From mid-October, most MTR stations turned orange, accompanied by clever puns related to the station names. Most Hong Kongers must have been amazed by this massive Taobao advertising campaign at some point. Now that we have stepped into early November, have you looked at your credit card balance and regretted spending too much already? Let’s take a look at 3 common social media marketing methods for the traditional online shopping season in November!

1. Holiday-Themed Attention-Grabbing Content

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday happening annually, most consumers are ready to “declare their bankruptcy”, waiting to snatch up deals as soon as sales begin! For example, Amazon Prime produced 4 fun teaser videos last year for its Prime Big Deal Days event. The best-performing one received over 10,000 likes!

Besides captivating videos, major brands often use holiday-themed elements to create promotional images that attract customers to browse, adding hashtags to increase reach.

(Amazon Prime video reference: https://www.instagram.com/p/CxWA1w2PfRa/)

2. Limited-Time Offers and Countdown Events

Providing limited-time offers can create a sense of urgency among customers, encouraging them to act fast, and this method is highly effective. Most major online stores provide “flash sales” or “one-day exclusive” offers. The prices of selected products are usually highly attractive, sometimes as low as $1.

Alongside limited quantities, these stores often add countdown timers on their websites to intensify the sense of urgency and boost customer desire to purchase. Naturally, the more expensive the original price of the product, the more attractive the offer—home appliances, electronics, and premium beauty products are always the most anticipated items to grab every year!

3. Collaborating with KOLs/Influencers

Partnering with KOLs or Influencers can enhance brand reputation and drive sales. For instance, Lululemon recently held the Together We Grow event in Korea, inviting several celebrities and KOLs to participate. One of Hong Kong’s representatives was Terrance Lau, an actor who recently gained popularity from the movie Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, and one of Taiwan’s was Hook, a YouTuber with over a million subscriptions specializing in history-related topics.

Moreover, many brands frequently collaborate with Influencers on YouTube or TikTok to produce unboxing videos, sharing honest product reviews with potential customers which are often accompanied by exclusive promo codes to attract new customers.

For customers who have shown interest in the brand but haven’t made a purchase, brands also use re-targeting during promotions, offering exclusive discount codes to boost sales further.