Any brand manager understands the power and satisfaction of having consumers sing praises about their products and services. When your brand’s customers love what you offer, you hope that they will act as ambassadors and tell their friends, family, and professional circles. However, relying on customer satisfaction will only get your brand’s message so far. With today’s focus on visual storytelling and the continuing trend of social media platforms emphasizing it, creating visually appealing, shareable content is key to getting customers to promote your brand’s message online.
According to data from the social media management platform Hootsuite, about 52% of the online discovery of brands comes from social media. Additionally, about 43% of all internet users reported that social media is a significant source when searching for information on which products to buy.
Read on for four examples of shareable content brands can create to motivate their customers to engage with and reshare their messaging on social media.
1. Create an Instagram Carousel to Highlight Brand Content
Whether it’s information on the top sites to shop sustainable fashion, a listicle about the best apps for your mental health, or a review of a vegan meal-kit subscription service, people are sharing endless topics and products across Instagram. It can be hard to break through the noise and remind your audience why they should care about your brand. The brands whose content performs the best on Instagram find creative ways to share information on nuanced topics without overwhelming their followers. One feature that allows brand managers to share complex messaging in an engaging way is the Instagram Carousel.
Instagram’s Carousel feature offers users the ability to upload up to 10 images in a single post that followers can swipe through to view. The Carousel allows brands to include more visuals and key messages than one Instagram post would allow. Top performing brands present their audiences with engaging, educational, and visually appealing content formatted in a way that is easy to digest and compelling to share.
Instagram Carousels are a great way to share multiple product photos, videos, statistics, tips, client testimonials, or any other brand content you can think of. Afropunk, annual art and music festival that has evolved into a Black-led music, film, and fashion brand, frequently uses Carousels to promote various projects and partnerships. Recently, the brand used the feature to highlight video clips from its Sound Therapy Sessions, which discuss social issues impacting the Black community. Each slide provides a bite-sized clip from the sessions and offers a link for people to watch more.
2. Use Incentives to Motivate Reshares of your Message
As a brand manager, you know that your audience sometimes needs that extra push to engage with your content and pass it along to others. An impactful way to motivate clients to share your brand message is by offering something in return.
The social impact newsletter, Anti-Racism Daily (ARD), does a great job of turning consumers into ambassadors by incentivizing readers to share their editorial content through a referral system. ARD subscribers first read the daily newsletter full of resources. Then, as readers reach the end of the newsletter, they’re provided with unique links that allow them to easily share the newsletter on Facebook, Twitter, or through email. Once a reader has referred the newsletter to at least three new people using their unique link, special brand merchandise items are unlocked for them to purchase in ARD’s online store. ARD realizes that their consumers are more likely to share content already created for them and that an incentive, like brand merch, can help readers take the extra step of actually sharing.
3. Encourage Shares on Social Media After a Transaction
Think about how you feel after making a purchase from a brand you love. Maybe you are excited to have something new, or you are motivated to tell others about your purchase. Your consumers likely feel the same way after buying something from you. You can capitalize on this post-purchase enthusiasm to encourage consumers to share the message about your products on social media.
As part of your standard post-purchase message of gratitude, ask customers to leave a review on your website or request that they take to social media to share about their new product. You can also encourage your customers to create and share original content for your brand. For example, ask buyers to post pictures of themselves enjoying their purchase on social media with the chance to be featured on your brand’s social profiles or website. Be sure to provide a specific brand hashtag and some copy they can use, so their posts help increase your brand’s visibility to new audiences.
Warby Parker, a popular e-commerce brand that sells eyewear, encourages customers to spread the word about the new glasses they’ve bought immediately following a purchase. Warby Parker’s post-purchase thank-you page provides buttons that give buyers the option to easily share a post on Facebook, Twitter, or email. When customers share original photos of themselves wearing Warby Parker frames, the company will reshare some of their favorite consumer posts to their Instagram page and include the customer’s handle.
For more tips on making the most of your thank-you journey, check out this blog.
4. Ask Customers to Share your Brand Messaging
Don’t be afraid to ask your audience to reshare your social posts, blogs, product pages, or whatever content you think will resonate with other prospective customers. Whether it’s a statement as simple as, “Share if you agree,” “Tag someone who would love this,” or even, “Share this message to tell more people about our products,” the point is, it never hurts to ask. In fact, it’s a crucial step in significantly increasing your shares and engagement.
When your consumers share your brand’s content, make sure to respond swiftly and thank them for taking that action. They just helped you spread your message to a whole new audience of potential customers. Make sure your social media team is taking the time to reach out and thank them for that.
As you continue to create new content, always ask yourself if there are opportunities to make something that would motivate your consumers to reshare it. It will be exciting to see your brand’s messages spread to others, and you may find new ways to attract future customers.
This article was written by Lindsay Williams and Gina Graves.
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