It’s been said time and time again: the key to a good retail marketing strategy lies in an omnichannel approach, and within that omnichannel approach is very obviously social media.
Pushing the same products on social media over and over again isn’t going to do your brand any favors, however. Without a good content strategy to support your overall marketing strategy, your social media timelines and newsfeeds will read like catalogs. Now, what’s engaging or interesting about that?
Remember, your customers have actively chosen to follow your brand on social media, on sites that they more than likely visit for fun. They’ve chosen to be there and to see what it is you have to share with them. Shouldn’t you build your brand’s voice and make the brand more personable so that your followers want to keep seeing what you’re showing them?
If you can keep your customers engaged on social media, you’re more likely to build trust and keep them interested in buying what it is you’re trying to sell them.
So what are some of the best ways to keep your social media game strong? Glad you asked!
Here are 3 social media marketing strategies that any brand can implement:
Show products being used by real people
You can show your followers packaging. You can tell them what the product will be great for. But that’s all talk and no action. While there’s no fault in showing the newest product you’re releasing, you’ll do even better in the social media world if you share stories or images of your products being used by actual customers.
The benefits to this are two-fold. First, you show people what your product looks like in real life; doing so also makes the product seem more approachable, as it helps people identify with each other rather than just marketers. Second, you have the opportunity to crowdsource positive images and stories (with the proper approvals and protocols in place, of course).
Think about it, these people likely posted their images or stories to share a little love for a brand they’ve chosen to support – go ahead and give them a little attention back! I mean, don’t you feel a little giddy on the inside when a brand tweets back at you? You can make your fans and followers feel appreciated this way, too!
Show users how to use your product
Your new product has launched, the rest is up to your customers, right? It doesn’t have to be! Help your customers see the value of your social media accounts by posting little tutorials to show them how to use your newest products. Posting videos or GIFs as how-tos will help position your brand as more than just a distributor or seller of the items they want; you’ll become a thought leader as well!
For example, imagine your brand just released an awesome line of scarves. You could easily show tutorials on various ways to wear your scarves to keep your customers engaged on your social media profiles, rather than searching the internet for tutorials put out by other people or competitors. The same can be done for styling a new line of clothing or the latest shades of eyeshadow. The point is simple: don’t just be the seller of goods; be a resource for your customers as well.
Tell behind-the-scenes stories
Marketing paints a pretty picture of a brand at its best to help sell inventory and grow the brand. This is the case for every. single. brand. So, if you want to be different, show what’s happening behind the scenes that makes your brand different. That’s the easiest and most efficient way to show that a brand is run by people, not robots.
Did something funny happen at the office? Great, Instagram it! Did one of your employees do something innovative or thoughtful of others outside of work? Awesome, share that story on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn! Is there an opportunity to show something cool being made, developed, or crafted? Wonderful, create a GIF for Facebook or Twitter, or post a video on YouTube or LinkedIn! Regardless of the story or the social network, the point is to show that your brand is run by people and to hopefully be creative and have fun while doing so.
In conclusion
Now that you’ve mastered a few of the basics for building your brand voice on social media, your customers are likely to keep coming back for more. Remember, if they like what they see on social media, on channels that they have willingly taken the initiative to like and follow, they’re more likely to understand and appreciate what you’re trying to sell them. And if they like what they see, they’re much more likely to engage with the messaging that you send through your marketing automation efforts, too.
