Imagine this! You’re waiting outside a store with 100 + people. The billboards, posters fallen on the floor next to you, read, 75% OFF on all our products! Everyone around you looks anxious, puzzled and even more enthusiastic; just to get their hands on something! Even they don’t know what exactly they’re looking for. Just want something, that’s it! (Don’t ask me how I know this. Been friendzoned forever, I guess; the noble soul who accompanies her while she shops)
Social media is exactly like this crowded marketplace I’m talking about! You could imagine it as the fish market / super market / guy in the train yelling out some jazz /, whatever you want. The question really is, ‘What grabs the attention of the one you’re trying to entice?’
Facebook stats imply, more than 70% of users browse Facebook via their phones! You, as a user would know, what you scroll through on a daily basis. Friends tag you in their profile picture, just to get your attention for 1 like. Some friends share LOL images badly made in PowerPoint. There’s a page out there which says ‘Sunny Leone for PM;’ but is actually something about a blood donation campaign. Lul wut? You don’t know where your TG is; and your job is to be that desired object and grab their attention in not less than 7 seconds!
Clearly, coming up with an effective digital marketing strategy is not a cakewalk.
The worse my friends, is Twitter. Grabbing someone’s attention there as a brand, is like asking Scarlett Johansson to go out on a date with you or something! Never mind what a digital marketing company could promise you. But as much as it is seemingly impossible, there are always those must-dos and must-never-dos that help.
Here are a few tips that worked for me! Once again, I am not some guru; just a regular guy sharing a few insights.
These few points would work across all platforms.
1- Keep it simple! No one wants to read anything more than 200 characters tops, on any social media channel, especially from a brand. (It depends, but hey, it’s a good start)
2- Your images, should speak louder than words! I can debate on this, thanks to those lousy LOL, ROFL, Ms. PowerPoint made images. Your image is the first thing that grabs your users’ attention for that one second. If they like what they see, hook those buggers with your content!
3- Your content should make the user curious! So curious, that he goes and hits that ‘Like’ button if he agrees.
4- This will sound clichéd but, Calls-To-Action like ‘Hit Like if you agree,’ ‘Like this and tell your friends,’ RT this, actually work. Let’s face it. People on social networks don’t have time and want to be spoon fed. E.g. – Something trending on Twitter and you’ll still find people asking, “Hey, why is Google Doodle trending, ya?” Just click on the bloody links, noobs! But that’s not your brand voice! Help them out. Spoon feed them!
5- You may have heard this before, but this really works! You are ultimately talking, yes, talking to humans! Even as a brand you are. Hence, on Twitter you ought to be extremely careful. Everyone there has verbal diarrhoea. It’s fun if a brand tweets with certain hashtags and ties them back to the brand. If someone you follow is genuinely asking for help. RT the tweet, nothing like connecting with people!
Here are a few examples below to help you get started.
These guys @SheepStop do a brilliant job when it comes to communicating with the Aam Janta!
Facebook: Show them that their opinion matters! Yes or no, agree or disagree questions! Tailor your content for them!
If your image is not appealing enough, make sure your content is. In this case, Oink, oink, does it!
So there you have it! I would like to end up quoting Vidya Bhalan in The Dirty Picture.
“Social media runs to three things! Entertainment, entertainment and entertainment”
Go forth and Share this blog, just for this hawt picture! 1 Share = 1,000 views! Please!