In talking with a number of our clients recently, we’ve noticed a trend in how social media managers and digital strategists are thinking about their social media efforts. They’re rethinking goals and tactics, and how to measure success. We’re seeing less focus on sales.
Still using the spray and pray method for social media posting? Or do you spend hours trying to outwit the latest Facebook algorithm update? Maybe you’re auditioning stand-up comedians so your Twitter can be the next Arby’s. Whatever you’re doing, it’s probably time to change it up and rethink the way you’re using social. Today, there’s too much content. Too many messages for people to filter through. You have to stand out: your brand needs to change how it’s using social media.
Emotion is a part of being human. We all feel it and experience it second-hand on a daily basis. However, the misconception is that using emotion in social media should be avoided – especially when it has to do with business. But why distinguish human qualities from a company? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?
As marketing experts, we are aware just how potent emotion can be in online marketing, especially using emotion in social media. We know the science behind social sales.
“Awareness. It’s an awareness campaign.”
How many times have you heard those words? How many times have you SAID them?
There’s a lot of chatter and advice swirling for the upcoming midterm election. And the election itself is sure to heat up. You can use social media for political campaigns to set your candidate apart this fall.
What kind of experience are you giving your customers and potential customers with your social media accounts? Are you providing exciting, engaging content that tells a story? That tells your story?
As a marketer, you deal with a lot of interference in how your message reaches customers. It can be a daunting task to get your content to the right people at the right time. Before the internet, marketers and advertisers pushed through all kinds of barriers. They did numerous studies, polls, market surveys and more to try and find the perfect placement and creative. Then, the digital age came along. With Google then Facebook and others, marketers and advertisers thought they saw the glimpse of a shortcut. Maybe there was, but even so, that shortcut has now closed.
While social media played a slow, simmering role in earlier elections, it’s clear the impact of the platform on elections wasn’t fully realized until the most recent presidential campaign. From Twitter rants to the influx of bots, we can see now that social media is a place where political campaigns can be made or broken. If you’re on a campaign team, whether for a candidate, platform, party, or ballot issue, you’ll want to pay attention. You can’t ignore social media. In fact, not only do you have to pay attention, you need to have a strategy.
We’ve seen over the past year that digital ads are losing their traction. From Facebook (and their recent issues) to cookies following customers across the internet, these ads are quickly fading into the background.
And while 39% of consumers attributed their declined perception of social ads to recent political events, the top reason for the drop cited by 58% of respondents was simply seeing too many social ads overall. – Sprout Social
We know the latest revelations about Facebook are having a significant effect on the value of Facebook overall, and that definitely matters to shareholders. But what about marketers and brands? Do current events translate to even more difficulties for those of us trying to connect with our customers online with social media marketing? The answer is absolutely, and we don’t know what the overall and ultimate effect will be. So what can we do right now to ensure our efforts on our social platforms are making a positive impact on our brand reputation and sales numbers?