It’s a battle of wits and creativity for brands on social media.
Social media management platform Hootsuite and creative agency We Are Social listed the Philippines as the country with most time spent on social media. Their Digital 2021 report reveals that Filipinos spend an average of four hours and 15 minutes each day on social media—even if the global average is only two hours and 25 minutes.
Similarly, the global average for daily internet use is six hours and 54 minutes, yet Filipinos manage to tally 10 hours and 56 minutes every day. With social media as an integral part of virtually every consumer’s routine, businesses can actually use this to their advantage. These brands can show you how.
Be part of the conversation
It’s important that consumers know you’re reachable and willing to talk with them. Pay attention to their comments and reshares on social media. Interact with them—creatively. Just like what motorcycle service Angkas does on Twitter, engage with social media users by responding in short but witty comments.
Since Twitter only allows 280 characters per post, make sure your replies stand out. You can do this by injecting humor or adding more personality to your answers. Don’t be afraid to personalize (but also, watch what you say as it can backfire on your brand). Most of the time, these are the posts that go viral on the internet.
Memes and puns
Avid social media users have their own world of understanding in the form of memes and puns. Burger chain Minute Burger doesn’t only get consumer attention through its ‘Buy 1 Take 1’ promo—it makes sure to keep its Facebook posts relatable and aligned with trends. One of its strategies is adding its own touch to anime and memes. The brand uses popular animes such as “Weathering with You,” “Haikyuu,” and “Attack on Titan” in creating posts related to their products.
Influencers on YouTube even have dedicated vlogs where they try the brand’s different menu offerings. It really shows that Minute Burger was able to establish its social media presence by harnessing the impact of present trends.
Tell a story
Nothing beats a good story that doesn’t scream hard sell. Blatantly promote a product and consumers will scroll right past your ad. You have to find a way to sustain their attention, especially if it’s video. We’ve seen this strategy work for fast food giant Jollibee in its Kwentong Jollibee campaign and soft drink brand RC Cola in its unusual storyline of human-cola hybrids (is it a positive kind of impact on their end?)
But you still need to be careful about the kind of story you put out there. Consider different perspectives and responses that social media users may have—you’ll never know if this will work for you or damage your brand.