Late in July, it was revealed that online retailer ASOS had the fastest growing social media fanbase in the UK fashion industry. The company, which has both a Twitter (@ASOS) and Facebook presence, grew by almost 500,000 new followers and likes in the last three months.
The rapid growth of the ASOS community should come as little surprise to anyone familiar with the company’s social media policy and, while Topshop have the honour of having the largest online fanbase, the excellent social media presence of ASOS has produced an engaged and dedicated group of customers.
One of the main factors for this is the excellent customer service provided by the ASOS social media team. The company has dedicated its Twitter stream to customer service, using the social media platform to placate and reassure aggrieved consumers. Indeed, 44.7% of ASOS tweets are replies to other individuals on Twitter, addressing complaints and issues.
What’s more, the ASOS social media team seem to have grasped the ’24-7′ element of the social network, tweeting beyond 5pm during the week and frequently dealing with customer feedback during Saturday and Sunday. Indeed, a total of 360 tweets have been sent out by the ASOS account over the weekend period.
Away from Twitter, ASOS have also took the initiative on Facebook, using the service not just to communicate with fans and customers, but also to develop an integrated store, allowing users to purchase products directly from the social network. This innovative feature not only gives customers the opportunity to buy their favourite items without leaving Facebook, but also provides ASOS with additional exposure; individuals can elect to ‘share’ their purchases with their contacts, thereby granting ASOS further brand exposure to a potentially new audience.
Indeed, this social media activity singles ASOS out as one of the most innovative and engaged retailers using the internet. While the company’s competitors may be using the major social networks to increase their own sales, ASOS’s innovative online customer service and engaging community management have shown that you do not need a dedicated presence on the high street to develop a cult following.
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