Proof that Social Media Mentions Don't Always Result in Big Sales

by Gail Oliver, Online Marketing Consultant

Proof that social media mentions do not mean big sales

I was never a big believer in using social media “influencers” to get your product in front of thousands of people, because, the truth is, it just doesn’t convert into sales as highly as people think.

Actual Results When Products Were Mentioned on a Popular Account

To prove my point, I started watching products that were posted to Etsy’s Instagram account, which has 2.5 million followers. I would definitely call Etsy an influencer, except they are doing it for free.

Here is what I found when I checked back on individual shops, 24-hours after their product appeared on Etsy’s Instagram:

Shop A got 0 sales.
Shop B got 99 sales, but there is no evidence that all of the sales came solely from the mention, and not from their normal sales efforts as they were already a successful shop.
Shop C got 43 sales, again, no evidence that all of the sales came solely from the mention.
Shop D got 7 sales.
Shop E got 18 sales.
Shop F got 40 sales.
Shop G got 24 sales.
Shop H got 2 sales.

Now, I am not saying that getting a mention on Etsy’s Instagram wouldn’t be good for your business. I am saying that paying to be mentioned on someone’s Instagram account may not bring you the results you expected.

Getting mentioned on social media is not the same as getting publicity. On social media, people are flipping through their posts, mostly looking at their personal posts and not necessarily in a buying mood. A mention on a blog is different, because now SEO is involved.

For example an article that appeared in USA Today online entitled, “60 Best Gifts for Mom” gets 50,000 hits a month of continual traffic. If people are searching “gifts for mom”, then they are obviously in a buying mood. Plus, getting publicity with a creditable blog is typically free.

Therefore, tread carefully before you spend money with an “influencer”. Spending the money on a social media giveaway (read my post: Best Tips for an Instagram Giveaway) might be a more cost-effective option.

Ask My Advice!

If you sell online (or want to) my very affordable Phone Consultations are a great opportunity to get personalized advice and get your store on the right path for 2021.