how to implement a loyalty program using social media
TRANSCRIPT
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Tweet
How to Implement a LoyaltyProgram Using Social MediaBy Antonio Calero
Published March 23, 2015
Do you want to build stronger relationshipswith your social media followers?
Have you considered launching a loyaltyprogram?
A loyalty program is an excellent way to gainaudience insights while rewarding your mostengaged fans.
In this article I’ll explain how to run effective loyalty programs with social media.
Enter your name
HOME FREE UPDATES PODCASTS CONFERENCE EVENTS REPORTS NETWORKING STARTING ABOUT
Browse Categories
Social Media Marketing World Virtual Ticket: Get Access to All Content! Click for details
3.1kShares
1.8k
366
342
202
129
5
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Loyalty Program BasicsLoyalty programs are ongoing campaigns that use rewards to create repetitivebehavior among your customers. Participants take actions on a regular basis, andthe accumulation of those actions is what benefits the company and the loyalaudience.
Since user actions must be easy and achievable, it’s better to provide smallrewards on an ongoing basis rather than just one big prize for an action thatonly a few can complete .
Discover how to implement a loyalty program using social media.
To create a loyalty program, start by deciding on a business goal. Thendetermine what actions users need to complete to help you reach that goal.Finally, decide how to promote and encourage those actions.
Here’s how to run different loyalty programs using social media.
#1: Reward Website VisitorsFacebook retargeting and Twitter retargeting allow you to show ads only to userswho have visited specific pages of your website .
Use this technique to drive traffic through a range of pages within your websiteover a period of time , and reward users as they proceed to the next step or
329,288 people like this. Sign Up to see w hat your friends like.Like
Follow @smexaminer
Follow 200k
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
complete the process.
To do this on Facebook, use a combination of different website custom audiences.This same process can be adapted for Twitter.
Use Facebook remarketing to target users w ho are already interested in your
company.
Jon Loomer recently tested this. Over a few weeks, he provided new content only tousers who had previously visited a specific page. Jon was able to identify his mostengaged audience. Plus, his campaign costs—including conversion costs—droppedas the campaign proceeded.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Jon provided exclusive content to users w ho progressed through the campaign.
How it works
Running a loyalty program with this concept is very simple:
1. Create a link ad to show to your target audience . Users clicking on that adshould be taken to a specific landing page.
2. Create a website custom audience for visitors to the landing pageassociated with that first ad.
3. After a few days, create a new campaign with a new link ad to show ONLY tousers from the previous website custom audience . By doing this, Facebook willshow your ad only to users who visited the first landing page.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
4. That second link ad sends traffic to a second landing page. Create a new websitecustom audience of users visiting this second landing page , and so on…
Create progressive ads. Each page creates a new w ebsite custom audience used
to serve the next ad, thus f iltering non-interested users.
Users cannot visit a specific page if they haven’t visited the previous one. At the endof the campaign, you will have list of highly engaged users who visited all of the pagesfrom the campaign.
It’s essential to provide something of value on each page so users have agood reason to click on your ad.
To avoid users jumping directly into an advanced step without having visitedall of the previous pages (since this does not create a repetitive behavior), do notinclude any internal links on your website pointing at them and do not indexany of these pages on search engines.
Here are a few things to keep in mind, as this method could have some complications.
You are dependent on Facebook. If Facebook doesn’t show an ad to a specificuser due to an algorithm glitch or because you exhausted your budget, that userwill be prevented from visiting the page associated with that ad. And that person willnot be included in the custom audience for the next ad.
You are dependent on user settings. Some user actions like deleting cookies orchanging devices could also affect the outcome of this process, preventing users
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
from seeing a specific ad.
To avoid these, allow users to catch up on content they may have missed. Thiswill also prevent them from jumping directly onto the last page to claim their reward.
Therefore, make page 1 accessible to everyone . Put the first link on your homepage. Remember, the ad for this page is targeted at a broad audience, so this is not aproblem. Edit page 1 to include a link to page 2 once the second ad is live andrunning (not before). This way, you give everyone the opportunity to revisit page 1and keep the process going. Then repeat this process as you include more ads.
#2: Reward Ongoing Facebook EngagementIf your goal is to increase your Facebook organic reach, you’ll need to increase userengagement. So for your loyalty program, you could provide points for each like orcomment on your posts. This kind of incentive is probably the easiest way to createa loyalty program.
There are two main advantages to this method. First, likes and comments increaseexposure. As your fans engage with your content, that content will also reach some oftheir friends, and they may join the program as well. Plus, users will actively look foryour content and engage with it, and that extra engagement will increase your page’sorganic reach.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Likes increase exposure. Image: Shutterstock.
This technique is commonly used in the form of timeline promotions, where there’susually a single winner. However, the key to generating repetitive behavior is makingusers feel they can earn something with each action.
How it works
Provide points for each comment or like. Then give users ways to exchange thesepoints for something of value . Allow them to accrue and redeem points forsome of your products, reward the most engaged user each week or month or offerusers access to different tiers where they can obtain additional benefits.
Decide what you’re tracking and what counts as points. Then monitor theactivity. Certainly you can track activity manually. However, it may be a bit of achallenge, especially if you get a lot of participation.
To help you with this task, try a third-party platform to do the hard work for you.Here’s how to do this using ShortStack.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
1. Connect your page with the app and go into Forms & Promos in the topmenu. Then click on Importing Entries from a Facebook Page Timeline link.Provide a name for your promotion and click on Create and Import.
Log into ShortStack, go to Forms & Promos and choose Importing Entries from a Facebook Page
Timeline.
2. ShortStack will show you a screen that lists all of the pages you manage. Selectthe page where you will be running the program.
Select the page you’re using for the promotion.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
3. Select the post you’d like to track.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Next, select the post you’re tracking. You can select only one post per data extract.
4. Select the different import options. Decide what type of action you’d like totrack (likes, comments or both, and whether you’ll allow multiple entries from the sameuser, as well as in what way comments (and comment likes) count.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Select the data you w ant to extract from each post.
5. After you create the promotion for a single post, click on View Entries from yourpromotion to download all user actions.
Click on View Entries to get access to all actions from users.
6. Click on the Export button.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
The Export button w ill save all data into an Excel f ile.
All user actions will be exported into an Excel spreadsheet, along with other valuableinformation like date, time and user IDs. This information can also be used to create anew Facebook custom audience .
To make your loyalty program more effective, repeat this type of promotion over aperiod of time, exporting data from each post on your page . Then merge allthe files into one unique spreadsheet and use a formula to count how manytimes each user ID has been found in that spreadsheet.
Publish ongoing results on a regular basis to maintain interest from users. Forexample, publish a post with your top 10 users each month and offer them aprize or discount for engaging with your page regularly.
#3: Reward Loyalty on Multiple PlatformsMany times, conversions for your social media activities will occur elsewhere, like onyour website, a newsletter or even offline at a brick-and-mortar business.
In these cases generating repetitive behavior on social media may not be enough toachieve your business goals. However, running separate programs on differentchannels could be difficult to manage.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
It’s possible to track loyalty programs across different marketing channels. Image:
Shutterstock.
If this is your case, you could use Antavo to integrate your loyalty programacross different channels.
Integrating Antavo’s loyalty program with your website and social media accounts willrequire some assistance from the platform’s support team. Once this step has beencompleted, the tool is really easy to use and highly customizable.
To create a multi-channel loyalty program with Antavo, follow these steps:
1. Decide which user actions you’ll be tracking on each channel.
Some of the most interesting actions that you could integrate in your program are:
Facebook: Likes, comments, follows, check-ins, video viewsWebsite: Visits to specific pages, ebook downloads, product reviewsWebshop: Product purchase, product reviews, referralsContests/Apps: Entries, shares or invites
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Email: Subscription or coupon codesPersonal data: User location, preferences, wish lists
Don’t make the program too complex by selecting too many actions. If users perceiveyour program as difficult to follow, they may disengage.
Simple is better. Image: Shutterstock.
2. Decide on the program rules.
The next step is deciding how you’ll incentivize users: will you be giving points for eachaction? Direct rewards? Badges? Rankings? And so on…
Antavo allows running several campaigns within the same program, where users’actions could be rewarded in different ways:
Rewards: These are more “tangible” incentives, like free products, priorityshipping or discount coupons.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
You can rew ard for single actions or for the accumulation of several actions.
Badges: These are unlockable achievements that can be collected.
Badges can be customized and branded according to your needs.
Points: Users can collect points that can be redeemed for rewards later.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Points must be accrued to claim a rew ard.
You could incentivize users in two additional ways:
Levels: Program participants can reach different tiers as they accumulatepoints.
Ranking: Users can see how they rank compared to other program participants.
You could show user rankings to provide additional incentives; for example, the
monthly top f ive obtain a rew ard.
3. Create the rules and badges required.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Finally, you need to connect user actions with each incentive and specify their values.
For example, if your goal is to increase website traffic from Facebook (step 1) and youhave decided to offer a 20% off discount (step 2), now it’s time to configure whichactions will be counted toward that reward.
You will need to configure each rule for each action in each channel. Forexample, the image below shows the rule for when users purchase more than twospecific products.
Creating the right rules could define the success of your program.
Connecting your website with Antavo’s loyalty program is done through a dedicatedAPI, while social media actions are tracked directly through connecting the programwith your Facebook account.
Furthermore, you could also design all badges, stickers and icons to includesome branding in the program.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Make sure you create some branding around your program, as many users w ill
surely share their achievements on social media.
Program participants can see their performance via a dashboard, and thus how closeor far away they are from achieving the next milestone. Understanding the outcome ofeach action will make users feel in control, which is another good incentive.
The ability to keep an eye on their progress w ill maintain users’ interest and thus
increase engagement.
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
increase engagement.
Conclusion
Loyalty programs are a step beyond promotions and competitions, where usually onlya few people get rewarded. They are an effective way to boost your businessresults and increase user engagement.
Create a structure that rewards users after they complete specific actions. Asusers accumulate and redeem rewards, they only get more interested, involved andencouraged to do more.
What do you think? What is your experience with loyalty programs? Have youcreated them, participated in them or both? What are some good examples?Are there good apps to use to manage loyalty programs? Share your thoughtsand recommendations in the comments below.
Incentive photo, Thumbs up photo, Online marketing puzzle photo and Keep it simple photo fromShutterstock.
Related Posts
Tags: antonio calero, customer reward, loy alty program, reward customer, socialize customer loy alty
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, A ntonio Calero
A ntonio Calero is a soc ial media s trategis t and coach spec ialized in
user behav ior management. He helps bus inesses unders tand better
their unique audiences to c reate ef f ec tive soc ial media content and
campaigns . Othe r pos ts by A ntonio Calero »
5 Ways to Grow YourEmail List With FacebookContests
15 Ways to OptimizeYour Facebook Ads
How to Build a WinningTwitter Ad Campaign
Sign Up to see w hat your friends like.Like Share
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Enter your name
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
5 Comments Social Media Examiner
Share⤤
Join the discussion…
• Reply •
Shai Geoola • 17 hours ago
Great article, love the ideas Antonio! Thanks for sharing. Cheers △ ▽
• Reply •
Nache Lekwot • 10 hours ago
Great article, thanks for sharing!!!! Cheers △ ▽
• Reply •
Lance King, MBA • 10 hours ago
I enjoyed the article! I agree that those who engage in a company's content should be rewarded, and incentivized tocome back for more! I'll be thinking on how to incorporate this with our business the rest of the day! Are you onLinkedIn?
△ ▽
• Reply •
O. B. • 8 hours ago
Great tips. Thanks for sharing! △ ▽
• Reply •
Kerwin McKenzie • 8 minutes ago
Antonio, thanks.What other program can you for #2 instead of shortstack?
△ ▽
Subscribe✉ Add Disqus to your sited Privacy
Recommend 2
Share ›
Share ›
Share ›
Share ›
Share ›
pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Copyright © 2015 Social Media Examiner®. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use.