One of the hardest parts of managing any kind of social media marketing campaign is coming up with new ideas. If you’re expected to juggle numerous social media platforms and keep them up-to-date with fresh posts then I’ve put together some fresh ideas especially for you – enjoy!
1.Run a competition or giveaway
Everyone loves a freebie, and they’re a great way to encourage engagement. However, it’s not as straightforward as you may think;
Is your giveaway going to be related to your brand? Consider free products, free membership, free guides, free videos, free advice. It’s not necessary to relate the giveaway directly to your brand but it can be useful to do so, especially if you do have branded freebies to give away.
Does your competition have terms and conditions, point of contact, contact details, etc? You must include terms and conditions if anything goes amiss, plus it shows your competition in a legitimate light.
2.Create bite-size video
Video is necessary for brands but sadly many don’t see the investment worthwhile. However, video gets loads more engagement than text alone and especially useful on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. There are some great ideas from the @KrispyKreme feed here.
3.Re-purpose your content
For every piece of content created, either written or video think about ways to promote it beyond its original format. For example, pull a client testimonial or quote and re-purpose it into an image via Canva (my team really like this platform). Likewise, re-purpose your video content into bite-size previews of your longer video from your YouTube channel.
4.Tutorials and how-to’s
Free advice, and step-by-step guides and tutorials are a great way to educate your followers. This can works especially well in the food and drink sectors for cocktail making and food recipes – think Jamie Oliver for one. Consider short, to the point videos while still giving loads of free information.
5.Go live
There’s nothing more compelling than live video to capture your audience’s attention. All social media platforms offer the opportunity to stream live. Whether you’re vlogging from your kitchen table or conducting a Q & A session, responding to your followers in real-time establishes a more personal connection. Don’t forget you can re-purpose and use again across your platforms.
6.Give your clients the spotlight
What better way to promote your brand than to ask your clients for a testimonial, here’s one that we made earlier.
Alternatively, you could show your clients how much you appreciate them by giving them a shout-out. This goes beyond tweeting those who support your business with something much more powerful and special.
7.Take advantage of trending news
The best ideas come along when you least expect them to. Trending news on Twitter and Facebook signify a way for your brand to capitalise on a window of opportunity for such content to be relevant. Use Google Alerts for hot-off-the-press news and various industry-appropriate news channels as soon as it goes live.
8.Run a social-media exclusive deal
Adding a promotional code to any offer will help you to get the insights you need to know how many are buying from you and how much they are engaging.
9.Respond to your followers
Brand should always be willing to talk to their followers. Time is precious and taking the time to respond, shows that you care. Whether you’re praising, addressing a concern or question, or just saying hello, your response can represent your brand in a whole new light. Think about combining customer service with a humorous twist, telling them how much you value your followers’ feedback.
10.Go behind the scenes
Show the people behind the brand because the core of any brand is their people. “People buy people before they buy your services.” Offer a “behind the scenes” snapshot of your people in the office, over a team lunch or team get-together. It’s important to humanise a brand!
BizWizUK can take your business to the next level by supporting your social media marketing plans. If you don’t have the in-house resource or expertise, we provide an outsourced tailored solution. Get in touch with me at info@bizwizuk.co.uk or call on 0161 826 7181 or via our contact page.
By Ann Davies, Director