How I Gave a Local Gift Shop a Website Refresh + Social Engagement Strategy
Of my own accord, I independently created these project pieces to test my professional skills and expand my knowledge and experience. I was not hired or paid to complete this work.
What: Strapping is a woman, LGBTQ+, and disabled-owned local gift shop in Sacramento, California.
They sell a variety of unique and off-the-wall trinkets, stationery, apparel, and home goods.
My why: As a self-proclaimed quirky gift-giver, my most reliable source for unusual presents is consistently Strapping. I have never walked out of any of their stores empty-handed and for three solid reasons:
They curate eclectic, swoon-worthy items I can’t find anywhere else
I’ve been the recipient of their warm, authentic customer care
Their brand’s message of inclusivity and celebration of diversity is admirable and is the kind of business I seek to support
The problem: Strapping’s website and marketing copy does not reflect the magic of their in-store experience or brand identity. These elements do not do justice to the heartwarming delight it is to shop in one of their physical locations.
The two-fold solution:
I revamped Strapping’s web presence into a streamlined one-page site that entices visitors to convert from online lookers to in-store guests.
I created an ad series and monthly content calendar template to offer sustainable social engagement and utilized Hootsuite to automate posting.
PART 1: RESEARCH + DEFINING AUDIENCE
First, I gathered relevant keywords to incorporate into the copy by:
Using Ubersuggest to inform my list
Acted as a common Googler conducting searches for “gift shops in Sacramento” and “home decor near me” and others, and I recorded common search trends
Investigated competitors’ websites and their copy to compile further keywords
After completing these steps, I collected over 50 keywords to utilize for both the website and social engagement strategy.
2. Next, I explored Strapping’s social channels, local news media features, and read their current website page by page. This helped me understand their history and reputation in order to carry over their brand identity into the project’s next steps.
3. Finally, I read Strapping’s Yelp and Google reviews. The descriptions of guests’ real-world experiences and their concerns gave me a roadmap to further refining the definition of Strapping’s target audience.
PART 2: WEBSITE CREATION
I brought Strapping’s website to the next level with the following steps:
1. Defined website purpose
Strapping constantly rotates products, holding thousands of skews that are not featured for purchase online. For this reason, their website didn’t need to serve as an online store.
Instead, the fence I swung for is persuading potential shoppers to move from their screen to the storefront.
I created a one-page website with Wix that covered:
What Strapping is
What it sells
Where to find them
Where to follow online
2. Website creation
Covering each of the above bases, I put together an eye-catching, colorful design that reflects the products and people you’d engage with in-store.
HEADER: WHAT STRAPPING IS
ABOUT SECTIONS: WHAT IT SELLS
I utilized fun, vector images akin to the kinds of stickers Strapping sells. I wanted to indicate that these are the types of playful treasures guests would find in the physical stores.
Any large images of shelves chock full of products would be too much to consume on a webpage. Because Strapping has so much to offer and their selection changes often, I didn’t want to include literal product photos.
To avoid inadvertently limiting the visitor’s understanding of the range of the selection, I let the quirky icons do the heavy lifting of inspiring imagination and intrigue.
Next, I wanted to make sure that the visitor knew much more was available in-store outside even the few categories mentioned in the “about” sections.
In keeping with the irreverent tone of Strapping’s brand identity, I included this:
It’s punchy and charmingly presumptuous–much like Strapping.
Next, the most important Call to Action is to invite web guests to visit a physical location which I sought to make as simple and actionable as possible.
VISIT US: WHERE TO FIND THEM
All necessary details are included here: location name, address, and hours of operation.
In addition, Strapping’s Yelp and Google reviews clued me in on how important it was for guests to be aware of the parking available before heading to a store. I proactively included this information as well.
Finally, our footer includes the distinct company slogan, contact information, and social channels.
FOOTER: WHERE TO FOLLOW ONLINE
PART 3: SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT CALENDAR TEMPLATE
Next, I created a weekly social content template.
I designed this schedule to offer a baseline of topics Strapping can post about on a weekly basis. This template will serve as a moldable blueprint that will give insight into what performs well and what needs adjustment moving forward.
You can’t improve what you don’t track, and this will offer a means of gaining greater insight as time goes on.
Each day’s social topic is intentionally selected to meet the target audience in the rhythm of their week.
For example, by Friday shoppers are likely looking to plan their weekends and are curious about what’s happening in town. A warm post about an upcoming event in their Instagram feed will offer just what they’re looking for.
Similarly, in the vein of Strapping’s go-lucky optimistic brand style, a “Humpday pick-me-up” post ritualistically on Wednesdays–smackdab in the middle of people’s workweeks—will offer comedic relief. This will solidify Strapping as a brand that brings humor, light, and fun to their audience.
PART 4: AD SERIES
Ad #1: EVENT: an invite to a comedy night hosted by Strapping
Copy: You'll laugh, you'll wheeze, you'll pee a little. Come giggle your ass off outside our Oak Park store on July 25th. Snag your tickets through the link in bio!
Target: comedy fans and quirky shoppers
Goal: entice in-store traffic through the hosting of an event
Intent: I wanted to create an event post that was out-of-the-ordinary and would catch scrolling eyes.
Kermit offers familiarity as a well-known figure while the homey setting of the visual is consistent with the decor Strapping offers. This would be cohesive with the visual grid of their Instagram account.
The text overlay offers all the information one would need to catch interest: what is this? Comedy event. When is this? July 25th. Am I free? Yes! Let’s read more.
Ad #2: SHOP: CTA to visit in-store, highlighting relevant deals and specials
Copy: Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius babies on your mind? Good news: all summer birthday gifts of $50+ get funky fun gift wrapping free of charge!
Target: gift shoppers
Goal: inspire in-store shopping with the incentive of an eye-catching deal wrapped in bright colors – quite literally
Intent: Strapping offers gift wrapping presently and this ad is intended to set them apart by highlighting a unique service that their competitors don’t offer. The colors are indicative of the brand and its cutesy icons are consistent with the products found in Strapping.
The astrology signs mentioned in the copy is an intentional tie-in to not only communicate the details of the summer special, but cater to the target audience as many popular Strapping products are star-sign related.
PART 5: AUTOMATING SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
Finally, I utilized Hootsuite to streamline the social strategy I created.
Hootsuite helps marketing teams optimize their time by giving media managers the ability to organize content and setting it to automatically post at scheduled times.
Instead of taking 20-30 minutes a day to gather photos, write copy, and navigate social platforms, Strapping’s media manager can sit down for an afternoon and schedule out the week’s social strategy to commence on its own.
Here’s a quick demonstration of how I implemented this tool:
PART 6: CONCLUSION
Strapping has all the potential in the world to become a powerhouse in the lane of novelty gift shops. But in order to compete with big-box retailers, they needed a home page facelift and a social engagement strategy that truly depicted the vibrancy and positivity their brand embodies.
My main takeaway from putting together this two-fold solution for such a heartwarming company is that the identity of a brand will inform everything. Developing witty and colorful copy, visuals, and ideas for Strapping was delightful and fulfilling because all that they stand for is delightful and fulfilling.
Coming under the inspiration of Strapping showed me just how powerful brand messaging is. From their products to their staff to their community engagement, Strapping’s message of inclusivity and celebration is intertwined in it all.
My wish is that my project shows how that message can be harnessed and highlighted to bring creative consistency across multiple angles of their brand.