Big brands have the budgets and the marketing muscle to create successful social media campaigns, but even small business owners working with shoe-string budget can seize the power of social media to engage your audience and further develop brand identity.
We’ve tracked down some of the most successful big-brand campaigns taking place right now to help get you started. Read on to discover why these Facebook campaigns are thriving, and how your small business can emulate them.
Dove
According to Dove’s Facebook page, the brand “is committed to helping all women realize their personal beauty potential by creating products that deliver real care.” With this mission in mind, they’ve created a number of engaging campaigns. Their latest is the “Smiling Back” campaign which encourages women to “smile back” at their reflection, and tell it positive thoughts. Dove’s “Smiling Back” video, which shows everyday women looking at their reflections, earned nearly 18,000 likes on Facebook during the first 10 days of its posting.
Why it works
At its core, Dove’s “Smiling Back” campaign works because it resonates with their target audience; women identify with the campaign. It’s also in-line with other campaigns they’ve launched, and reinforces the brand’s mission. Dove discovered how to reach their audience and they’re using social media to do it in a creative, fresh way.
What you can learn
The success of any campaign, whether on Facebook or not, is inextricably tied to how well you know your customer’s persona. When you understand your customer’s persona, you know how she thinks, feels and behaves, and that gives you the power to create a campaign that speaks to her. When you find what works, stick with it.
Verizon
Sometimes it pays break out of the box, and go out on a limb. It’s surely working out well for Verizon’s “Powerful Answers Award” challenge. The multimillion dollar global campaign is searching for innovators who propose the most original solutions in the areas of education, health care, sustainability and transportation. Verizon isn’t promoting cell phones or services with the “Powerful Answers Award” campaign, but it’s generating huge press around the brand.
Why it works
The fundamental reasons why the “Powerful Answers Award” campaign works is because it’s totally unexpected, and that makes it exciting and buzzworthy. Along the way it also does an amazing job of generating consumer participation and engagement.
What you can learn
Your budget isn’t the size of Verizon’s, but that doesn’t prevent you from developing a knockout Facebook campaign. Consider how you might better your local community or solve a problem, and then brainstorm ways to get your audience involved in the process. Remember that just like the “Powerful Answers Award” campaign, sometimes the most successful promotions are those that venture away from the norm.
Oreo
A yummy cookie is sparking the creativity (and engagement) of people all over the world. Oreo’s “Snack Hacks” campaign encourages Oreo lovers to get creative with the cookie. Fans (AKA snack hackers) are showing off new ways to eat it, creating dazzling recipes using it, and even writing songs about the crunchy cookie with a delectable soft center. Recently, the company launched a Web series that features some of the most influential people within the world of food getting creative with the cookie.
Why it works
The “Snack Hack” campaign can’t be found in television or print medium; it’s entirely social media based and that is an important component of its success. Limit the campaign to social outlets keeps the campaign fresh, real, and constantly connecting with fans.
What you can learn
Giving your followers the chance to become part of your campaign may feel a bit uncomfortable, but doing so could reward you with incredible results. Devise a campaign that’s fueled by the creativity of your audience and let them run with it!
Each of our captivating social media campaigns takes a slight different approach, but they all keep their fans coming back for more. And you can too. The beauty of social media is that it’s flexible, begs for creativity and offers you endless possibilities to engage with your fans. As an added bonus, it doesn’t cost a bundle to develop a victorious social media campaign. Which campaign sparks your creativity?
Rachel Crandall is a social media specialist for Business Bee. She loves hiking and swimming with her chocolate lab, Bo, and then coming home to Instagram their adventures. She prides herself in staying current with all things social media.