Businesses today have the amazing opportunity to get a message out to potential customers on social media that will inspire users to engage with your brand or try your product. Of course, it’s difficult to cut through the noise of many other businesses vying for the same prospects’ attention on the same platforms.
Establishing a genuine connection with fans of your brand is a great way to inspire them to use your product, interact with your company online or in person, recommend your business to others or take other action. Below, 14 Forbes Communication Council members share key strategies comms pros can use to inspire their company’s social media followers.
- Build A Brand That Is Known To Care
As a company and as an employer, live your values and work to build a brand that is known to care. Being known to care builds trust in you and allows people to trust what you say. Use the trust to communicate positive, constructive messages to empower people to make decisions and implement positive change for themselves, their families, communities and work. - Anthony Kennedy, ION
- Engage With Your Followers
Inspiration comes from being real, paying it forward, thinking about others and engaging with your followers versus posting at them. Communications pros have an advantage with our natural strengths, but it’s important to add your personality and passions to your posts to inspire, encourage and motivate your followers. Inspiring each other during these tough times is more important than ever. - Amanda Ponzar, CHC: Creating Healthier Communities
- Provide Exclusive Content
Social media followers are your brand ambassadors, and they should be treated as VIPs. Show gratitude when they take the time to engage with you. Also, provide them with interesting and shareable content they can comment on or reshare with their followers. It could be a mix of behind-the-scenes short videos, employee achievements, surveys or industry news. Don’t inundate them with “salesy” stuff. - Parna Sarkar-Basu, Brand and Buzz Marketing, LLC.
- Provide Examples Of Authentic Marketing
The best way to inspire, particularly for communications professionals, is to provide your audience with authentic examples of great marketing, mistakes made and lessons learned. I can’t help being a cliché marketing man—read Ogilvy on Advertising. It’s a book that is still providing real value for marketers, and it’s full of snippets that are mostly outdated but can be reapplied to today’s industry. - Alfie Dawson, Bordeaux & Burgundy
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- Educate Your Followers
If someone cares enough to follow you, they look to you for guidance on current events, trends, business advice and more. So don’t disappoint them! Engage with them, share with them what is going on industry-wise, and help them dissect and understand what this could mean for their business too. An example of this might be to say not only what tactic might work but also why. - Christina Hager, Ovations Digital
- Work With Respected Influencers
Collaborate with influencers and use their content on your owned social channels. By connecting trusted social media leaders with your customer, you extend the value of your influencer investments and give your followers a human face to connect with. Storytelling wins on social, and working with the best storytellers is a winning formula. - Keith Bendes, Linqia
- Post Content That Resonates Emotionally
Social media is all about emotion and quick satisfaction. If you can hit someone’s heartstrings and provide them with an opportunity to get involved, you have a good chance at engagement. Try to make your posts something that will make a lightbulb turn on. The easiest way to do that is by posting something you know will resonate with them emotionally. - Sarah Lero, Peerless Products Inc
- Genuinely Connect With Your Audience
Authenticity is key. People want to genuinely connect with genuine people. What you share should align with your values and be reflective of the kind of person you are. It’s also important to remember that your unique perspective is what makes you distinctive from countless other marketing professionals on social media. Be you; your own journey is inspiring. - Jaime Hunt, Miami University
- Provide Valuable Video Content
Communications professionals should inspire their social media followers by providing content that is valuable, relevant and authentic. This is important because followers will pay attention to what kind of content is shared with them, whether it be good or bad. The best way to inspire followers is to share content in video format instead of text. - Gala Grigoreva, Adsterra
- Be Approachable And Personable
Be genuine and learn how to be available to help. If you are looking to inspire your social media followers with the type of content you release, you also need to be personable for your followers. People will follow you because they look up to you in some way, so allowing yourself to be approachable will be greatly appreciated by your followers. - Patrick Ward, Rootstrap
- Share Real Stories Of Real People
Inspire your social media followers with real stories about real people who are connected to your business, whether they are employees or customers. Capture their stories through video and showcase their experiences. We are all longing for more connection; authentic storytelling strikes a chord for so many of us, and it can make your brand far more memorable. - Lana Johnson, Sterling Engineering
- Offer True Value
Offer true value through your social media content, from educational content to insights and knowledge. Social audiences don’t just want to look at pretty pictures or product features. - Roshni Wijayasinha, Prosh Marketing
- Don’t Try Too Hard To ‘Motivate’ Followers
If you want to truly inspire followers on social media these days, spare us the “motivational” stuff. You probably know what I’m talking about: the long, single-line retellings of a morning routine that starts at 4 a.m. and ends with a three-hour, high-intensity workout and a green smoothie. This isn’t realistic or sustainable for 99% of professionals. Instead, keep it relatable and authentic. - Amine Rahal, IronMonk Solutions
- Aim To Entertain, Enlighten Or Educate
Your followers want to hear about “the business of the business.” Many may own businesses, want to start businesses or get ahead in their communications roles. Share what you know, what you’ve learned and how they can take that knowledge and use it to grow. I always say there are three goals for content: entertain, enlighten or educate. Aim to achieve one of those goals, and you’ll always inspire. - Melissa Kandel, little word studio
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