It's no secret that social channels are being used more and more for product discovery. This is not to discount Google or even marketplaces like Amazon as top destinations for consumers to find new products, but ass marketers we cannot ignore that social channels are the perfect place to introduce new brands and products to global audiences.
Research conducted by Bazaarvoice's Shopper Experience Index cited the top channels being used by consumers for product discovery.
Surprisingly, even though the growth of the platform has been unprecedented, Tiktok comes in 4th below Meta owned platforms Facebook and Instagram and Youtube.
So what does this mean for Luxury Marketers?
Opportunities on Youtube.
We'd hazard a guess that most Meta strategies these days are pretty robust so the real opportunity lies on Youtube.
YouTube isn't just a place to watch videos—it's where people go to discover new products, get inspired, and make purchase decisions. With over 2.53 billion monthly active users globally , YouTube offers a unique blend of reach, engagement, and versatility that sets it apart from other platforms.The Social ShepherdVersa Creative
YouTube Captures More Attention Than Other Social Platforms.
When it comes to video ads, YouTube holds a significant advantage. Studies have shown that viewers pay 1.8 times more attention to video ads on YouTube compared to those on other social media platforms . This means your product promotions are more likely to be noticed and remembered. (Think with Google)
Smart TV Viewing Is on the Rise
More people are watching YouTube on their TVs than on mobile devices . In the U.S., YouTube ranks second in overall TV consumption. This shift to larger screens offers brands a chance to showcase products in a more immersive environment, similar to traditional TV advertising but with the added benefits of digital targeting and interactivity.
Diverse Ad Formats to Suit Every Campaign
YouTube offers a variety of ad formats to meet different marketing goals. As well as standard in-feed ads (skippable and non skippable), Youtube offers some unique ad options which, depending on budget, could aid in widespread brand awareness. These options include:
Masthead Ads: These prominent ads appear at the top of the YouTube homepage, providing massive exposure for product launches or major campaigns.
Demand Gen Campaigns: Replacing Discovery campaigns, Demand Gen allows you to run ads across YouTube (including Shorts), Discover, and Gmail, reaching a broad audience with visually rich creatives.
These formats enable brands to engage users at different stages of the buying journey, from awareness to consideration.
Seamless Integration with Google Ecosystem.
Being part of the Google family, YouTube ads do benefit from the advanced targeting options and integration with other Google services. This synergy allows for more precise audience targeting and better measurement of ad performance, enhancing the effectiveness of your campaigns. This level of targeting, retargeting and measurement is something that is still not fully available with traditional TV advertising, again furthering the benefit of catching users watching on a Smart TV.
It's no secret that social channels are being used more and more for product discovery. This is not to discount Google or even marketplaces like Amazon as top destinations for consumers to find new products, but ass marketers we cannot ignore that social channels are the perfect place to introduce new brands and products to global audiences.
Research conducted by Bazaarvoice's Shopper Experience Index cited the top channels being used by consumers for product discovery.
Surprisingly, even though the growth of the platform has been unprecedented, Tiktok comes in 4th below Meta owned platforms Facebook and Instagram and Youtube.
So what does this mean for Luxury Marketers?
Opportunities on Youtube.
We'd hazard a guess that most Meta strategies these days are pretty robust so the real opportunity lies on Youtube.
YouTube isn't just a place to watch videos—it's where people go to discover new products, get inspired, and make purchase decisions. With over 2.53 billion monthly active users globally , YouTube offers a unique blend of reach, engagement, and versatility that sets it apart from other platforms.The Social ShepherdVersa Creative
YouTube Captures More Attention Than Other Social Platforms.
When it comes to video ads, YouTube holds a significant advantage. Studies have shown that viewers pay 1.8 times more attention to video ads on YouTube compared to those on other social media platforms . This means your product promotions are more likely to be noticed and remembered. (Think with Google)
Smart TV Viewing Is on the Rise
More people are watching YouTube on their TVs than on mobile devices . In the U.S., YouTube ranks second in overall TV consumption. This shift to larger screens offers brands a chance to showcase products in a more immersive environment, similar to traditional TV advertising but with the added benefits of digital targeting and interactivity.
Diverse Ad Formats to Suit Every Campaign
YouTube offers a variety of ad formats to meet different marketing goals. As well as standard in-feed ads (skippable and non skippable), Youtube offers some unique ad options which, depending on budget, could aid in widespread brand awareness. These options include:
Masthead Ads: These prominent ads appear at the top of the YouTube homepage, providing massive exposure for product launches or major campaigns.
Demand Gen Campaigns: Replacing Discovery campaigns, Demand Gen allows you to run ads across YouTube (including Shorts), Discover, and Gmail, reaching a broad audience with visually rich creatives.
These formats enable brands to engage users at different stages of the buying journey, from awareness to consideration.
Seamless Integration with Google Ecosystem.
Being part of the Google family, YouTube ads do benefit from the advanced targeting options and integration with other Google services. This synergy allows for more precise audience targeting and better measurement of ad performance, enhancing the effectiveness of your campaigns. This level of targeting, retargeting and measurement is something that is still not fully available with traditional TV advertising, again furthering the benefit of catching users watching on a Smart TV.
Opportunities on Pinterest.
Pinterest has quietly become a powerhouse for product discovery, offering a unique blend of inspiration and shopping that sets it apart from other social media platforms.
A Platform Built for Inspiration.
Unlike other social media platforms that often focus on personal updates or entertainment, Pinterest serves as a visual discovery engine. Users come to Pinterest with the intent to find ideas, plan projects, and discover new products. This intent-driven usage means that ads are more likely to be welcomed as part of the discovery process rather than seen as interruptions.
A Demographic Ready to Discover and Spend.
Pinterest's user base is predominantly female, with 76.2% identifying as women, and a significant portion aged between 25 and 34. Notably, 28% of high-income earners (top household income quartile) are active on Pinterest, making it an attractive platform for brands targeting consumers with strong purchasing power. This also bodes well for luxury brands who are looking to ensure that they can reach affluent audiences. And knowing that users of Pinterest are actively seeking inspiration, that should be enough of an incentive for brands to test the platform within their marketing mix.
(Omnicore AgencyPinterest)
Pinterest Ad Formats.
Pinterest offers several ad formats designed to engage users in the early stages of their shopping journey. These ad formats should not be foreign to marketing experts as they mirror a lot of the standard formats we see in both Meta and Google's Performance Max.
Promoted Pins: These appear seamlessly within users' feeds, resembling regular pins, which encourages interaction without disrupting the browsing experience. Brands are able to promote high performing organic posts through this format; a great entry point for those brands who have a strong organic presence.
Video Ads: There are several different video ad types depending on campaign type and objective. As usual, video ads are ideal for storytelling. These ads capture the attention and convey brand messages effectively, aligning with users' search for inspiration. Think about styling videos and UGC style editing rather than your campaign videos to appeal to the nature of the platform.
Shopping Ads: These allow brands to showcase products directly on Pinterest similar to what we see on Meta. Ideal for bottom of funnel and conversion, Shopping Ads simplify the path from discovery to purchase. Although, product discovery for luxury brands tends to need more touch points, having a bottom of funnel ad types to capture those consumers who are immediately in demand and make impulse purchases is still prudent.
It cannot be understated that more and more users are turning to social channels for product discovery. Brands need to move away from the idea that Google is the only place where users are searching and start exploring these social channels were inspiration, emotion and storytelling is key. The wider you can cast your net and reach users who are not in the market to buy, but are looking to be inspired, the better chance you have at acquiring new audiences.
