As 2015 approaches, many brands will be looking to boost business and reach new consumers. With the ways we communicate with consumers evolving, it is important brands have a presence on appropriate social media channels – but how do you choose the best content to share? We take a look at some New Year resolutions brands on social media will be able to keep.
Video
Not long ago we were talking about the importance of sharing compelling images on social media and although that’s still a must-do, video is also proving popular on the social media pages of brands. With apps such as Vine making it easy to create short, interesting videos, brands can get creative with what they share. Stop-motion, instructional videos and showcasing a new product; video can be a great way to get consumers interested in your brand.
Planning content
Setting out a plan and having a strategy for your social media content can make the difference between social media success and a social media flop. Integrating social media with other communications and generating content around things such as company announcements and relevant items in the news agenda and on the run-up to product launches or other milestones. Creating a viral hit is the object of many brands on social media but in reality it can be difficult to achieve. Instead, focus on creating share-worthy content – what would your target audience find interesting and make them want to tell their friends about and engage with your brand further?
Reactive content
As well as planning social media content, social media teams should stay on top of the news and the latest developments in the brand’s industry. For example, a food brand that had an ingredient that was found to be really good for you could maximise its impact by piggybacking on the news. Equally, if an ingredient was found to be harmful, the team should know early so they have time to prepare a strategy and are ready for any questioning from social media followers.
It doesn’t all have to be industry related though. Look at the success of Oreo’s ‘Dunk in the Dark’ image during a blackout at the 2013 Superbowl, which received 15,000 retweets, and KitKat’s reaction to #Bendgate when the new iPhone 6 Plus was found to be easy to bend. The biscuit brand’s image and accompanying message ‘We don’t bend, we #break’ received over 28,000 retweets.
140 characters
Writing for social media can be quite different from other forms of communication. Squeezing in everything you want to say without spelling and grammar mistakes can be difficult in 140 characters! Experiment with different layouts and structures and share posts with the team to see if you can get any further insight. Familiarise yourself with successful social media pages of other brands – what are they doing and how can you do it better?
Don’t forget a blog!
B2B businesses with blogs generate 67% more leads per month than those without according to Bell Pottinger Digital. Blogs on your website can not only improve SEO but provide interesting content for social media and can showcase the expertise of your team.
There are a whole host of techniques brands can use to improve their social media pages. Need some tips or would like to share your thoughts? Tweet us: @mucklemedia
Image from Twitter: @KITKAT