There are few things more fascinating to a marketer than studying the behavior of audiences - not only following the trends but getting ahead of them. With the rapidly evolving ecosystem of social media at our fingertips, there are multiple ways to engage our audiences. So how do we go from playing the game to leading it?
Overseeing social media often follows a fairly different brand rulebook than the rest of the marketing strategy. There is more frequency, risk-taking, and fluidity in exchange for compelling insights. We have learned in the last decade that we need to ‘pay-toplay’ - whether it’s investing in paid social ads, content development, influencers, social engagement tools, or community managers. But the big question remains: how are we assessing ROI and finding the right level of investment amongst all other areas of brand-building opportunities?
Define your Brand
Setting the vision, strategy, and objectives as our north star is fundamental, but having a diverse team with various levels of experience and knowledge about the space and the insights is a special ingredient
In this day and age, authenticity wins the day. You can no longer have a social content calendar by throwing spaghetti at the wall, which in the early 2010s was thrilling when you struck gold based on a random, off-the-cuff thought.
At Pizza Pizza, we did our homework to best articulate what we already stood for: ‘Everyone Deserves Pizza .’This brand platform has inspired some of our most compelling storytelling, including programs such as our Fixed-Rate Pizza to combat inflation, Singles for Singles, where single Canadians were invited in for a free slice on Valentine’s Day, or even the Buzz Off Pizza, launched in time for summer, made with a variety of toppings that are known to naturally repel mosquitos.
Rooting our brand in storylines that are ownable, then layering in the entertainment factor - whether it’s the latest social trend or our own smart twist - is where the magic happens.
Allocate your Resources
When algorithms changed to favor non-branded organic content, we had to shift budgets to accommodate these new frontiers and consider expanding to Snapchat, TikTok, and now Threads. to name a few. The question became: Where do you place your bets?
Setting the vision, strategy, and objectives as our north star is fundamental, but having a diverse team with various levels of experience and knowledge about the space and the insights is a special ingredient. That includes the technical aspects to support, track and measure the KPIs. The social strategy can vary drastically from one year to the next, so it’s essential to constantly analyze metrics to know where we can have the most impact.
Know your Audience
Audiences don’t owe you any of their time. Giving them something relatable, thought-provoking, or entertaining is an expectation in order to even enter the conversation.
For example, through social listening, we know Canadians have an inherent love for our creamy garlic dipping sauce. This year, we decided it was time to acknowledge that insight and give our audience something they never knew they needed - the dip roller. Modeled after a food-grade version of a mini paint roller, the dip roller exploded on social platforms, with tens of thousands across Canada participating to win their very own.
The final thought on this ever-changing space is: give yourself some grace. Sometimes you’ll invest in content that completely bombs. Just learn the lesson and continue to encourage your team to take the strategic risks that are needed to break through.
