How to Use Social Media to Build Your Brand

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Technology. Most businesses today need a strategy for building their brand via social media. Social media has changed the game in that it has created an abundance of markets separate from traditional media. The following guest post is entitled, How to Use Social Media to Build Your Brand.

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Social media is about sharing thoughts, establishing an online presence, and building a network. Given these factors, marketing professionals realized how they can use it as leverage. In fact, it helped brands build their digital presence in a social space, and the bulk of online purchases were attributed to social influence. Most consumers will agree that user-generated content can influence buyer behavior.

Many companies adopt this strategy since social media is key to a successful brand campaign. In cities such as Brisbane, SEO services and social media marketing doubled in demand. However, the social media climate is harsh, and business owners should be aware of this. Creating engaging online campaigns can be a disaster without proper research and planning. Here are some pointers on how to utilize social media for brand-building:

Be bold with ideas

Burger King launched a unique and controversial online campaign for its customers: delete ten of your friends to receive a free Whopper. To their surprise: 240,000 people were unfriended by people who wanted something free in return. Each customer who took up the challenge received a receipt after participating in Burger King stores. Their unconventional strategy, “Whopper Sacrifice,” was the Grand Winner at the 2009 Clio Awards. When you’re willing to take risks and push the envelope, you’ll reap the rewards. Be bold with your ideas and don’t hesitate to push the envelope; it will pay off.

Use social media interests and hashtags

MTV, the music video pioneer, utilized social media to boost the 2012 Video Music Awards. Six-second videos were aired on different social media platforms to announce the nominees for Best Female Video, Best Male Video, and Video of the Year. Fans were treated to an exclusive glimpse of the Moon Man’s trip from LA to New York by using the #RoadtotheVMAs on Twitter. The Road to the VMAs 2012 became the second most talked about social buzz to date. Using social media interests and hashtags helps get the word across the online space.

Take over a social space to pick people’s interests

Uniqlo, a Japan-based clothing company, created a simultaneous pinning event on Pinterest. As users scrolled across the brand’s page, big blocks of pinned images (shirts, jeans, jackets) formed Uniqlo’s brand mosaic. Their products were animated in real time, which gave people a glimpse of what their brand had to offer. Taking over a social space and allowing people to participate in a synchronized online event helps a company introduce its brand to an untapped market. Brands should work with different social media platforms to engage people and wake them up from their digital slumber.

In the end, these are just some examples of how social media can help your brand increase its revenue and build its name. Social media is an effective tool in building a brand while increasing its online revenues. Digital platforms are perfect marketing mediums: no restrictions and barriers. Armed with good strategies and creativity, social media is an effective tool to build your brand’s name online.

Author: anwaryusef

Anwar Y. Dunbar is a Regulatory Scientist. Being a naturally curious person, he is also a student of all things. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology from Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Prior to starting the Big Words Blog Site, Anwar published and contributed to numerous research articles in competitive scientific journals reporting on his research from graduate school and postdoctoral years. After falling in love with writing, he contributed to the now defunct Examiner.com, and the Edvocate where he regularly wrote about: Education-related stories/topics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Financial Literacy; as well as conducted interviews with notable individuals such as actor and author Hill Harper. Having many influences, one of his most notable heroes is author, intellectual and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, author of books including Outliers and David and Goliath. Anwar has his hands in many, many activities. In addition to writing, Anwar actively mentors youth, works to spread awareness of STEM careers, serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the David M. Brown Arlington Planetarium, serves as Treasurer for the JCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter, and is active in the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Ministry at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. He also tutors in the subjects of biology, chemistry and physics. Along with his multi-talented older brother Amahl Dunbar (designer of the Big Words logos, inventor and a plethora of other things), Anwar is a “Fanboy” and really enjoys Science-Fiction and Superhero movies including but not restricted to Captain America Civil War, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Prometheus. He is a proud native of Buffalo, NY.

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