Welcome Stores, a chain of 85 stores across Greece, faced significant challenges with its fragmented digital presence. Each store had its own Facebook page, resulting in inconsistencies in branding, profile images, cover photos, contact details, and, most importantly, a lack of a unified content strategy. This resulted in an inefficient digital presence, with different content being posted on each page, lacking consistency in posting frequency and aesthetic. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the need for digital presence, making it essential to centralize their online footprint. The primary objectives were to enhance brand awareness, improve the discoverability of each store, and establish a unified digital strategy to effectively engage customers across platforms such as Facebook and Google My Business.
To address these challenges, TheFutureCats developed and implemented a comprehensive digital strategy aimed at consolidating and unifying Welcome Stores’ digital presence. We began by merging all 85 Facebook pages into a single central page under the Welcome Stores brand. This consolidation increased the total follower count from 33,000 to 89,000, surpassing competitors such as Electronet, Euronics, and Expert. By merging the pages, we created a unified identity across all stores, allowing for centralized content management, making it easier to post consistent content and interact with followers.
Additionally, we transformed the individual store pages into location pages, ensuring that customers could find specific store information, including location maps, contact details, and promotions for each store, all under the umbrella of the main Welcome Stores page. This not only improved discoverability but also allowed for targeted advertising, including store visit ads and localized campaigns. We were able to set up campaigns centrally, while still allowing for tailored content specific to each store’s location, significantly enhancing community building and customer engagement.
Simultaneously, we tackled the Google My Business profiles by merging the 85 separate accounts into one centralized Google My Business profile for Welcome Stores. Each location was updated with accurate contact information, store images, and a consistent brand cover. We ensured all stores were verified, making them visible on Google Maps and easier for users to find. Furthermore, we optimized Google Search Ads, showing relevant local store details for users searching in specific areas, enhancing local visibility. This was particularly critical, as most users rely on Google Maps to navigate to physical stores, and 4 out of 10 consumers visit a store after finding it on Google.
This project won a Bronze Award at the Indie Awards 2021 in the category of Best Use of Digital, recognizing its outstanding contribution to enhancing Welcome Stores’ digital presence.
