Heinz looks to Facebook for increased social media outreach

With the recent emphasis of ecommerce companies taking advantage of social media possibilities to drive business to their online payment gateways, Heinz plans to increase their Facebook campaign. Earlier this year, it became the first fast moving consumer goods company to sell products through the social media site, which was a limited edition tomato ketchup.

"The Facebook activity seeded a lot of the interest and awareness of the limited edition and increased overall brand perception," said brand manager Lucy Clark. "We’ll consider replicating that model further down the line."

As part of its social media marketing strategy, Clark also said Heinz plans to increase its advertising budget by 20 percent. To coincide with summer, the company has launched a Facebook campaign for BBQ recipes and weather updates. According to reports, it also includes prizes, stories and advertisements located on the page.

According to Tim Gibbon, director of communications consultancy Elemental, online retailers must adapt their strategies to meet the changing landscape of social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, in order to stay competitive with their rivals.