At RED Marketing, we’re dedicated to providing retail social media services, building remarkable brands and achieving measurable results for our esteemed clients. Over the next few months, we invite you on a journey through our case studies, as we unveil the secrets behind our brand-building triumphs. Kicking off this series is a client who stood by our side for nearly a decade: Sandton City Shopping Centre. Prepare to be inspired as we delve into their transformative story, unravelling the strategic approaches employed by RED that have led to an enduring brand through retail social media services that exceed expectations.
The client
Standing tall and defining the Sandton skyline, Sandton City reigns supreme as a destination that embodies exclusivity in retail and leisure experiences across Africa. Nestled in the heart of South Africa’s financial district, this multiple award-winning shopping centre has played a pivotal role in shaping the district’s coveted reputation. With over 300 sought-after global brands, Sandton City caters to a diverse range of preferences. From the eco-fashionable Food District to the family-focused Fun District and the opulent Diamond Walk adorned with chandeliers and luxury brands, every corner exudes sophistication. Year after year, millions of locals and tourists flock to Sandton City, eager to immerse themselves in the pinnacle of South African retail excellence.
Read more about Sandton City here: https://sandtoncity.com
The retail social media services challenge
When RED took over the account in 2012, Sandton City’s online presence was limited to a Twitter profile with 9,707 followers and a Facebook page with 5,128 fans. The challenge at hand was multi-faceted: Curating high-quality content for 300 stores annually, driving foot traffic into the mall, boosting sales across categories, enhancing engagement on retail social media services channels, introducing Instagram into the mix, and ultimately growing Sandton City’s social media audience to become the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. All of this had to be accomplished with a minimal advertising budget, making the task even more formidable.
The retail social media services implementation
To implement our brand-building method, we embraced a straightforward 6-step process to drive success. Our methodology involved Analysis, Develop, Test, Adapt, Implement and Repeat. Given the nature of the shopping centre, we recognised the importance of diverse content streams.
Firstly, we implemented retail social media services by creating reactive content, which entailed curating promotions, monthly offers, and store-specific content received from the 300 tenants. Secondly, social media marketing for shopping centres in South Africa took centre stage, where we curated unique content specifically for the mall, showcasing the tenants in a captivating way. This involved highlighting what the stores and mall have to offer, giving audiences a closer look at each store’s appearance and the latest trends, using various mediums such as images and videos. This type of content demanded creativity, styling, and production expertise. RED also devised monthly content themes that complemented the overarching marketing strategy provided by the Sandton City team.
Over the span of almost 10 years, RED successfully managed the social media pages, content curation, communities, and advertising spend for Sandton City, resulting in continuous growth and success.
The retail social media services results
Through meticulous planning and adaptability, we were able to steer Sandton City towards exceptional results in the realm of retail social media services and brand building. The numbers speak for themselves, with substantial growth in followers and reach across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Here’s a snapshot of the results we achieved:
Facebook: Garnered a following of 768,000 devoted fans, marking a phenomenal growth rate of 14,876%. This translated to an average annual growth of 76,288 new followers. Instagram: From a humble starting point in 2014, we successfully built a loyal audience of 57,900 followers. Twitter: Our Twitter presence flourished, amassing 68,500 followers with an organic growth rate of 710%. On average, we gained 6,000 new followers per year through organic means. Average monthly reach: Reaching an astounding 3,000,000 screens per month, we achieved an impressive ROI of 3,000:1. Sandton City total audience: Our efforts resulted in a remarkable total audience of 894,000, solidifying Sandton City as the shopping centre with the largest audience in the Southern Hemisphere.
These impressive results have positioned RED as a specialist in retail social media services, working with renowned portfolios such as Liberty Two Degrees, Old Mutual Property, Fortress REIT, Rebosis, Billion Group, and Legacy Retail.
Are you ready to elevate your retail brand and witness concrete results? Let’s make your aspirations a reality! Reach out to us today at info@redmarketing.co.za (for South African clients) or info@redmarketing.biz (for UK clients). Our expert team is eager to partner with you and drive the success of your social media marketing for shopping centres in South Africa journey.
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