11 Jul 7 Post Types Your Brand Should Use to Stand Out From The Social Media Marketing Crowd
The digital age has led to a shortening of attention spans and a lot of noise in the social media marketing space. How can you ensure your brand stands out from the crowd? Here are seven highly effective post types you should consider adding to your social media marketing arsenal as you enter the battle for consumer impressions.
The Facebook Visual Update
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that strong visual posts perform well on Facebook. However, brands such as Oreo are taking visual updates to the next level. Oreo’s posts display the same level of polish as would normally be reserved for print ads, and they are relevant to current events and pop culture happenings. Oreo’s strategy of creating timely and eye-catching updates has paid off for the brand, and marketers seeking to stand out in the social space should take notes on their success.
The Interactive Video
There is no magic formula for getting a video to go viral. With that being said, videos which offer viewers an interactive experience naturally stand apart from their static counterparts. A great example is the “Muscle Music” interactive video from Old Spice. Old Spice succeeds with this spot by combining a video of one of their well-known spokesmen with gamification elements that promote user interaction. The end result is an addicting piece of content that begs to be shared. Interactive videos require more work than simply re-purposing a television commercial, but the extra effort pays off in the extended amount of time that viewers spend interacting with your branded content.
The Stop Motion Vine Post
Vine is still a relatively new social network, but its six-second video spots offer numerous opportunities for brands to display their products in creative ways. One popular post type that brands should consider on the network is the stop motion video. When done well, stop motion videos can tell a richer story than a simple photo, and can be rapidly absorbed by easily-distracted viewers. Here’s an example of a stop motion video from (our client) the Jeep brand:
The Twitter Tête-à-Tête
Something magical happens when two brands interact with one another on Twitter. (It’s almost like watching your favorite characters from two different shows suddenly end up in the same storyline.) When done well, brand interchanges on the channel can result in increased impressions for both parties, and are also a way for brands to tap into a different fan base from the one they would normally attract. Obviously there are risks involved with this strategy, but when done well, it can pay off in a big way. For a great example of a humorous brand interchange, check out this one between Oreo and AMC Theaters:
The Google+ Hangout
Social media is about dialogue, and Google+ hangouts are the digital equivalent of having a face-to-face conversation with your fans and potential customers. Though hangouts are limited in size, they offer a select group of fans an intimate experience with your brand without even having to leave their computer. For an example of a brand that is using G+ hangouts effectively, check out Cadbury UK:
The Tumblr .Gif Photoset
.Gif images have experienced a resurgence in popularity on Tumblr as users have found new and interesting ways to use the moving images to tell their stories. Brands should be looking for ways to capitalize on this trend, and should follow the example set by The Lone Ranger Tumblr. As you can see in the image below, the folks on the Lone Ranger team have effectively used a .gif photoset to create a living movie poster. To date, these rich mosaics are being primarily used by film studios, but they could easily be leveraged for a range of consumer products.
The Reddit AMA
Reddit is foreign territory for most brands, but several have found success on the network by conducting an AMA (“Ask Me Anything”) session. For those unfamiliar with the concept, an AMA is essentially a text-based chat between a moderator and users, and functions in the same manner as a real-time forum. For an interesting case study, check out this AMA from Barack Obama.
Not every one of these post types will make sense for your brand. Budget, brand voice, and your fan base should all be taken into consideration before you decide to use one of these strategies. If nothing else, I hope these post types inspire you to continue to look for new and creative ways to stand out in the social space. Or, if you’d like help, give us a call. Making your brand stand out from the crowd is our specialty.
How do you make sure your brand stands out from the crowd? Let us know in the comments.
