Poundland has shifted its social media focus away from Twitter, favouring Instagram for its latest ranges.
The variety discounter has not tweeted since 6 August, having previously been active on the platform. It is now using Twitter as a customer service channel, answering queries and replying to mentions rather than initiating posts.
A spokesman said most of the focus was now on Instagram “because the mix of product is changing dramatically as Poundland changes its offer, for example a serious clothing and home offer”.
Poundland began rolling out homewares from sister brand Pep&Co last year, adding what then-transformation director Mat Ankers called a more “decorative” and luxurious range to its own “functional” offerings.
The move forms part of Poundland’s ongoing transformation programme, which has also seen it roll out frozen and chilled food to hundreds of stores, expand its grocery, household and health & beauty lines and add new price points.
Read more: From pound shop to fmcg destination: the growth of Poundland
In recent days the retailer has been using Instagram to push its Halloween range, including ornamental pumpkins. It has also been actively promoting the range on Facebook.
Other recent Instagram posts have showcased candles, a woven basket, cushions, throws and, today, Christmas decorations, using lifestyle photos.
View this post on Instagram
Homewares and clothing were credited in a recent trading update with helping drive 3.1% like-for-like sales growth in the year to 30 September at Poundland and Dealz, the variety discounter’s sister fascia in Ireland, Poland and Spain.
The performance was an “indication of the strengthened customer offer and, in particular, strong performances across recently extended categories in clothing and homewares and the introduction of a new frozen and chilled offer” to more stores, the update said.
Poundland has previously used Twitter to stage high-profile and sometimes controversial campaigns. The retailer was reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Authority in 2018 over a ‘Naughty Elf ’ Christmas campaign, which showed the toy in sexually suggestive positions. In 2019 Poundland deleted a sexually suggestive tweet about Cadbury Chocolate Fingers, posted in a Christmas campaign dubbed SantaBanter.
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