Ultimately the launch of shoppable Twitter ads gives retailers and brands more responsibility as well as a fantastic opportunity on its platform.
One of the topics high on most brand and retailers agendas is to “convert more browsers into buyers” (this goes for instore and all digital formats) so the targeting of Twitter ads means that they will now be able to segment product estates and messaging to engage a wider audience, always remaining relevant. By doing a good job of this, they should realise a direct sales uplift as well as a happy audience.
Brands need to remember however, that they not only need to engage their audience to maintain the brand equity, but also ‘deliver from click to door’. So much of the hard work is done to win a shoppers heart in the purchase phase, but it’s so easy to let them down in the fulfilment. This goes for the payment system right through to delivery or alternative click and collect based arrangements to suit the individual. Real success here will come from how seamless the purchase is combined with timely and relevant messaging. Get all of that right and you will have people waiting for the next offer or product release, not just Friday meme.
This also puts Twitter into the stored payment realm (users will need to store card details in their Twitter accounts settings) where the number of services competing to hold shopper payment details is increasing. PayPal and other payment providers once tipped to be the one standardised online transaction provider, have a new kid at the table. Let’s see how they do, hopefully it’s a big step on.