Analysis of Urban Outfitters´ page on Facebook
Urban Outfitters is a line of stores that actively uses both their webpage and social media pages such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to market their products to consumers. I´ll take a closer look at their Facebook page in this analysis; I´ll evaluate the social media page with regards to some features: premiums, participation, user-generated-content, customer service “portal” and content flow.
Urban Outfitters don´t directly offer premiums (free “stuff”) on their Facebook page, but scrolling down to October 22nd one can find a post about their new “UO App”. Downloading and using this app one can “Shop. Complete challenges. Get exclusive stuff.” Under this header one can press a link to see the YouTube video they made to explain all the things one can do using their app - shop, play games, complete challenges, earn rewards, get free tickets and stream new music. So even though they don´t offer free stuff on their Facebook page, they offer a variety of services for those that are willing to use their app. This is definitely something they´ve done to attract customers and make people more interested and it´s directly targeted towards their main costumers, namely young people that are familiar with smartphones and the use of apps.
On Urban Outfitters’ Facebook page one can click on “events” and a list appears with events directed by stores around the US thus creating the opportunity for customers to participate and at the same time they get to market themselves. One of the events occurring in several cities is “Ghouls night out” where they offers tarot card readings, DIY nail and beauty demos and an extra discount on sale merchandise. Another event is “Fright Night”, also happening in stores in several cities. This is a superb way of involving customers of the stores, because while being in the stores for these events people will also notice their other products.
With regards to User-Generated Content they regularly, at least once a day, update their Facebook page. Their updates is mostly pictures of their clothes and other products and usually they have only a short sentence or a few words to describe what they posted, e.g. “Autumn accessories” with a picture of hands holding a pumpkin and the hands being full of rings available in their stores. What one can also notice is that their updates and pictures are all in the same “style”; they show off a kind of urban lifestyle and directly aim their posts towards young people living, or wanting to live, this kind of urban life. They offer a wide range of products within this style both clothes, accessories for people, furnishings and “accessories” for your home, to complete this urban look.
Urban Outfitters are offering users a communication-friendly environment since people can both “like” and post comments on their posts. When people have posted complaints about service, products etc. they have someone answering respectfully and solving the problem before it´s become “too big of a deal”. As long as they make sure they have someone continuously checking the page and responding to complaints with not too big a time lag people will appreciate it and feel they have an easy way to communicate and get hold of the company. If they on the other hand were to not answer relatively quickly and in a respectful manner the chances are high that more people would support the unsatisfied customer and create some kind of a “mob” towards the company and giving them a bad reputation.
Urban Outfitters are most definitely concerned with the feature of giving customers and followers a content flow of news and materials on all their social media pages. They at least once a day, usually more often update their Facebook page with different posts. I do believe their updates are also perfect for their target group with a lot of pictures and few words – it´s easy to keep updated that way. And even though they have updates so often they usually get a relatively high number of “likes” and comments on their posts which also shows they have made a good job creating a dialogue with their customers.
Over all I do get the impression that Urban Outfitters makes a good job marketing themselves on Facebook; they make sure customers are always updated on their latest news and have an exiting page for people that are into the kind of style on clothes and furnishings they offer, namely the urban look. They have understood that it´s not just about having a social media page, it´s all about the content they offer on their page. Another important point is that they have understood that they have to shape their content a certain way to reach their target customers; which they have accomplished in a high degree in my opinion!
Mia Helen Roos
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