The ways in which consumers and companies communicate online have been fundamentally transformed by the rise of social media.
Companies may now connect with their target demographics and communicate to them directly more easily than ever before. But, it is more difficult than ever to stand out in a crowded marketplace and win over consumers.
Almost ninety percent of businesses in the United States likely have some sort of online presence. More importantly, the vast majority of customers follow at least one business on social media in order to be the first to know about deals and discounts, as well as the latest information on newly released products. Just 29% of followers are showing their love for the brand in this way.
Participation in social media is important for brands for several reasons.
In the first place, it helps to increase trust in your company’s products or services (social proof). The algorithms of most social media sites favour posts and accounts with high levels of involvement, so this may also help your business.
Having conversations with clients over time may help you create rapport with them, which in turn can increase your chances of making a sale and retaining their loyalty.
So what kinds of material are most effective in generating substantial interest?
In this article, I’ll go through a few content types that have been shown to boost interaction on social media.
Content Created By The Users
UGC, or user-generated content, is exactly what it sounds like: content made by regular people that advocates for the brand.
To promote the company and encourage client participation, this Instagram strategy was brilliant (at a small cost).
User-generated content (UGC) is more persuasive than traditional advertising on social media because it looks to be posts that any ordinary user would make.
Besides, what’s even better? The majority of a company’s brand promotion work is done by its customers.
Consumers like UGC over branded advertisements, according to research. People trust user-generated material more than sponsored content or stock photos because they know it was created by real people. In addition, 79% of consumers admitted that UGC had an impact on their spending habits.
Is there a specific strategy for utilising user-generated content?
Users’ positive experiences with a product, service, or brand are intended to sway potential buyers.
Around eighty-six percent of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase.
Utilizing user-generated content (UGC) (along with crediting the customer who developed it or quoting from an actual review) is a fantastic method to provide your audience with the information they care about.
Expose your audience to original, unbranded material
It’s no wonder that non-branded content is gaining popularity as a means of increasing engagement, given that customers value authenticity more than a more brand-focused approach.
It’s important to distinguish this from user-generated content. This is not obviously promotional content, but rather, it was developed in-house by the brand.
But what does “non-branded material” entail?
Non-branded content aims to engage with its audience on a more intimate level through narrative, which may sound counterintuitive at first. Consumers nowadays are bombarded with more brand messages than ever before.
And, if we’re being honest, it may be off-putting at times.
Brands may present their products and services to consumers in a more organic way through the use of non-promotional content.
Non-branded content is most effective when it serves to reinforce your brand’s core values rather than push a specific product or service. The vast majority of businesses instead employ content marketing and narrative techniques to subtly insert such promotion. They basically just give customers stories about the brand’s values and beliefs.
Discuss engaging material together
To better connect with their target audience, businesses may now leverage the power of social media.
Businesses can openly reply to questions, comments, or complaints posted by customers on their social network profiles.
Customers are encouraged to participate in a variety of ways through interactive content, which is a step forward from traditional forms of content delivery. In terms of participation, the outcomes may be rather impressive.
Based on studies conducted by Go-Gulf:
Eighty-one percent of marketers said that dynamic content was more effective than static content in drawing in readers.
Eighty-eight percent said it made their company stand out from the crowd.
Seventy percent said they saw a high level of success in turning website visitors into paying customers thanks to this sort of material.
I was wondering what the ideal form of interactive material would be for sharing on social media.
Polls, quizzes, and question-and-answer sections are just a few examples of the interactive elements offered by many social media platforms today.
Particularly, Instagram’s Story features have widened the platform’s options for engaging content, facilitating personal connections between firms and their fans.
Learn what your consumers really want by asking them directly every once in a while. Realizing when, where, and how to do anything is essential.
Contests and freebies are fun methods to get people involved if you have the resources for them. Brands often hold giveaways where customers may boost their chances of winning by sharing brand content on social media or tagging their friends.
As of late, Drop has been running a contest on both Instagram and Twitter, rewarding participants with points for engaging with the brand online by posting reviews and comments.
Provide unique, Live events to a select audience
You’ve probably heard that live-streaming is wonderful for increasing audience participation, and it’s true that many businesses broadcast in real time. Nevertheless, companies need to provide additional value in order for these films to be interesting enough for viewers to stick around for the duration.
One effective strategy is to provide viewers of your brand’s live videos access to content that isn’t available anywhere else.
With the inception of live streaming, allowing viewers to submit questions that the host will subsequently answer in real time (live Q&As) has proven to be an effective method of engaging an audience and fostering loyalty.