With the wedding industry becoming increasingly reliant on digital platforms for success, many businesses in the industry have been asking if it’s time to move into online only business models in order to survive. Despite the fact that weddings usually require a lot of physical work (trying on the dress, suit fittings, and food tastings), wedding businesses have been performing extremely well on social media and other online platforms.
In the last year alone, around 87% of UK customers have purchased a product online, with this number expected to increase by the end of 2019. So, what exactly does this mean for wedding suppliers and how should they adapt in order to remain competitive? North East jewellery suppliers Angelic Diamonds are here to discuss how the wedding industry is performing in terms of online vs offline success.
The future is digital
So many companies have moved towards an online-only business model – but should the wedding industry follow suit? Digital has already had a huge influence on the wedding industry. With social media apps such as Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook, brides and grooms can find so much inspiration for their big day with just a few clicks. Modern couples are now using new technology when wedding planning. In fact, 42% of people use social media to plan their wedding – with 41% of brides following photographers on social media, 37% of brides following venues and 14% following florists.
Research has found that around 6 in 10 brides to be plan their weddings primarily using their mobile phone, using it to search for venues, clothing, and vendors. Typically, modern couples use social media for wedding inspiration – the social media apps provide a platform for wedding planners, venues, florists and other wedding suppliers to showcase what they have to offer. Instagram and Pinterest, which is used by 64% of brides, have now become a couple’s go to platform for all their inspiration, a digital alternative to a wedding fair. Suppliers who have not yet invested time into creating a social media profile for their business could be missing out on free exposure.
Social media isn’t just a part of the wedding planning process either – when questioned, 27% of today’s couples said that they would create a hashtag for their wedding day.
How to survive offline
Luckily, the success of digital doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the end of the road for physical stores. Whilst it is likely that companies will need to go digital at some stage to stay up to date with the latest technologies, and keep their head in the game, there might always be a place for them offline within the industry.
A lot of planning goes into the wedding process. When couples organise their wedding, you’ll be aware of how much they need to see, and experience, in person – from venues and food tasting, to wedding dress and suit fittings, the industry might struggle to operate solely online, because of the need for physical processes. Wedding fairs have been around for centuries, and there is a reason for that; whilst modern couples use social media for visual inspiration, wedding fairs are still a great way for suppliers to engage face-to-face with potential customers. For most people, their wedding day is the biggest day of their lives so it’s important that they can speak face-to-face with suppliers, and physically see what they have to offer.
Wedding venues often host wedding fairs as they represent an opportunity for brides to see their wedding take shape. Now-a-days, and in the future, there is no escaping the fact that the industry will embrace digital platforms – and couples will use these platforms as a source of inspiration and to help ease the planning process. However, the industry is not yet ready to wipe out all traditional methods of wedding planning. There’s no question that there is still a demand for the physical processes. Maybe, it’s just time for suppliers and other industry professionals to use digital as a means to extend their business and gain more exposure.
