How to Increase Social Media Engagement With Popular Content
You’ve already spent the time and money establishing your business. You worked on building an audience and launching a social media presence. Now, it’s time to lay the foundation for your marketing. What you need now is to focus on social media engagement.
As a business owner, you’ve probably already realized that social media engagement is crucial for the success of any business. Your clients have become more than just customers, and to them, you’re more than just a small business. You may have already established an online presence with the help of social media. It’s time to take that bond to the next level and deepen the connection and loyalty for your business.
Stand Out With Your Unique Voice
Traditional advertising tone and voice are set on convincing consumers what they need. Engaging content, however, is about your brand’s unique editorial voice and building an emotional connection. You can (and should) use it regularly to share your expert information and perspective.
A business’s social media presence is no longer judged by consumers solely based on the quality of branding and self-promotion. It is now held to a new standard. Followers want to be involved. And you want them to be involved as well. The best way to do that is by generating content that will appeal to them, teach them something new, and inspire them.
Video is now the top content marketing strategy used by brands, according to HubSpot’s 2021 State of Marketing Report. Unsurprisingly, social media was ranked as the top marketing channel. That same report shows that brand storytelling has become a top priority for businesses, almost reaching the same level of investment as the brand promoting content.
This is because this kind of content establishes an emotional connection. One that in return helps businesses deep loyalty and brand advocacy with their customers.
So how can small businesses tackle this new element?
The competition for attention is tough. And though it may seem out of reach for many small business owners, having a brand voice and being part of a larger conversation can be easier than imagined and is the key to increasing social media engagement. You need to be creating content that sparks interest and resonates with audiences, create a connection with your consumers. The solution lies in editorial media or popular content.
Editorial media, or popular content, is footage that usually features real-time events, celebrities, famous figures, thought leaders, fashion events, sports, and more. It’s completely different than commercial footage, both in nature and in use. Its licensing restricts it to non-commercial use (and therefore, it has never been thought of as an option for marketing). Until recently, you have come across it mostly while visiting your favorite publications, blogs, and news-centric IG pages. But now, the power of editorial media is available for your business.
Unlimited Trending Content at Your Fingertips
Until recently, editorial media was inaccessible to small businesses due to high pricing, and traditional advertising and marketing were about selling, not connecting. Smaller companies and businesses also didn’t have the right platforms and opportunities to benefit from its value. All of this has recently changed.
Alongside the recent prioritization of video on the world’s most important social networks, a shift in consumer behavior has made engaging and conversational content a critical component of any marketing strategy.
We get that. And we get you. We want to help you not only produce great content but improve your social media engagement at scale. That is why alongside our library of 110M+ videos and images from Getty Images that can be used to promote your business in any way you like, we’ve also launched a brand new editorial media section in our library. This is the ideal solution for businesses to both promote and engage with their audiences without limits and adapt themselves to the new marketing demands of consumers.
From today, our vast collection of editorial media and editorial templates will be accessible for unlimited use in our business plan for all businesses – big and small. All you need to do is choose, add text to video, brand, and share! So, where do we begin?
Six Tips for Jump-starting Engagement with Popular Content
We know you’ve probably never used this kind of content before, and making the shift from promotion to engagement may be a big adjustment. So, we’ve put together six content tips to help you get started.
Tip 1: Fill Up Your Content Calendar With Relevant Events
Consistent content production not only shows your target audience that you’re a pro but also gives you extra points on social media platforms. So producing content regularly for social media is crucial, but it’s also extremely time-consuming. Small businesses that want to expand visibility have quite a lot of content to create, but most small businesses don’t have the resources, budget, and time to tackle this obstacle. The use of editorial content can change that. Let us explain why.
Popular media is constantly changing and always relevant. The time and effort you put into generating content regularly can be cut in half by celebrating trending events with your followers or keeping them updated on relevant topics. In addition to becoming a valued source of information, sharing popular content can fill the gap between promotional posts and when you’re unsure how to engage. Not only do you provide quality content to your audience, but you also provide quantity.
Using popular content positions you as the connection between real-time events and your followers. In turn, you are building an open conversation based on trust and engagement and not entirely on self-serving content. For example, when Sex and the City announced its iconic comeback, it became a trending topic across all social media outlets.
Another example of a real-time event that boosted online engagement is the Olympics. Celebrating the Olympics with followers by showcasing a short video celebrating Tokyo 2020’s Olympic heroes and stories was a great opportunity to connect a current event and your audience.
There will always be new and exciting real-time events your business can use to create online engagement – so why not use it to your advantage?
Tip 2: Find Your Specific On-Brand Angle
As a small business owner, you know your target audience. The best way to build a long-term relationship with them is to show that you know your industry best. The diversity and time-relevancy of popular content will allow you to showcase your expertise on all things related to your trade while simultaneously cultivating content consumers will enjoy. Sharing content that reflects your brand’s expertise will ultimately allow you to distinguish yourself from competitors and become the master of your market.
Your audience will feel like a part of your journey when you put effort into showing them the ins and outs, give them insider tips, and most importantly, engage them with relevant content.
For example, if you’re in the restaurant industry, you may lean towards sharing editorial footage of Julia Child’s birthday recipes, inviting your followers to share the recipe they most enjoy making at home. If you’re a pet shop owner, you’ll probably drive online engagement by sharing some cat-loving celebrities. Hair salon owners, on the other hand, might be inclined to share an editorial video featuring celebrity hair trends, encouraging their audiences to engage and share their best hair do’s (and don’ts).
Whatever your business’s niche is, there is editorial content that will guarantee you stand out. You can easily find popular media footage appropriate for your business using Promo’s search bar and choosing the editorial filter. You can search for any keyword and use adjectives to describe the style that best suits your brand. Popular content is an excellent way to communicate your brand’s experience and knowledge in a way that builds community and connection.
Tip 3: Keep an Eye Out for Trending Subjects
Social media has become the medium many people turn to to keep in touch with news and current events. Small businesses now have the ability to become a part of the conversation. This is groundbreaking news, seeing as, until now, small businesses’ main focus when using social media platforms was promotional and not online engagement.
Small businesses now have the opportunity to access diverse and entertaining editorial content. With our content library updating daily with the latest world events, movie premieres, sporting events, and trending celebrities – you can easily tap into the wonderful world of trending content, which is one of the top forms of content to drive social media engagement. It’s a guaranteed way to draw audience attention, educate them, and engage with them in ways small businesses have never done before.
Sharing your brand’s views and opinions regarding real-time issues makes you a part of the conversation, creating traction without selling. Your brand’s credibility will align with your audience’s interests, increasing visibility, awareness, and, most importantly, engagement.
Tip 4: Browse Our Ready-Made Editorial Templates
Now that you understand the importance of popular media, you’re probably wondering how to get it. This is where we come in.
We went through hundreds of thousands of editorial photos and videos and created ready-made templates that are waiting to be used. Our broad library is available for unlimited use for our business plan users.
We update our template library daily, keeping up with real-time events, trending topics, and A-listers’ birthdays. We encourage our creative users to dive into our extensive popular content library and create their very own editorial videos.
Whether you’re a wedding dress salon inspiring clients with a short video of celebrities who married royalty or a sporting goods store celebrating the Olympics with your customers, there is an endless amount of ready-made editorial templates waiting to be used.
Tip 5: Capitalize on Social Media Trends
Perhaps some of the most versatile (and fun) parts of editorial media are the ever-changing social media trends. As small business owners, you can choose the trends that best suit your brand’s voice.
#TBT and #FBF
Two of the most used and viral hashtags are #TBT (Throwback Thursday) and #FBF (Flashback Friday). Everyone uses them; celebrities, influencers, families, so why shouldn’t small businesses? These hashtags can become a regular part of your posting schedule. You can choose editorial footage of celebrities, famous figures, fashion trends, and more to create an Instagram video in minutes. And just like that, you’ll be a part of a viral sensation.
Pro-tip! You can use our inspirational TBT templates, updated regularly.
On This Day in History
Another great way to create engagement is by using trendy historical content to connect you and your audience. Whether it be a historical moment worth remembering or the anniversary of the release date of a timeless film, creating experiences for your customers on social media in a non-salesy way will enhance their trust, and in turn, loyalty.
Birthday Shoutouts (or as we like to call them #celeb-rations)
A significant part of editorial content is the mass celebrity footage available. A great way to utilize this media is by creating birthday shoutouts for your favorite celebrities and famous figures. No matter what industry you’re in, there’s a celeb birthday worth celebrating! Create your own, or take a look at our many editorial media templates to find that particular celeb you and your audiences appreciate and show them some love on their special day!
Tip 6: Market With Memes
In recent years, memes have become an incredible social media marketing tool.
They’re inexpensive, entertaining, easily shareable, create a sense of community, and often create and reflect a brand’s unique voice. An essential part of memes when it comes to small businesses and marketing boils down to trends. Memes are usually related to current trends and events, and small businesses can use these trends to drive engagement.
Keeping up with trends by using popular content to create memes is huge for small businesses. To make a meme using popular media is easy. You can take an image of a celebrity or athlete making a face and add text to match it while reflecting your brand’s voice. Another advantage of using popular media to create memes is that you can get as creative as you’d like. Puns, jokes, trending subjects, and more are all meme-worthy. And editorial content is a quick and easy way to save time while staying relevant and creative. Memes are funny, and if you can make your audience chuckle, you’ll create another layer of engagement, helping viewers relate to your business.
Social Media Engagement From Today
There’s nothing more exciting than watching your audience grow, engage, and be inspired by the content you provide them. You’ve gotten a glimpse at the editorial media content opportunities for your business. Now it’s time you join the fun and boost your online engagement like never before!
