Though not a new topic, social media marketing is only now approaching the maturation point for many big companies. Initially, their plans mainly consisted of posting compelling content to draw likes and followers. But now they have a more holistic view of the social media domain, seeking to fully take advantage of the multiple platforms to connect with consumers and boost sales and revenue, and of course, brand loyalty.

Building an intrinsically social campaign

So instead of asking “How do I get the most likes?”, marketers now want answers to “How do I connect with my audience in a meaningful way that works well with my business targets?”. When users are involved, your campaign gains more credibility and authenticity.

Just pushing your message and creative materials is no longer adequate; you need to engage customers to add their own content and ideas to your campaign. Having a central concept that is social and encourages sharing and participation in an experience will put you on the success path.

For instance, you could start simple by encouraging discussion based on a branded hashtag or getting community content to be featured in your campaign materials and e-commerce sites. When you do this, the customers will help grow your campaign beyond the first post or promotional efforts.
Digital marketing has developed into a customer-led conversation as social content is featured in most brands’ campaigns. So your target audience will trust the review or endorsement of a fellow user more than the message delivered by your brand.