The fashion industry is one of the most competitive industries out there. Fresh and eager new talents are emerging constantly and it’s very hard to become relevant and even harder to stay relevant. Because the industry is so large and ever-changing it is hard sometimes to keep track of everything. There are a lot of things that can go wrong if you’re not paying close attention. Whether you have a small brand or you’re running a fashion empire, you need to track what’s going on around you.
💡 Read Media Monitoring: The Ultimate Guide
Here is where media monitoring comes in handy. It’s simple to use and it can save you a lot of time, money and help you avoid mistakes that can lead to scandals (or get you out of one if you’re using the data properly).
There are many aspects that you can use media monitoring for, so let’s get started.
Improve your marketing efforts and social media
Media monitoring provides you with useful information about your marketing efforts. The moment your campaign is out, you can track whether people are noticing it and how are they reacting to it. You can see which media outlets are covering it and whether the coverage is positive or negative. Also, you can keep track of mentions over a period of time and discover potential influencers who would be a good fit for your brand.
Some of the biggest scandals in the fashion industry are often caused by a backlash toward campaigns. One of the latest examples is Dolce & Gabanna, but unfortunately, there are many more. Their promotional videos for the upcoming fashion show in Shanghai were seen as racist and insulting. There was a huge backlash and in the end, they had to cancel the show. Here’s what the sentiment of online mentions regarding D&G looked like at the time.
Fast reaction is very important because it shows to your customers that you are considerate, willing to take responsibility for your actions, and informed. Media monitoring can be very helpful in creating content, as well.
Establish relationships with your customers
Being there for your customers is crucial. Especially if you’re just starting out. Media monitoring will help you keep track of what your customers are saying about your brand on their social media accounts. Also, you can discover what social media platforms they’re using so you can direct your marketing efforts on the right channels where people will actually see them.
People often use social media to write their issues regarding some negative experiences they had. If you look at any brand Twitter account, you’ll see that they are mostly responding to peoples’ questions and problems. This will especially come in handy if they’re writing posts about your brand without tagging you in it. It is a perfect opportunity for you to establish communication with them and make things right.
Your customers will in most cases appreciate your effort and you can get a loyal customer out of the situation that started out as something negative. Don’t let any post slip below your radar. Use media monitoring to get an insight into what your customers want, need, and expect from you and adjust. A happy customer is a loyal customer!
Find the right influencers
Social media is full of influencers, but not all of them will be the right fit for you. Use media monitoring to track the ones who are. In the tool, you can find the top ten influencers that mentioned your brand the most, the ones who have the biggest reach, the sentiment of their mentions, and the channels they’re using. That information will help you decide which ones would be best to collaborate with. Also, you should pay attention to the ones who are not really your biggest fans. Maybe you can use some of their constructive criticism to improve your brand.
Be informed about your competitors and the industry
Media monitoring is an easy and efficient way to be up to date with what’s going on with your competitors and the industry in general. In the last couple of years, a lot of social changes have been happening for a while now and brands are sometimes having a hard time following and adjusting. For example, Victoria’s Secret has seen a drop in sales because people are no longer accepting their vision of what a “perfect body” is and are choosing to support brands that promote diversity. Since social media platforms became like an extension of peoples’ minds, it’s easy to track the changes in customers’ needs.
When it comes to competitors, the same way as you’re tracking your own marketing efforts you can follow theirs. You can use that information to improve your own marketing efforts, learn from their mistakes (if they make some), or simply get inspired. Also, if your competitors are in the middle of some type of crisis, use this situation as a learning experience.
If you’d like to see the media monitoring tool Determ in action, book a demo, and one of our experts will reach out to you.