Everyone is doing it, our behaviour on social media is somewhat skewed to how we would behave off line. So to start let’s have a bit of fun with this video:
Why do we feel compelled to self-market such things as our relationship status, new clothes, shoes, pets, kids etc. and why do we Like, Share, Feel Sad 🙁 Feel Happy 🙂 and #####! Social media is at the forefront of people’s minds and corporate marketing campaigns and it continues to grow. Some love it and some hate it, and there are even those that make a strong point of refusing to get involved. We are friends with people we haven’t been friends with for years and yet we share so much information, is this good? Or in some circumstances even relevant? Apparently YES! With over 1.23bn Facebook users and 175 million Twitter accounts, many businesses, singers and individuals can create a following at the drop of a hat. It’s so easy to @connect, Like, Share, Comment and #discover.
Use of the #Hashtag
Even funnier is the video after the one above with Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon, portraying the hilarious over use of the hashtag in social media. If you haven’t watched it, you must. They talk so quickly and it is reflective of the speed and intensity of some social online chats, it continues the point of how our behaviour online is different to that off line.
On a serious note, it is a fact that your social media messages will create more engagement and followers if you do utilise this marketing tool online. That is what the #tool was designed to do; compliment ideas, build trends and poke a little humour and creativity into our marketing campaigns.
Interesting #facts:
- # was first introduced in 2007 on Twitter
- # support was then utilised on Instagram and Google + in 2011
- Fllickr adds # support in March 2013 on its iO5 app
- As we know, the Super Bowl is a massive leader for marketing campaigns and some 50% of marketing commercials include #
- June 2013 Facebook finally added # as an official search support
(Ref Social Media Today November 2013)
# Will help you build your brand, it can build campaign strength alongside relevant and unique content. Ultimately, it pulls in genuinely interested customers who are # followers. After all, 70% of people who are # followers are mobile users and 55% of your messages will be re-tweeted as opposed to those who don’t.
Recent Success
#SingItKitty is a brilliant example and the 3rd # success for mobile company www.three.co.uk where a girl is riding her bike with a cute singing cat to the song ‘We Built This City’. It’s an extremely clever and well thought out campaign that capturing:
- Humour
- Catchy
- Viral
- Pulls on emotions (cat lovers, parents, 80’s generation, memories, children)
- Interactive – Just logon to http://www.singitkitty.co.uk/ stick your own face in and see what happens…
Over To You
Now you have an idea of what’s involved and how many people use it, it’s your turn. Get practicing for your own company’s marketing. Play with it, see what works and what doesn’t work, monitor your analytics and enjoy. Watch your social messages generate engagement and follower stats grow – you will soon see a change.
