Look at Your Social With Different Lenses

So, we all know by now that if you aren’t on social media—you’re missing out on massive audiences, free promotion, and immense brand building power.

However, with everyone embracing this concept, it can be challenging to stand out.

Consistent, well-curated social media accounts are important. But today, they’re the bare minimum. The potential here is almost unlimited—so run with it. Be unique, and intentional in your use of social media. Below, find three tips and tricks to help you start thinking about your social assets–differently.

Instagram Highlights

Some people find these to be an innocuous aspect to the Instagram landscape. However, that view is quite limiting; when applied to any aspect of, well, any creative medium.

Except Facebook stories.

So, what are some ways that Instagram’s story highlight feature can be used effectively? Their permanence should be respected, and leveraged. Do you get a lot of Q&A? Perhaps dedicate one of these spaces to address them. You could use stills, or audio and video.

If you’re a brand that often refers clients to particular places for subsequent, similar, or shared resources: explain why, and how to access them. Again, stills or video would be effective here. Use a highlight to provide location information, methods of contact, as well as links to their social channels and website. They may even return the favor in some way. It also makes your consumer’s experience, around you and your brand, easier. Not only can you make their experience with you easy and enjoyable, you can help to streamline the process around you.

Perhaps provide behind-the-scenes style content here. Fun, candid, relatable moments that allow consumers to feel for your brand. Emotional connections can, and should, be made with consumers.

Facebook Pages & Groups

Facebook groups now have their own, dedicated feed. And they still show up in the main newsfeed more than liked pages. If you aren’t yet using a Facebook group to build a community around your brand; start planning yours today.

These groups often eventually begin generating their own content. Which can be a great asset, if you ask to share it on your main pages or other promotional pieces. It also allows your consumer to feel as though they are part of the brand. They’ll start, partake in, and observe conversations related to you and your brand. Plus, you can chime in. Giving your audience the ability to communicate with you directly.

However, getting to this point takes some work. When creating your group(s), give them a clear purpose. Will you provide insider type content, or deals? Give them access to exclusive products, early?

Perhaps a support group, if you have a particularly complex product. This could reduce strain on your customer service department by crowdsourcing support, while allowing you direct access to issues and alternative resolutions. You can use the insight you gain to address such points in future models, or to develop stronger instructional literature.

The possibilities for a Facebook group, are endless. Create something that is unique, but relevant to your brand.

Live Broadcasting

Pretty much every platform has a live streaming feature. Some, exist exclusively for the purpose of live steaming. Using this feature on your existing Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube allows you to reach your existing audiences in a new way.

There are a million ways in which you could set up your live stream. If you host a lot of events, live stream some so that your audience far and wide can still have access.

Another, less passive idea would be to schedule conversation style interviews, demonstrations, or ‘town-halls.’ This style allows your audience to be a part of the show, and can be optimized for engagement.

If you podcast, try doing a live stream of your recording. This will be easy if you already produce a video element, in addition to audio. But remember, you’re live. If you tend to make a lot of post-production edits to your content, you might try to plan not to. Or, you may embrace the rawness of the live stream; allowing those viewers a behind-the-scenes view of production. Then, uploading your more polished product later.

Live broadcasting can be scary, but if you go into it with some thought and planning: you will be successful. Audiences enjoy relatable, unedited content. Be natural, be yourself, be your brand.

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Which of these three tips are you ready to try? What other ways have you used these three functions, effectively? Let’s keep the creativity flowing in the comments…