Some brands are inherently perceived as dull by virtue of the products or services they offer - not through any fault of their own. Creating social media content for 'boring' brands can be very challenging. Meanwhile, others are perceived as just fun and exciting without too much effort - like food brands or fashion brands. In today’s modern world, brands that were once perceived as dull and boring are doing some really exciting things on social media to demonstrate their fun, engaging and exciting sides. If you really think about it, the right branding and marketing is what it takes to elevate a boring and dull brand to an entertaining and exciting one.
Let’s take a look at a few different ways you can elevate a “boring” brand to be engaging and exciting;
1. Tell your story
Each and every business, no matter what it is, has an initial “why” moment that kicked it off. Get real and share content around this with your customers. Build a unique brand story and share it on different platforms, because this is how your customers will remember your business. Make sure you fully understand your audience so you can get them to feel a real emotional connection with your brand when you tell your story.
2. Be authentic
Social media, unfortunately, can sometimes be a place of deceit. More often than not, what you see there is not exactly what you get; expectations do not meet reality. However, it doesn't always have to be like that. For example, while sharing success stories is an excellent move, you could occasionally share your failures as well. It’s a great way to show your human side and forge a deeper connection with your audience, building trust. Other ways you could embrace authenticity include going live, admitting when you’re wrong, expressing your opinions and humanising your brand.
3. Educate your audience
Education is a very important marketing tool for brands. Educating your customers helps them understand your products or services better and shows you as an expert in your field, building trust and loyalty. You can educate your customers by sharing tutorials and how-to posts, facts about your business, tips and tricks, blog articles and podcasts. The main goal is getting your audience to learn something about your business - a win for you!
4. Get behind the scenes
Let’s admit it - it’s not until you take a look behind the curtain that things start to get really interesting. When you go behind the scenes, you get a chance to connect with your audience on a personal level. You offer them a chance at exclusivity, making them feel an extra sense of inclusion. Behind the scenes posts also add value to your product or service, as they show the inspiration behind your project.
5. Run contests and giveaways
Running contests and giveaways on social media is a great way to increase engagement and create buzz around your brand. It helps you build brand awareness and generate more leads because people love to win stuff, especially if they're free! Keep in mind that these contests don’t have to be complicated, the simple “like, tag and/or comment to win” method is always effective.
6. Run a poll
Polls are a great way to gain customer feedback or gauge interest in a new service or product. When you involve your audience in decision making, you strengthen your relationship with them and build a customer community. Through polls, you are able to get customer insights that can help to drive improvements and strategy. You can also use them to get to know your audience better or gain fresh market insights. It is a simple way for even the shyest of fans to engage with your brand. They are generally a great way to engage with your audience because they demand minimal effort from them, making the chance of a reaction higher.
7. Share reviews and testimonials
Sharing reviews and testimonials from your customers help create a deeper, more emotional appeal. It’s a way for your brand to provide social proof, making even more people interested in your product or service. They help you build credibility around your brand and show potential clients how diverse and versatile your brand can be.
8. Hold a Q&A session
One thing’s for sure, whatever field your business is in, your customers probably have questions they would love to be answered. This is where the Q&A sessions come in - they give audiences the opportunity to find out more about certain topics, or ask a question to someone that they would never normally get the chance to. Q&A sessions also provide a chance to engage with the audience in real-time and can be highly valuable opportunities that allow attendees and viewers to deepen their understanding of your business as a whole, your products or services.
9. Promote your company culture
Your brand doesn't always have to be about what you offer; showcasing your company culture is another way of helping customers put a face to your brand. Simply put, company culture illustrates your brand’s personality. It allows your audience to put faces to names and see the real people that make your company run every single day. This humanises your brand, making it more accessible to potential customers.
10. Use humour
Entertaining content is one of the top five reasons people follow particular brands or individuals online. People love to be entertained because things don’t always have to be serious - a little laugh here and there is good for the soul. Moreover, humorous content is more shareable and makes your brand memorable. Spice up your content with things like memes, GIFs, vines, and anything you can think of to get your audience entertained. Just be sure to come out as funny and quirky rather than weird and gimmicky.
Our takeaway? A boring brand doesn’t have to mean boring social media content. No matter how dull your product or service might seem, there’s always a chance to create great content that can help attract potential customers. Employ these practices and watch your brand take a positive turn!
