Social media helps past lives

Businesses firmly rooted in the past are embracing the power of modern technology to drive sales upwards and capture exciting new markets worldwide.
Instagram tags for Hemswell Antique Centre EMN-190423-110753001Instagram tags for Hemswell Antique Centre EMN-190423-110753001
Instagram tags for Hemswell Antique Centre EMN-190423-110753001

Hemswell Antique Centres has harnessed ever-growing social media to show life from the past to a wider audience.

The Hemswell Cliff business has partnered with Instagram to develop a bespoke platform which allows ‘tagging’ so browsers can instantly see the price of its stock featured on the global photo sharing network.

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By clicking on price hyperlinks it takes prospective buyers directly to the HAC website where the item can be purchased online.

HAC Digital Marketing Executive Laura Hill said: “Many items have been sold as a result of an Instagram, Twitter or Facebook post.

“Instagram’s new tagging feature is proving a great asset, whereby a link is created within the photo, selecting individual items and directing customers to the item on the website, allowing them to purchase with a buy it now.”

Dealers Ken and Angie Walton are keen supporters of the system: “Hemswell Instagram has given us sales from both this country and abroad. If not for the Web we would be in a different position as regards sales”.

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HAC, which has 400 dealers trading from four buildings on a former WW2 RAF air field, relaunched its website last year.

Latest digital marketing figures show that since then 3,922,082 page views have been achieved from 156 countries across the globe.

A total 1,587,845 people have been reached through Facebook advertising and a whopping 23,392,118 brand impressions have been achieved through advertising on Google and Youtube.

The interior design trade is a valuable market for HAC.

Managing director Robert Miller said: “New pages have been added to our website to attract and promote hoteliers and interior designers who are project managing the refurbishment of an hotel.

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“We supply to many private clients worldwide, retail markets and boutique hotels, as well as museums.

“We are seen by interior designers as a one stop shop operation, delivering to the UK and to more than 20 countries. We are very much focused on exemplary customer service.”

Many thousands of visitors descend on Hemswell Antique Centres each year and staff enjoyed a busy Easter bank holiday period.

The bricks and mortar venue is also preparing for visits by forthcoming film crews making new episodes of hit TV programmes Bargain Hunt and Make Me A Dealer.

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