Social media spurs growth for traders

Knitters flocked to the Knit August Nights market day, a growing two-day event made possible by social media. Photo / Supplied

Hundreds thronged a rebuilt East Pier Hotel in Ahuriri last month, looking for a good yarn thanks to social media.

The public market, with 26 trade stands, was on the last day of knitters' retreat Knit August Nights, for which 200 people from Australia and New Zealand paid for two days of yarn-related workshops.

"Events like this wouldn't be possible without social media," Skeinz manager Maree Buscke said.

"Knitters and crafters in general are very active users of social media. We have a website but I speak to them directly using Facebook and Ravelry, a site for knitters and yarn crafters."

It was the event's sixth year and the importance of social media continues to be seen. This year it was 25 per cent bigger than 2014.

Liv Reynolds is a director of three Havelock North hospitality establishments where social media was "vital".

"It gives an immediate response that is 100 per cent trustable," she said.

Mexican restaurant Mamacita had 3500 Facebook followers.

"To be able to reach that many people instantly is crucial. For me it is the most potent form of reaching out to our fan base."

Paid posts, called boosted posts, were regularly used to reach a new audience.

"You can be very specific about where that post will be seen. You can target age groups, what they like, where they are from or you can keep it fairly broad.

"It can be a whole new audience or it can come up on people's news posts through their friends - if one of your friends like Mamacita it would come up on your news feed, for example."

The third hospitality establishment Wright & Co - Hugo Chang was second - had not yet opened its doors but had a week-old Facebook page with nearly 600 followers.

Ms Reynolds said all she did was send an invitation to "like" to her friends and then made regular postings.

"People are usually quite nosy about these sorts of things which works to our advantage." Google Analytics was "an amazing way" of analysing Facebook users to enable more accurate marketing.

Instagram and Twitter were also used, but Facebook was the main channel.

Attn! Marketing director Catherine Wedd created a Facebook page for Bostock Organic Free Range Chicken a year ago which has 4100 likes.

"We had a social media strategy and successfully rolled it out using a variety of ways to engage the target audience, including some Facebook advertising, but also using video and plenty of imagery to engage with consumers and tell the organic free-range chicken story," she said.

It's a transparent process and Facebook has been a great way [for the chicken farmer] to promote that story and engage with consumers."

Nurve online strategy guru Ailne Bradley said social media was under utilised by Hawke's Bay companies.

"It is such an easy, accessible vehicle for communicating with your clients." she said.

"There is a perception it is hard, because it is technology, but it is just another channel." But caution was advised, especially for hospitality venues.

"It is a powerful free tool but it can be a double-edged sword. If the experience isn't 100 per cent, then as soon as the person walks out the door they've got the gun."