Two stories on social media blunders by established brands spread like wildfire after the Super Bowl. And although social and real time marketing is always risky, the risk can be well worth the reward if you put the right measures in place. For every social media debacle, there’s an equally stunning success story, like the recent win by Arby’s during the Grammy Awards. So, how can your brand be more like Arby’s and less like JC Penney, getting creative without risking the brand? Below are five tips business owners should remember when it comes to marketing and social media:
1) It is OK to experiment and creativity is essential, but vet your ideas, have a brand vision that you remain true to, and always highlight those values of the brand. If you sell clothes, have your tweets and messages be about the uniforms, or staying warm, not the score of the game. It seems less contrived and is more on target.
2) Don’t do stupid things just because you like them. Being brave in this job requires you put yourself out there, try something new, and go out on a limb. However, it also means you make sure you look at every angle of an idea and then put a process in place for people to poke holes in your strategy. If your idea holds up after a close inspection, then take a leap and put it into action.
3) Set up an approval protocol for tweets and live communication. To tweet and update social media platforms on the fly is risky, so make sure you have approved content and a strategy before the big day. Don’t just have someone tweeting on behalf of your company and not have an idea that things have been checked. And then checked again. And then checked again.
4) Treat your brand carefully and think of all the angles! Something that’s funny to one person may offend someone else, or worse yet, may spark an uproar causing your initial marketing move to become the butt of jokes and “what not to do’s” in future marketing manuals.
5) Tread lightly when jumping into an external conversation. Inserting yourself into a trending topic is tricky, and should be well thought out. Real-time marketing is gold when aligned with your brand’s values, messaging and ambassadors. Keep the topic light with a focus on your brand and when you can insert humor—140 characters that will make someone laugh at first glance and not question your intentions.
Gabie Boko is EVP of Marketing at Sage North America.
Current Issue - May 2024