By Jeffrey Tousey, Founder and CEO, Beekman Social
Today, social media is not only a driving force for brand awareness and revenue generation–it’s also where brand loyalty is built. But even as TikTok dominates the cultural zeitgeist, so many organizations still seem to use dated approaches, operating their social media campaigns on autopilot. Conversely, many are also racing to keep up with TikTok trends rather than creating integrated social-first strategies–with platforms you may not expect–that are specific to their audience.
With the social media ecosystem constantly evolving, brands need to keep these tips front of mind to effectively connect with their audience – specifically on the platforms where that audience is spending most of its time.
Pick the Right Platform and Be an Early Adopter of New Features.
Don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to “win” every social platform. Most brands would benefit from an intentional, robust presence on one or two platforms rather than a generic presence on every platform. See where your existing audience is spending time and engaging, and meet them there. Once you identify the platform, be sure to test out any new feature immediately. You can guarantee that the platform will prioritize content that is created specifically for the emerging surface and users will engage with it. Don’t wait for other brands to experiment with it first.
Followers Will Come but Engagement is King.
Of course, everyone likes to see their follower count increase, but don’t get too fixated on the number itself. Engagement is a much more accurate indication of your success on social media. Comments, shares, saves, likes, and other consumer interactions are clear indications that you’re successfully connecting with your audience. You’re better off conveying your message to a smaller, more passionate group of consumers than a larger group of people who are less engaged. Facebook groups, which allow you to have direct conversations with your audience, continue to be a great and often underutilized resource for community building and meaningful engagement.
Remember the Power of Facebook.
This might ruffle some feathers, but marketers shouldn’t discount the power of Facebook. It’s still the most used social network in the world. Millennials and Boomers have the majority of today’s buying power and they still rely on Facebook. The Meta-owned company recently outpaced Wall Street estimates for their fourth quarter thanks to strong advertising demand as the social network attracted more users. Facebook now has 2 billion daily active users. Meta said the number of people active across all of its apps each day was up 5% year-on-year. It’s not disappearing anytime soon, and for many brands, it should be a crucial part of their strategy. Start to rethink how your company uses the various organic surfaces of Facebook, and experiment with them, but remember that static resharing of content from other social platforms is not a strategy.
Personalize Your Brand’s Approach to TikTok.
The brands that have the most success on TikTok are the ones that are the most authentic. It’s important for brands to use a mixture of trending sounds, humorous content, authenticity, and education. One common mistake many brands make is thinking that using a trending sound will automatically increase their audience. Yes, using trending sounds can absolutely help the algorithm push videos and create virality, but it isn’t the most sustainable way to build a community and it won’t necessarily result in followers. If you use sounds and content that actually align with your brand voice, you will connect with your audience in a way that resonates authentically.
Constantly Re-evaluate Your Strategy.
Don’t plan your social media strategy months in advance. Algorithms are always changing and new features are constantly being introduced. Dig deep into social metrics to understand how audiences are behaving on various platforms and how they’re engaging with your content. You should be constantly optimizing, and ready to pivot if something isn’t working.
The bottom line
When done properly, a social-first strategy can provide an opportunity for a brand to cultivate a meaningful relationship with their most passionate customers. It’s less about promoting the brand and more about telling a story where your audience can relate to the brand on a human level. It’s an ongoing process that needs to be rooted in intention and constantly fine-tuned.
