During the time I’ve spent working specifically in social, I’ve often come across a type of person (both agency and client-side) who is looking for a quick-fix, maybe doesn’t really see the worth in organic, figure ads could do the job, and doesn’t put much stock in brand or strategy beyond look and feel.
This approach might get you where you need to be during the first 12 months, but it’s not sustainable, doesn’t allow space to grow, and you burn through your potential audience quickly.
The type of social marketing that I encourage my clients to practise is much more sustainable and generative. It allows time and space to investigate and understand your brand, your audience and the right social space for you. It helps you grow, but not at the expense of longevity and turning your audience into a community. It’s respectful of people’s time and attention and never just publishes identical copy and content across every channel.
To clarify what I mean when I talk about generative marketing on social, I’ve created a list of 10 simple principles I adhere to.
- Authenticity above all else.
- Identify your specific audience (s)
- Cultivate community
- Work with the algorithms, but don’t be at their mercy
- Great content lives in the space between your audience interests and your brand values
- Don’t be too concerned with what your competitors are doing
- Great social is more than great creative
- Sales doesn’t have to be gross if you don’t make it feel gross
- ‘Always on’ doesn’t have to equal burnout.
- Behave like a good human
I use social intelligence to get to grips with your audience and interests and the spaces they play in, and I take the time to work with my clients to nail who their brand is and what that means for how they behave on social.
If you take the time to get your social strategy right, it will serve you for years to come. The execution/tactics will undoubtedly need updating as the platforms change their algorithms and favourite content types on a whim. But the core strategy should remain sound.
In a world of content overload and social same-ification, fostering and building connections is the best way to succeed. Please get in touch if you like the idea of working together to make that happen!