The social media landscape has evolved incredibly in one short year. We’ve seen the rise of Stories on Instagram, Snapchat Spectacles, and even Facebook putting up…billboards? Everyone is telling their ‘story’, and businesses should be too.
Everyone with a smartphone has the ability to become a modern day rockstar at no more cost than their monthly bill. Marketing with the big boys is possible for small businesses. Your neighbor’s dog is getting social media famous and businesses are adopting the ‘selfie life’ to sell more products or services. It’s hard to keep up, but we’ll help you out.
Here’s what every brand and business should be doing in 2017.
Humanize Your Company
Snapchat and Instagram stories have made celebrities and brands accessible in a way that was never before possible. Facebook Live gives us a chance to chat with the CEO of our favorite company. Give your company the opportunity to differentiate itself from competitors by giving your audience the same ‘behind the scenes’ look of your office or process.
Consumers are looking for a VIP experience before making a purchasing decision. By introducing the human elements to your brand, you’re giving yourself a better chance to gain consumer’s loyalty on a personal level.
Instagram Stories
The video function on Instagram gave brands an easier, and more effective way of reaching their audience. In no way are we saying that you should ignore Snapchat — but stories does give you the same feel without having to migrate an audience to another platform.
Instagram stories is a great way to humanize your brand. Since consumers seem to prefer a less polished look with this feature, it’s more than acceptable to produce raw content on demand. Try giving more points of view behind the scenes of your next photoshoot, or doing an Instagram take over and allow your employees to broadcast their story on your account.
There’s a good chance you could gain more brand loyalty by showing off ‘Bob in accountings’ hidden talents.
1 on 1 Interactions
Have you noticed those comments below your Instagram post? What would it look like if your brand started commenting back in an authentic manner? What if you randomly picked someone engaging your brand for free, personalized product when you @mention them? Do you think they’d talk about your brand to their family and friends? Do you think you’d gain more engagement overtime if you did this regularly? We definitely think so.
The ripple effect that could occur from regularly engaging with your audience a personal level can grow your following and your business overtime. Remember, your consumers are people and they want to be treated like people.