Attire Accessories - Sep/Oct 2018 (Issue 72)

SOCIAL MEDIA 125 WEB WATCH Attire Accessories is at the heart of the online accessories community. Here’s a quick update on what’s been happening… ATT I RE ACCESSOR I ES @AttireAccessories @AttireAccessories @AttireAccMag @AttireAccMag THIS MONTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE’VE MAINLY BEEN: *Tweeting about the epic show season that’s been upon us *Starting to get into Instagram stories! *Welcoming our newest followers *Shouting about our fab brand overhaul OUR MOST RECENT FOLLOWERS: Instagram @simplydivinehats @LiliaOrkish @preece_sarah Twitter @MeenuGraziani @3DDisplaysLTD @satinsandsilks SOCIAL STATUS Kay Tilbury, social media marketer, explains why Twitter and Instagram are such invaluable social networks for Attire Accessories magazine When did the company set up an Instagram and Twitter account, and what prompted it to do so? We originally started off with Twitter and Facebook in 2014. It was another way of keeping our readers up to date on all the happenings within the industry and notifying them of when to expect our next issue. We introduced our title to Instagram in 2017 – this picture-based platform is one of the go-to channels for inspiration. When we joined these platforms, social media was an additional boost to the brand – now its an essential if you want to reach your business’ full potential. Has your business benefited as a result? If so, how? Sure! As much as social media is about sharing topics of interest, it’s mainly about networking. It is now easier to communicate and engage with our audience. Our inbox is more active than ever, which is great because it’s so important to build that rapport, not just between B2B but also B2C. Engagement is key to boosting your brand awareness. Where do you see the future of social media going, and how can it continue to drive brands forward? Social media business has gone from strength to strength over the past few years – the power it has for businesses, large or small, is phenomenal. The creators of these platforms have noticed how beneficial these sites can be too and are continually creating more facilities for businesses. You can now set up advertising campaigns, boost posts and have the option to specifically target an audience on a topic or area. Going forward, I see us continuing to grow with this modern form of digital advertisement. I’m sure there’ll be many more channels available too. How often and what do you tweet/Instagram about? We post once a day, along with posting on Facebook. Our posts can range from informing our audience of upcoming trade shows and sharing expert business advice to our favourite accessories and fab competitions. What advice would you give to first-time social media users? Familiarise yourself with each platform to find out how they work, research your competitors and, most importantly, have a clear strategy. Define your business’ objectives, allow time to engage and listen to your audience. Which accessories companies do you enjoy following on Twitter/ Instagram? We follow a wide range of companies and designers on social channels – too many to mention here. Head to our pages and check out our followings for yourself. I bet you’ll start following them too!