Where should we focus our Social Media efforts? These are frequently asked questions from our clients that depend on numerous factors such as your brand strategy, your audience, and objectives. With 2022 around the corner, we’ve created some short, actionable tips to elevate your social media efforts by four categories: Aesthetics, Collaborations, Shopping, and Media.
Aesthetics
Keep it simple – the value of each individual post will far outweigh how the post looks. Far too many times, we see clients spending too much of their time perfecting their Instagram feeds as opposed to creating content that resonates with their audiences. Focus on creating a cohesive brand across web and social and follow best practices for image size and dimensions across each platform. For imagery, swap out stock photos and heavily designed graphics for authentic content with emotional context to connect with your audience.
To do:
- Create a moodboard for your product and brand shoot
- Create high quality photos and videos (phones work)
- Conduct a social media audit to make sure your social media brand is consistent
Collaborations
Collaborations are the best way to reach new audiences on social media. Instagram’s new collabs feature allows users to co-create feed posts and reels. In the case of B2C (Business to consumer), influencers are still the best way to reach new audiences, particularly micro-influencers (less than 50k followers). Collaborations can look like sponsored posts with creators to simple and effective story takeovers or Live sessions.
To do:
- B2C – Identify micro influencers and create an outreach plan
- B2B – Identify partners you can co-create content with (e.g. artists, joint giveaways, product collaborations)
- Tap into your community and leverage user-generated content
Shopping
Social media has become an extension of your brand’s visual merchandising, particularly Instagram. 70% of consumers look to Instagram for product discovery. Social shopping has become the norm, with even Twitter now joining Instagram and Facebook with facilitating shopping experiences. Furthermore, Pinterest is also expanding its shopping features.
To do:
- Create Facebook and Instagram shops
- Identify creative ways to showcases products (e.g. user-generated content)
- If you’re in the B2C Category, consider creating a pinterest account if you haven’t already
Media
A decade ago social media formats were limited to static images and long-format blog posts. In 2022, we suggest a focus on video content in all forms particularly vertical videos (9:16) with a duration of at least 30 to 60 seconds. We also suggest incorporating audio-driven content if relevant to your brand e.g. podcasts.
To do:
- Create a list of video ideas for Tiktok and Instagram reels
- Consider launching a podcast (particularly for the B2B and social impact sector)
Want to learn more about Social Media in 2022? Share your thoughts – email us at [email protected] or follow us on Instagram @swatchsocialagency. Sign up for our mailing list for more industry insights and social media tips!
Written by Natalya Kamal
