Why The Best Content Is Invisible
Social media marketing is part of every business’s marketing strategy today. From small businesses looking to build a core following to global brands putting a big chunk of their budget into socials, it’s everywhere. But as consumers, we’ve reached a point where we are well and truly aware of social media marketing, and this changes things.
The Problem
Influencer marketing is still big business and incredibly profitable, but let’s be honest with ourselves, we know exactly what’s going on. No one really believes that a celebrity just happened to discover that teeth whitening kit they’re suddenly obsessed with.
While we know that influencers have to add #ad to their posts if being paid to promote a product, most of us could probably already tell the difference between promotional and natural content long before this.
Now that users are so aware of what marketing looks like, the job has become much harder. Trust is tougher to win, and if a relationship between an individual and a brand is clearly transactional, it simply doesn’t work.
The solution to this problem is one that’s been around for generations. The best marketing has, and always will be, the kind that doesn’t feel like marketing. So how do we achieve this in our digital-obsessed modern world?
The Solutions
1. Create Content That Doesn’t Feel Like Content
Content marketing isn’t new. It’s been around for decades, but that’s not to say it hasn’t evolved. The basic idea of content marketing is to distribute content that is genuinely useful for your audience. In a nutshell, it should be the opposite of disruptive.
Perhaps the best example is the introduction of the Michelin Guide. Tyre manufacturer Michelin initially produced the guide to provide drivers with restaurant recommendations and thus, promote road travel to increase tyre wear and the need for new tyres.
Brands of today can use this exact same thinking in a digital setting. Blogs, videos, social posts and so on should be educational, insightful, engaging or maybe even just humorous. The goal is to simply introduce people to your brand naturally, by providing them with content that they actually want to receive.
2. Embrace Smaller Voices
We’ve mentioned influencer marketing, but it could be said that the power is shifting to the fingertips of microinfluencers. Microinfluencers have smaller followings, but often boast better engagement. That’s because content from lesser-known individuals appears more genuine.
In fact, it doesn’t just appear genuine; it often is more genuine. Microinfluencers tend to work with brands they actually like to promote products they actually use. There are no million-dollar contracts to be signed, and it often feels like a genuine recommendation.
3. Work With People Who Aren’t Paid to Care
The other area of social media marketing that’s having a moment right now is user generated content. Young people today are viewing content as a genuine career path, and many of us don’t just consume content anymore; we create it too.
Customer reviews, product demos and how-to guides are all far more common today, often coming from individuals who are simply looking to expand their online following. But when content comes from a user rather than a brand, it changes everything. This form of content is instantly more trustworthy; it’s free marketing of the highest quality.
Brands must encourage UGC in this day and age. Whether it’s reposting user generated content or promoting it through competitions, the more UGC, the better! Perhaps the best way to promote UGC organically is to focus on building a community. If you see your users as community members rather than consumers, there’s a good chance they’ll see themselves as brand ambassadors in return, increasing the chances of them creating and sharing promotional content organically.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
