Among the many examples of Social Media Marketing done right are classic brands. Many classic brands have a clear goal in mind and use humor to get their point across. For example, Greggs, a huge bakery chain in the UK, has a very strong brand and uses social media to maintain that brand identity and engage with its audience. They have also seen good engagement rates as a result of their social media efforts.
UGC
The number one barrier to UGC is negative feedback. This is understandable, considering the technology of today’s smartphones. Yet, this type of content can actually increase your brand’s credibility and fan base, as seen in the success of social media campaigns implemented by Voy Media. The key is to use UGC in the right way. This content has the power to create a better fan experience, increase engagement, and strengthen customer loyalty.
MOZ, an SEO company, tapped into the power of UGC. In addition to posting content on Facebook, users were encouraged to use a hashtag that they created and upvote. The best posts would then be shared on the company’s main blog. UGC comes in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important to know how to harness it for your business. For example, a Starbucks social media page uses a photo from their Facebook community that appears to have been fan-created by customers and uploaded to their page. The photo received thousands of likes and was featured on the company’s Facebook page.
Visuals
There are many different ways to incorporate visuals in your social media marketing strategy. In addition to using photos or GIFs, videos and other multimedia formats can enhance your message. For instance, a Twitter study showed that tweets with images and GIFs received 313% more engagement than those without. A visual strategy should go beyond simply including photos or videos on your social media sites, but should be part of your overall branding process.
A recent study conducted by Venngage found that two-thirds of marketers found producing compelling visual content challenging. The good news is that there are several ways to batch-produce visual content to increase the number of views you receive. The CEO of the Social Media Examiner shared a photo of himself with interesting text to increase engagement. By integrating visual content, you can streamline the process of sharing relevant content with your audience. In addition, you can create a custom template for your visual content, ensuring that your brand always looks its best.
Call-to-action
A call-to-action, or CTA, is the part of an ad that asks the audience to take action. In most cases, you can offer something of value in return for their participation. Before writing your CTA, think about the offer and how to present it. A compelling offer may be strengthened by providing additional context, motivation, and content. A good call-to-action can start with a hook and must-have context.
To make your call-to-action stand out, use images. Images of call-to-action buttons or images are ideal, but you can also use stock photos, typeset words against a color background, or custom elements. For example, if you want to promote the GoPro Million Dollar Challenge, you can include both an image and a video to catch your audience’s attention. Using these images will make the call-to-action stand out and increase the chances of someone clicking on it.
Shared Values
Brands are increasingly finding success in leveraging the passion and loyalty of their audience to drive sales. Using a mix of social issues and brands’ shared values is a proven way to achieve this. Shared values are especially effective because they foster a connection with potential customers. A recent study showed that 77 percent of consumers will buy products from brands that share their values.
Humor
While good use of humor is useful in social media marketing, not all situations are suitable for this tactic. While it is true that some jokes might make people cringe, others may find humor amusing and endearing. When used correctly, humor can help a brand stand out and build a relationship with its followers. When used improperly, however, humor can come across as insensitive and tone-deaf.
Inappropriate humor can backfire on a brand, and therefore it is important to know your target audience before using humor in social media marketing. For instance, 20-year-olds will have a different sense of humor than people in their 60s. Also, humor can be used to make a company appear more human. While it may be controversial to make fun of yourself or your employees, the right amount of humor can help a brand stand out amongst its audience.
