Content is still king in 2015, but how do you generate meaningful social media that provides VALUE? By focusing on creating content that will be:

• Visual
• Amuse

            and by making sure you

• Listen
• Unify
• Engage

with your audience.

VISUAL

A picture is worth a thousand words, and sometimes a thousand clicks. When you scroll through your news feed on your smart phone, what catches your eye? Photo posts account for 93% of the most engaging posts on Facebook. Photos on Facebook generate 53% more likes than the average text only post (Hubspot 2012). Use pictures and video to your advantage by creating compelling images that share the story of your brand and its impact, your brand’s history, and celebrate your customers.

AMUSE

Even the most conservative brands and organizations can have fun. Show your wittier side and your fans will love you. Think about the unpredictable humor behind such traditionally “boring” brands as Old Spice. Their new campaign strategy featuring former football player and actor Isaiah Mustafa was quirky and very, very viral. Old Spice’s online interactive strategy took place over just three days and featured real-time responses to Twitter accounts during “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign. The campaign generated 80K twitter followers in 2 days, bumped up traffic to their website by 300% and Facebook fan interaction jumped 800%. Maybe you don’t have a shirtless guy to promote your brand, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box when appropriate.

LISTEN

According to the Exact Target’s State of Marketing Report, 60% of marketers were using social listening strategies in 2013 and 24% plan to do so in 2015. Social listening helps you identify opportunities to interact directly with your audience but it’s more than setting up a HootSuite account and monitoring tweets that mention your brand’s name or your conference hashtag. Monitor your social media statistics to see what content resonates best with your fans. Use social media listening to better understand your target audience, respond strategically, and build relationships.

UNIFY

Use social media to unify your brand messaging across all platforms as well as to create unity. Non-profits can really utilize the power of social media to get their supporters to rally behind a like cause. Consider appointing a social media street team to help spread unified messages about your organization.

 ENGAGE

Don’t just inform your followers, interact with them. Consider using user-generated content. Ask your audience to submit photos and videos as part of a special campaign or to recognize a milestone, such as an anniversary or fundraising goal. Moe’s is celebrating their signature “Welcome to Moe’s” greeting with a fun fan-generated Instagram video contest. They’ve asked fans to upload their own version of the Moe’s welcome and tag it on Instagram. One lucky winner won a $250 gift card to Moe’s (that’s a lot of burritos.) Not only is fan-generated content a fun way to show customer appreciation, it’s a clever way of generating fresh, relevant content.

Social media should be a 24/7 conversation that constantly evolves. If it’s a one-way street of dialogue, then pretty soon you’ll be the only vehicle on the road.

What’s a good social media campaign you have seen lately?