Retailers to leverage social marketing to drive customer engagement, says Amex research

Attracting customers and fostering loyalty has emerged as a pressing challenge for UK retailers, according to an American Express survey, prompting many to turn to social media marketing as a potential solution.

The poll of 500 British merchants found that customer acquisition and retention ranked among the top three concerns for the coming year, alongside rising costs and mitigating cost-of-living pressures on consumer spend. A third of respondents aimed to leverage social platforms to cultivate communities and brand devotion.

Investment in marketing topped retailers' agenda, with over half of those planning such expenditure intending to channel funds into amplifying social media activity. While TikTok has gained renown for spotlighting product trends, smaller sellers lag their larger counterparts in maintaining a presence on the video-sharing app.

Seeking to aid merchants' social success, American Express said it has partnered with TikTok as part of its Shop Small Accelerator programme. Retailers can attend complimentary June workshops hosted by TikTok experts or access webinars unveiling platform tips and tools. "Social media offers a vital conduit for reaching customers and nurturing brand relationships," said Dan Edelman, UK Merchant Services chief at Amex. "Our collaboration with TikTok empowers merchants to harness social's potential."

Eligible merchants can register for the TikTok workshop and webinars by visiting tiktokamexshopsmallaccelerator.splashthat.com.