It’s the “social” in social media that sets it apart from other mediums. Social media gives brands a first-hand connection to consumers unlike traditional methods of advertising. Brands need to practice listening and interacting to make the most of the platforms. Why? Because this builds community, relationships, advocates and likability.
All too often though brands forget the “social” though. They push, preach and sell when they should be cultivating, conversing and storytelling. They add noise to the Internet instead of building relationships/community.
Let’s face it: Building a community online is a commitment. It’s not a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job, but an all-the-time gig. It means stepping away from your agenda and adding value to the consumer, while also accomplishing goals and the bottom line. It means treating your online consumer as an individual and not just a click metric.
The past few weeks Under Armour executed two great social media plays. They brought fans into the story, built up community and were all about interacting. Below is a quick look at the two examples.
Misty Copeland
When Misty Copeland became the first African American principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, Under Armour found a unique way to shower her with congrats from their social media community. They encouraged fans to congratulate Misty using #PrincipalMisty. The more times consumers used the hashtag, the more flowers UA would deliver to Misty.
Under Armour followed through on their promise, delivering a SUV full of flowers to Misty. As an added touch, the bouquet of flowers even featured some of the tweets. This was all documented on social media for their community to see too.
This was a great call-to-action that put meaning and power behind a hashtag. It also rallied their community.
Pull Fans Into Content
During the first day of The Open, Under Armour hosted a #SpiethOver asking fans to show their support for Jordan Spieth. As the tweets of support came in, UA turned the tweets into content. This continued throughout the tournament.
This is social media at its best. It pulls fans into Under Armour’s community, content and story. It shows consumers that Under Armour is listening. And, it makes them feel important and valued. Interactions like this go a long way in building brand loyalty.
So, what can you learn from these two great social media plays? Here are three simple takeaways:
Give hashtags meaning.
Consumers/fans won’t just use a hashtag because you told them to. Put meaning behind hashtags like Under Armour did. Give fans a meaningful call-to-action that will incentivize them to rally.
Keep the idea simple.
With any social media campaign, the idea should be easy to digest. If you can’t articulate it eloquently in 140 characters or less, then it’s too complicated. The ideas from Under Armour were simple: Use a hashtag to make x happen. Fans got it and they acted. Simple ideas are memorable and easier to act upon. Don’t make the point of entry difficult or fans will move on.
Bring fans in to build community.
Community is key in social media. If fans/consumers feel included, then they will be more likely to share and spread your content. Make your social media platforms a community by listening, interacting and pulling fans into your content. Social media is not just a broadcast channel; don’t treat it as such.
What other ways have you seen brands and teams rally their community? Share an examples you have below!
Thanks for reading!
