How to target the affluent through social media

Whether through a company blog or message board, more marketers are turning to social platforms to increase consumers' comfort level on the web. These social solutions can give customers a better feel for the company, increase brand awareness and create a feeling of brand loyalty. But what are the best ways to target consumers via social media?

by Kristina Knight

According to Reggie Bradford, CEO of Vitrue, a social media company, there are some proven methods to attracting the right target base through social media.

First, social sites need to be monitored. According to Reggie, affluent consumers what to trust a website. Whether that is an ecommerce hub or a social message board, monitoring the site is a good way to show these consumers that you care. Second, marketers should offer video and finally be as authentic as possible on the social platform.

"Just like in the real world [consumers] want to create a message and connect with friends and [video] is how wealthy consumers communicate," said Bradford. He said authenticity is also important. "Give the consumer a voice but let them become part of the fabric of the brand. Let the consumer advocate for the brand or product that they love."

Social media is expected to more than double over the next five years. For marketers, this is a huge opportunity to interact with wealthy consumers to increase brand awareness and loyalty. Many are concerned about how to get started. According to Bradford, the best way to start is to get consumers involved in contests and offers.

"It's a way to engage with a marketer from a consumer standpoint. Consumers across the demographics are learning more about the ease of social networks and how they can get involved, this is increasing the usage rates, too," said Bradford. "As the categories develop and consumers become more mature, the web is going to continue to fracture. Consumers want to gather around a specific product from a brand, for example, they don't just want to gather around a cigar but X-Brand Cigar."