We’ve finally gotten to the point where most businesses (including those mom and pop shops in flyover states) recognize the value of utilizing social for their brand. But, just like with most things in life, just because you have the technical ability to do something, doesn’t mean that you can do that something well. Anyone with internet access can operate an Instagram account, but the mere ability to upload content doesn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, make that content memorable.
So, how does one become “good on social”? We put our heads together at Growthbuster and came up with five key criteria we measure “good socialz” against. While there is more than enough sass to go around at Growthbuster HQ, for the purposes of this post, we chose to focus on how the following brands exemplify our chosen criteria instead of offering any constructive criticism.
The first step is to be able to count to five. Still with us? Congrats, you’ve made it to the next level. There are five “must-haves” in order to get the coveted Growthbuster “good on social” stamp of approval. Those five must-haves are the following:
1. Engagement
Actual engagement on posts (not bought). If no one cares about what you’re sharing, what’s the point? Fun fact: brands with fewer followers but more engaged audiences are actually more influential than brands with more followers and fewer interactions.
@glossier has a highly engaged audience. We do feel sorry for their community managers but then again, #jobsecurity!
2. Response Time
We live in a hyper-digital world; we’ve all come to expect real-time feedback from the digital manifestations of people and brands we interact with. News cycles are short and attention spans are shorter. Brands need to be nimble enough to have conversations with people on their terms or they’ll lose their attention.
@barkbox is all over their twitter mentions, and there’s really no better way to build brand loyalty.
3. Cohesion
A cohesive and appealing visual identity. Your brand’s look should be recognizable (and it goes without saying, visually appealing); if there were no logos or words on your social channel and someone were to just look at the visual elements, would they get a sense for what or who the brand is? Things like a core color palette, consistent fonts, etc are key.
@tacobell is a prime example of this must-have. Each image feels like it belongs while also being dynamic enough to keep a person’s interest on its own.
4. Voice
A consistent and authentic brand voice. Your brand voice is half of your brand’s personality, it’s what the brand stands for and the way your brand expresses itself. Pretend you have a friend named Jim; Jim has a lot of thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Jim is outspoken. Suppose you hear someone say something and you immediately think of Jim. If you can imagine Jim saying that same phrase, then that phrase is consistent with Jim’s “voice”. Imagine your brand having a voice, a perspective, a point of view and more often than not your written communication will be consistent and unique.
@curology “Wish I could find friends as loyal as my acne”. Enough said… except, bravo.
5. Entertainment Value
This one is pretty straightforward, no one seeks out content to be bored. So, don’t be boring. Give your audience a laugh, teach them something, or even just show them something beautiful. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be beautiful, just show them something familiar in a new way and you’ll be ok.
If @bubly has committed to anything, it’s entertainment value, from recipes to absurd videos, Bubly works to keep people interested. Be like Bubly.
Now that you’ve mastered counting to five, happy social-ing, you’re an expert now!
Email us at liftoff@growthbuster.com with any questions or click the share buttons below.
