Social media is no longer optional. More than half of the world’s population uses social media to connect with loved ones and friends and stay updated with current events.
But that is not all. Around 76% of internet users access social media to research products or services. Thus, social media can offer a unique way to make your products or services known, expand your target market reach, and ultimately increase your sales and revenue.
How to Craft Creative Content
Coming up with creative content is one of the key ingredients to reaping the benefits of social media, but it is also one of the hardest. You need to feed your social media with fresh content ideas to keep and attract followers simultaneously. However, it can be impossible—not to mention downright exhausting—to be creative every day.
Here are some ways to get you started:
- Know Your Audience
Interests can vary from one person to another. You cannot create content that everyone will like, which is okay.
The first step to crafting effective, creative content is identifying your audience. This is true for many things, from starting effective online ad campaigns to developing product new products. You can go about it by understanding the demographics and psychographics of your ideal audience.
- Arouse Curiosity
In marketing, curiosity does not kill the cat. Instead, it keeps the cat active. Telling a story is an excellent way to arouse your audience’s curiosity. You can go for real-life examples or hypothetical scenarios. Another way is to use timely tie-ins. You may also want to add some fun to them.
- Stay Relevant
Your content should spark your readers’ and viewers’ curiosity and be relevant to your business goals.
Suppose that your company aims to help clients open profitable online stores. You may want to write an article about where and how they can find wholesale suppliers of products.
- Look at the Competition
Keep your customers close and your competition closer. You can do it by analyzing your rivals’ content strategies. After that, you can apply those that work and reject those that do not.
Still, stay original. Do not simply borrow your competitions’ ideas. Instead, choose to take their ideas up a notch.
- Stick to a Certain Layout or Template
Following a layout or template does not make your content boring. On the contrary, it can make the audience more drawn to your content.
Many artists and inventors become successful because of their use of patterns. For example, The Beatles composed many blockbuster hits because they followed a specific template.
Creative Content Marketing Ideas to Try
Are you stuck in a content rut? Feel free to check out our cheat sheet of creative content marketing ideas perfect for any social media channel.
Get-Ready-with-Me (GRWM) Videos
Viewers love Get-Ready-with-Me (GRWM) sit-downs as they get to see how celebrities, influencers, and even ordinary people start their day. GRWM videos on TikTok alone have garnered 952.9 million views.
GRWM sit-downs are perfect for marketing cosmetic products. Just check out Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty! Its GRWM playlist on YouTube has garnered more than ten million views as of posting.
Of course, GRWM sit-downs are not only limited to makeup. You can also promote non-cosmetic products, such as clothes, food, beverages, and furniture.
Here are a few tips to help you get started on your GRWM sit-downs:
- Keep them real.
- Make them personal.
- Provide tips, recommendations, and hacks.
AMA (Ask Me Anything)
People are naturally curious beings. You can tap into and satisfy your audience’s curiosity by hosting an Ask Me Anything series on Instagram Stories, Facebook My Day, and TikTok.
AMA series are Q&A sessions that allow you to share information about yourself or your business. Questions are not limited to your product or service offerings but also your humble beginnings (a.k.a. success stories).
Here are a few tips to help you get started on your AMA series:
- Focus on a specific topic.
- Relate the chosen subject to your business.
- Let your audience know when you will be answering questions so they can check back for answers.
How-To’s
Products and services deliver fundamental elements of value categorized according to consumers’ four kinds of needs: functional, emotional, life-changing, and social impact. Almquist, Senior, and Bloch at Bain & Company posit that the more elements you provide, the greater customer loyalty you build. In effect, you enjoy higher sustained revenue growth.
How-to’s and tutorials can be an excellent way to emphasize the four values to your followers and subscribers. They can also enhance your status as a pro in your niche.
Just look at Rihanna’s Tutorial Tuesdays on YouTube. Her how-to’s add value to Fenty Beauty because they highlight the brand’s advocacies: inclusivity and body positivity.
Here are a few tips to help you get started on your how-to’s and tutorials:
- Keep instructions clear and straightforward.
- Make the conversation casual.
- Upload them to the right platform.
Blogs
Giving and receiving are equally important in marketing. They also go hand in hand—that is, you have to give to receive. This explains why blogs are effective in keeping and attracting customers.
Blogs provide value to your audience. More specifically, they show consumers how your products or services can help improve their everyday lives.
By giving value, you receive customer loyalty. Loyal customers are your best asset. They can drive your sales through their positive reviews. Also, your chance of selling to existing customers is significantly higher (60% to 70%) than selling to new customers (5% to 20%).
Here are a few tips to help you get started on your blogs:
- Make them easy to read.
- Optimize your website for search engines.
- Add a lead-generating call to action.
ASMR Unboxing Videos
Autonomous sensory median response (ASMR) refers to the tingly sensation you feel from the top of your head to the other parts of your body in response to watching a stimulating video. Many big brands have used it to increase their value proposition.
IKEA’s ASMR video ad for its duvets and cushions is an excellent illustration. It features soft and calming sounds as a woman runs her hands over the sheets. The video ad conveys how the brand’s duvets and cushions can provide great relaxation to customers. It has amassed more than three million views.
You can use ASMR to upgrade your unboxing videos. Here are a few tips to help you get started on your ASMR videos:
- Pick a medium (e.g., whispers, scratches, light patterns, chewing, etc.).
- Keep them natural.
- Invest in the right equipment.
Polls
Customer engagement is an integral aspect of a successful marketing campaign. Fully engaged customers are more likely to bring 23% more revenue than less engaged or unengaged customers.
One of the best ways to let the audience participate in your marketing campaign is by holding polls. Your polls neither need to be a formal affair nor be sales related. Just follow Airbnb’s Twitter poll.
Here are a few tips to help you get started on your polls:
- Opt for one question, and make it short and simple.
- Assess the poll and publish the results.
- Choose a suitable platform for each of your polls.
Charity Drives
Relationships are built on common beliefs and principles. The same holds true for you and your audience. One way to show off your company values and strengthen your relationship with consumers is to do charity drives.
Charity drives do not only build strong relationships with your target market. They also raise consumers’ opinions of your products or services. A recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research reveals that doing good leads consumers to believe that a company’s products or services are of better quality.
Here are a few tips to help you get started on your charity drives:
- Pick a cause.
- Be clear with your intention.
- Connect your purpose with your company goals.
Contests or Giveaways
People cannot resist free things. This is why running occasional contests or giveaways remains one of the most practical ways of attracting customers’ attention.
Need proof? According to a study by Tailwind, holding contests or giveaways can help you grow your Instagram following 70% faster in three months than not having contests or giveaways.
Here are some tips to help you get started on your contests or giveaways:
- Articulate the rules clearly.
- Create hashtags.
- Remove any bias by employing a random selection tool.
Final Thoughts
Many businesses leverage Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms for their growth. You definitely should too. Social media can help you reach more audiences, drive more sales, and generate more revenue. However, you need to be creative with your content to attract and retain your customers’ attention. A digital ad can also assist you to boost traffic to your business.
