Author: Chelsea Kryder / Source: Business 2 Community When Paid Social Media started creeping into the world of performance marketing a fe
When Paid Social Media started creeping into the world of performance marketing a few years ago, it was the lesser stepsister to the major channels – PPC, Display, SEO, and Affiliate. At the time, Social intrigued many brands I worked with, but they felt it was a ‘nice to have’ rather than a ‘need to have’ in their marketing strategies.
Fast forward a few years and Social has now taken over. You’ll find brands pinning their hopes and dreams on the success of Paid Social; buzzwords like ‘viral content,’ ‘snackable content,’ even ‘clickbait’ are becoming part of our marketing vernacular. I don’t have to go on a spiel about the adoption of mobile or social media platforms – I think we can all agree on how Social Media gained traction and power.
Yet one recurring issue with brands and their approach to Social, whether it’s paid or organic, is that it’s hollow. As my generation and younger are gaining financial power, we’re not willing to spend or engage with brands that we perceive as disingenuous or trying to make a quick buck at our expense.
We want real, relatable content. We want brands that represent qualities that align with ourselves and our beliefs. Brands need to infuse their Social content with relatable qualities to maximize the brand power.
But that’s hard, isn’t it?
Yes & no.
Foundational Principle: You can’t take a ‘batch & blast’ approach to your organic content or paid ads.
This may seem basic, I think we all learned about the importance of customization in Marketing 101, but it’s one principle often ignored by brands because ‘batch & blast’ is quick and easy to execute. But users, including yourself, want something relatable; tailored to them where possible.
Okay that’s great and all, but how can I come up with content that isn’t ‘batch & blast’ and feels genuine to each person I want to talk to? Seems like a lot of work …
Great question, now we’re getting to the good stuff!
Foundational Blocks of Your Brand Persona
A brand persona is going to be your best and most valuable asset. A persona helps users relate to your brand and gives them something to buy into when they engage or make a purchase.
What Does Your Brand Stand For?
Creating a brand persona sounds difficult, but it can be simple. Start by asking yourself the following questions:
- What are the driving principles of your business?
- Are those principles found in your Social content?
- What do your customers care about?
- What are users saying about you?
- What are users saying to you?
Let’s pretend you’re a fast-fashion retailer…
COMMENTS