Social media can be overwhelming, with emerging apps where we’re encouraged to show our true raw selves through BeReal, to controversial decisions around owning blue ticks on Elon’s Twitter, all the way to trends lasting 5 minutes before the next. We totally get it, it can be exhausting keeping up, but having your social footprint on the world (wide-web) can really benefit your brand/company!
By being active across social platforms, there really is no limitation. You have the potential to reach large audiences, from story-shares to user-generated content, as well as the ultimate opportunity of going viral. You can use engagement to drive traffic to your website and services from call-to-actions to adding a linktree in your bio.
However, your content has to make people stop scrolling! Below are some top tips on how to kick-start your brand’s social life:
Create a trustworthy, authentic voice across your socials that fits your brand's ethics. We’re not saying you need to be on every social app, just the ones that fit your demographic best! Do your research into knowing your audience per platform: are you selling to boomers? Straight to the point on Facebook! Gen-Z? It’s giving sassy with a couple of emoji’s on TikTok! Use each platform to your advantage by speaking the language of your audience to drive them to your page. You can find out who uses what platform from a simple Google search to survey results on YouGov.
Trends can be ridiculous. In September 2022, a trend on Twitter went viral using 1 word posts to describe a brand. Huge names from the likes of Starbucks, Google and even NASA took part by tweeting only 1 singular word. Total nonsense, but proof that the weird and wonderful engages audiences! You can find trends on all social platforms, so utilise this in line with your brand’s values.
Work in an office? Jump on the *chefs kiss* trend and find things in your office that 🤌just makes sense 🤌for your next TikTok (see our Sunday Treat version here for inspo!). A good place to start could be creating and posting on TikTok and then downloading the video so it can be utilised across all of your social channels, from Instagram reels to YouTube shorts. We’d recommend tailoring your content per platform, though!
You don’t have to try and sell your product on social posts, instead sell the culture. Post a ‘Day in the life’ or a ‘Takeover’ on Instagram stories from various colleagues. If you have a pet that comes into the office, then post them on LinkedIn. It could be as simple as taking behind the scenes photos and sharing on your chosen platforms with a relatable comment - just do what resonates with your company’s vibe. Sunday Treat, for example, focuses on comedy, so we like to incorporate the silly in our socials. If your company is strict and serious, test traditions and make content that is human and likeable to your demographics - what would they want to see?
Start using your social media platforms to look for existing content. No, it’s not cheating! If you search hashtags relating to your company such as #pottery or #officelife, you’ll find so much out there that you can expand on. Obviously be original every time you can, but sometimes, you need a little nudge in the right direction. There is no harm in getting inspiration from other accounts, joining a trend and doing it in your own way!
Sure, in the gym, but on your channels too! If you want to be serious about socials, you need to create a calendar. There are plenty online to choose from, but a free option for social planning is to create a shared spreadsheet including, at minimum, the following:
Post Date | Topic | Copywriting | Platform | Link to Content | Status
Take advantage of key marketing dates to plan posts ahead, such as Pancake Day or World Kindness Day, if these suit your company's ethics! We’ve included a comprehensive list below for you to start planning ahead for 2023.
Don’t forget to schedule in content creation and editing time; this should become part of your routine.
Don’t just post one format of content. Even if you only have an iPhone, share photos, videos and reels, all the way to audio clips! You want your channels to be engaging and one way to do that is by keeping your socials fresh with variety and vibrancy. Keep your content short and sharp. Humans literally have a smaller attention span than a goldfish, at a staggering 8 seconds, so post rich content to hold the viewer's attention.
Once you get into the groove of posting regularly, keeping an eye out for upcoming calendar dates, spotting trends and creating a social presence, then do not be afraid to try something completely new!
Everyone knows the supermarket Tesco, so with that pressure, their first TikTok had to be memorable. In September 2022, they finally posted, with the goal of recruiting the next checkout voice, and it became a viral sensation! #TescoVoiceOfCheckout was trending, it recommended users to generate their own content with the duets function and, at the time of writing, it has 26.9 million views. Not bad for a first post on a social platform!
So, what are you waiting for? Check out these useful marketing dates for 2023 as a starting point and get trending!
