Social Networking Sites Drive Traffic to Websites
A company can use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to generate conversations with shoppers that will draw them to its site. A good example of this process is the company Beau Ties, an online tie retailer. They started to use social media in 2006 with a blog and a YouTube channel with videos to answer common questions about their products.
But these methods failed to generate conversions, because they didn't engage consumers in a conversation. When the company turned to Facebook and Twitter to spark dialogue, they started to see results. They posted notable quotes about ties, and re-posted and commented on consumer reviews, and encouraged user feedback about company products and initiatives that were still in the planning stages, so they could better tailor the products before they rolled them out. They also incentivized consumers to Like the retailer's page by offering a free shipping coupon.