Social Media Secrets for Giving the Perfect Gift

The perfect gift. It’s what we all strive to give and receive yet it’s nearly impossible to find. When you do find it, you know it. Sometimes it pops into your mind in the middle of a casual conversation with the person you’re gift shopping for. A lightbulb goes off above your head and it’s so bright, you’re afraid your friend can see it. You make a mental note to write it down as soon as you get a chance.

But let’s say you have a long list of people you need to buy gifts for. How are you supposed to remember those lightbulb moments with each and every one of your friends, loved ones and family members? Let’s be honest; that’s not going to happen. Luckily for you, social media is full of lightbulbs. Facebook and Twitter have become an extension of our everyday conversations, and in some cases, they spur our offline ones. “Did you see that recipe I tweeted?” “No, but did you see that article I posted on Facebook? Crazy, right?” Other social channels like Pinterest and Spotify give users a chance to share their interest in anything from musicians and music genres to wedding gifts and DIY projects.

Through social media, we’re all creating our own gift registries whether we know it or not. Getting access to these virtual registries is the trick. Here are some tips to crack the code on your friend’s subconscious wish lists (let’s say it’s a female friend for the sake of pronoun agreement in these tips):

• For whatever reason, we feel the need to share our every thought in 140 characters or less. Reading your friend’s Twitter stream is like eavesdropping on her mental train of thought. Does she frequently tweet about a charity she supports? If so, make a donation in her name.  Did she recently tweet about a handmade item on Etsy she’s drooling over? BINGO.

• If your friend is active on Foursquare, you already know her favorite local shops and restaurants by seeing where she checks in most often. Where is she the mayor? While gift cards can feel like a cop out at times, a gift card to her favorite nail salon or coffeehouse can mean the world. Or check to see if the restaurant has merchandise—T shirts, hats, mugs,  etc.

• What recent Facebook contests has she entered? It’s possible that she entered a contest specifically for the prize. Go through her recent activity on Facebook and see if the prize is something you can afford. If the contest is something she shared and promoted to her friends multiple times, or asked for votes, chances are, it’s near the top of her wish list, whether she thought to include it or not.

• Check her Klout score to see what topics she’s influential about. Influential about beer? Get her an at-home brewery kit. Influential about reality TV? Buy her the first three seasons of Jersey Shore on DVD. In some cases there’s a random topic in there that could make for a funny gag gift. For example, if sausage made her list of influential topics, look for a Sausage of the Month Club membership.

• What is she listening to on Spotify? If there’s a certain artist that frequents her playlist, check the artist’s website for any upcoming concerts or a new album release. Or check the band’s online store for useful merchandise like coasters, hoodies, or a concert tee from the band’s most recent tour.

• Pinterest in itself is like a digital wish list. In fact, a Pinterest account comes standard with a board called ‘Products I Love.’ If that’s not a perfect-gift goldmine, then we don’t know what is.

• Etsy’s gift finder allows Etsy access to your Facebook friends. Etsy browses their interests and then offers gift suggestions based on those interests for each one of your Facebook friends. All of the gift suggestions are found in Etsy stores.

BONUS: To really wow your friends, dig deep into their social media activity and find something they mentioned months and months ago. Chances are, they’ve already forgotten what they ‘liked’ back then and they’ll be shocked at how well you know their tastes.