Brands often struggle to keep up with social media, as slow decision-making hinders their ability to stay relevant. By the time a content strategy is approved, the trend has already moved on, leaving brands with ineffective social media marketing. To avoid this, companies need to be more flexible and responsive. Here are some components of a successful social media marketing strategy that every brand can benefit from in 2024.
Short-Form Videos: Quick, Catchy, and Effective
Short-form videos are all the rage, with 73% of consumers preferring them when learning about new products or services. This translates into the need for every brand to have their TikTok and YouTube Shorts accounts firing on all cylinders.
To capitalize on this trend, consider incorporating short-form videos into your content strategy. Keep them concise, engaging, and include a clear call-to-action to guide viewers on what to do next. Many people watch videos without sound, so using captions ensures that your message gets across even without audio.
You can also opt for humorous videos that showcase your brand’s personality. The easiest way to do this is to use viral sounds or memes.
The trick is to make a lasting impression in a short amount of time, so use every means of achieving this goal available to you.
Example: Crocs
How do you make people want to wear ugly shoes made of plastic? Ask Crocs. Part of their magical rise to international success is their social media game. Their TikTok is filled with funny, light-hearted videos that attract users from all over the world. Crocs’ collaboration with Shrek alone is a testament to how powerful short videos can be, as the campaign’s videos racked up a total of more than 50 million views.
YouTube: The Video Content King
Still, short videos do not spell doom for traditional videos. With 47% of all global internet users accessing YouTube monthly, it’s a platform you can’t afford to ignore as a brand.
When choosing what to put out on your YT channel, the best decision is to go where your true competitive advantage lies, your expertise. Create valuable content that solves problems or educates your audience, while keeping it entertaining. Research shows that educational videos make people 131% more likely to buy.
Just make sure to not get carried away with cramming too much value into your videos. Keep them dynamic and make use of visuals. Optimize videos with relevant keywords in titles, descriptions, and tags to improve visibility.
Example: HeadSpace
HeadSpace is an app for meditation that helps you master mindfulness and manage stress. The brand’s YouTube channel is extremely active and well-performing. The diverse selection of HeadSpace’s videos ranges from crisis support tips and relaxing music to documentaries and cartoons.
Content Creators: The New Pop Stars
Online shopping has been on a steady rise for almost three decades and there is still room for growth. Currently, over 2.5 billion people worldwide order products online. Social media is one the driving forces behind this, with 71% of consumers saying that they are more likely to buy based on referrals they make on social media. This means that having brand ambassadors popular among online audiences can be the key to unleashing an avalanche of sales.
Don’t worry, there is no need to dump millions of dollars on exclusive ambassadorship deals with top creators. Statistics show that micro influencers boast an average engagement rate of 3.8%, while mega-influencers see only 1.2%.
Just choose the right influencers whose audience aligns with your target market. Build relationships with them to ensure their endorsements come across as genuine, and enjoy seeing their audiences taking notice of your products.
Example: Glossier
Glossier is a makeup brand whose promotion thrives on partnerships with creators with 1000 to 5000 subscribers. It’s a win-win situation for both the brand and the influencers. Glossier gets to expose more people to its cosmetics at the cost of a couple of its products, while influencers get to be featured on Glossier’s Instagram page.
User-generated Content: Audience Voice
Authenticity is the name of the game when marketing to modern consumers. These days people are well familiar with all the advertising tricks from a half a century ago and want to see the real thing. That’s exactly why most consumers prefer user-generated content over the one produced by brands.
You can leverage user-generated content by sharing customer photos and videos. There are also websites like G2 that serve as a platform where users can leave reviews of services. This is the cheapest, yet the most effective way to build trust and encourage sales.
Example: Farrow & Ball
Farrow & Ball is a paint and wallpaper brand that uses its Instagram account as a platform for displaying customers’ photos of their interior designs. The company has amassed over one million subscribers who actively engage with the UGC posted by the brand.
Community Building: Engagement Matters
Building an active online community is critical to social media success, with 90% of social media marketers agreeing that cultivating an engaged community is key.
While building and maintaining an active fanbase is possible on Instagram and other similar social media, most brands turn to their custom solutions for hosting communities. These may include creating a special platform where users can register, share their content and engage with others’ posts. There is also Discord, a platform that offers a wide range of features for managing communities. Brands can use Discord for various community-oriented activities such as hosting exclusive AMA sessions, organizing interactive events and giveaways, creating dedicated channels for customer support, and more.
Example: Sephora
Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community is a space for beauty enthusiasts to connect, share recommendations, and learn from each other. This member-only platform allows Sephora to gain valuable insights into customer preferences. It also drives sales as members can easily discover and purchase products recommended by their peers.
Conclusion
Social media keeps changing. Brands that want to stay on top have to keep up with the progress to stay relevant. But just following trends isn’t enough. The path to success lies in understanding each social media and using strategies that work best there.
Brands often struggle to keep up with social media, as slow decision-making hinders their ability to stay relevant. By the time a content strategy is approved, the trend has already moved on, leaving brands with ineffective social media marketing. To avoid this, companies need to be more flexible and responsive. Here are some components of a successful social media marketing strategy that every brand can benefit from in 2024.
Short-Form Videos: Quick, Catchy, and Effective
Short-form videos are all the rage, with 73% of consumers preferring them when learning about new products or services. This translates into the need for every brand to have their TikTok and YouTube Shorts accounts firing on all cylinders.
To capitalize on this trend, consider incorporating short-form videos into your content strategy. Keep them concise, engaging, and include a clear call-to-action to guide viewers on what to do next. Many people watch videos without sound, so using captions ensures that your message gets across even without audio.
You can also opt for humorous videos that showcase your brand’s personality. The easiest way to do this is to use viral sounds or memes.
The trick is to make a lasting impression in a short amount of time, so use every means of achieving this goal available to you.
Example: Crocs
How do you make people want to wear ugly shoes made of plastic? Ask Crocs. Part of their magical rise to international success is their social media game. Their TikTok is filled with funny, light-hearted videos that attract users from all over the world. Crocs’ collaboration with Shrek alone is a testament to how powerful short videos can be, as the campaign’s videos racked up a total of more than 50 million views.
YouTube: The Video Content King
Still, short videos do not spell doom for traditional videos. With 47% of all global internet users accessing YouTube monthly, it’s a platform you can’t afford to ignore as a brand.
When choosing what to put out on your YT channel, the best decision is to go where your true competitive advantage lies, your expertise. Create valuable content that solves problems or educates your audience, while keeping it entertaining. Research shows that educational videos make people 131% more likely to buy.
Just make sure to not get carried away with cramming too much value into your videos. Keep them dynamic and make use of visuals. Optimize videos with relevant keywords in titles, descriptions, and tags to improve visibility.
Example: HeadSpace
HeadSpace is an app for meditation that helps you master mindfulness and manage stress. The brand’s YouTube channel is extremely active and well-performing. The diverse selection of HeadSpace’s videos ranges from crisis support tips and relaxing music to documentaries and cartoons.
Content Creators: The New Pop Stars
Online shopping has been on a steady rise for almost three decades and there is still room for growth. Currently, over 2.5 billion people worldwide order products online. Social media is one the driving forces behind this, with 71% of consumers saying that they are more likely to buy based on referrals they make on social media. This means that having brand ambassadors popular among online audiences can be the key to unleashing an avalanche of sales.
Don’t worry, there is no need to dump millions of dollars on exclusive ambassadorship deals with top creators. Statistics show that micro influencers boast an average engagement rate of 3.8%, while mega-influencers see only 1.2%.
Just choose the right influencers whose audience aligns with your target market. Build relationships with them to ensure their endorsements come across as genuine, and enjoy seeing their audiences taking notice of your products.
Example: Glossier
Glossier is a makeup brand whose promotion thrives on partnerships with creators with 1000 to 5000 subscribers. It’s a win-win situation for both the brand and the influencers. Glossier gets to expose more people to its cosmetics at the cost of a couple of its products, while influencers get to be featured on Glossier’s Instagram page.
User-generated Content: Audience Voice
Authenticity is the name of the game when marketing to modern consumers. These days people are well familiar with all the advertising tricks from a half a century ago and want to see the real thing. That’s exactly why most consumers prefer user-generated content over the one produced by brands.
You can leverage user-generated content by sharing customer photos and videos. There are also websites like G2 that serve as a platform where users can leave reviews of services. This is the cheapest, yet the most effective way to build trust and encourage sales.
Example: Farrow & Ball
Farrow & Ball is a paint and wallpaper brand that uses its Instagram account as a platform for displaying customers’ photos of their interior designs. The company has amassed over one million subscribers who actively engage with the UGC posted by the brand.
Community Building: Engagement Matters
Building an active online community is critical to social media success, with 90% of social media marketers agreeing that cultivating an engaged community is key.
While building and maintaining an active fanbase is possible on Instagram and other similar social media, most brands turn to their custom solutions for hosting communities. These may include creating a special platform where users can register, share their content and engage with others’ posts. There is also Discord, a platform that offers a wide range of features for managing communities. Brands can use Discord for various community-oriented activities such as hosting exclusive AMA sessions, organizing interactive events and giveaways, creating dedicated channels for customer support, and more.
Example: Sephora
Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community is a space for beauty enthusiasts to connect, share recommendations, and learn from each other. This member-only platform allows Sephora to gain valuable insights into customer preferences. It also drives sales as members can easily discover and purchase products recommended by their peers.
Conclusion
Social media keeps changing. Brands that want to stay on top have to keep up with the progress to stay relevant. But just following trends isn’t enough. The path to success lies in understanding each social media and using strategies that work best there.
Get in touch today to discuss how we can help your brand stay ahead
