Social media in the interiors industry

Furniture buyers inform themselves online

This is a missed opportunity because AGOF’s facts & figures report on furniture and homes shows that 45.5 per cent of Internet users were very interested in furnishings in the past year, with well over half (58.7 per cent) searching online for information on furniture and home accessories. More than one quarter (29.4 per cent) have already purchased such items online. According to a representative survey commissioned by the German digital association Bitkom, one in two Internet users (47 per cent) ordered furniture and furnishings online in 2016. These are all good reasons to take a closer look at the benefits of social media for the furniture trade.

One-to-one communication

Direct communication with users is one of the most decisive benefits of social media. Furnishing Companies can use social media to directly influence how existing and potential customers perceive their brand. Lively exchanges between users and brands are a frequent occurrence on social media platforms, and communication in these conversations shifts from the factual to the emotional level. The result: the customer becomes a friend. Comments and other user feedback can also help to improve products and services.

Personalised campaigns

Social media networking sites offer a diverse range of opportunities for analysing customers and their behaviour. Based on this data, furnishing companies can implement campaigns that engage customers with personalised content – and achieve better results. Depending on their strategy, this might be a higher interaction rate or a better conversion rate. They can also use advertising on social media to reach new customers. The benefits: social media adverts not only offer ad targeting; they are also often a more cost-efficient alternative to Google Ads. And the viral effects of these adverts should not be underestimated.

Conducting market research

How do customers rate the product? Where is there room to improve a service? The best people to answer these questions are customers themselves, and social media channels are the ideal place to connect with them. Conducting customer surveys on social media is easy, and paid tools are not required. User comments can also reveal valuable insights for product enhancements. Added to which, user feedback is also an opportunity to respond promptly to complaints and offer simple solutions.

Opportunities for the furniture trade

Social media networking sites offer the furniture trade diverse opportunities for targeted communication with a wide audience. There is simply no better place to connect with customers. It’s unclear why the interiors industry is still so often reluctant to venture into the social web. And it’s even harder to understand when you look at the latest findings – they show great interest in furniture and furnishings among Internet users.