Using Social Media
by Adwright, 30 May 2018
“Think about what people are doing on Facebook today. They’re (…) building an image and identity for themselves, which in a sense is their brand. They’re connecting with the audience that they want to connect to. It’s almost a disadvantage if you’re not on it now.”
Mark Zuckerberg
The Power of Social Media
When we think about digital media marketing, Social Media often emerges as the most powerful platform to reach out to the masses at low cost. Currently, social media users around the world stand at a whopping 3.297 billion people – which is 43% of the human population! It is almost every brand’s dream to have its social media posts go viral and become the “next big-thing” – unfortunately, virality of social media content is often difficult to orchestrate or predict. Instead of trying to become a one-hit wonder, brands should attempt to slowly garner attention, increase their social media presence and eventually, earn the loyalty of accessible audiences on social media.
Numbers for Numbers
Out of numerous social media platforms, the most popular sites and apps that allow brands to properly communicate to large pools of users include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – though in the context of Singapore, Facebook and Instagram may be more widely used in comparison to Twitter.
On all popular platforms, there exist a fierce battle for consumer attention. To vie for attention, brands often have to look at certain numbers – numbers stated on the character count and on the clock.
Beyond the inevitable adherence to any character count limit, knowing the ideal character count is beneficial for brands. The recommended lengths of posts are as follow:
- A Facebook update should be about 40-80 characters long – the key is allowing audiences to get the gist within seconds without having to click on “read more.”
- Twitter’s architecture encourages spontaneity and bite-sized information, which makes 71-100 characters an ideal post length.
- As Instagram is inherently a picture sharing platform, it is pivotal to put the pictures in context, thus captions should be about 138-150 characters long.
If someone shouts in a train during the peak hours, they would likely get more stares than during off-peak hours, and this idea applies to social media – it helps to speak when most users are active. While there has been conflicting claims on the best time to upload content on social media platforms, some research have found that in terms of global engagement:
- Facebook’s best time post is on Wednesday at 12pm and 2pm, as well as Thursdays at 1pm and 2pm,
- Twitter’s best time to post is on Fridays at around 9am to 10am.
- Instagram’s best time to post is on Wednesdays 3pm and Thursdays 3pm to 4pm.
While all these serve as tips to organically boost engagement, great content is still the key to convincing and converting users.
Appealing Visuals and Videos
If the content of a post is outstanding, it will rise above the clutter of information on social media. In what we call the “thumb-stopping” era, a general rule of thumb would be to accompany text with visuals or videos that are striking or interesting enough for users to stop scrolling and pay attention to the post.
Also, visuals and videos should engage users regardless of the device being used. Most importantly, all content has to be mobile-friendly as almost 80% of social media time is spent on mobile devices. Additionally, visual strategies may differ based on the medium. For example, pictures on Instagram often occupy majority of a mobile phone screen, which means that the height of a picture determines how long the post will stay on users’ screens before they scroll past it.
Consistent Voice
As mentioned earlier, apart from increasing traffic to isolated posts, brands often have to build a brand presence on social media and allow consumers to understand them as an entity. Hence, when a brand posts content, the text has to be in line with the brand’s personality. A distinct brand tone aids in projecting a clear brand image, and the consistency in tone increases brand recall among audiences.
For starters, it helps to treat a social media account like an actual person with a voice and craft the guidelines for social media posts based on a chosen archetype. For example, a brand like Converse may follow the archetype of a rebel who speaks with attitude while a brand like Coca-Cola may take on the voice of a good friend who speaks with joy and optimism.
The Big Picture
At the end of the day, we have to look at the big picture. If you wish to convince consumers to take action, the most important thing is to make sure you let them know why they should pledge loyalty to your brand. This means that the numbers, visuals, videos, and voice have to be synonymous with your brand message – all of these components should fit together seamlessly and lead to a call-to-action.
Want to know more about how to strengthen your brand’s digital and market presence? For over 20 years, Adwright has collaborated with clients that range from local SMEs to global corporations, spanning across a myriad of industries. With our rich experience in elevating brand equity, we provide integrated solutions in branding, design, communications and beyond. Partner with us and embark on your unique brand journey today.
If you would like to find out more on the services that Adwright provides, call us today on +65 6227 7227 or email enquiry@adwright.com
Using Social Media
by Adwright, 30 May 2018
“Think about what people are doing on Facebook today. They’re (…) building an image and identity for themselves, which in a sense is their brand. They’re connecting with the audience that they want to connect to. It’s almost a disadvantage if you’re not on it now.”
Mark Zuckerberg
The Power of Social Media
When we think about digital media marketing, Social Media often emerges as the most powerful platform to reach out to the masses at low cost. Currently, social media users around the world stand at a whopping 3.297 billion people – which is 43% of the human population! It is almost every brand’s dream to have its social media posts go viral and become the “next big-thing” – unfortunately, virality of social media content is often difficult to orchestrate or predict. Instead of trying to become a one-hit wonder, brands should attempt to slowly garner attention, increase their social media presence and eventually, earn the loyalty of accessible audiences on social media.
Numbers for Numbers
Out of numerous social media platforms, the most popular sites and apps that allow brands to properly communicate to large pools of users include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – though in the context of Singapore, Facebook and Instagram may be more widely used in comparison to Twitter.
On all popular platforms, there exist a fierce battle for consumer attention. To vie for attention, brands often have to look at certain numbers – numbers stated on the character count and on the clock.
Beyond the inevitable adherence to any character count limit, knowing the ideal character count is beneficial for brands. The recommended lengths of posts are as follow:
- A Facebook update should be about 40-80 characters long – the key is allowing audiences to get the gist within seconds without having to click on “read more.”
- Twitter’s architecture encourages spontaneity and bite-sized information, which makes 71-100 characters an ideal post length.
- As Instagram is inherently a picture sharing platform, it is pivotal to put the pictures in context, thus captions should be about 138-150 characters long.
If someone shouts in a train during the peak hours, they would likely get more stares than during off-peak hours, and this idea applies to social media – it helps to speak when most users are active. While there has been conflicting claims on the best time to upload content on social media platforms, some research have found that in terms of global engagement:
- Facebook’s best time post is on Wednesday at 12pm and 2pm, as well as Thursdays at 1pm and 2pm,
- Twitter’s best time to post is on Fridays at around 9am to 10am.
- Instagram’s best time to post is on Wednesdays 3pm and Thursdays 3pm to 4pm.
While all these serve as tips to organically boost engagement, great content is still the key to convincing and converting users.
Appealing Visuals and Videos
If the content of a post is outstanding, it will rise above the clutter of information on social media. In what we call the “thumb-stopping” era, a general rule of thumb would be to accompany text with visuals or videos that are striking or interesting enough for users to stop scrolling and pay attention to the post.
Also, visuals and videos should engage users regardless of the device being used. Most importantly, all content has to be mobile-friendly as almost 80% of social media time is spent on mobile devices. Additionally, visual strategies may differ based on the medium. For example, pictures on Instagram often occupy majority of a mobile phone screen, which means that the height of a picture determines how long the post will stay on users’ screens before they scroll past it.
Consistent Voice
As mentioned earlier, apart from increasing traffic to isolated posts, brands often have to build a brand presence on social media and allow consumers to understand them as an entity. Hence, when a brand posts content, the text has to be in line with the brand’s personality. A distinct brand tone aids in projecting a clear brand image, and the consistency in tone increases brand recall among audiences.
For starters, it helps to treat a social media account like an actual person with a voice and craft the guidelines for social media posts based on a chosen archetype. For example, a brand like Converse may follow the archetype of a rebel who speaks with attitude while a brand like Coca-Cola may take on the voice of a good friend who speaks with joy and optimism.
The Big Picture
At the end of the day, we have to look at the big picture. If you wish to convince consumers to take action, the most important thing is to make sure you let them know why they should pledge loyalty to your brand. This means that the numbers, visuals, videos, and voice have to be synonymous with your brand message – all of these components should fit together seamlessly and lead to a call-to-action.
Want to know more about how to strengthen your brand’s digital and market presence? For over 20 years, Adwright has collaborated with clients that range from local SMEs to global corporations, spanning across a myriad of industries. With our rich experience in elevating brand equity, we provide integrated solutions in branding, design, communications and beyond. Partner with us and embark on your unique brand journey today.
If you would like to find out more on the services that Adwright provides, call us today on +65 6227 7227 or email enquiry@adwright.com
