Social media isn’t just for teenagers anymore. Brands in every industry are using social media to connect with their customers, build brand loyalty, and create conversions. Where do these magical conversions come from, you ask? Conversation – lots of it.
In fact, it’s this ongoing conversation between brands and customers that seems to be driving increased sales and creating brand advocates. How well does your brand drive conversation on social media? Are your followers participating in your brand’s conversation, or are they headed for the proverbial hills?
If you’re unsure, take a look at the following five companies that are absolutely killing it on social media for a little added inspiration.
HubSpot
HubSpot, considered the world’s best marketing software platform by many top brands, is one company that knows how to rock social media. For a company that specializes in marketing, it’s no surprise they’ve earned an active social media following.
HubSpot maintains an active blog (they post at least once a day), and provides helpful information to their audience in visually pleasing doses. What does this have to do with social media? Take a look.
How They’re Killing it - Their on-site content leads readers to the brand’s social media profiles on the “big four” – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. Thus far, the brand has over 600,000 followers on Facebook. They engage with their social media audience by posting content at least twice a day.
One of their recent posts, entitled “If Beavis and Butthead ran an ad agency, this is the kind of stuff they’d make,” is an example of what the company is doing right with social media – encouraging conversation.
IBM
It’s fairly simple to think of IBM as just another “stuffy” global brand. But over the past few years, the folks at IBM have taken major steps to make their brand more personable and engaging.
It all started with the company’s blog, which allowed brand advocates to read employee posts and further connect with the brand. As a result, IBM is killing it on social media.
How They’re Killing it - With nearly 300,000 Facebook fans and nearly 100,000 Twitter followers, social media users are sticking around to see what IBM has to say. Their Facebook posts and multiple daily Tweets have combined to make IBM a buzz-worthy brand on social media.
Let’s face it – Google appears to be taking over the planet. Okay, maybe that’s a bit much, but the brand is certainly worthy of their due. From dominating searches to captivating their audience with daily doodles, Google has mastered the art of keeping their brand’s conversation going.
How They’re Killing it - Even if you’re in disbelief about Google’s social media victory, nearly 16 million followers on Facebook can’t be wrong. “Oh, but that’s just Facebook,” you say? Check out Google’s activity on Twitter. Google regularly uses trending topics and eye-catching visuals to pique customer interest about their brand. And it works like a charm.
Amazon
Amazon hasn’t simply conquered online retail – they’re also killing it on social media. If Amazon’s social media accounts were brick-and-mortar attractions, customers would be lined up around the block to engage with this brand. Thanks to the Internet, however, Amazon has amassed a virtual following worthy of praise.
How They’re Killing it - Amazon’s larger-than-life social media presence is admirable. The company boasts over 23 million followers on Facebook, nearly a million followers on Twitter, and a healthy Pinterest account with over 500 stunning images. With Amazon’s daily posts and engaging content, social media users happily spread the brand’s message across the web.
Apple
Ah, Apple. Unlike the other companies mentioned, Apple has never officially joined Facebook or Twitter. Trying to find their presence on the two social networking giants is next to impossible. However, they have explored other methods of interacting with their customer base, and have found success through their catchy and shareable videos.
How They’re Killing it - Close to 2 million subscribers on Apple's official YouTube channel shows the company is doing something right when it comes to video. Apple even uses the social video site to remind their brand advocates of the company’s solid position as a leader in technology, and broadcasts their summits and special events on the page.
In order to rock social media like these large brands, it’s essential to provide your audience with a variety of content across multiple social media platforms. Make your content shareable, engaging, informative, and (most importantly) don’t forget to rock it!
