By Max Horn, graduate assistant of client and student services
Due to the higher degree of saturation and usage rates of social media, posting content can sometimes feel like shouting into a noisy room making it seemingly impossible to penetrate the algorithms of your ideal target audience.
A technique that can be used to combat this challenge is to generate ‘hype’ across your social media platforms. Hype is defined as intensive publicity or promotion. It is a tactic that has been proven to boost engagement rates, interactions and impressions, and overall brand loyalty.
“In my opinion, one of the best ways businesses can generate hype on social media is by making sure their content is specific, visually enticing, and not overwhelming,” said Chelsea Siegal, the Reading Royals’ marketing and social media manager.
Think about incorporating that ‘WOW’ factor in your content. An ideal starting point is considering what encourages you to visit someone’s website, follow their social media platforms, and ultimately purchase their product, service or experience.
Once you determine that, the strategies that you can use to execute this technique for your own media are easily accessible and relatively inexpensive. Six strategies to generate hype around your brand are as follows:
Hone in on your target audience
Connecting with and grabbing the attention of your followers is integral to their experience. When you are launching campaigns or putting together social media strategies, be sure to research your industry and what ultimately engages your ideal audience.
What books do they read? What other brands do they follow? How do they consume information? Put yourself in the follower’s point of view and cater the content accordingly.
Tease your future content
Launching a teaser campaign can facilitate excitement leading up to an event or announcement. It can grab the audience’s attention and build anticipation. The Energy in the Room podcast launch is one example of this.
We shared a “coming soon” post with the date of when viewers can expect it as well as stories, and a post on the date that was listed in the coming soon post.
Incorporate videos in your content strategy
Videos create a more significant impact than written content because of the visual aspect. Putting video content together may take more effort and time to put together, but it will pay off in the end.
When your followers see videos that are 30-60 seconds, they are more likely to watch the full video and get them to click onto your other social platforms or your website. When videos are not possible, try creating animated graphics.
Go LIVE
Facebook and Instagram LIVE build engagement and allow you to connect directly with your followers while sharing important news or updates. On our channels, for example, the graduate assistants have gone LIVE on Instagram, where the audience is primarily Alvernia students.
A teaser and an interactive story were posted leading up to the LIVE for followers to contribute their questions. During the LIVE, they discussed what experiences the Fellows Program can provide prospective students and how it could benefit them.
Create a hashtag
Developing a few branded hashtags to use consistently across your social media platforms is a clever approach to get the audience excited about their involvement and engagement with the company or event.
For example, our External Communications Committee, attended Social Media Day through Slice Communications this past year and used the hashtag #SMDAYPHL. You can also use your own branded hashtags in most or all posts to help them gain traction.
Tell your story
A compelling story is another powerful way to get people engaged with your organization or brand. In addition to garnering attention like many of the other tactics listed, storytelling can foster long-term brand loyalty over time as well as strengthen your brand as a whole. This can be done through photos, captions, blogs, videos, infographics, or any combination of those elements.
“And, of course, make it fun! Everyone loves fun content – and memes,” said Siegal.