Three Overlooked Secrets to Social Media Success

 

Increasingly, brands are realizing the value of brand storytelling on social media, yet countless tech companies continue to use their channels exclusively to shout product announcements and updates into the ether. Don’t get us wrong: promotional content can be an important part of the equation—but if your company’s editorial calendar consists only of announcements and CTAs, you’re failing to embrace the full potential of your brand’s social media presence.

Purposeful and effective social media content strategy begins with a clear understanding of how shared content supports company objectives. We’ve identified three essential—yet often overlooked or underutilized—types of social media content designed to support key objectives whether your tech company is B2B or B2C, including instructive examples from those companies doing it right.

 

 

When designing your content marketing strategy, be sure you’re leveraging social media to:

 

1. Educate

Educational social content provides your audience with informative, relevant content—it’s not about making a hard sell, it’s about building a relationship and positioning your brand as a trusted authority. The key to producing educational content that resonates is knowing your audience and addressing their pain points by connecting them with the information they need.

Take a cue from: Cloud-based HR platform Gusto

 

What they did:
  • Gusto created informational videos on Facebook to help small businesses get educated on relevant, timely topics in their areas of expertise.

 

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Why it works
  • Gusto services businesses by assisting them with payroll, so they position themselves as finance educators to drive B2B marketing.
  • Unlike other platforms, Facebook’s video run time is unrestricted, making it the perfect social media platform to post longer informational videos.
  • These videos aren’t longer than 3 minutes and include helpful graphics to illustrate their points.
  • The main objective of these videos is to position Gusto as an active company whose main mission is to help small businesses accomplish their goals.
  • These videos are not directly about their product. They aren’t selling, there is no CTA—they are building a relationship with their customer

 

Results
  • The videos depict Gusto as a dedicated company intent on building strong B2B relationships through education.
  • Positions Gusto as a thought leader by helping small businesses navigate some of the situations that arise when growing a business and expanding.

 

2. Attract talent

The ongoing talent shortage continues to pose major challenges—a recent Gartner report ranks the global talent shortage as the top risk today’s organizations face, above accelerating privacy regulation, cloud computing, and the rapid pace of change. Social media is a great place to communicate the benefits of working at your company that aren’t adequately captured in a job description alone. If your hiring-focused content is limited to job opening announcement posts only, consider broadening your social strategy to include content that highlights important aspects like your company’s culture, ethos, and perks.

 

Take a cue from: Food-tech company Eat Club

 

What they did
  • Eat Club posted a photo on LinkedIn of the company at a company-sponsored event to promote their success and celebration of their employees.

 

 

Why it works
  • Eat Club’s post highlights fun events they participate in which can be an attractive prospect for potential hires.
  • It’s not a run-of-the-mill hiring post with a stock image, it includes a candid photo of smiling employees enjoy the perks of Eat Club.
  • It uses specific hashtags to land on the feeds of those looking for work or looking to switch up their company culture.

 

Results
  • The LinkedIn post received 55 likes which is significantly more than their average of 20 likes per post.
  • It positioned them as a company that doesn’t just care about their own bottom line but promotes employee development through bonding.

 

3. Humanize

Your job isn’t just about showcasing your company’s innovations—it’s about showcasing the people behind those innovations. In tech we often deal with abstract ideas that need to be molded into human-facing concepts, and companies that need to be transformed from purely transactional entities to institutions people can connect with emotionally. All too often organizations lack humanity in their messages, and when this happens it can be difficult to create a meaningful connection with your audience. Part of your social content strategy needs to be dedicated to forging and nurturing that connection by telling those human stories about your people and the people they serve. 

 

Take a cue from: Marketing platform Mailchimp

 

What they did
  • Mailchimp promoted the company’s presence in 3 U.S. locations by making socks featuring the colors of each city’s transit system.
  • Here, Mailchimp employee Estela models a pair of the socks while a quote from her is featured in the tweet.

 

 

Why it works
  • While Mailchimp is a digital marketing automation company, the brand focuses heavily on the humans behind the service they provide, making it relatable.
  • The tweet includes a bright and colorful, eye catching photo of Estela.
  • Mailchimp allows Estela to speak for herself, telling part of the story. We get to hear her voice, which adds a degree of authenticity.

 

Results
  • The post garnered 40 retweets, over 300 likes, and slew of comments from people interested in getting their hands on a pair of Maillchimp’s socks

 

 

Interested in upping your brand’s social media content next quarter? Karbo Com can help. We specialize in creative PR services including:

 

  • Social media strategy
  • Social media content production
  • Brand messaging

Contact info@karbocom.com to learn more.

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