YOUR Engaging Social Media Content?

4 Types of social media content that drive engagement..

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Content Is The Next BIG Thing?

It's a big world out there. The amount of content being produced can be overwhelming.

According to MarketingProfs, every single day over 2 million blogs are posted. Marketers are producing more content than ever before.

With that much noise fighting for consumer attention, it only makes sense to invest in highly engaging, fun, and interactive content that will drive consumers to share it socially.

What types of content should marketers invest in to drive social sharing?

Here are four types of social media content you can implement right now to drive engagement..

Related Article: Surefire Explosive Social Media Engagement?

Interactive Content

Interactive content generates 4-5x more pageviews than static content, and social media is the perfect platform to showcase and explore interactive content. Here’s a look a few examples that have been proven to resonate particularly well with social audiences.

Quizzes

Quizzes can be used as a fun way for brands to engage customers. Marketers can use quizzes for brand awareness and a “fun” factor, or as a means to gauge customer interest in products. Results can be useful for recommending relevant subsequent content that drives back to the brand. With quizzes receiving 75% of their traffic from social media, it’s important to establish a promotion strategy to get the word out and generate buzz. A great way to encourage engagement, provide a score users can share on their social media channels.

Check out this fun quiz our partners over at SnapApp recently shared to help marketers determine which content to invest in for their holiday campaigns for a great quiz example.

Related Article: Creating Engaging Social Media Content?

Interactive Infographics

If you’re looking to share a large amount of data in a very visual way, interactive infographics are the way to go. There are endless ways to tell stories in infographics. Everything from embedded questions that pop up with answers, to maps that tell a story based on geographic location. We’ve been playing (yes, we have so much fun developing these it’s like playing) with animated gifographics.

They catch the eye with subtle movement and provide snackable bits of data and analysis. How can you ensure you’re getting the most out of your asset while promoting across your social channels? While we’re developing gifographics in particular, we break each section out into separate gifs allowing us to share different data points over several weeks.

This great example from Quicksprout on How Google Works utilizes many of the best aspects of interactive infographics.

Related Article: Redesigning YOUR 2018 Social Media Presence?

Survey/Poll

Soliciting real-time feedback is a great way to help you better understand your customers and what they care about. We’ve been incorporating polls on Twitter and our Instagram Stories and getting fantastic engagement.  We’ll often ask questions about a blog topic or campaign and then direct back to a content asset that provides additional information on the topic. Instagram Polls are a fun way to highlight giveaways or offerings at events. A great way to get the most out of your polls? Embed them on your website. You can embed Twitter Polls into blogs or web pages exactly like normal tweets, which means they will include a clickable “Follow” button. Win/win!

Here’s an example of a poll our friends at Hootsuite recently posted.

Related Article: Marketing Strategies To Transcend YOUR Industry?

Live Streaming

Video, and in particular live streaming, has finally found its legs this year. Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined. I’ve seen my streams get more and more inundated with cell phone conversations in airports, thought of the day posts, and general how-tos/tips and tricks updates. How can brands tap into these trends and still maintain a professional tone?

The key is understanding why video resonates. It’s personal, authentic, and organic. Putting a human face behind the brand logo allows people to connect in a way they haven’t previously been able to.

We’ve had fantastic results live streaming interviews with keynote speakers at events, sharing an inside peek into our company, and hosting general Q&A sessions. Live streaming is a fantastic way for you to share with your audience how you’re finding success and where you’ve failed. With more than 87% of online marketers currently implementing video content into their social strategies, if you’re not, you’re going to get left behind.

Related Article: Creating Successful Social Media Marketing Videos?

Memes

Who can resist a great meme? Memes allow you to tap into real-time cultural references that provide a quick laugh. With the average person now spending over 100 minutes per day on social media channels, they’re often looking for humorous content to pass the time. Memes provide a great way to show your brand has a human side and isn’t afraid to have a little fun.

A simple way to get started, look at creating a few memes that poke fun at your day to day pain points. Here’s an example of a few we created for an April Fool’s campaign last year:

Related Article: Social Media Secrets To Going Viral?

For marketers looking to stay on top of trends, it’s important to keep a pulse on what’s new in pop culture.

These memes, while still funny, are less relevant today than they were in 2016 due to movie release dates. Relevant this month would be Stranger Things, Thor, or Taylor Swift memes that rift on what’s top of mind now. The challenge for marketers is to strike while the iron’s hot and master the balance between humor and relevance.

Motivational Quotes

Who doesn’t want a little pick me up throughout the day? When I’m scrolling through my social feeds, I always appreciate a good quote. Sure they can be overdone. Yes, there are (eh, hum) several memes out there poking fun at motivational quotes. But the truth is: people want to feel good. They enjoy getting the “feels” once in a while. Here’s where brands can really hit it out of the park. Don’t always use quotes relevant to your field. For example, there’s a ton of marketing quotes from amazing people like Steve Jobs and Seth Godin I could pull from, but I often step out of typical brand relevant messaging and go for something a little different.

Related Article: Keeping YOUR Social Media Marketing Current?

The rule I like to use: If a quote makes me think and gives me a smile, others might find it enjoyable as well.

Want to really drive the message home? Overlay your quote on a relevant image that really speaks to the message you’re relaying. Here’s an example of a recent #MondayMotivation we’ve had extremely high engagement with:

Related Article: Promote YOUR Brand With Social Media Videos?

There’s a common thread woven throughout all of these recommendations—people are looking for visual, lighthearted easy to process content they can easily relate to and share quickly. Not to say long-form content doesn’t have its place, indeed it does.

However, to gain the attention and get people into that long-form content, you may want to explore creating some of the recommendations above to grab their attention to ultimately guide them back to your asset where they’ll find more education and value.

What types of content have you had success with to drive engagement for your business? What have you introduced to keep up with/beat your competitors in the last year? I'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments.

Guest Authored By Lisa Marcyes. Lisa a Senior Social Media Marketing Manager leading Marketo’s social channel strategy and initiatives. She has helped brands in the tech field build their digital and social presence for nearly 10 years. A Bay Area resident, she enjoys the beach, hiking, and photography. Follow Lisa on Twitter.

Related Article: 2018 Social Media Content Marketing Trends?

"Marketers are producing more content than ever before.

With that much noise fighting for consumer attention, it only makes sense to invest in highly engaging, fun, and interactive content that will drive consumers to share it socially.." -LisaMarcyes

• 

  Authored by:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, CO  where I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

Building YOUR Personal Real Estate Brand?

Social media has become a key branding tool for professionals across all fields, including real estate..

Brokers and agents can connect with fellow industry players, push out information about listings or open houses and use social listening tools to identify potential clients who may be looking to buy.

But as with any brand, no one will want to follow you if all you post about is business.

Your social media audience wants to know that there's a human being behind your accounts, and it's important to have a healthy mix of personal and professional content to keep people engaged.

Members of Forbes Real Estate Council offered 10 key ways to use social media as an effective brand-building tool without alienating your followers.

Related Article: How To Make Social Media Pay?

1. Show Your Personality And Charm

You may be focused on selling your product and service, but it is paramount that you incorporate the importance of intangible factors like personality and charm. You've been in sales your whole life because every day you are selling your most important asset: yourself. It may sound clich, but people do business with people they like. So sell yourself; the business will come later. -Alex Chieng A & L Real Estate Team

2. Be Yourself And Let People Into Your Daily Life

Don't be afraid to let people in on your daily life. If you post little snippets of your life, people will love following you. Keep your social media positive — happy pictures of your friends and family, and then sprinkle in a little bit of work-related subjects. Be real! When you make people laugh, they will be glued to your reality. -Angela Yaun Day Realty Group

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Brand Voice?

3. Find A Balance

It’s important for your social media to be a reflection of yourself, personality and all. But at the same time, remember who your audience is. Your followers are likely interested in your real estate knowledge, not necessarily how you feel about the current political climate. Make sure to find a balance or people might not take you seriously in the real estate industry. -Joshua Hunt TRELORA

4. Have Your Clients Blow Your Trumpet

I have seen some younger brokers/agents use social media to engage with their customers and use that as a brand building tool. It adds more validity to your skills when praise comes from your clients rather than yourself. Tagging your clients in a post mentioning a successful closing might be the first step to brand building on social media. -Nikhil Choudhary Zenith Engineers Inc

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Brand Screenplay?

5. Focus On Facebook

The biggest mistake most good agents make with social media is they try to do it all. The vast majority can't; they are too busy. The best one for agents is hyperlocal: Facebook. You can connect with your sphere and your neighbors. There is no better way to reach your audiences to build your brand. Use Facebook in the course of your daily routine and post as you go. -Kevin Hawkins WAV Group, Inc.

6. Be Consistent

To build brand awareness you need to stay consistent with your message, whatever it may be. Make sure to be active across your social media platforms on a daily basis and find a way to differentiate yourself and stand out from the herd. -Engelo Rumor List'n Sell Realty

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Business Presence?

7. Don't Try To Sell

Use social media to build your personal brand, not to sell your product or service. Post items that help people understand who you are, what you think and what you stand for. Be very careful never to criticize others: Whatever you say on social media is out there forever, in writing, for anyone to see. -Lee Kiser Kiser Group

8. Add Value To The Conversation

Whether you currently use social media or not, it is critical to understand that your brand is already being talked about online. By using social media, you can steer the conversation in the direction you desire. The No. 1 rule of social media is to provide value. Always make sure you're adding value to the conversation while keeping the goals of your audience in mind. -Sarnen Steinbarth TurboTenant

Related Article: Social Media Secrets To Going Viral?

9. Be Where Your Clients Are

When developing and managing your social media brand, it's important to focus on those channels where you'll have the most impact. The greatest content in the world is useless if no one is seeing it. Survey your clients and prospects to find out what social media channels they're using and what type of posts they like to read. -Lisa Fettner ReferralExchange

10. Go Behind The Scenes

Use social updates, videos, live streams and other tools to show off your listings, but your life. And I'm not talking about a video of you standing in front of a Bentley — I'm talking about the real grunt work that goes on behind the scenes whether you're staging, flipping or listing a home. -Kent Clothier Real Estate Worldwide 

Guest Authored By Forbes Real Estate Counsil. Forbes Real Estate Counsil is an invitation only organization for executives in the Real Estate industry. Follow Forbes Real Estate Council on Twitter.

Related Article: Promoting YOUR Social Media Content?

“As with any brand, no one will want to follow you if all you post about is business.

Your social media audience wants to know that there's a human being behind your accounts, and it's important to have a healthy mix of personal and professional content to keep people engaged.."

• 

  Authored by:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

New Brands Pressing The Right Buttons?

When the most awkward brand presses the right buttons in people on social media, it becomes their favorite..

Our timelines on social media are flooded with different marketing campaigns on a regular basis. The majority of this content is from brands that fall into a certain category, creating a myth that social media marketing is selective.

Related Article: 8 Social Media Marketing Success Stories?

While certain brands may seem more in tune with trends, the diversity of social media audiences creates a market for all kinds of products and services to excel.

When you are at a party with beautiful guests, great music, drinks and food, there’s an open floor for you to mingle and network. You either grab the opportunity or pass on it.

Social media gives you that sort of opportunity. What you do with it, in regards to your brand, is totally up to you.

Here are four ways to shake things up for an awkward brand on social media.

Have A Social Media Marketing Strategy

Social media might be an avenue to unwind for the average person, but to business owners, it’s a marketplace. If you want your brand to be given the time of day, you need to come up with a social media marketing strategy and work religiously to achieve your goals.

The competition is fierce. With many brands fighting over the attention of the audience, going to the battlefield without a strategy is a risk too big to take. What do you aim to achieve on social media? Is it to create brand awareness, make sales or generate leads to your website? Figure this out and tailor your marketing efforts in that direction for better results.

Create Interesting Content

It takes more than great looks to be the life of the party. Granted, looks can get you the attention, but you need a lot more to hold it. No one wants to be stuck with a bore when they have many options to make their day more fun. When you fail to tickle their fancy, they move on to the next person who can give them want they want.

Related Article: Social Media Content Curation Tools?

Marketing on social media is a two way street. The social media audience wants to hear and see interesting content that gives them a relief away from the stress in their daily lives. Whatever content you create should be related to your brand and what you seek to achieve with it. Think out of the box. If creating a social video seems better than writing a post to showcase a product or announce an upcoming event, then go for it.

Infuse Humor

Your brand may not be like that funny-looking comedian whose mere appearance gets people laughing already. However, you could make it be like the comedian who doesn’t look funny but knows the right things to say to get people rolling on the floor with laughter.

Everyone needs a little bit of laughter in their life. With the right dose of humor, you can make people on social media pay attention to your brand. This technique was put to great use for a seemingly awkward sector like gambling. We saw some of the most hilarious betting commercials that we couldn’t help but fall in love with.

Related Article: Making Your Social Media Marketing Personal?

With humor, the advertisers were able to appeal to a larger audience and get more people on the train. You could take a hint from this. Humor is one of the marketing strategies that never fail to covert.

Be Interactive

Take away interaction from social media, and you’ll have a quiet room full of bored people. Interaction sets the ball rolling and sustains conversations.

Interaction on social media is a give-and-take model. When you put out content, pay close attention to feedback from your audience. If they react to your content, don’t ignore this: Keep the ball rolling by responding in line with their reactions. And when they post things that that conform with your brand, don’t hesitate to join the conversation.

Events on social media are similar to those in our physical environments; the major difference is the medium. Think of social media as a virtual market with real people. Appealing to people’s emotions is a secret to getting on their good side because you evoke a positive reaction in them.

Guest Authored By James Jorner. James is a content strategist and marketer at Effective Inbound Marketing. His company specializes in online branding and digital marketing for businesses. Follow James on Twitter.

Related Article: YOUR Social Media Engagement Metric?

"When the most awkward brand presses the right buttons in people on social media, it becomes their favorite.

And that generates leads in the long run.."

• 

  Authored by:

  Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at GetMoreHere.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)

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