Social Media Genius: Valuable Lessons from the Big Brands

Social Media Genius: Valuable Lessons from the Big Brands

Social media marketing is something that every business should be involved in these days if they want to develop their reputations and win business. But getting started can be challenging. If you are just starting out with your social media strategy—or if your current strategy isn’t working —you could learn a thing of two from the big brands. Even if you have a small business, the same techniques can work for you, so here are some that come recommended.

Gather Stories from Your Customers

Social Media Examiner featured this idea as one way to boost social media activity, highlighting the case of Dunkin’ Donuts. The company asked its audience on Twitter to tell a story about how they enjoyed their coffee. The story needed to be limited to 131 characters and had to include the hashtag #mydunkin within it. Dunkin’ Donuts received thousands of stories, and chose a few winners to star in commercials which were then uploaded to YouTube.

You can do the same by asking your own followers to tweet or comment about how they use your products and services. Simply insert a hashtag to track them all, and use an incentive to generate more interest. The great thing about this technique is that it can result in lots of funny stories that people will love to share.

Create a Weekly Series

This was another technique recommended by Social Media Examiner, which highlighted the case of Estée Lauder. The company simply provided a makeup tip once a week and posted it to Facebook, along with links to a blog page or product, and then responded to the questions that came in, generating a significant amount of engagement.

You can do the same by providing a regular weekly tip or idea that uses the same hashtag. Make sure you interact and engage with the comments so that your followers know you’re listening, and keep it going on the same day each week so your followers come to expect it.

Curate as Well as Create Content

Creating content is one backbone of a solid social media strategy. Crafting and sharing content, whether it be written text, images, graphics, or video, helps build trust and brand awareness for your company. However, Peg Fitzpatrick—who manages a platform of 11 million followers—suggested at Buffer that you focus on content curation as well.

Curation involves uncovering content that your followers will find interesting and sharing it with them. You must ensure that it presents the same message that you want to present with your own content, and this can be a challenge. By focusing on both, however, you can provide more to your followers and increase your engagement.

When you hire a company like Mediagistic that provides social marketing services, sharing your content effectively and increasing social engagement is all part of what they will help you do. Such a company could also help you combine your social media tactics with traditional marketing strategies to generate even more positive results.

Use Humor

Daniel Butler, executive director of BAALS Music festival, explained on a recent Hootsuite blog covering expert social media tips, that being funny is one of the best ways to stand out.

Tweets and status updates can get drowned out in all of the other social activity, but if you can make your followers laugh, the information that you provide will stick better. Humor can be tricky to get right, but when you do, the results can be worth it.

Take Inspiration from the Experts

Take inspiration from the big brands and experienced social media experts when you are developing your own social strategy. The great thing about social media is that you don’t need a huge budget, and what works for them can work for you too. All you need is dedication, creativity and a solid strategy. So, let’s get social!

Brendan Lewis is a website marketing consultant with a penchant for social media. He enjoys sharing his industry know-how online by blogging. His articles are mainly found on website marketing related sites and blogs.