Last month we discussed ‘why’ social media and sport are a winning mix.This month we suggest ‘how’ to use sport and social media effectively.
Three definite ‘dos’ in any social media campaign are:
1. Creativity
2. A clear message
3. Timing
Creativity is important because if your branded content is sufficiently engaging, people will share with their friends. Nirvana is your message zooming around the Internet, being discussed and admired by more and more people with little further marketing administration or cost.
Great social media campaigns think ‘fresh’, use humour or create a topic of interest raising questions people want answered. Think of the movie,the ‘Blair Witch Project’. The surrounding social media campaign is regarded as most successful because people just had to know whether the story about young documentary makers lost in the woods was true or false.
Does this all sound too hard? It need not be. In a sporting context it just needs to be something that creates interest. It can be as simple as polling fans on the best goal for the year, perhaps with a prize attached. Better still,done in real time, they keep on returning to see the results.
Now put this into a business context. In the above example your company could be providing an attractive prize, but taking the additional step of publishing results on your Facebook page exposes entrants to other messages and product information on your company.
Generic messages should be avoided. Social media campaigns need to be subtle, personal and targeted. A great example of this is the campaign by motor cycle helmet maker, Biltwell. They encourage fans to send in photos showing how they have painted their helmets. This creates a feeling of belonging around the brand and fans keep coming back to see new and innovative designs.
Finally, great social marketing seizes the day. This allows brands to piggyback on a special real-life moment and embed themselves into the memory of that event.
Red Bull is amongst the word’s best in attaching the brand to thrill seeking activities from Formula One through to individual dare devil attempts on world records. The company has carefully carved out a niche amongst fans of these activities.
Not all social media campaigns are successful, even those run by the conglomerates. Skittles confectionery, a product of the giant worldwide Mars corporation, commenced a Twitter campaign six years ago, only to have it hijacked and turned into a forum for lewd, crude comments. It was quickly abandoned.
Any invitation for personal interaction whether by social media or otherwise has an element of danger but it can also reap great rewards.
For more information, contact Paul Smith, Secretary and Chief Financial Officer of Yabba.Guru on
0401 400 779 or go to www.yabba.guru
