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June 1, 2012

Tactics to Amplify Engagement: Brand Advocates, Cause Marketing and In-Store Experiences Turned Social

There are a ton of social strategies out there, so how do you know which ones are right for your brand? Each week, we analyze the top movers on the Media Logic Retail Social Juice Index (RSJI). We look at different social marketing tactics brands employ throughout the week, and we see exactly how receptively and enthusiastically fans reacted. Read on to see how these social strategies might be effective drivers of engagement for your brand’s online platforms.

Tip #1: Turn Fans into Brand Advocates
The biggest spike of the week came from an RSJI newcomer – Motorcycle Superstore. The brand highlighted a fan-submitted picture to raise engagement with likers, giving a big shout-out to the fan who submitted the “epic photo.” The retailer challenged fans to take part in some “Create-a-Caption action.” In utilizing fan-submitted content, the brand can be sure that it will connect with likers and the content will be thoroughly enjoyed. Days after the initial Facebook post, it’s still racking up witty responses.

Tip #2: Make In-Store Experiences Social
L.L. Bean made a traveling, in-store experience social to heighten engagement. The brand’s touring Bootmobile, designed to celebrate L.L. Bean’s 100th birthday, inspired an employee of the company to bake a Bootmobile cake. The retailer shared a photo of the creative treat on its Facebook page and offered to donate one dollar to the National Park Foundation for every like, comment and share the photo received. Fans obliged, likely feeling a connection to the cake and the cause, undeniably an important one to the brand’s target market. The image has generated over $5,000 for the worthy cause.

Tip #3: Utilize Photos to Catch Likers’ Attention
Many marketers are already aware of how engaging Facebook photos can be, since, according to Facebook data, these types of posts amplify engagement at over twice the rate of non-photo updates. So it’s no surprise that two of the Big Movers This Week used this strategy to drive engagement. Luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue scored big with eye-catching photos of handbags and high heels from Yves Saint Laurent and Rebecca Minkoff. Similarly (or as similar as these two very dissimilar brands can be) J&P Cycles generated thousands of likes and shares with a photo of a motorcycle with the caption, “Let’s go kill some bugs” — a simple update that resonated strongly with the brand’s fan base.

Tip #4: Cause Marketing Goes a Long Way
Harry & David capitalized on seasonal opportunities that matched the brand’s identity to round out the Big Movers This Week. In addition to employing some standard Facebook strategies (photos, pinning, “like this if you…”), the brand announced the start of its fourth annual Moose Munch Bars for the Troops Campaign right before Memorial Day Weekend. The cause is clearly near and dear to the retailer’s values, as it regularly promotes initiatives to support the troops. The announcement of the campaign’s kick-off marks the first time the brand has been a top mover since December, when the brand regularly spiked on the RSJI by promoting its commitment to supplying treats to the U.S. troops.

Has your brand utilized these social strategies yet? Don’t know where to start? Contact us – we can help.