Any modern business owner knows the basics of using social media to generate online business. You hear it all the time: Have a presence on major platforms. Register your business on Google+. Engage with and respond to people online. And the list goes on. But these basics are not going to get you far; or at least, they won’t get you very far very quickly.
If you’re looking for new ways of leveraging social media for your new business, then try these 4 non-traditional methods of social media marketing.
Create a Storyline
Too many business owners focus on pushing their products and services on social media. But consumers today are bombarded with advertisements on a daily basis. Continuing to take a sales approach on social media is just adding to the white noise that your consumers tune out every day. If you don’t want to be tuned out, you need to take a different approach.
Instead of selling a product, focus your social media on telling a storyline. As business mentor and entrepreneur Tai Lopez explains it, create “a script or storyline for what you wish to share with the world.” Your online audience doesn’t want another advertisement. They’re “interested in hearing from people and companies that provide content and real value and substance, knowledge that can impact the way they lead their lives and/or run their business.”
So decide what value you have to share with your audience, and create a story with it. You’ll get a lot more engagement than you’ll get with simple advertisements, which will help you build an online presence and reputation. That will give you more conversions than just pushing your product.
Do an AMA
AMAs (or Ask Me Anything) first gained popularity on Reddit, and gave people an opportunity to engage in discussion with people whose experiences and knowledge they found valuable. From celebrities to everyday individuals who had unique experiences, millions of people have engaged in these forums, making them a valuable social media tool for small businesses.
So, put one on yourself. This is best to do after you have a bit of a following already, so that you can advertise it to your followers and have a decent amount of engagement. You can use Twitter, Reddit, or Facebook Live, like actor Adam Ferrara uses for his #TalkToMeTues posts.
Doing an AMA helps people get to know you as a person, rather than a business. This level of engagement builds trust with consumers and makes you a recognizable name in your industry.
Create Your Own Hashtag
Hashtags are a valuable social media trend that too few businesses are utilizing. When used the right way, you can turn that trend into a tool for your business promotion. It’s a way for your audience to find others who are talking about the same topic, and get others talking about it too. So consider creating your own hashtag for your community to use.
It doesn’t have to go viral to be effective. It can be something you encourage your employees to use when they’re Tweeting about work. It can be something that your clients use to engage with you on social media. And of course, whenever you can, tap into other trending hashtags that are relevant to your business.
Put Customers on Your YouTube Channel
YouTube can be a valuable social media platform if you leverage it correctly. But most businesses will only put themselves on their YouTube channel, filling it with advertisements for their products and information about their company. Instead, use your YouTube channel to let your customers tell their stories. For example, Airbnb has a YouTube playlist called Airbnb Stories, where individuals share remarkable stories about their experiences using the room-renting tool.
While these stories focus on the customers, not the business itself, they still advertise for the company by engaging the audience on an emotional level and telling a story about what they do. Consider doing something similar by creating customer success stories. Encourage people to share their experiences with you, and turn the best ones into YouTube videos for your channel.
Putting your customers on your YouTube channel shows that you care about them on a personal level, and it helps to show exactly how your business can benefit people through emotionally engaging, true stories.
So while you’re planning your next social media campaign, consider leveraging some of these unique ways for engaging your online audience.
