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11:25AM September 30 2011

Westquay – the Social Shopping Centre

VIP Marketing, in conjunction with Peer Index has taken the Retail Week annual Shopping Centre 100 list and added each centre’s social capital to create a social media management ranking placing WestQuay in the no.1 slot according to the centre’s social reach, influence and engagement.

We have been working with WestQuay as their lead agency for four years, marketing the centre as a desirable shopping destination on the south coast. For the last couple of years we have been including social media activity as an integral part of the marketing mix.  Westquay deserve full credit for the way they’ve embraced social media – especially considering 47% of the shopping centres on the list don’t appear do anything at all. An odd choice in these economically tough times, and, as the report points out, ‘a socially engaged consumer is more likely to recommend, return and purchase more than a consumer who hasn’t been engaged using social media’.

Over the last couple of years we have organically grown the brand’s social media presence, focussing on Facebook and Twitter as the most widely adopted social networks for the target audience. Through these official brand outposts we have provided fans and followers with relevant, real-time information, ensuring they are abreast of all WestQuay news. Regular content includes an Item of the Week, details of promotions and offers and notifications of upcoming events and competitions. The profiles are also monitored for queries and complaints and provide a valuable customer services function.

Management of these communities is supported by carefully selected digital media including geo-targeted Facebook ads, regional Gumtree and Ebay display advertising and Google search to further build the brand’s digital presence.