoring reveals not only the amount of conversation about the brands, but also how customers feel about those brands.

While Harvey Nicks may have benefitted hugely from its beauty brands; Selfridges, Fenwicks, and John Lewis make up the top of the positivity pops. In the department stores where there was a higher level of content about events and community partnerships there was a higher volume of positive conversation.

The Maybe* sentiment report showing the positive and negative content created about Selfridges . See the sentiment of content being created about your brand on social media.

Foodie feels and positive props

Already a favourite among foodies and pop-up lovers Selfridges will soon become the first department store to house a boutique cinema. In addition its evening events and tasting sessions drive the feels among an experience seeking audience.

John Lewis and Fenwicks do well to engage local audiences in the towns and cities that they have a presence. Local businesses, sports teams, and charities frequently host events or partner with the stores. In turn they are generous with the positive props they bestow upon the brands.

The Maybe* 'What's being said' report showing the most popular topics in the conversation about Fenwick Stores on social media. See the what's being said about your brand on social media.

The key takeway

When department stores and retailers host and create events and experiences positive sentiment increases. Providing the personal, exclusive and pop up creates urgency, intrigue and instagrammable moments for local customers to pay their experiences and excitement forward.

Maybe’s social media sentiment analysis report allows you and your content team to pull back the curtain on traditional social media monitoring. Identify positive, negative and neutral emotional trends in consumer engagement and uncover the content driving their reactions. Use your insider knowledge to create a social media strategy that inspires positive brand mentions. Capitalise on praise, intercept negative sentiment before it spreads and generate actionable data to drive online success.  Get started for free.

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