What makes back-to-school shoppers tick, and how can brands increase their reach? Earlier this year, LTK embarked on a Back-to-School Shopper Study to learn when, where, and how consumers planned to shop for the 2024 school year. Between in-store and online shopping and countless touchpoints for each, the results highlighted diverse shopping and marketing needs, opening the door for an omnichannel approach.
Uncover why omnichannel marketing is so important for the back-to-school shopping landscape and how your brand can incorporate it into this season’s campaigns.
Understanding the Value of Omnichannel Back-to-School Marketing
Back-to-school shopping just a few years ago consisted of massive big box and department store displays and heavy rotation linear TV spots. What we see today paints a much different picture made possible by technology and updated tactics.
Omnichannel marketing is vital because back-to-school shoppers plan to diversify their shopping to include:
- In-store
- Online
- Large retailers
- Buy online, pick up in-store
- Club stores
- Office stores
- Department stores
LTK research shows that 66 percent of back-to-school shoppers plan to shop online and in-store, overcoming last year’s spending hesitancies and making it vital for brands to use tactics that drive results in both spaces. Several key trends point to the value of an omnichannel approach.
Most consumers make in-store purchases from Creator recommendations
Brick-and-mortar shopping is back post COVID, but share of online sales continues to expand, and brick and mortar is still heavily influenced by online activity. LTK has seen purchases driven by Creators jump 69 percent year over year. In fact, our Shopper Study indicates that 59 percent of Gen Zers, 62 percent of millennials, and 50 percent of the general population shop in-store from Creator recommendations. Shoppers rely on guidance to inform purchases across all categories, with beauty and personal care, food, home, fashion, and electronics leading the pack.
Consumers want to see Creator content across more touchpoints
Creator collaborations don’t need to be limited to social media and video. In fact, consumers are begging for more ways to engage. Data shows that 49 percent of LTK shoppers and 34 percent of the general population want to see Creators on TV. Brands have opportunities to leverage TV, in-store experiences, and search in equal measure, gaining more exposure and driving sales.
Brands need to be cross-platform players
Adopting an omnichannel approach means brands not only have to be active in traditional channels but emerging channels as well. The 2023 LTK x Northwestern University Retail Analytics Council study shined a spotlight on connected TV as one area to focus on; it has become the second-fastest-growing channel after Creator Marketing.
LTK brands have access to a proprietary LTK Connected TV offering to support their journey. The service provides AI-enriched data to support casting and Creator partnerships so you can best reach your target community.
Back-to-School Marketing Ideas for This Season
Omnichannel marketing helps brands reach parents, teachers, and students throughout the entire funnel. You have a whole host of tactics to choose from and even combine to reach audiences at every touchpoint during back-to-school shopping.
1. Run boosting on back-to-school social posts
Getting your content in front of the right audiences—especially on social media—can be a guessing game. If you’ve ever wondered why your own feeds seem to rotate through the same content or same accounts, you’re not alone. Constantly changing social algorithms determine who and what gets priority, but boosting can provide another way in.
For our part, LTK boosts content from inside a Creator’s handle to serve it up to the right audience during a fast-paced shopping season, managing the strategy for your brand. It’s just one way Creator collaborations scale your reach and generate brand awareness.
2. Entertain and engage with more video
Audiences increasingly favor quick and engaging content to answer their needs in a flash—and back-to-school shopping season flies by. Gen Zers are a prime example; they’re hungry for short-form video content. Brands can respond by leveraging social media that is tailored to this group and offers robust video support, including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Instagram.
By doing so, you can facilitate the buyer’s journey, carving a path from awareness to consideration with videos such as product demos that offer guidance on everything from tween fashion to the best school supplies.
3. Scale connected TV
Again, consumers are actively anticipating more Creator content. In-store or connected TV? Brands don’t have to pick and choose where to be active. Nearly half of LTK users and 34 percent of the general population want to see Creator content in these places. This creates a prime opportunity to promote customer service, loyalty programs, and back-to-school deals while driving retention.
A few strategies to consider:
- Increase cross-platform visibility with connected TV by testing new creative during peak consumer moments, such as back-to-school season.
- Incorporate in-store moments, such as in-store reels for dorm room essentials.
4. Activate social media
The Creator landscape may be exploding, but 23 percent of the population’s shopping still originates from social media. Consider what your brand could do beyond sharing simple posts in these spaces. Why not make them more interactive?
Shoppable posts—where your brand can offer recommendations and consumers can buy right on the platform—make this possible. During back-to-school shopping season, partner with Creators to craft campaigns that drive purchases through the convenience of social media.
5. Tap your biggest fans
Enable those to post about you and champion your brand during this key shopping season.
A few ideas:
- Encourage testimonial/review posts showing off your products.
- Create how-to use/how-to style videos to inspire consumers.
These advocates share what your brand is doing well, encouraging other users to interact, buy, and share their own experiences.
Move to the Head of the Class with a New Twist on Back-to-School Marketing
Your brand’s back-to-school shopping potential is bigger than you realize. Think outside the box to leverage omnichannel marketing ranging from social media to in-store experiences to connected TV—and don’t forget to amplify your fiercest brand advocates along the way.
Boost your sales and share of voice. An experienced Creator partner can get your message and products in front of the right audience with winning strategies and platforms. Ready to jump-start your efforts? Grab the ears, eyes, and hearts of kids and parents alike this back-to-school season with LTK.
Disclaimer: This blog post was originally published by Forbes as part of a collaborative effort. Its contents have been reproduced with permission below and may include minor alterations for formatting or editorial purposes.