Spring

Why is it so valuable to have a custom domain for your store? Before we dive in…let’s take a step back. What is a custom domain? 

Most every social media campaign has a link leading the user somewhere to do something (usually to buy merch). That link is a web address, or URL. Whether it’s for a promotion, contest, giveaway, or a landing page to promote your mech, a URL is what directs people there. 

A major component of your URL is the domain name. Simply put, a domain name is the unique part of the web address, sandwiched between the necessary parts of https://www and (dot)com. This domain can be random or customized (your name or your brand name).

When driving fans to your business, wouldn’t it be better if your link was purposeful and identifiable to you versus a random string of letters and numbers?

Of course. Still, here are 3 more specific reasons custom domains have value, followed by 4 ways to get the most bang out of your domain:

1. Your BRAND needs to be the first thing seen. Purchasing a domain name is the smartest decision you can make for brand recognition. A custom domain helps promote you and your brand. Website and campaign-building platforms tend to use generic names related to that platform. EX: Your company’s name is Grape Dew. Instead of a generic URL like http://1.www.godaddy.com/123abc, your campaign’s URL might be http://giveaway.Grape-Dew.com/123abc. By seeing the brand name in the URL, customers are associating the name of your brand with the link they are clicking, thereby building in their mind brand consistency and product identity. And for those customers who get confused or tend to be more leary than others, at the very least having a custom domain tells them they are in the right place. Which brings us to:
2. Trust. Unfortunately, we are living in an age where it’s not surprising to hear about this “scam” or that “identity theft,” etc. The inevitable result is reluctancy by potential customers to click on links. If a link is clearly connected to your business, this greatly decreases skepticism. 
3. Make your brand DISCOVERABLE. Here’s a quick rundown just in case you’re unclear: On websites, the root domain is what search engines see. Your search engine optimization (SEO) is greatly improved by having a custom domain, and here’s why: Let’s say a user is searching for something very specific and relevant to your brand, but you have a generic domain. You won’t pop up. However, a custom domain will. The benefits don’t end there. Your site will then become ranked higher. And the more campaigns you run with the same custom domain, the higher your search ranking will be. Every time you run a new campaign with the same domain name you previously used, you now have an even greater chance of being seen at the top of the search results! 

4 ways to get value out of your domain name:

1. Include your Spring store website in the domain name. The value of a domain name comes from the website in the name. Your brand and your Spring store website should be in your custom domain name. When your domain name includes your website, it increases your options on what you can link to and what you can do with your domain name. 
2. Use your Spring custom domain in your custom email address. When you use your domain name in your email address from a custom email account, it doesn’t just advertise your website, it adds to your email address a level of professionalism and makes it easier to send branded communications. You can also manage your custom domain email accounts from your personal email by having them automatically forwarded to your personal email account. 
3. Forward your domain name to social media. You don’t want to keep telling people, “Find me on Twitter” or “Look me up on IG.” Forward your domain name to your social platforms. Ex. Facebook.JohnDoe.com, Twitter.JohnDoe.com, etc. This keeps on brand across the board, all platforms, and all mediums. If you want to know how to forward your domain to socials, each platform has a different set of steps. You will have to google the steps for each one. In the end it’s worth it! 
4. Pick as valuable a domain name as possible. The ideal domain name is determined by you and your brand. Assuming you have a handle on your brand and who your audience is, pick the domain name that will most connect with them and be the most relevant to them, increasing the overall value of your domain. Ex: If you’re a swing dance instructor, Swing-Dance-Instructor.com is better than Dance-Instructor.com, and Dance-Instructor.com is better than Dancer.com, and so on. Get as specific and as relevant to your audience and brand as possible. 

As you can see, brand identity is important and a custom domain name is a major component of that. If you’re a Spring creator, we’ve made it easy to have a custom domain. You can go buy one yourself and connect it to your Spring storefront or you can buy one directly in Spring. So register that custom domain asap and Happy Prospering!

It’s almost time to celebrate mom, which means your fans are looking for ways to celebrate mom, too! Mother’s Day this year is on Sunday, May 14th, and it’s a golden opportunity for creators to capitalize on excess consumer spending. Did you know that according to the National Retail Federation, expected Mother’s Day spending totaled $31.7 billion in 2022, up $3.6 billion from 2021’s record spending! Approximately 84% of U.S. adults are expected to celebrate Mother’s Day, so what are you waiting for? Now is the time to design! 

Create now!

For ideas, think of what moms would shop for themselves and check out our Mother’s Day collection. Some women’s merch favorites include: 

• Women’s Tees
• Women’s Flowy Tanks
• Yoga Pants
• Mugs
• Wine Glasses
• Tote Bags

Add a catchy slogan to capture the sentiment. Sure, “Best Mom Ever” is a good one, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Moms do A LOT! How can we honor all that they do for us? And don’t forget, there are all types of moms, from new moms, grandmothers, step moms, soon-to-be-moms, and even dog moms.

As for color palettes, pink is always a favorite. But you can also capitalize on this Spring’s other trendy colors, like lavender, teal, tangerine, and bright green.

Now that you have some design ideas, here are 5 key ways to boost sales with your Mother’s Day Merch:

1. Don’t wait! Start creating and designing now. It takes a minute to mock up, get products ready, and finally launch. Shipping cut off dates are 04/24/23 for US orders, so you need to promote your merch and give fans enough time to order. Also, here’s a pro tip: create Mother’s Day promo codes and use them when promoting your merch on social to help you boost sales!
2. Order a sample. Another reason you want to create now is so you can order a sample in time to promote special Mother’s Day merch on your socials. Bonus if you can get a mom to wear your merch! 
3. Create promo codes. You definitely want to create Mother’s Day promo codes to drive sales and create a sense of urgency to buy now so fans can get their order before Mother’s Day.. 
4. Get personal. Why is Mother’s Day important to you? How can we celebrate all Moms? Share your experience. Fans relate to real emotions.
5. Repost UGC (user generated content). Encourage your fans to wear your merch and post on their socials. This is an organic way to spread your brand, and it gets more people interested in you and your merch.

Creators can deepen their connection with their fans by promoting merch that honors the role moms have played in their own lives. Happy prospering and HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

Are you aware 2 billion people are on Instagram every day? Of those users, 130 million use Instagram Shopping and 90% follow a business account. Clearly, Instagram Shopping is a great tool for creators to open an online storefront, tag products in posts, and simplify the process for the customer. 

But what exactly is Instagram Shopping? It’s a feature that allows you to create a digital, shareable catalog of all of your physical products right on Instagram. Conversely, Instagram Shopping allows consumers to learn about and purchase products in a few easy steps. It’s not the way of the future. It’s now. Instagram Shopping is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to selling products on IG. 

Don’t worry, Spring makes this easy. In this blog we’ll show you how to set up Instagram Shopping using Spring’s Integration Tool as well as some tips on how to sell more products via that method, so that you can hit and exceed those sales goals! Let’s get started. 

Set up Instagram Shopping with Spring

When you’re ready, and eligible, you can set up Instagram Shopping through Spring. Here’s what you can do on Spring:

• Manage, track, and create your orders and ad campaigns with Instagram, as well as incorporate the look and vibe of your Spring store. 
• Use our tools that help you promote, sell, and list products on Instagram. 
• Set up a product catalog. Many people don’t like the hassle of doing this, but if you connect through Spring, we’ll automatically import your items. If you want to connect from the Instagram side (if your account is eligible), here are some basic tips on linking Instagram Shopping with Spring:
  • Go to Commerce Manager.
  • Open the Catalog tab and go to Data Sources.
  • Select Add Items, then Use a Partner Platform, then hit next.
  • Select your platform of choice: Spring.
  • Hot tip: Remember to keep catalog maintenance top of mind. Once your catalog is set up, it’s important to maintain it. Always keep product photos updated and hide unavailable items.
• Submit and wait for your account review. (It might take a couple days). 
  • Go to your Instagram profile settings.
  • Tap Sign Up for Instagram Shopping.
  • Follow the steps to submit your account for review.
  • Check the status of your application by visiting Shopping in your Settings.
• Turn on Instagram Shopping. Once approved, connect your product catalog with your Instagram Shop.
  • Go to your Instagram profile settings.
  • Tap Business, then Shopping.
  • Select the product catalog you’d like to connect with.
  • Tap Done.

Instagram Shopping is great but it’s only the beginning. How can you utilize this great tool to increase your sales even more? We got you. 

Tips to sell more products using Instagram Shopping

Here are some tips that will help you get the best results from Instagram Shopping:

• Shoppable Posts. Shoppable Posts allow you to add product tags to your content so customers can purchase. Similar to tagging other users in your posts, Product tags on Instagram tag the products. Your shoppers can then quickly shop your products and click on your tags. 
• Instagram Stories/Product Stickers. Inside your Instagram Stories are Product Stickers. You can tag specific products in Stories, just like tags in posts. Don’t know how to create Instagram Shopping Stories? Here’s how:
  • Use the Stickers function to tag a product in your Instagram Story.
  • Upload or create your content for your story as usual, then hit the sticker icon in the top-right corner. Find the Product sticker, and from there, choose the applicable product from your catalog. (Really cool tip: customize your product sticker to match the colors of your Story)
• Tag Products in Reels. Here’s how: 
  • Create your reel. Then tap Next. 
  • Select a cover image and add a caption. 
  • Tap “Cover” and slide the image at the bottom of the screen.
  • Tap “Tag Products” and select the product(s) or collection you’d like to feature. Then Tap “Done”. Lastly, tap “Share” to publish your reel.
• The Shop Tab. On your profile, the Shop tab is where your visitors can see all the products you’ve tagged in your posts on Instagram. This includes any content that features the products. 
• Collections. You can create and customize collections in your shop to help tell your brand’s story.
• Instagram Checkout. If this is enabled, your customers can purchase directly from Live Shopping, Shopping for Creators, and product launches. Shop Pay will automatically pop up for the customer, making it simple for them to check out. 
• Use the best hashtags. Add as many as you can! Hashtags build brand awareness and get your content to the right people so that you and your products become more discoverable on Instagram. 
• Shopping Ads. You can either build an ad from scratch in Ads Manager or boost a Shoppable post you’ve already created. You can do this using the Instagram Product tags. Simple! If your ads have product tags, you can drive to either your Spring store or Instagram checkout (if you have access). 
• Create Instagram Shopping Guides. Instagram Guides are basically mini blogs that live on the platform. For users with an Instagram Shop, this can be a fantastic way to promote products with an editorial perspective. Think trend reports and gift guides. Here’s how:
  • From your profile, click the plus symbol in the upper right corner, then select Guide. Next, tap Products.
  • Search by account for the product listing you’d like to include. If you’ve saved the product to your wishlist, you can find it there also. Then Select the product you’d like to add and tap Next. You can choose to include multiple posts for a single entry if available. They will be displayed like a carousel.
  • Add your guide title and description. If you would like to use a different cover photo, tap Change Cover Photo. Then double check the pre-populated place name, and edit as needed. If you wish, add a description.
  • Tap Add Products and repeat steps 4–8 until your guide is complete. Then tap Next in the upper right corner. Finally, tap Share.
• Visuals. To increase sales you’ll need high-quality photos and videos. It never hurts to get really good at editing videos or photoshopping photos. Or show your product in action with how-to or proof-of-concept video.
• Share sales and promo codes. It’s always a good idea to offer a time-sensitive incentive to get fans to act quickly. With Spring, creating and managing promo codes is easy.
• User Generated Content (UGM). This is when other users share your merch. Jump on this! They are giving you free advertising and credibility. 
• Always end with a CTA (call to action). “Buy Now.” “Share with a friend.” “Tap the [shopping bag icon] to get yours!” 

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to sell your products on Instagram. Happy prospering! And as always, hit us up anytime with questions at creatorhelp@spri.ng.

Spring puns are happening again. Why? Because Spring has sprung and it’s time to spring into Spring–merch that is. Ok we’re done. For now. Spring means the onset of warmer weather, so take advantage of seasonal sales by offering products like tanks and tees. 

We have a Spring collection ready to customize in just a few minutes. Here are some fan favorites:

• Men’s and Women’s tees
• Stickers
• Classic dad hat
• Women’s tank
• Tote bags
• Water bottles

The only thing missing is your designs! So let’s get to it. 

As far as why you should design and launch products for Spring, here are some points to keep in mind:

• Warm-weather apparel is back in season.
• You can stay relevant with new products since Spring is all about new beginnings.
• You can link to holidays. This doesn’t mean put all your eggs in one basket for certain holidays (told you we weren’t quite done with the puns). There are other opportunities like Memorial Day. 
• New products will increase traffic and increase sales!

Finally, here are suggestions on how to best promote your new Spring products:

• Share on socials using our easy Social Integrations
• Send emails with links to your products
• Get samples and show them off
• Offer Promo Codes to drive sales

The season is here. Spring into action with your new Spring merch on Spring and enjoy a season of sales! (And NOW….we’re done with the puns). 

Have questions? Reach out to creatorhelp@spri.ng anytime!

So you want to sell merch. Welcome to the world of e-commerce! Now, how do you sell it? To push sales, you’ll need to promote your merch–and the best place to do it is on social media. Luckily, there are lots of ways to approach promotion on socials. Check out our top 9 ways to promote your merch on social media below! 

1. Use Spring Social Integrations. 

Integrating your digital store with your social media page is now a must. In the old days, it was, “The early bird gets the worm.” Now it’s, “Social integration wins the sale.” No other tip on this list will be as important. You want to make it simple for your fans to bounce back and forth between your site and social platforms. And Spring makes it simple for you. 

Spring integrates with OnlyFans, PopUpShop, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Linktree, Stream alerts, and Discord. Need a basic refresher on how? Click Here.

2. Build Awareness & Community Around Your Brand

Social media is as good as it gets when it comes to generating buzz and marketing. It’s also the perfect place to engage natively with your target audience. This is free promotion! Get people talking about what you do online! This means having conversations, reposting hot topics, and using relevant hashtags. Audiences respond to creators who are actively interacting with others online.

Building this interaction takes time. Here are some quick tips:

• Showcase who you are and what you stand for. Authenticity is what fans respond to. Be yourself and put your passion out there, whether it be through humor or making people remember you by being….you guessed it…yourself. Don’t hold back but also still be respectful. 
• Don’t stray from your messaging. You know what you’re about, what you want to say, and how you want to say it—that’s your brand. Keep your brand consistent in all of your posts and in your comments. This consistency is what will help fans feel like they know you. 
• Engage with the right audience. Do your homework. Who regularly comments on your site? Who hits like? Who’s reposting your content? Know who is responding to your brand so you can further engage with them and others like them. 
• When you receive feedback, respond. This is key to building your community, your brand, and in turn the awareness of it. Your audience will share your work and spread the word!

3. Advertise

While not free, there is no larger reach for your advertising than social media. Socials have a global audience that is rapidly growing. These audiences are so huge, in fact, you need tools for targeting and segmenting. Each social channel where you place an ad has tools to help you do this. Use these tools to make sure you:

• Identify your audience and target market
• Zero in on that audience by layering your targeting parameters
• Set specific goals and KPIs (key performance indicators) for each channel
• Pick ad types that align with those goals
• Study how effective your conversion metrics are 

Your ad types, KPIs, conversion metrics, and the platforms you invest in will be determined by your goals for social media advertising. For instance, are you trying to drive awareness or just sales?

4. Provide Customer Support

Selling merch to fans brings you money, sure, but it also creates responsibility. When people spend their money, they become a customer, and customers expect customer service. To keep your base happy, you’ll need to provide it. So how does customer support help you promote? When it comes to social media, customer service usually happens in the comments for all to see. Customers will usually come to you to:

• Search for more info
• Inquire on products
• Offer feedback
• Engage with you or your content
• Offer perspective on what they want

How you respond creates social proof and that’s what helps further promote you and your brand. When others see these interactions, sales go up. It shows the public how you handle complaints and builds confidence that there’s integrity behind your product.  

5. Social Listening

Wouldn’t you find it invaluable if you knew who was talking about you and your brand outside of your comments? That’s what social listening is. All the data in the world is available to you on social media. Social listening offers valuable insights, including:

• Which products customers love most
• Problems or issues that keep occurring 
• The overall sentiment about your brand 

Armed with this info, you can jump on opportunities, hone your message to meet the demands of the market, and address any issues. There are many free social listening tools out there—here’s a list of some free ones.

6. Collaborate With Others

A few of the most popular social e-commerce marketing tactics are winning new followers, social proofing products, and expanding your reach. Collaboration has now become equally important. 

Social media is about community: those you follow and those who follow you. Partnering with brands who have similar audiences and engaging with influencers are just a couple of ways to expand your community while also profiting off of the collaboration. 

When you partner, create high-value giveaways or promos to your respective followers, which will multiply sales and validate your products & services to a much larger social media audience. 

7. Use Video!

Video is the landscape now. It just is. It’s the most influential. It’s the most popular. Put plainly, the most effective. It’s the reason many customers decide what to buy. It’s not an accident Instagram and TikTok are two of the biggest players in the social media game. It’s because paid and organic video content is the best way to engage users and those two platforms offer the best opportunity for that. 

Your video doesn’t need to be pricey. Don’t go for that Hollywood production value or special effects. All you need to do is speak to your audience, and show your personality as well as the value of your merch. 

8. Post User-Generated Content

One easy way to promote your merch on social media is to repost user-generated content. Examples include users (or fans) discussing the items they purchased, unboxing your products, and user reviews. 

This is why having other influencers purchase your merch is such a great asset because they help provide the social proof and positive reviews you need. 

Give your fans every opportunity to share your merch videos and pictures on social media. Encourage it. Cultivate it. Request them to tag you. Then reshare their post to your own profile. Now your content has been social-proofed! This will also make your customers feel more connected with your brand and show them you value and hear them. 

9. Post Often & Be Strategic About When

Post, post, post. Promoting on social media is all about being prolific. It helps you test what works, build that following, and gain the traction you’re going for. Have a consistent posting schedule (Hint: early morning weekdays are usually the best). Keep in mind it matters when. The best times for each platform are as follows:

• Facebook: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm on Tuesday and Thursday
• Instagram: 11:00 am on Wednesday
• Twitter: 8:00 am on Monday and Thursday.
• LinkedIn: 9:00 am on Tuesday and Wednesday
• TikTok: 7:00 pm on Thursday

This schedule will help you stay consistent, and in turn, help you build your community. Now it’s time to get out there and promote your merch on social media!