Before social media and digital advertising, brands had to be satisfied with communicating with their customers just a couple times a year.
Seasonal marketing campaigns needed to capture all of the brand’s key messages and products at once, in a creative idea which would remain relevant and deliver on their objectives for months to come. No pressure then!
Now, through the power of social media marketing, brands can have multiple conversations with shoppers in a single day. You can connect with your audience every time they log in (which is usually everyday of the week), you can be always there and always on. So what are the benefits of an ‘always on’ content strategy – and how do you create one?
The reactive nature of social media also allows brands to quickly adapt to changes in the weather, culture and trends, ensuring their content remains relevant, fresh and engaging.
This shift has huge value for brands and having an ‘always on’ content strategy has become a key part of social marketing success. Let’s dive deeper into the benefits of an ‘always on’ content strategy – and you can create one.
Stay top of mind
80% of Instagram users follow at least one brand. That’s a powerful stat and proves how much your customers want to hear from you. While advertising used to disrupt our day (like TV adverts in the middle of your favourite show) we now opt into advertising from our favourite brands by actively choosing to follow them. Make the most of this invitation by engaging in regular communication through your content.
For brands, this consistency can help you make sales. 54% of consumers said they are more likely to trust brands if they make their content engaging and relevant, and keep it regularly updated (53%).
Heard of the rule of seven? It takes an average of seven interactions with your brand, before a customer decides to purchase from you. If your high-quality and engaging content is constantly appearing on your customer’s feeds, your brand will remain front of mind. Repetition aids recall, which is how you’re going to secure more purchases with shoppers.
Always on a budget?
Social media users are spending an average of three hours a day scrolling through their newsfeeds. The more time your customers spend on social media, the faster they are consuming content. And constantly sharing new, high-quality and engaging content can be time consuming and expensive.
That’s why more and more brands are turning to influencers as a cost-effective addition or alternative to campaign shoots. Experts in what content performs on social media – and often able to manage the whole process from ideation to editing – they are a valuable content resource.
How to be ‘always on’
Deliver diversity
Shoppers want to hear from a range of different people because they’re all individuals themselves. No two customers are the same. So keep your content diverse and feature different voices on your feed so more shoppers can relate to your content.
This is another area in which influencer marketing campaigns deliver. You can connect with various creator voices, opinions and experiences, from all over the world. Each will each interpret your brand in a different way and bring something fresh to your feed.
Don’t over do it
It’s important to strike the right balance. If you post too infrequently, your audience will forget that you exist. But if you post too often, you will become a nuisance and customers will likely unfollow you to avoid having an overcrowded feed.
Stick to a posting schedule by using sites like Hootsuite, and use your analytics to understand when your audience is most active.
Follow national events
Over time, you may also struggle to find things to talk about. If you’re asking yourself, “What information does my audience want to hear from me?” Then ask them! This interaction help you to share content relevant to your followers. You can also try tying your content to events. Whether it’s Easter or International Burger Day, it can help spark new ideas and align your brand with trending social conversations.
Use a content calendar
Content calendars are great way to plan ahead and make sure you are always sharing the most relevant and engaging content with your followers. They’ll help you keep track of upcoming events so you can stop making last-minute content decisions and leave ample time for research, creation, and execution.
Download Vamp’s free 2021 content calendar below and get your year off to an organised start.
Plus, find out what the‘Creator +’ strategy is and why marketers and influencers should be using it here.
