The Comprehensive Bookseller Advantage

Social Media Marketing Strategy

By Ashley Strategies, Inc.

NMDL Fall 2012

Market Background

• Competes aggressively in both the competitive online market as well as the local and regional brick and mortar bookseller marketplace

• Launch of Nook market in 2009 enabled it to compete with Amazon’s Kindle and exploding technology and ecommerce market

• Continued growth of e-book consumption• Poised to capitalize on some projected trends:• A significant reduction in the price of printed books, conversely growth

of eBooks take hold• An expansive growth in private books clubs, reading groups as people

rebel against the trend toward isolation • Books will continue to grow in prominence as a marketing/branding tool

• B&N needs to continue enhancing site with relevant, engaging content for online shoppers and leverage social media to augment local stores to differentiate strengths

• Has a developed Social Media architecture and presence

Goals & Objectives

• Augment Barnes & Noble social media strategy beyond the current B&N.com website, Facebook, Twitter and FourSquare

• Engage and connect the B&N Retail market groups to its expansive online services available

• Differentiate Barnes & Noble’s market offerings from its online competition in its ability to offer a brick & mortar bookseller experience to generate store awareness, traffic and increase sales

• Re-affirm Barnes & Noble’s leading market position and offering in both online and offline community experience from that of its local and regional bookseller competition

Target Market

• This Social Media Campaign events will focus on Barnes & Noble Retail Market grouped in the following “interest age” groups• Youth = >18• Middle = 19-45• Mature = 46 +

• In terms of general buying behavior:• 31 percent of in-store/online purchases are impulse buys• The boomer generation purchasing generation about 30% of sales

• The e-book market:• Use online media more heavily• Sales are driven by men and women almost equally• Income skews over $35,000, representing 75% of the

• The print book market:• Uses online shopping and local retail shopping almost equally• Women lead men in overall purchases at 64% of sales• Income skews 41% of buyers earning less than $35,000/year.

Marketing Strategy Components

Enhanced Social Media Ongoing Core Framework

Search Engine Marketing

• Barnes and Noble already hits in the top 10 SEO for keywords like: books, textbooks, ebooks and Nook

• Conversion rates with B&N organic SEO will be tweaked to optimize as needed

Google Adwords will utilize A/B Version Ads for:• Pinterest Contest• Burlington, MA Book

Signing Events• Clyburn (Chicago), IL

Book Signing Events

Website/Blog Activity/Mobile Apps

• Foursquare to feature 10% special for users who check in at event stores locations:

• Foursquare integrated with B&N Facebook and Twitter

B&N website will be enhanced with specific landing pages for:• book signing pre-registration• linkouts to Pinterest site contest• linkouts to author specific sites

Encourage 3rd party coverage and SEO, PR communication on upcoming featured authors will be sent out to:• Top book blogs• IL and MA book signing websites

sources Author Suzanne

Collins

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Pinterest Contest

• Pinterest Contest: “Barnes & Noble: My Ideal Bookseller”.

• Top 10 designs win the new Nook HD

• Top designs featured on the company website

• Local Brick & Motor store to promote winners

  

 

 

B&N: Pin It to Win ItWin a Nook 16GB HD!Top 10 Boards Win.  Enter Today!www.Barnes&Noble.com/Pinterest/

Social Media Sites

• B&N Facebook page will remain unchanged with exceptions of:

• Event content

• Individual posts will be created book signing event and Pinterest Contest

• Linkouts to the applicable website landing pages

• Linkouts to the Local Event Booksellers

• Fan feedback on Pinterest Contest on all B&N linked sites

• B&N Twitter Account will remain unchanged with exceptions of:

• Event content

• Integration with Facebook page

• Highlights of Nook HD

• Book signing and Pinterest tweet updates and reminders prior to the events

• Tweet coverage during store events for customer engagement and dialogue

• Tweet coverage of Pinterest contest winners.

Metrics

• Success evaluated via three core measures:• Facebook Insights and Google Analytics

• Web-traffic activity• Social Media Profiles• Pinterest Event Entrants • Increase in Pinterest Followers• Increase in Facebook “Likes” and Twitter

“Followers”• Sales Transactions for Online & Offline Stores • Results tabulated to project ROI benchmarks to

evaluate additional store event campaigns and evolve the ongoing media strategy

Pre PostProgram

Budget Plan & Timeline

• The Social Media Campaign will run for 60 days

• Budget Allocation: $37,000

• Breakdown:

• For detailed budget refer to http://newmediadl.cas.msu.edu/homework/773/96849

Final Comments

• Results will be utilized to evolve the Social Media Strategy for Barnes & Noble

• Modification to the existing media dashboards will be evaluated to continue to track sales growth and consumer sentiment and positive brand recognition

• A budget template for store event planning will be created to rollout to the local event managers to coordinate with corporate marketing