It’s amazing how technology changes and fads come into the spotlight. Social media is here to stay and because of this, many businesses are taking advantage of it to help promote their products. This is a great thing for those of us that are wanting to save money. Since I am a blogger, I spend a lot of time online and I have been amazed at ways I can save simply by following some of my favorite brands. Here are my tips for using social media to save money.
How Social Networking Can Save You Money
Follow you favorite brands and check in frequently. With the algorithm of Facebook ever-changing, you might not realize it, but brands you have “liked” in the past may not be showing up in your newsfeed anymore. In order to make sure they do, go to the brand’s page and in the corner next to the “like” button, click on “add to interests”. This will make it more likely that the brand’s statuses show up in your newsfeed. Then, you won’t miss a coupon or deal they post!
Be on the lookout for “deals” posted on Facebook. Facebook allows companies to run deals on their Facebook pages that allow consumers and fans to get a discount or free product. You will usually see them floating around your timeline or pinned to the top of the company’s Facebook page. I have gotten salon manicure for $10 as well as numerous free samples, full sized products and discounts.
Join forums and groups. You can join many groups on Facebook that can help you save money directly or indirectly. For instance, if you are new to couponing, search for local coupon groups in your area by typing in the name of you city/town and “couponing” or “couponers”. There, you can meet with like-minded people who will share deals as they come up.
Follow blogs. You will want to follow deal and frugal living blogs on social media in order to get the newest coupons, free samples, giveaways and tips for a frugal living lifestyle.
Know how to use hashtags. Hashtags (#) are Twitter’s way of categorizing things and it is the most effective way to search for things. Facebook now uses them as well. To find coupons or special promotions, simple search #coupon or #(brandname)coupon. You should be able to find what you are looking for as well as some things you didn’t even know where available.
Buy and sell on social media for some great deals. Facebook is a great place to find online yard sale type places. You just search the groups and find some in your area. You might even have some groups that are local that have free stuff. If there are none in your area, why not start one?
Get immediate customer service help. It used to be that you had to email, call or even write companies for help with a serious problem. Now, social media allows you to reach out and in many cases, get immediate assistance. If you are having a hard time getting your money back on a defective product or had a terrible (or great!) customer service issue, reach out on the company’s social media pages to get faster help. Be aware, though, it may take longer if it’s a weekend as many companies only have social media managers on staff during the work week.
What are some ways social media and social networking have saved you money? I would love to know your secrets!