With so many people using social media nowadays it can be difficult to stand out and get noticed online. In fact, it can be said that social media is no longer a game of likes but rather a place to cultivate engagement and build relationships between brands and customers. Why? Back when brands started joining Facebook and Instagram, their main focus was getting likes or followers on their pages. Today, that focus has shifted to retaining and getting feedback from what they now perceive as potential customers.
A great way to build brand awareness and create engagement is by using interactive content that encourages your audience to interact with your posts. Although you can use this type of content on all your digital platforms such as your website, blog or with email marketing, we’ll be taking a specific look at social media and sharing some ideas that you can take with you and use in your accounts.
#1 Using Polls
People usually enjoy voicing and having their opinions taken into consideration. Therefore, when a brand creates a poll to help them decide which direction to take or asks their followers a question, people usually react very well. This said, you can use Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to create polls and invite your followers to interact with your brand.
Different networks use different types of polls, but they can all be used for different purposes. Keep in mind that not only can you use the networks’ already existing poll features, but that you can also use reactions as a way for people to share their opinions.
Here are a few examples that you can use:
- If you have a clothing brand, you can ask your audience to help you decide which colour you should pick for a product.
- If you own a restaurant, you can create a poll asking where your audience thinks a certain recipe originated from.
- If you have a startup and are doing some user testing, you can ask your audience what they prefer.
- If you work at a digital agency or are a freelancer, maybe you can use a poll to understand behaviours.
#2 Creating Quizzes
Another great way to get your followers involved is to create a quiz on your social media platform. For example, you can use an app that allows you to customize your quiz and post it to Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, or you can choose to create it directly on the platforms.
Instagram, for instance, has a very intuitive quiz template called “Questions” that you can access through the stories feature. You can also use Instagram Stories to create your own template with some blank spaces and encourage people to fill them in, share them on their own accounts and invite friends to participate as well.
Quizzes also allow you to get some data on your followers’ behaviours and how they perceive your brand, depending on the questions you ask.
#3 Going Live
Although more time consuming, transmitting live by using a platform’s Live feature is a good way to connect with followers as you can contact them directly and create real-time conversations. To do a Live on Facebook or Instagram, you should first make sure you have a plan in order to know what you’ll be talking about and avoid weird silences.
You should also test your connection as well as audio and image quality because if those fail, people will likely leave right away. Once you’re Live, use the opportunity to ask questions or even create polls so that the people watching can interact with you.
If you’re not sure if you should do a live, try posting about it and asking your audience if they would be interested in joining in. This way, you can analyse their opinions and if they don’t appear to be that interested, you can maybe use that time to create other posts or invest it in other parts of your business.
#4 Creating Filters
Lastly, let’s talk about Face Filters. You’ve probably tried a few of them on Instagram or Snapchat, but the cool thing is that both networks actually allow you to create your own.
To create a filter for your brand on Snapchat, you simply have to access your camera through the app, tap the “create” button and you’ll be able to select your style including text, colours, drawings, etc. If you want your personalised filter on Instagram, you’ll need to use Spark AR to create it and add it to your brand’s account.
So, why should you create your own filter? First of all, you’ll be creating something that is sharable and that relates to your brand’s personality and aesthetics. By doing so and encouraging your followers to use it, you’re bringing awareness to your brand and creating a closer relationship with each follower. Second, when someone posts a photo with your filter, their followers will see and may also try it, consequently increasing your engagement.
Let us know if you try any of these tips. If you need help creating your own interactive content, get in touch. We’d be happy to help.
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